Deaths can be classified into three main groups: communicable diseases, chronic non-communicable diseases and injuries. Communicable diseases include infectious and parasitic diseases, as well as maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions. Chronic non-communicable diseases refer to long-term health conditions, while injuries include trauma and poisoning.
In 2019, seven of the ten leading causes of death on a global scale were attributed to non-communicable diseases. These seven causes constituted 44% of all deaths that year, amounting to 80% of the top 10 causes of death. All non-communicable diseases combined caused 74% of deaths around the world in the same period.
(* All infographics and data sourced from WHO)
Ischaemic heart disease is responsible for the most deaths all over the world, accounting for 16% of the entire death tally. Between 2000 and 2019, the number of fatalities due to this disease rose dramatically by over two million, with a total of 8.9 million in 2019. The second and third leading causes of death are stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, accounting for approximately 11% and 6% of the worldwide death toll, respectively.
In 2019, lower respiratory infections were ranked as the fourth leading cause of death, despite being the world’s most deadly communicable disease. There was a significant decrease in related deaths, dropping from about 3 million in 2000 to 2.6 million in 2019. (Post COVID data still under process)
Neonatal conditions rank fifth in terms of global mortality; however, in terms of absolute number of deaths, neonatal illnesses have experienced the greatest decrease over the last twenty years. As of 2019, two million newborns and young children died from neonatal conditions, which is an impressive 1.2 million fewer than in 2000.
Due to the increasing numbers of non-communicable diseases, death tolls as a result have heightened. Cancer of the trachea, bronchus and lungs has seen an uptrend, with fatalities increasing from 1.2 million to 1.8 million, now making these diseases the 6th leading cause of death around the world.
Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia were the seventh most common cause of death in 2019. Women suffer disproportionately. Women account for 65% of dementia and Alzheimer’s mortality worldwide.
Diarrhoeal disorders have had one of the biggest drops in mortality, with 1.5 million fewer deaths worldwide in 2019 compared to 2.6 million in 2000.
With a notable percentage growth of 70% since 2000, diabetes has climbed among the top 10 causes of death. With an 80% increase since 2000, diabetes has also contributed to the top 10 list of increases in male fatalities. There are no longer any diseases on the list that were among the top 10 causes of death in 2000. One of them is HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS-related fatalities have decreased by 51% over the past 20 years, falling from the eighth leading cause of death worldwide in 2000 to the nineteenth in 2019.
The 10th largest cause of death worldwide is now kidney illnesses, up from the 13th. From 813 000 in 2000 to 1.3 million in 2019, mortality has increased.