In Nigeria, average life expectancy for men increased to 59.8 years. Women’s average life expectancy increased to 60.5 years in 2013.

Today, fewer people are dying from measles and diarrheal diseases in Nigeria, according to a new, comprehensive analysis of trend data from 188 countries. Mortality from measles dropped 86% between 1990 and 2013.

At the same time, a number of causes, including road injuries and ischemic heart disease, claimed more lives in Nigeria in 2013 than in 1990. Life expectancy improved for both men and women in Nigeria, at an average of 4.7 years gained since 1990.

Published in The Lancet on December 18, “Global, regional, and national age-sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013” was conducted by an international consortium of researchers coordinated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.

The leading killers in Nigeria were malaria, HIV/AIDS, and pneumonia, accounting for 35% of all deaths in 2013. HIV/AIDS and road injuries were the top two causes of death for people between the ages of 15 and 49, resulting in 167,942 lives lost in 2013.

Among individuals 70 and older, stroke claimed the most lives that year. The top cause of child mortality was malaria in 2013, killing 235,483 children under the age of 5.

In Nigeria, road injuries and ischemic heart disease took more lives in 2013 than in 1990, with deaths increasing 127% and 94%, respectively. Mortality from neonatal sepsis also increased 80% between 1990 and 2013.

Since 1990, Nigeria saw marked declines in mortality from a number of diseases that used to take a large toll on the country.

For instance, by 2013, mortality from measles decreased 86% and diarrheal diseases caused 59% fewer deaths. In 1990, these diseases killed 231,423 people. Twenty-three years later, they claimed 158,722 fewer lives.

The study also revealed how some diseases and injuries cause different mortality patterns for males and females.

For example, in Nigeria, malaria took a greater toll on men, killing 151,794 males and 108,611 females in 2013. By contrast, hemoglobinopathies and hemolytic anemias claimed 65,270 women’s lives and 54,401 men’s lives.

Globally, people live an average of 6.2 years longer than they did in 1990, with life expectancy rising to just under 72 years in 2013. Women showed a slightly larger average gain (an increase of 6.6 years) than men (a rise of 5.8 years). Improvements in health, reduced fertility, and shifts in the world’s age patterns have driven these global gains in life expectancy.

In Nigeria, the average life expectancy for women was 60.5 years in 2013, with men living an average of 59.8 years. By contrast, women lived an average of 55.9 years and men had a life expectancy of 55 years in 1990.

Out of the 188 countries included in the study, Nigeria ranked 173rd for women and 160th for men for longest life expectancies. In 2013, Andorra had the longest life expectancy for women (86.7 years) and Qatar had the longest for men (81.2 years). Lesotho had the shortest life expectancy for both women (51.2 years) and men (45.6 years).

“The fact that people are living longer in most parts of the world is good news but we must do more to address health disparities,” said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray. “Only with the best available evidence can we develop policies to improve health and save lives.”

Worldwide, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) claimed the most lives, accounting for nearly 32% of all deaths. Much global progress has been made in reducing mortality from diseases such as measles and diarrhea, with 83% and 51% declines, respectively, from 1990 to 2013.

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2013 is part of an ongoing effort to produce the most timely and up-to-date understanding of what kills and ails people worldwide.

Thousands of collaborators worldwide work together to generate annual estimates of deaths by cause, years of life lost to disability, and rates of premature mortality and illness.

To make these data as useful and relevant to policymakers and country leaders as possible, findings from the GBD study can be used at the global, regional, national, and even subnational levels to track trends in health over time.

Researchers found a widening gap between countries with the lowest and highest death rates from a given disease – a potential sign of increasing inequalities in health. They also emphasize the importance of measuring local disease burdens, as the health challenges found in one corner of a country can widely vary from those experienced a few hours away.

Globally, a number of diseases that have received less attention relative to others are some of the biggest causes of premature death, particularly drug use disorders, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cirrhosis.

The gender gap in death rates for adults between the ages of 20 to 44 is widening, and HIV/AIDS, interpersonal violence, road injuries, and maternal mortality are some of the key conditions responsible. For children under 5, diarrheal diseases, pneumonia, neonatal disorders, and malaria are still among the leading causes of death.