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Total number of deaths by three Global Burden of Disease groups, according to year, sex, and subregion, Region of the Americas, 2000–2019
This figure shows the total number of death rates (millions) in the Region per 100,000 population from 2000 to 2019, grouped by three Global Burden of Disease categories: (1) communicable, maternal, perinatal, and nutritional conditions; (2) noncommunicable diseases; and (3) injuries. To help illustrate the trends, the findings can be broken down by region, subregion, and country; and by sex.
Mortality according to the three groups of the Global Burden of Disease for the Region of the Americas
The figure above illustrates trends in mortality in the Region of the Americas from 2000 to 2019, broken down into three causes-of-death groups: Communicable, maternal, perinatal, and nutritional conditions; Noncommunicable (chronic) diseases; and Injuries.
In recent decades, factors such as successful immunization programs, improved nutrition, increased control of infectious diseases, population aging, and the reduction of extreme poverty in the Region have had an impact on reducing overall mortality in the Americas. However, the majority of deaths are attributable to these three main causes-of-death groups. Subtle differences can be seen by subregion and by sex. The vertical (y) axis indicates the number of deaths (in millions); the horizontal (x) axis represents the year.
Change in the proportion of deaths between 2000 and 2019, showing the contribution of potentially avoidable premature deaths, preventable deaths, and treatable deaths, Region of the Americas, 2000 and 2019
This graphic illustrates the change in potentially avoidable premature mortality in the Region between 2000 and 2019. Progress has been made in reducing avoidable mortality, but it remains a challenge that requires attention. In 2019, 51.7% of total deaths occurred prematurely before the age of 75, down from nearly 57% in 2000.
Trends in age-adjusted potentially avoidable premature mortality rates by sex for the region, subregions, and countries, Region of the Americas, 2000–2019
This figure shows the potentially avoidable premature death rates per 100,000 people in the population from 2000 to 2019. To help illustrate the trends, the findings are presented by sex, and can be broken down by the region, subregion, and country; and by whether the causes of death were preventable or treatable.
Age-adjusted mortality rates for avoidable, preventable, and treatable mortality for the region, subregions, and countries, by year and sex in the Region of the Americas, 2000–2019
This chart uses three colors (red, yellow, and green) to illustrate whether premature mortality rates in different countries are higher than that of the Region (red); similar (yellow), or lower (green). The chart interactively allows for selection by year; by region, subregion, or country; by sex; and by avoidable, preventable, or treatable causes of death.
Age-adjusted mortality rates for avoidable, preventable, and treatable mortality by country, Region of the Americas, 2000–2019
This visualization allows the opportunity to examine age-adjusted mortality rates from avoidable causes in countries in the Region of the Americas from 2000 to 2019 in comparison to the Region as a whole. In the chart on the right, values are shaded red when the country death rates are higher than those of the Region, yellow when there are no statistically significant differences, and green when the avoidable death rates in the country are lower than those of the Region as a whole. The avoidable causes of death can also be broken down into preventable or treatable. Avoidable premature deaths are deaths that occur before the age of 75 that should not occur if all levels of care by health systems function properly. Avoidable premature deaths can be preventable (if they could have been prevented through primary prevention efforts) or treatable (if they could have been avoided through timely and good-quality medical care).
Dynamic age-adjusted, avoidable, preventable, and treatable premature mortality rates from 2000 to 2019 by sex, region, subregion, and country, according to the Sustainable Development Index (SDI), for the Region of the Americas, 2000–2019
The animated graphic illustrates the changes in aged-adjusted mortality rates due to potentially avoidable premature deaths in the region, subregion, or country by sex from 2000 to 2019. Click on the “play” button at the left of the vertical (y) axis to see the change by type of deaths (avoidable, preventable, or treatable) from 2000 to 2019. Note that you can individually select a country to illustrate the change over the period.
Sustainable Development Index (SDI) by country and year for the Region of the Americas, 2000–2019
The Sustainable Development Index (SDI) is a model for measuring development that goes beyond standard indicators of human development, such as life expectancy, education, income, and sanitation, to capture key dimensions of sustainable development that are useful in monitoring the health targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3, as well as related inequalities. Countries with a higher SDI score are considered more sustainably developed than those with lower scores. The approach recognizes that only focusing on elements of human development could lead to extensive damage with climate change and ecological devastation, which would have a negative impact on progress in human development. In this visualization, countries with the highest ratings are making progress in both human development and ecological efficiencies in delivering human development. Each of the countries can be explored by year to see the change over time.
Change in country, age-adjusted mortality rates for avoidable, preventable, and treatable mortality grouped by quintiles according to the Sustainable Development Index (SDI) value for each country in the Region of the Americas, 2000, 2009, and 2019
This visualization creates the opportunity to compare age-adjusted mortality rates in countries in the Region of the Americas in 2019 by quintile according to the Sustainable Development Index. Measures can be explored by avoidable premature deaths as a whole or broken down into preventable or treatable. The second page of the visualization shows the change in those measures in these countries across two decades using data from the years 2000, 2009, and 2019. Avoidable premature deaths are deaths that occur before the age of 75 that should not occur if all levels of care by health systems function properly. Avoidable premature deaths can be preventable (if they could have been prevented through primary prevention efforts) or treatable (if they could have been avoided through timely and good-quality medical care).
Map of age-adjusted mortality rates and trends for potentially avoidable premature mortality in the Region of the Americas, 2000–2019
This chart and map create the opportunity to explore avoidable premature death trends across multiple countries by year, sex, and the subsets of whether the deaths were preventable or treatable. To select multiple countries to compare, hold down “control” and click on the countries of interest. They will be filtered on the map and in the trend graph. Avoidable premature deaths are deaths that occur before the age of 75 that should not occur if all levels of care by health systems function properly. Avoidable premature deaths can be preventable (if they could have been prevented through primary prevention efforts) or treatable (if they could have been avoided through timely and good-quality medical care).
Understanding PAPM
Premature deaths: These are deaths of people less than 75 years of age.
- Potentially avoidable premature deaths: These are deaths of those less than 75 years of age that should not occur if all levels of care by health systems function properly (primary, secondary, tertiary prevention and health care at all levels). The group of avoidable deaths considers two subgroups: (i) the so-called potentially preventable causes; and (ii) the so-called potentially treatable (or amenable) causes. In Spanish, the use of the term atendible is proposed, because treatable only refers to treatment and health care; however, amenable/atendible includes timely diagnosis, treatment, control, repair of damage, and prolongation of life with good quality.
- Potentially preventable premature deaths: These are deaths of people less than 75 years of age due to a cause that could have been prevented through primary prevention efforts. A death is considered preventable if, in the light of understanding its determinants of health at the time of death, all or most deaths from that cause could be prevented by public health interventions, in the broadest sense.
- Potentially treatable premature deaths: These are deaths of people less than 75 years of age due to a cause that should not have occurred if, in light of medical knowledge and technology at the time of death, it could have been avoided through timely and good-quality medical care.