Jefferson County deaths

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Jefferson County deaths include the deaths of all persons in Jefferson County. Reporting of death statistics is the responsibility of the Alabama Department of Public Health's Alabama Center for Health Statistics.

By law, whenever there is suspicion that a death was caused by violence, neglect, suspicious or unusual circumstances, in police or state custody, or in connection with a public health hazard, the Jefferson County Coroner is responsible for investigating and reporting the cause. In practice, that amounts to approximately one third of all deaths in the county, with the others accounted for by medical certificates or obvious causes, including accidents. The Coroner's office issues an annual report of statistics relating to the cases it has examined.

Deaths by year

2017

2016

2015

The Center for Health Statistics counted 7,173 deaths county-wide in 2015. Of those, 1,507 were caused by heart disease; 1,384 were caused by cancer; 481 by stroke; 338 by Alzheimer's; 329 by chronic lung diseases; 169 by diabetes; 158 by pneumonia or influenza; 130 by homicide; 106 by motor vehicle accidents; 95 by suicide; 69 by liver disease; 55 from hypertension; and 32 by HIV/AIDS.

2,409 of those deaths were investigated by the Coroner's office, which declined jurisdiction for all but 906. Of those, the coroner ruled 370 to have been the result of fatal accidents; 143 to have been caused by homicide; 268 to have resulted from natural causes; 95 to have been suicides. The cause of 30 examined deaths could not be determined.

219 of the 370 accidental deaths resulted from the use of drugs or aerosols. Of those, 131 involved illicit drugs; 73 involved prescribed opioids, 10 involved other prescription medication; and 5 were the result of alcohol poisoning. 108 accidental deaths investigated were caused by motor vehicle collisions, including three by train. 24 of those killed were pedestrians, and none were bicycling. Twelve deaths of infants were associated with "co-sleeping," but not directly attributable to a cause.

Of the 143 homicides investigated, 126 were caused by gunshot wounds; 7 by blunt force; 7 by stabbing; and 2 by strangulation. Of the 95 reported suicides, 60 were by gunshot; 18 by hanging; 7 by intentionally overdosing; 5 by carbon monoxide inhalation and 1 by drowning.

Of the 268 deaths examined by the coroner and ruled to have resulted from "natural causes", 154 resulted from heart failure or disease; 22 from chronic alcohol or drug abuse; 10 from cancers; 6 from diabetic shock and 5 from epileptic seizures.