New Study Highlights Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Digestive Diseases Mortality 

A recent analysis of digestive disease mortality trends in the U.S. from 2000 to 2019 uncovered troubling racial and ethnic disparities that persist despite an overall decline in death rates, reported researchers in Clinical Gastroenterology Hepatology.

Using data from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation Global Health Data Exchange, the researchers assessed age-standardized mortality rates for 5 racial and ethnic groups: White, Black, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), and Asian/Pacific Islander (API), across various states and counties.

Globally, digestive diseases–related mortality in 2019 increased by 37.9% compared with 1990 and was predominant in males.

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study classified digestive diseases into 10 categories, which are cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases; gallbladder and biliary diseases; pancreatitis; upper digestive system diseases; paralytic ileus and intestinal obstruction; inguinal, femoral, and abdominal hernia; inflammatory bowel disease; vascular intestinal disorders; appendicitis; and other digestive diseases.

Over the 19-year study period, the national mortality rate for digestive diseases decreased slightly, from 36.0 to 34.5 deaths per 100,000 population. However, significant disparities were observed. AI/AN individuals had the highest mortality rate in 2019, at 86.2 deaths per 100,000, followed by White individuals (35.5), Latino and Black individuals (both at 33.6), and API individuals (15.6). Notably, AI/AN and White populations, particularly women, experienced increased mortality rates over time, with an annual percentage increase of 0.87% for AI/AN and 0.12% for White individuals from 2000 to 2019. In contrast, Latino, Black, and API groups showed a decrease in mortality rates over the same period.

State-level data revealed substantial variation, with West Virginia experiencing the highest digestive diseases mortality rate in 2019. The disparities were most evident in counties where AI/AN individuals represented a large proportion of the population, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions in these areas.

“Despite an overall decrease in digestive diseases mortality, significant disparities persist across racial and ethnic groups, concluded the study authors. “AI/AN and White individuals experienced increased mortality rates, particularly among females.”

Reference

Aldhaleei WA, Wallace MB, Bi Y, Rusk AM, Bhagavathula AS. Racial, Ethnic, and Geographic Disparities in Digestive Diseases Mortality in the United States, 2000-2019. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025;23(1):59-68.e16. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2024.07.035