Early Death - Ages 65-74 in Hawaii

Hawaii

Based on 2022 calculations, the average 65-year-old in the United States should expect to live another 18.9 years. However, many older adults do not live to see their 75th birthday.

The leading causes of death among adults ages 65-74 in the U.S. in 2021 were cancer, heart disease, COVID-19, chronic lower respiratory disease and cerebrovascular causes according to WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Visualization Tool. Research estimates that 48% of all premature deaths are because of behavioral and other preventable causes. 

Besides physiological and behavioral factors, social factors contribute to mortality risk. Based on data from 2010, poverty, income inequality, racial segregation, low social support and living in areas with high poverty were associated with increased risk of death in adults age 65 and older. Social isolation, which affects about one-quarter of older adults, also increases the risk of premature death.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, early death rates are higher among:

• Older men compared with older women
• Black, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native adults compared with Asian, multiracial and Hispanic adults.

A variety of intervention strategies that encourage healthy lifestyles, physical and social activity and preventive care may reduce early death among older adults. Smoking prevention and cessation can decrease premature deaths attributable to lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. Addressing risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity and diet can further decrease premature deaths caused by heart disease and stroke. Physical activity, which includes aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, has been associated with lower all-cause mortality. The National Council on Aging maintains a library of evidence-based physical activity programs tailored for older adults so individuals can find the program that best suits their needs.

Group interventions can enhance social support by providing physical activity sessions, group discussions or therapies. Studies have also found that use of digital or internet technologies among older adults can help prevent social isolation and is associated with decreased loneliness.

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Cotterell, Natalie, Tine Buffel, and Christopher Phillipson. “Preventing Social Isolation in Older People.” Maturitas 113 (July 1, 2018): 80–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.04.014.

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Novotney, Amy. “The Risks of Social Isolation.” Monitor on Psychology 50, no. 5 (May 2019): 32. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation.

Webber, Bryant J., Katrina L. Piercy, Eric T. Hyde, and Geoffrey P. Whitfield. “Association of Muscle-Strengthening and Aerobic Physical Activity With Mortality in US Adults Aged 65 Years or Older.” JAMA Network Open 5, no. 10 (October 17, 2022): e2236778. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.36778.

Yu, Kexin, Shinyi Wu, and Iris Chi. “Internet Use and Loneliness of Older Adults Over Time: The Mediating Effect of Social Contact.” Edited by Deborah Carr. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B 76, no. 3 (February 17, 2021): 541–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa004.