Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Causes of Death

Death is a part of life, but understanding the causes can help us to better understand the overall mortality rate and allow us to take steps to improve health outcomes. In general, the major causes of death can be divided into two main categories: natural causes and external causes. Natural causes of death are those…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 9× across the literature 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

Death is a part of life, but understanding the causes can help us to better understand the overall mortality rate and allow us to take steps to improve health outcomes. In general, the major causes of death can be divided into two main categories: natural causes and external causes. Natural causes of death are those caused by an illness or an injury, such as cancer or heart disease. External causes of death include accidents, intentional injuries (such as homicide and suicide), and exposure to environmental factors (such as air pollution). By understanding the different causes of death, health professionals and policy makers can take steps to reduce mortality rates. For instance, efforts to improve the safety of public spaces, the accessibility of healthcare, and the quality of air and water can help reduce death due to external causes. In addition, increased awareness of diseases and their treatments can help reduce the incidence of natural causes of death.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 9 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Causes of Death, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Death.

Journal editorial board
Antonella Muscella · Italy Carole Ramsey · Australia Maria Cappuccilli · Italy

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.