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P053. Gendered and Racial Trends in Leading Causes of Mortality Among 20-64 Year Olds, 1999-2023
Thu, September 4, 6:45 to 8:00pm, Other Venues, Poster VenueAbstract
Extended Abstract: Gendered and Racial Trends in Mortality Among 18-45-Year-Olds in the U.S., 1999-2023
The United States has experienced substantial shifts in mortality trends among young adults aged 18-45, shaped by structural inequalities and public health crises. Despite extensive research on individual causes of death, few studies have examined how racial and gender disparities persist across multiple leading causes of mortality over time. Using CDC WONDER data (1999-2023), this study provides a comprehensive descriptive analysis of **seven major causes of death—fentanyl overdoses, firearm injuries, motor vehicle accidents, cancers, heart disease, other drug overdoses, and COVID-19—**to assess racial and gendered disparities in this critical age group.
This research is grounded in descriptive epidemiology, which examines patterns of disease and mortality to inform public health action. The study also engages with fundamental cause theory, which argues that social conditions, including race, gender, and socioeconomic status, continually shape health disparities despite changing risk factors. By applying these frameworks, the study bridges sociological inquiry and public health research, identifying historical patterns that have influenced mortality risks over the past two decades.
Findings suggest widening racial and gender disparities in opioid-related deaths, firearm injuries, and chronic diseases, with significant differences in mortality trajectories before and after major public health crises such as the opioid epidemic and COVID-19. These disparities underscore the importance of structural determinants of health, healthcare access, and systemic inequities in shaping life expectancy.
By situating findings within a historical context and linking results to sociological theories of health disparities, this study provides an empirical foundation for future policy interventions targeting mortality inequalities in young adulthood.