Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Cancer now top killer of Idahoans

According to the latest statistical report from the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, the top cause of death for Idahoans is cancer, which crept ahead of heart disease in 2008 to claim the top spot. Chronic lower respiratory diseases, including emphysema, asthma and chronic bronchitis, were the third-most common cause of death; followed by accidents (no. 4), cerebrovascular disease including strokes (no. 5), Alzheimer's (no. 6), diabetes (no. 7), suicide (no. 8), flu/pneumonia (9th), and kidney disease (10th).

A few other oddments from the newly published Idaho Vital Statistics report (2008 data): 43.5 percent of all births in Benewah County were to unmarried women, the highest in the state, followed closely by Clearwater, Shoshone and Nez Perce counties. The state's oldest bride in 2008 was 89, while the oldest groom was 90; the youngest bride was 14 and the youngest groom was 16. One Idaho couple divorced in 2008 after 71 years of marriage; another after 17 days. And the most common baby names in Idaho in 2008: Olivia for girls, and Ethan for boys.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

Follow Betsy online: