Table 1

Decedent characteristics using death record data for Chinese and Japanese populations in the USA and in developed Asia counterparts (Hong Kong and Japan), 2003–2011

ChineseJapanese
CharacteristicsHong KongForeign bornUS bornJapanForeign-bornUS born
Female (%)444846467847
Age at death (n (% of total))
 25−4414 344 (4.1)2843 (3.6)579 (5.6)244 460 (2.5)445 (3.0)600 (1.4)
 45−6458 852 (16.7)12 211 (15.7)1716 (16.7)1 341 391 (13.5)2118 (14.5)4174 (9.6)
 65−7465 330 (18.5)12 324 (15.8)1197 (11.6)1 772 960 (17.8)3437 (23.5)4373 (10.0)
 75−84115 505 (32.7)23 306 (29.9)3064 (28.8)3 118 854 (31.3)6114 (41.8)13 941 (31.9)
 85+98 791 (28.0)27 274 (35.0)3740 (36.3)3 481 824 (35.0)2517 (17.2)20 565 (47.1)
Median age of deaths788081807784
 Female/male82/7582/7883/7984/7777/7185/82
Total number of deaths352 82277 95810 2969 959 48914 63143 653
Average population size5 087 3891 805 385316 33795 717 355260 884371 188
Absolute numbers of deaths due to
 Cancer111 09024 84126573 012 57749139837
 Heart disease54 96418 01928061 631 231279111 284
 Cerebrovascular diseases30 95865698051 144 77011033726
 Communicable, maternal and nutritional conditions54 16253735711 245 2958132565
 Influenza and pneumonia43 9103427343990 5763571697
 Alzheimer's disease102147324225 9884301545
 Accidents66122517392363 8445671277
 Chronic lower respiratory diseases18 5412866238172 038 4681226
Education attainment
 Less than secondary completed52.4*41.021.042.9*17.021.0
 Secondary (high school) completed29.0*35.052.037.9*66.063.0
 Tertiary (college) completed18.6*24.027.019.2*17.016.0
  • *International education attainment (ie, Hong Kong and Japan) was obtained from Barro-lee Educational Attainment data set, based on the population in 2005 (approximate mid-year) for individuals aged 25+; data can be retrieved at: http://barrolee.com/; individual-level educational data not available within WHO mortality records.