There were 27 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Iowa in the week ending Dec. 17, making up 4.4% of total deaths by all causes in Iowa, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending Dec. 17, there were 618 deaths in the state. 23.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 17.8% were from cancer and 10.5% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 13.1% of deaths were from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Studies show doctors and medical examiners may underreport Alzheimer’s disease and dementia-related conditions as the underlying cause of death on death certificates, according to the National Institute on Aging.
Once infected, older adults with dementia are likely to develop a more severe and dangerous illness. The diseases which make an older adult more vulnerable to COVID-19 are age-associated chronic conditions, according to the Bright Focus Foundation.
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 144 | 23.3 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 110 | 17.8 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 41 | 6.6 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 38 | 6.1 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 32 | 5.2 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 27 | 4.4 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 22 | 3.6 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 18 | 2.9 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 18 | 2.9 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | < 10 | < 1.6 |
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 81 | 13.1 |
