State report compiles vital statistic data on births, deaths, marriages and divorces

WASILLA — A recent report included a compilation of various Alaska vital statistics.

In 2017, 4,415 people died in Alaska, 10,477 babies were born, and there were 5,123 marriages and 2,680 separations, according to a 2017 Alaska Vital Statistics Annual Report released Oct. 29 by the Section of Health Analytics and Vital Records within the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Public Health.

“Alaska is the largest of the 50 states and contains approximately 16 percent of the country’s landmass. Because of its size, Alaska has widely diverse geographic, climatic, and demographic characteristics, all of which affect public health,” according to the report.

The DSHH report used the most recent Alaska Vital Statistics data and examined records for Alaskan births, deaths, adoptions, and marriages and divorces between 2008 and 2017. It stated that the Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna, Interior, and Gulf Coast Public Health areas contained the bulk of Alaska’s population at 80.6 percent (594,258 people).

In 2017, Alaska's total population was 737,080 people, rising significantly from 686,818 people in 2008, according to the report, stating that whites made up for approximately 69.2 percent of the total population (510,364 people), 17.3 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native (127,656 people), 8.6 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander (63,168 people), and 4.9 percent were Black/African American (35,892 people).

According to the report, Alaskan men outnumber the women, with approximately 106.1 males for every 100 females.

“These figures provide health trends for health care providers, planners, researchers and others interested in public health,” according to a recent press release regarding the report.

The report indicated that both marriage and divorce rates declined over that past decade. In 2017, approximately 79 same sex marriages were included in the 5,123 total marriages across the state, according to the report. Data showed that July was the most popular month to get married while February had the fewest marriages; and June featured the most the separations, while October had the fewest separations. This data seems to suggest most Alaskans get married and separated in the summer time.

The top 10 leading causes of death comprised 71 percent of all Alaskan deaths, according to the report. Here are the report’s 10 leading causes of death in ranked order: cancer, heart disease, unintentional injuries and poisonings, which included drug overdoses, chronic lower respiratory disease, suicide, stroke, diabetes, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, Alzheimer's disease, and homicide.

In 2017, Malignant neoplasms (cancers) were the leading cause of death and September saw the most deaths (406), according to the report, which also stated that the oldest male to die was 100 years old and the oldest female was 104 years old.

James were the top baby names of 2017 and the fertility rate showed 71.4 births per 1,000 women, lower than the previous year’s 76.4 birth per 1,000 women, according to the report which also stated this mirrored a national decline. Most births occurred in September (934 babies) with a mean age of 28.4 years old for mothers and 31.1 years old for fathers, according to the report, which also stated the youngest mother was 12 years old while the oldest was 53 and the youngest father was 15 years old while the oldest was 78.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com