There were approximately 56 million deaths worldwide in 2012. The causes of death vary significantly based upon the income level of the country.
High-income Countries:
7 out of 10 deaths were among individuals 70 years or older
Only 1 in 100 deaths were in children under 15 years
Most deaths were due to chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, dementia, COPD or diabetes
Low-income Countries:
Only 2 of every 10 deaths were among individuals 70 years or older
Almost 4 of every 10 deaths were among children under 15 years
People frequently die of infectious diseases, such as lower respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, malaria and tuberculosis.
Complications of childbirth are also among the leading causes of death
Bottom Line:
Acute care services in the US and high-income countries need to acknowledge the growing number of individuals with chronic diseases and the rapidly growing elderly population. In low-income countries, acute care services still need to primarily address maternal/child infections and problems as well as infectious diseases.
