Rising levels of cardiovascular mortality in Mississippi, 1979-1995

Background: Cardiovascular disease rates are improving in the United States, but not for certain subgroups, especially some African Americans. The objective of the study is to assess current levers and trends in cardiovascular disease mortality in Mississippi. Methods: Mortality statistics from the U.S. vital statistics system for the period 1979-95 were used. Comparison of age-adjusted mortality rates in Mississippi with the other states for the year 1995 and with the nation as a whole over the period of 1979-95 was performed. Results: Mississippians had the highest age-adjusted cardiovascular disease morality rates in the nation in 1995. Overall, the cardiovascular rates in Mississippi were 37% higher than for the U.S. African American men and women from Mississippi had especially high cardiovascular mortality rates, approximately 50% and 70% higher than their white counterparts, respectively. The higher burden of cardiovascular disease in African Americans from Mississippi was especially marked in the younger age groups. Since about 1984-85, cardiovascular mortality rates in Mississippi have been increasing for African Americans, whereas nationally they have been decreasing. In contrast, cardiovascular mortality rates for whites in Mississippi have been declining, but at a much slower rate than seen nationally. The wide divergence in trends for African American and white men and women over that period in Mississippi has lead to an estimated 19,400 excess cardiovascular deaths. Virtually identical trends were found for heart disease. Conclusions: Cardiovascular diseases are a major public health problem in Mississippi that is especially severe in African American residents, and the problem is growing worse each year. It is important to identify the determinants of and solutions for this enormous public health problem in Mississippi.