Date and Time
January 15, 2003
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Availability
Open to the public
No RSVP required

In the second half of the 20th century the U.S. age-adjusted death rate fell at an average rate of one percent per annum. This seminar describes and analyzes this decline from several perspectives: demographic, cause of death, and timing. Major attention is focused on the very rapid decline of deaths from vascular disease in the 1970s. Potential explanations -- control of hypertension, reduction in cigarette smoking, and changes in diet -- are explored. The experiences of other countries are examined, with special emphasis on the US - Canada comparison.