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Men's Chronic Disease Facts and Statistics

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Once diagnosed with a chronic disease, such as cancer or heart disease, men are more likely to die from these conditions, as well as die at younger ages. This is attributed to a greater number of underlying co-morbidities, lower rates of health care utilization, and earlier ages of disease onset.

Structural and social determinants of health, such as race, income, and geographic location, have a profound impact on the health outcomes of chronic disease, as well as access to care and treatment options.

  • Despite progress over the last 20 years, both Black men and women are approximately two times more likely to have premature death from cardiovascular disease than White men and women.

The disparities have been attributed to systemic and structural inequalities, including the social, economic, and environmental barriers that are experienced by Black youth and adults, such as decreased access to care, lower-quality care, increased wait times, and health care bias affecting diagnosis and treatment.

Chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer are the primary causes of male mortality.

  • Unintentional injuries, for which drug overdose is the majority component, and suicide are both within the top 10 leading causes of death for men but not for women.

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