Hoosier State Today

There were 40 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Indiana in the week ending January 1, making up 5.4 percent of total deaths by all causes in Indiana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending January 1, there were 739 deaths in the state. 15.3 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 14.2 percent were from cancer and 50.3 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.4 percent 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	192	26
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	180	24.4
Heart disease	113	15.3
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	105	14.2
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	40	5.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	33	4.5
Alzheimer's disease	28	3.8
Diabetes mellitus	26	3.5
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	13	1.8
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.4

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	62	8.4