Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United States of America
United States of America: Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death was 1.5% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
1.5%
Change on year
up 53.9%
World rank
86th
of 113 countries
All-time high
1.7%
in 1977
All-time low
0.9%
in 1992
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United States of America, 1950–2022
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United States of America stood at 1.5%.
That represents a change of up 53.9% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United States of America peaked at 1.7% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1992.
That places United States of America 86th out of 113 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 73 years of available data.
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.6% | — |
| 1951 | 1.5% | -1.4% |
| 1952 | 1.5% | -4.0% |
| 1953 | 1.4% | -2.5% |
| 1954 | 1.4% | -4.5% |
| 1955 | 1.3% | -4.5% |
| 1956 | 1.2% | -7.2% |
| 1957 | 1.2% | -2.9% |
| 1958 | 1.2% | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 1.2% | -3.9% |
| 1960 | 1.2% | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 1.1% | -5.8% |
| 1962 | 1.1% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 1.2% | +10.1% |
| 1964 | 1.4% | +13.6% |
| 1965 | 1.3% | -8.8% |
| 1966 | 1.3% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 1.3% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 1.2% | -5.8% |
| 1969 | 1.4% | +11.1% |
| 1970 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 1.4% | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 1.4% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | +10.0% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 1.7% | +4.9% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 1.2% | -28.3% |
| 1980 | 1.2% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 1.2% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 1.2% | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 1.2% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 1.2% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 1.2% | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -15.5% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | -12.3% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +13.1% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +11.2% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 1.2% | +21.6% |
| 2001 | 1.2% | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | -9.0% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 1.5% | +14.2% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 1.5% | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 1.5% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | -12.2% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -16.1% |
| 2015 | 1.1% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | +48.1% |
| 2020 | 1.4% | -11.5% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -33.8% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | +53.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More health data for United States of America
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,069 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,015 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United States of America?
- Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United States of America was 1.5% in 2022, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 1.7% in 1977.
- What is the lowest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1992.
- How does United States of America rank for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death?
- United States of America ranks 86th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total reported deaths in both sexes in those aged all ages that are from ill-defined diseases.