Number: RL34125
Title: Mortality of Americans Age 65 and Older: 1980 to 2004
Authors: Andrew R. Sommers, Domestic Social Policy Division 
Abstract: This report is divided into four parts. The first outlines the primary causes of death among older Americans (age 65+). The second section discusses trends in cause-specific mortality for the elderly between 1980 and 2004. The third section highlights disparities in death rates among persons age 65 and older. The report concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of declining mortality rates in the elderly population, as well as the more prominent role that chronic disease is playing as a cause of death for individuals age 65 and older.
Pages: 16
Date: August 9, 2007