Chronic Liver Disease and Black/African Americans

Chronic liver disease is a leading cause of death in the Black or African American population. While the cause is not always known, some cases can be initiated by conditions such as alcohol use disorder, obesity, and exposure to hepatitis B and C viruses.

• In 2022, chronic liver disease was the ninth leading cause of death for non-Hispanic Black or African Americans ages 35-64.¹
• From 2017–2021, non-Hispanic Black or African American males were 50% more likely to have liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct (IBD) cancer and to die from this disease than non-Hispanic white males.²
• From 2018–2022, non-Hispanic Black or African American females were 30% more likely to have and 20% more likely to die from liver and IBD cancer than non-Hispanic white females.²

Cancer Rates (2017-2021)

Cancer incidence in males, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2017–2021
Cancer	Non-Hispanic Black Males	Non-Hispanic White Males	Non-Hispanic Black / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	526.5	510.7	1.0
Liver & IBD	16.6	11.2	1.5

Cancer incidence in females, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2017–2021
Cancer	Non-Hispanic Black Females	Non-Hispanic White Females	Non-Hispanic Black / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	403.1	447.0	0.9
Liver & IBD	5.5	4.3	1.3

Diagnosed

Adults age 18 and over who have been told by a doctor that they have chronic liver disease, age-adjusted percentage, 2018
Non-Hispanic Black	Non-Hispanic White	Non-Hispanic Black / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
1.1	1.6	0.7

Death Rates

Cancer mortality in males, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022
Cancer	Non-Hispanic Black Males	Non-Hispanic White Males	Non-Hispanic Black / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	208.3	179.0	1.2
Liver & IBD	12.3	8.4	1.5

Cancer mortality in females, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022
Cancer	Non-Hispanic Black Females	Non-Hispanic White Females	Non-Hispanic Black / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	144.7	131.0	1.1
Liver & IBD	4.6	3.8	1.2

Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis mortality, age-adjusted rates per 100,000 population, 2021
	Non-Hispanic Black	Non-Hispanic White	Non-Hispanic Black / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Male	13.5	25.4	0.5
Female	8.4	15.1	0.6
Both Sexes	10.8	20.2	0.5

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¹ CDC. WISQARS. Leading Causes of Death. (back)

² SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute; 2024 Apr 17. (back)