**Heart Disease Leads as Top Cause of Death in 2023; Homicides Decrease by 3.1%**
Heart disease has been identified as the leading cause of death in 2023, according to a report published by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) on November 8, 2024. The report highlights a concerning statistic where heart disease, diabetes mellitus, malignant tumors, accidents, and liver diseases collectively accounted for 54% of all registered deaths in Mexico, totaling 431,106 cases.
In 2023, heart disease was responsible for 89,210 deaths, making up 23.6% of the total 799,869 fatalities. The data showed that men comprised 53.1% of heart disease deaths, amounting to 100,470 cases, while women accounted for 46.9%. Ischemic heart diseases constituted 75.5% of these deaths, followed by hypertensive diseases at 14.6% and pulmonary circulation and other heart diseases at 9.6%.
Diabetes mellitus was the second leading cause of death, with 110,059 fatalities, followed by malignant tumors with 91,562 deaths, accidents at 40,027, and liver diseases at 40,052. The INEGI report also noted 4,687 deaths due to complications stemming from COVID-19.
Malignant tumors, the third leading cause of death, saw a mortality rate increase of 1.2 units from 2022. Women were slightly more affected at 52.4% compared to men at 47.6%, with the age group 65 years and over being the most impacted. Digestive organ tumors caused the most deaths at 32.8%, followed by genitourinary at 24.7%, and connective tissues, skin, and breast cancers at 13.7%.
A noteworthy trend was a decline in homicides by 3.1% from the previous year’s 33,287 to 32,252 in 2024, representing 4% of deaths. Of these, 28,243 were men (87.6%), and the remaining 11.6% were women. Guanajuato emerged as the state with the highest number of homicides (3,862), followed by Mexico City (2,942), Baja California (2,653), and Chihuahua (2,517).
The report also noted that 19,345 children under the age of one died, primarily due to conditions originating in the perinatal period, which spans from 22 weeks of gestation to the first seven days post-birth. Overall, 55.8% of the deceased were men, 44.1% were women, and in 0.1% of cases, the sex was unspecified. Most deaths, 57.7% occurred in those aged 65 and over, with Mexico City recording the highest mortality rate, while Baja California Sur reported the lowest.
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**Secondary Article: Recent Decline in Homicides Offers Hope**
While heart disease remains a pressing health concern, the recent decrease in homicides in Mexico presents a sliver of optimism in public safety metrics. The 3.1% reduction in homicides from 33,287 in 2022 to 32,252 in 2024 signals a positive shift in tackling violent crime. This decline in homicides aligns with broader regional efforts to enhance security and public safety.
Guanajuato, despite leading in numbers, as well as Mexico City, Baja California, and Chihuahua, have made significant strides in violence reduction strategies. This progress hints at effective interventions and a potential model for other regions grappling with high crime rates.
Efforts to improve security and community outreach are crucially complemented by increased coordination between law enforcement agencies and community leaders. While the challenges remain substantial, the slight decline in homicides is a promising development in the ongoing push for safer communities across Mexico.
Public health and safety authorities continue to analyze these trends to ensure that strategies are fine-tuned and resources are effectively allocated to support both health and safety priorities simultaneously.