Evening star., 1954-11-03
Deoth Rute for Women
Continues Fast Decline
Scientists Unable TO ExpIoin
Disparity Between Sexes

Disparity Between Sexes
By Thomas R. Henry
The death rate Of American women Is
declining much faster than that of men.
The life expectancy for white girl
at birth, for example, now is 73.9 years.
That for a boy is 66.7. More boys than
girls are born-106 to 100. Women are
sick much more frequently than men.
But they live, on the average, more than
seven years longer.
The situation is approximately the
same in both the white and colored
populations. There is not much differ
ence for different parts Of the country.
The greater longevity Of women
has been recognized for years and has
been explained by postulating that
women are more resistant biologically
to disease and death. This apparently
is recognized by nature. which has pro-
vided the higher male birth rate.
But, says DR.. Wilson T. Sowder Of
the United States Public Health Service,
this does not explain adequately why
the disparity between the sexes should
be increasing in the face of the revolu-
tionary medical advances of the past
generation.
Death rates for both sexes" says Dr..
Sowder in report just issued by the
Public Health Service. "have been de-
clining for many years. Significant is
the fact that the rate for females has
declined much more rapidly than that
for males.
Florida Figures.
''For example the age-adjusted death
rate in Florida for white males de-
creased from 1873 per 1000 population
in 1920 to 81 in 1850, a decrease of "a
per cent. The rate for white females
during the same period declined from
12.1 per 1000 to 5.6. decrease Of 81
per cent. The most startling facts. how
ever. are these:
I'm 1920 the death rate among white
males was IA per cent higher than the
rate for white females.
"In 1880 the death rate among white
males was "a per cent higher than for
white females.
was So per cent higher than for white
females.
I'm 1850 the rate for white males
was 81 per cent higher than for white
females.
unless one Is prepared to contend
that the human race has changed bio
logically during these 30 years it must
be agreed that something other than
basic biological difference between the
sexes accounts for the more rapid de-
cline in death rates for women"
The difference in rate of decline, DR..
Sowder points out, is found in every
age group of both sexes during this
30-year period. At the beginning, sta
tistics show, the greatest difference was
between newly born girls and boys. The
girls were tougher in the face of the
numerous maladieS of infancy. These
now have been greatly reduced as
causes of death in both sexes. Then
the differences were relatively small
for persons past their first birthday.
Greatest Difference.
Now the greatest difference is found
in the 15-to-24-year- -old groups. Differ
ences shown by various State statistics
ran as high as ia per cent. more than
two to one, in this age bracket. For all
age groups between is and 70, how
ever, the death rates have been at
least SO per cent higher for men than
women. In the 45-to-54-year group,
for example, only 10 per cent more
men died in 1880. In 1850 the differ
ence was 78 per cent.
The differences are found, DR.. Sow.
der points out, for nearly all causes of
death, but few are outstanding. Not
able. for example, is lung cancer. The
rate is approximately "a per 100000
a year for men as against five for
women. Yet the increase in cigarette
smoking-now often given as a reason
for this condition-certainly has been
much greater among women than men
during the past three decades.
More than half of all deaths in both
sexes today are due to heart blood
kidney complications. These conditions
are blamed often on emotional tension,
overWork and worry. But the death
rate among women from these com.
plexes has decreased by almost so per
cent for the three decades while that
Tor men has increased about as much.
DR.. Sowder does not attempt to ex-
plain the strange disparity. One posi-
BILE factor, he points out, is that women
appear to be more solicitous about
health and are likely to 90 to doctors
on any untoward symptom. Thus signs
OF possibly fatal ailments are detected
early. Men are likely to ignore sickness
until 1t becomes unbearable and incur
able. Men hate to take days of from
work because they are sick. Women,
apparently, have few compunctions
about 1t. There are many more medical
specialists in diseases of women than
OF men and treatments are more ad-
vanced.
Still, DR.. Sowder says, this can &C.
count for only small part of the dis
parity. The basic reasons remain to
be uncovered.