Among American Indians and Alaska Natives, chronic liver disease is a leading cause of death. While the cause is not always known, some cases can be initiated by conditions such as chronic alcoholism, obesity, and exposure to hepatitis B and C viruses.
- In 2019, chronic liver disease was the fourth leading cause of death for all American Indians/Alaska Natives, and the second leading cause of death for American Indian/Alaska Native men, ages 35-44.1
- In 2018, American Indians/Alaska Natives were 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with chronic liver disease as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
- The overall death rate for American Indians/Alaska Natives is almost four times higher than the non-Hispanic white population.
- American Indian/Alaska Native women are 2.2 times as likely to be diagnosed with chronic liver disease and 4.8 times more likely to die from chronic liver disease as compared to non-Hispanic white women.
Cancer Rates (2014-2018)
| Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Men | |||
| Cancer | American Indian/Alaska Native Men | Non-Hispanic White Men | American Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 326.7 | 520.4 | 0.7 |
| Liver & IBD* | 21.7 | 11.3 | 1.9 |
*IBD = Intrahepatic Bile Duct
Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.24 and SEER*Explorer [ Accessed 7/22/2021].
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/, https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/
| Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Women | |||
| Cancer | American Indian/Alaska Native Women | Non-Hispanic White Women | American Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 311.1 | 460.2 | 0.7 |
| Liver & IBD | 8.6 | 4.0 | 2.2 |
Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.25 and SEER*Explorer [ Accessed 7/22/2021].
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/, https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/
Diagnosed
| Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who have been told by a doctor that they have chronic liver disease, 2018** | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
**NOTE: This is the most recent national data available at this time.
**IHS purchased/referred care delivery area (PRCDA)
Source: CDC 2020. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-4a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm
Death Rates (2014-2018)
| Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Men | |||
| Cancer | American Indian/Alaska Native Men | Non-Hispanic White Men | American Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 169.3 | 190.2 | 0.9 |
| Liver & IBD | 14.8 | 8.4 | 1.8 |
Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.20
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/sections.html
| Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Women | |||
| Cancer | American Indian/Alaska Native Women | Non-Hispanic White Women | American Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 120.1 | 137.8 | 0.9 |
| Liver & IBD | 7.0 | 3.6 | 1.9 |
Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.20
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/sections.html
| Age-adjusted Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis Death Rates per 100,000 (2018) | |||
| Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native/Non-Hispanic White Ratio | |
| Men | 50.6 | 14.9 | 3.4 |
| Women | 40.2 | 8.3 | 4.8 |
| Total | 45.2 | 11.5 | 3.9 |
Source: CDC 2021. National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 69, No. 13. Table 10.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr69/nvsr69-13-508.pdf [PDF 2.05MB]
1CDC, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal.html
Last Edited: 08/11/2021