Assessing excess deaths in St. Louis, Missouri: 1980 to 1994.

Excess deaths in the city of St. Louis from 1980 to 1994, their trends over time, and racial death patterns were assessed using the CDC's Wonder mortality database. Death rates in the city were compared with the three lowest statistically valid county death rates in the state of Missouri. The number and percent of preventable deaths in the city population also were estimated. Findings show that approximately 50 percent of city deaths from the nine leading causes may be preventable.