Image by Sbtlneet via Pixabay.com
In order to compare "apples to apples" in collecting and coding cause-of-death data, categories used by the California Department of Public Health, reflected in the tables below, are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "the disease or injury which initiated the train of events leading directly to death, or the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury." The categories seen here reflect only the 14 leading causes of death during any year. What is not specifically reflected among the categories here is the enormous and tragic loss of life to COVID-19. During 2020, Los Angeles County suffered 10,345 deaths related to COVID-19. In 2021, the county saw an even greater loss - 17,292 COVID-19 deaths. Numerically, that would have ranked COVID-19, in 2021, as the county's leading cause of death, dethroning heart disease from its long reign as Los Angeles County's most persistant killer.
Number of Deaths. Percentage in parentheses reflect numerical increase (+) or decrease (-) for that cause-of-death over previous year.
| Rank | 2021 (Preliminary) | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Causes | All causes 83,300 (+0.6%) |
All causes 82,816 (+26.6%) |
All causes 65,404 (+0.2%) |
All causes 65,241 (+0.4%) |
All causes 64,990 (+1.2%) |
| #1 | Diseases of heart 17,146 (-7.2%) |
Diseases of heart 18,467 (+9.6%) |
Diseases of heart 16,846 (-1.1%) |
Diseases of heart 17,027 (+1.0%) |
Diseases of heart 16,852 (+1.1%) |
| #2 | Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 14,479 (-2.8%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 14,889 (-0.1%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 14,911 (-0.8%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 15,033 (+0.2%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 15,001 (+0.9%) |
| #3 | Alzheimer's disease 4,572 (-7.6%) |
Alzheimer's disease 4,947 (+12.5%) |
Alzheimer's disease 4,396 (+8.4%) |
Alzheimer's disease 4,054 (-3.2%) |
Alzheimer's disease 4,186 (+5.0%) |
| #4 | Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 4,016 (-0.8%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 4,048 (+6.6%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 3,796 (+1.9%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 3,725 (+0.0%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 3,726 (+1.0%) |
| #5 | Cerebrovascular diseases 4,001 (-0.9%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 4,039 (+32.7%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 3,044 (-2.1%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3,109 (-0.6%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3,129 (-1.6%) |
| #6 | Diabetes mellitus 3,506 (-2.3%) |
Diabetes mellitus 3,587 (+19.8%) |
Diabetes mellitus 2,995 (+9.6%) |
Diabetes mellitus 2,732 (+1.8%) |
Diabetes mellitus 2,684 (+1.8%) |
| #7 | Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2,602 (-13.1%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2,995 (+0.6%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2,978 (+10.1%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 2,704 (+2.6%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 2,636 (+3.3%) |
| #8 | Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,958 (-11.2%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 2,206 (+19.8%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 1,841 (-17.4%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 2,228 (+10.6%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 2,015 (-5.6%) |
| #9 | Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,838 (+3.8%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,770 (+14.6%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,545 (+1.7%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,519 (+2.1%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,488 (-2.0%) |
| #10 | Influenza & pneumonia 1,769 (+3.9%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,703 (+14.3%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,490 (-0.8%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,502 (+4.2%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,441 (+9.6%) |
| #11 | Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,571 (+1.5%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,548 (+13.7%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,361 (-0.9%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,373 (-0.1%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,374 (+15.8%) |
| #12 | Parkinson's disease 892 (-8.2%) |
Parkinson's disease 972 (+12.4%) |
Parkinson's disease 865 (-11.8%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 981 (+8.4%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 905 (+7.9%) |
| #13 | Assault (+homicide) 868 (+0.6%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 863 (-0.1%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 864 (+8.7%) |
Parkinson's disease 795 (-0.9%) |
Parkinson's disease 802 (+20.1%) |
| #14 | Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 794 (+9.5%) |
Assault (+homicide) 725 (+33.5%) |
Assault (+homicide) 543 (-14.1%) |
Assault (+homicide) 632 (+1.3%) |
Assault (+homicide) 624 (-5.7%) |
Source: California Department of Public Health
Number of Deaths. Percentage in parentheses reflect numerical increase (+) or decrease (-) for that cause-of-death over previous year.
| Rank | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Causes | All causes 64,199 (+1.1%) |
All causes 63,502 (+6.5%) |
All causes 59,608 (-0.3%) |
All causes 59,764 (+2.0%) |
All causes 58,592 (+0.9%) |
| #1 | Diseases of heart 16,669 (+0.2%) |
Diseases of heart 16,630 (+6.2%) |
Diseases of heart 15,658 (-3.1%) |
Diseases of heart 16,167 (+2.2%) |
Diseases of heart 15,814 (-2.5%) |
| #2 | Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 14,864 (-0.4%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 14,926 (+2.2%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 14,610 (+5.2%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 13,888 (-1.9%) |
Malignant neoplasms (cancer) 14,164 (+1.6%) |
| #3 | Alzheimer's disease 3,988 (+4.8%) |
Alzheimer's disease 3,806 (+18.3%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 3,218 (-2.7%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 3,307 (-1.7%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 3,363 (+3.2%) |
| #4 | Cerebrovascular diseases 3,689 (+0.5%) |
Cerebrovascular diseases 3,672 (+29.5%) |
Alzheimer's disease 2,835 (-5.1%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2,988 (+8.4%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2,757 (-8.6%) |
| #5 | Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3,179 (+4.6%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3,039 (+7.5%) |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2,828 (+9.7%) |
Alzheimer's disease 2,579 (+4.1%) |
Alzheimer's disease 2,478 (+5.6%) |
| #6 | Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 2,636 (+8.3%) |
Diabetes mellitus 2,435 (+5.3%) |
Diabetes mellitus 2,312 (+2.0%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 2,266 (+2.9%) |
Diabetes mellitus 2,203 (+0.4%) |
| #7 | Diabetes mellitus 2,553 (+4.9%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 2,434 (+7.2%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 2,270 (+3.3%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 2,198 (+7.0%) |
Accidents (+unintentional injuries) 2,054 (-0.4%) |
| #8 | Influenza & pneumonia 2,135 (-1.2%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 2,160 (+3.0%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 2,098 (-3.5%) |
Diabetes mellitus 2,173 (+6.1%) |
Influenza & pneumonia 2,048 (+10.3%) |
| #9 | Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,519 (-6.8%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,630 (+16.3%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,401 (+6.1%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,320 (+3.5%) |
Chronic liver disease & cirrhosis 1,275 (+2.0%) |
| #10 | Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,315 (-1.9%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,341 (+14.8%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,168 (-2.5%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,198 (-3.7%) |
Essential hypertension & hypertensive renal disease 1,244 (+17.8%) |
| #11 | Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,187 (-6.1%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,264 (+24.8%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 1,013 (+8.5%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 934 (+4.9%) |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome & nephrosis 890 (+3.5%) |
| #12 | Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 839 (-0.1%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 840 (+4.3%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 805 (+2.0%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 789 (+4.0%) |
Intentional self-harm (+suicide) 759 (-1.2%) |
| #13 | Assault (+homicide) 668 (+0.0%) |
Parkinson's disease 668 (+12.5%) |
Parkinson's disease 594 (+1.4%) |
Assault (+homicide) 586 (-2.0%) |
Assault (+homicide) 598 (-2.1%) |
| #14 | Parkinson's disease 662 (+4.1%) |
Assault (+homicide) 636 (+16.3%) |
Assault (+homicide) 547 (-1.1%) |
Parkinson's disease 553 (+8.9%) |
Parkinson's disease 508 (-5.0%) |
Source: California Department of Public Health
