State by state, the CDC looks at causes of death in a new study.

We all know that we are going to die, but we don't know how, or when, this is going to happen. Most commonly we die of cardiovascular disease or cancer, but there seems to be a correlation between where you live, and what you will die from. Francis P. Boscoe, PhD and Eva Pradhan, MPH did research on what we die of looking state to state. They were looking at 113 selected causes of death from 2001 to 2010 using the CDC Underlying Cause of Death files.

They found that some of the causes made sense such as “influenza in some northern states, pneumoconiosis in coal-mining states, [and] air and water accidents in Alaska and Idaho.” But some of the causes of death were not immediately understandable. Three western states recorded deaths that seemed to be caused by legal intervention. Which I guess with the knowledge that Oregon offers Death With Dignity that the “legal” part makes some sense. And lastly, when you look at California it seems like a great place for women as we are not going to die of hyperplasia of prostate.

So, what is the point of this blog? For me it is just to highlight that where we live can play a bit into what cause of death we might have. There are many other factors that will also play into your death that you can control: diet, lifestyle, risk factors, and overall quality of life. Jobs, environmental damages, and populations are going to play a role in how we die as well, but for the most part we might not be able to control those last ones.

Try to think about how you can lower your risks of early death. Then think about things like exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes that you can make to maintain your health and wellness.

Please follow this link to the source of this material which is the CDC’s website, and take a look at the map, state by state, for more information.

If you would like some counseling in lifestyle changes, or you have health questions, then please contact me at 415-912-9934, or visit the contact submission page. Thanks, and have a good weekend.

Source: CDC

Image credit: CDC