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This report aims to provide an overview of provisional mortality data in the U.S. for 2022 compared to 2021.

May 4, 2023Open Access

Provisional Mortality Data — United States, 2022

Key Points

This report aims to provide an overview of provisional mortality data in the U.S. for 2022 compared to 2021.
Analyzed provisional mortality statistics from the National Vital Statistics System using death certificate data.
Provided estimates for total deaths, age-adjusted death rates, and causes of death, specifically focusing on COVID-19 contributions.
Compared 2022 mortality rates with those from 2021.
Approximately 3,273,705 deaths occurred in 2022, with a 5.3% decrease in the age-adjusted death rate from 2021 (879.7 to 832.8 per 100,000).
COVID-19 was a cause or contributing factor in about 244,986 deaths (7.5%), equating to 61.3 deaths per 100,000.
The leading causes of death in 2022 were heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and COVID-19.

Abstract

The National Center for Health Statistics' (NCHS) National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) collects and reports annual mortality statistics using U.S. death certificate data. Because of the time needed to investigate certain causes of death and to process and review death data, final annual mortality data for a given year are typically released 11 months after the end of the calendar year. Provisional data, which are based on the current flow of death certificate data to NCHS, provide an early estimate of deaths, before the release of final data. NVSS routinely releases provisional mortality data for all causes of death and for deaths associated with COVID-19.* This report is an overview of provisional U.S. mortality data for 2022, including a comparison with 2021 death rates. In 2022, approximately 3,273,705 deaths† occurred in the United States. The estimated 2022 age-adjusted death rate decreased by 5.3%, from 879.7 per 100,000 persons in 2021 to 832.8. COVID-19 was reported as the underlying cause or a contributing cause in an estimated 244,986 (7.5%) of those deaths (61.3 deaths per 100,000). The highest overall death rates by age, race and ethnicity, and sex occurred among persons who were aged ≥85 years, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN), non-Hispanic Black or African American (Black), and male. In 2022, the four leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and COVID-19. Provisional death estimates provide an early indication of shifts in mortality trends and can guide public health policies and interventions aimed at reducing mortality, including deaths directly or indirectly associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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