https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/images/uploads/pdf/2018_Cancer_Mortality_Disparity_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Most of the leading causes of death in Arkansas are chronic diseases. Heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and kidney disease are all chronic diseases. Arkansas has very high rates of chronic diseases compared to the United States as a whole. Within Arkansas, the counties with the shortest life expectancy tend to have the highest rates of chronic diseases. Chronic diseases are very common in Arkansas because many people in our state struggle with two common health problems that lead to chronic diseases: obesity and high blood pressure. Chronic diseases are also very common in Arkansas because many people in our state struggle with living a healthy lifestyle. The main lifestyle problems are tobacco use, poor diet, and lack of physical activity.

In Arkansas, unintentional injuries are the fourth leading cause of death overall, which is the same as in the United States. Unintentional injuries include motor vehicle crashes, falls, poisonings, fires and burns, and drowning. In 2017, almost 1,600 people in Arkansas died from unintentional injuries.

Death from influenza and pneumonia is the ninth most common cause of death in Arkansas. In 2017, over 700 people died from influenza and pneumonia. Over the past several years Arkansas has had a higher death rate from influenza and pneumonia when compared to the United States.