S2101 Sex, Race, and Age Group Disparities in Digestive Diseases-Related Mortality Rates and Trends in the United States: Data From CDC Wonder 1999-2022

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate sex, race and age-related trends in mortality associated with digestive diseases (DD) among adults in the United States. Methods: Mortality data from death certificates were extracted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC-WONDER) database. The analysis included individuals aged ≥15 years with DD recorded as either the underlying or a contributing cause of death between 1999-2022. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population and annual percent change (APC) were computed and stratified by year, sex, race/ethnicity, and age group. Results: Between 1999 and 2022, a total of 4,916,279 deaths due to DD were recorded among adults aged ≥25 years. The overall AAMR decreased from 84.9 in 1999 to 70.9 in 2010 (APC: -1.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -2.52 to -1.47), followed by a period of stability until 2018 (AAMR: 71.8, APC: 0.17, 95% CI: -0.73 to 1.47), and a sharp increase thereafter, reaching 85.6 in 2022 (APC: 5.78, 95% CI: 4.19 to 8.47). Men exhibited consistently higher AAMRs (87.34) than women (61.30), with similar trends: a decline from 102.4 in 1999 to 84.5 in 2010 (APC: -1.88, 95% CI: -2.58 to -1.52) followed by stability until 2018 (AAMR: 85.5, APC: 0.24, 95% CI: -0.73 to 1.50), and a subsequent rise to 100.9 in 2022 (APC: 5.46, 95% CI: 3.88 to 8.44) for men, and from 70.7 in 1999 to 58.9 in 2011 (APC: -1.80, 95% CI: -2.37 to -1.49) followed by an increase to 72.1 in 2022 (APC: 5.90, 95% CI: 4.35 to 8.48) for women. Racial/ethnic disparities were noted, with American Indian or Alaska Native individuals having the highest mean AAMR (102.5), followed by Black or African American individuals (78.8). Both groups experienced declines from 1999 to 2018 (American Indian or Alaska Native: 113.8 to 98.2, APC: -0.41; Black or African American: 106.3 to 69.8, APC: -3.77), followed by sharp increases through 2020 (American Indian or Alaska Native: 130.4, APC: 11.19; Black or African American: 83.6, APC: 5.97). Age-stratified analysis revealed an initial decline in mortality across all age groups, followed by an increase in the subsequent decade, with the highest AAMRs in 2022 observed in the 76–85+ age group (460.8) and the 54–74 age group (162.5). Conclusion: Mortality from digestive diseases initially declined but has risen sharply in recent years, with disparities exist by sex, race, and age. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address the growing burden.