10 states where older people are suffocating

One risk familiar to most agents selling health-related products is lung disease.

Asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other chronic lung conditions are major causes of death, disability and long-term care need in their own right, and all conditions that can increase the risk that insureds will suffer other fatal or disabling conditions. 

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A major, preventable cause of lung disease is smoking.

In some areas, other contributors may be work-related exposure to materials such as asbestos or silica dust, air pollution from automobiles and factories, and naturally occurring pockets of radon gas.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes detailed lung mortality disease available to the public through its underlying cause of death database, which can be reached through the CDC’s WONDER search system.

We created a table for 2014 deaths from chronic lung disease among people ages 65 and older. The chronic lung disease death rate per 100,000 residents ages 65 and older ranged from a low of 169.9, in the District of Columbia, to a high of 460.2 per 100,000, with a median of about 342 per 100,000.

The death rates may be high even in some of the kinds of Midwestern states that tend to do well in U.S. state health rankings.

For a look at the 10 states in which older people were the most likely to die from chronic lung disease, along with a table that shows the data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, read on:

Kansas, seen here, is among the top states nationwide for lung disease deaths among older Americans. (Photo: Thinkstock) 

10. Kansas

2014 deaths from chronic lung disease: 1,705.

Chronic lung disease deaths per 100,000 residents ages 65+: 410.4.

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(Image: Thinkstock) 

9. Iowa

2014 deaths from chronic lung disease: 2,030.

Chronic lung disease deaths per 100,000 residents ages 65+: 413.1.

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Indianapolis, seen here, is the largest city in Indiana and that state’s capital. (Photo: Thinkstock)

8. Indiana

2014 deaths from chronic lung disease: 3,907.

Chronic lung disease deaths per 100,000 residents ages 65+: 415.

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North Kansas City, Mo., where these grain silos are located, is a separate municipality from Kansas City, which straddles Missori and Kansas. Both of those states made this list.  (Photo: Allison Bell/LHP)

7. Missouri

2014 deaths from chronic lung disease: 3,873.

Chronic lung disease deaths per 100,000 residents ages 65+: 415.5.

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Omaha, Neb.(Photo: Thinkstock)