Are Men Shortchanged on Health? Life Expectancy, Morbidity, and Mortality
Are Men Shortchanged on Health? Life Expectancy, Morbidity, and Mortality
Background: Significant gender disparities exist in life expectancy and major disease morbidity. There is an urgent need to understand the major issues related to men's health that contributes to these significant disparities. It is hypothesized that men have higher and earlier morbidities, in addition to behavioral factors that contribute to their lower life expectancy.
Methods: Data was collected from CDC: Health United States, 2007; American Heart Association, American Obesity Association, and American Cancer Society.
Results: Men have lower life expectancy than women in most countries around the world including United States. This gender disparity is consistent regardless of geography, race and ethnicity. More men die of 12 out of the 15 leading causes of death than women. In addition, men have higher morbidity and mortality in coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, diabetes, and cancer.
Conclusions: Men's lower life expectancy may be explained by biological and clinical factors such as the higher incidence of cardiovascular metabolic disease and cancer. In the context of public health, raising awareness of cardiovascular and metabolic health is needed to reduce the gender disparity. In addition, consideration of preventive and early detection/intervention programs may improve men's health.
In most regions around the world, life expectancy in men is lower than women. However, research in 1970's and 1980's has routinely showed a higher morbidity in women than in men. This notion of 'gender paradox' with higher morbidity yet longer longevity in women has been the center of attention for a while. Using data from CDC (Health United States, 2007), American Heart Association, American Obesity Association, and American Cancer Society, this review will summarize and compare recent trends for: life expectancy, morbidity, and mortality for men and women in United States. We postulate that there is deficiency in our understanding of men's health and of the factors that affect men's health. This paper will show that men have lower life expectancy; they have significant morbidity and higher mortality from the leading causes of death in United States. We propose the etiology for the relative stagnation of men's health compared to health in women. In addition, we propose recommendations to improve men's health.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Background: Significant gender disparities exist in life expectancy and major disease morbidity. There is an urgent need to understand the major issues related to men's health that contributes to these significant disparities. It is hypothesized that men have higher and earlier morbidities, in addition to behavioral factors that contribute to their lower life expectancy.
Methods: Data was collected from CDC: Health United States, 2007; American Heart Association, American Obesity Association, and American Cancer Society.
Results: Men have lower life expectancy than women in most countries around the world including United States. This gender disparity is consistent regardless of geography, race and ethnicity. More men die of 12 out of the 15 leading causes of death than women. In addition, men have higher morbidity and mortality in coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, diabetes, and cancer.
Conclusions: Men's lower life expectancy may be explained by biological and clinical factors such as the higher incidence of cardiovascular metabolic disease and cancer. In the context of public health, raising awareness of cardiovascular and metabolic health is needed to reduce the gender disparity. In addition, consideration of preventive and early detection/intervention programs may improve men's health.
Introduction
In most regions around the world, life expectancy in men is lower than women. However, research in 1970's and 1980's has routinely showed a higher morbidity in women than in men. This notion of 'gender paradox' with higher morbidity yet longer longevity in women has been the center of attention for a while. Using data from CDC (Health United States, 2007), American Heart Association, American Obesity Association, and American Cancer Society, this review will summarize and compare recent trends for: life expectancy, morbidity, and mortality for men and women in United States. We postulate that there is deficiency in our understanding of men's health and of the factors that affect men's health. This paper will show that men have lower life expectancy; they have significant morbidity and higher mortality from the leading causes of death in United States. We propose the etiology for the relative stagnation of men's health compared to health in women. In addition, we propose recommendations to improve men's health.
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