WHY MEN DIE YOUNG

The extra longevity of women in our society is well established.  In fact, the difference in life expectancy for male and female infants born today is projected to be 80 years for females, but only 75 for males.  This five-year difference has commonly been attributed to genetic factors.  However, new evidence demonstrates that this discrepancy may be affected more by male behavior rather than genetic traits.

Men outrank women in all of the top fifteen causes of death except for Alzheimer’s disease.  Men’s death rates are twice as high for suicide, homicide, and cirrhosis of the liver.  In every age group, American males have poorer health and higher risk of mortality than do females.  Common increased risks include:

·         More men smoke than women.

·         Men are twice as likely to be heavy drinkers, or to engage in other risky behaviors such as abusing drugs and driving without a seatbelt.

·         More men work in dangerous settings than women, and men account for 90% of on the-job fatalities.

·         More men drive SUVs that are rollover prone, and suffer fatalities in motorcycle accidents.

Perhaps some of these increased risks are associated with deep-seated cultural beliefs about men’s bravely and machismo, which reward them for taking risks and facing danger head-on.  This “macho” attitude seems to extend to the care that men take of their own physical and mental health.  Women are twice as likely to visit their doctor on an annual basis and explore preventive medical treatments as are men.  Men are more likely to ignore symptoms and less likely to schedule check-ups or seek follow-up treatment.  Psychologically, men tend to internalize their feelings or stress or even self-medicated to deal with stress, while women tend to seek psychological help.  Almost all stress-related diseases are more common in men.

In the final analysis, men and women alike must be responsible for their own health and well-being.  By making sound choices regarding diet, exercise, medical care, and high-risk behaviors, both genders can attempt to maximize the full potential of their life expectancy.