Mortality rates fell 18% for women and 21% for men between 1999 and 2019, when adjusted for changing age distributions.[1] But the annual death rate for men remains 40% higher than it is for women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There were 847 deaths per 100,000 men in 2019 compared to 603 deaths per 100,000 women.
Men die of heart disease and cancer — the leading causes of death for both genders — at higher rates than women. Fatal accidents and suicide are also more common among men. Data shows that men are less likely to see a doctor regularly or get a flu shot, and they are more likely to have a substance abuse disorder.
