A COMPARISON OF MORTALITY RATES AND LIFE EXPECTANCIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN IN THE SWANNANOA VALLEY, NORTH CAROLINA

摘要

The life spans of men and women buried in the Swannanoa Valley, North Carolina, were compared. Ages at death of 2,614 men and women who Had died from 1784 to 1999 were recorded from gravestones in four cemeteries. Life expectancies, using a life table, and survivorship curves were calcuated to Show mortality rates. Results indicated that males and females had similar patterns Of mortality rates, with high death rates in infancy which declined in childhood Followed by steady increases with age. Females from birth lived an average of 4.5 yr longer than males, and for those still living at age six, females lived an average of 11.6 yr longer than males. These results parallel the national and world- wide trends of women living linger than men.