The mortality rate from influenza in the United States is by far highest among those aged 65 years and older. During the 2022-2023 flu season the mortality rate from influenza for this age group was around 26.6 per 100,000 population.
The burden of influenza
The impact of influenza in the U.S. varies from season to season, but in the 2022-2023 flu season there were an estimated 31 million cases. These cases resulted in around 360,000 hospitalizations. Although most people recover from influenza without requiring medical treatment, the disease can be deadly for young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. During the 2022-2023 flu season, around 21,000 people in the U.S. lost their lives due to influenza.
Impact of vaccinations
The most effective way to prevent influenza is to receive a yearly vaccination at the beginning of flu season. Flu vaccines are safe and can greatly reduce the burden of the disease. During the 2022-2023 flu season vaccinations prevented around 2,479 deaths among those aged 65 years and older. Although flu vaccines are usually cheap and easily accessible, every year a large share of the population in the U.S. still does not get vaccinated. For example, during the 2021-2022 flu season only about 37 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination.
Influenza mortality rate during the 2022-2023 flu season in the United States, by age group*
* Some of the data used to calculate burden estimates are incomplete or not yet available. These estimates will change as those data become available and the estimates are updated.
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CDC. (November 22, 2023). Influenza mortality rate during the 2022-2023 flu season in the United States, by age group* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127799/influenza-us-mortality-rate-by-age-group/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4NaYG3rpRtqIjBjLjqqvfy1iNTkXswhcx7YWX7fUiWoXZJ11yGIGQnWkulAO4rQbPkCde&utm_campaign=Chris%20Kresser%20General%20News&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_email
CDC. "Influenza mortality rate during the 2022-2023 flu season in the United States, by age group*." Chart. November 22, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127799/influenza-us-mortality-rate-by-age-group/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4NaYG3rpRtqIjBjLjqqvfy1iNTkXswhcx7YWX7fUiWoXZJ11yGIGQnWkulAO4rQbPkCde&utm_campaign=Chris%20Kresser%20General%20News&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_email
CDC. (2023). Influenza mortality rate during the 2022-2023 flu season in the United States, by age group*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 11, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127799/influenza-us-mortality-rate-by-age-group/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4NaYG3rpRtqIjBjLjqqvfy1iNTkXswhcx7YWX7fUiWoXZJ11yGIGQnWkulAO4rQbPkCde&utm_campaign=Chris%20Kresser%20General%20News&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_email
CDC. "Influenza Mortality Rate during The 2022-2023 Flu Season in The United States, by Age Group*." Statista, Statista Inc., 22 Nov 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127799/influenza-us-mortality-rate-by-age-group/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4NaYG3rpRtqIjBjLjqqvfy1iNTkXswhcx7YWX7fUiWoXZJ11yGIGQnWkulAO4rQbPkCde&utm_campaign=Chris%20Kresser%20General%20News&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_email
CDC, Influenza mortality rate during the 2022-2023 flu season in the United States, by age group* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127799/influenza-us-mortality-rate-by-age-group/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4NaYG3rpRtqIjBjLjqqvfy1iNTkXswhcx7YWX7fUiWoXZJ11yGIGQnWkulAO4rQbPkCde&utm_campaign=Chris%20Kresser%20General%20News&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_email (last visited December 11, 2024)
Influenza mortality rate during the 2022-2023 flu season in the United States, by age group* [Graph], CDC, November 22, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127799/influenza-us-mortality-rate-by-age-group/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4NaYG3rpRtqIjBjLjqqvfy1iNTkXswhcx7YWX7fUiWoXZJ11yGIGQnWkulAO4rQbPkCde&utm_campaign=Chris%20Kresser%20General%20News&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hs_email