Sex Differentials in Mortality in the Soviet Union

Abstract

In almost every country of the world today women live longer than men. In all likelihood, the differential is produced by the interplay of biological parameters together with social conditions. Typically, the absolute difference between male and female life expectancies at birth is relatively small at high mortality levels, but becomes greater once mortality has fallen. The reduction in mortality from infectious and parasitic diseases has lowered female death rates relative to those of males at every age, suggesting an innate advantage of women that asserts itself once exogenous factors (which may include adverse social norms and practices) are counteracted. In most developed countries the excess of female over male life expectancy at birth is about six to seven years; the difference is somewhat narrower in developing countries which have achieved low mortality (for example, Cuba, Costa Rica and China).¹ Certain industrialised countries, most notably in Eastern Europe, exhibit a trend of progressively increasing excess male mortality in adulthood. The increases are largely attributable to causes of death presumed to respond to lifestyle patterns such as smoking and alcohol consumption, including cancer and cardiovascular conditions as well as accidents and poisonings. This paper examines one of the most extreme examples of such excess of male mortality: the Soviet Union.