Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Airthumbs on 16/03/2012 21:15:15

Title: Why do Woman live longer then Men?
Post by: Airthumbs on 16/03/2012 21:15:15
Talk about inequality!! 
Title: Re: Why do Woman live longer then Men?
Post by: neilep on 17/03/2012 05:15:19
I think us blokes historically work harder, endure more stress and generally wear ourselves out quicker !....This is no statement of my own opinion but I'm sure I heard this as the reason once many years ago !
Title: Re: Why do Woman live longer then Men?
Post by: RD on 17/03/2012 07:08:53
violence (inc war) and risk-taking behaviour (e.g. driving "donorcycles (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=donorcycle)") bring down the average male life expectancy.
Title: Re: Why do Woman live longer then Men?
Post by: Airthumbs on 17/03/2012 22:32:56
So your saying it is not genetic and that it is environmental.... so let me get this straight men run the world and we literally put ourselves into an early grave.  Maybe it's time to let the Ladies take over.  I mean who wants a violent Alpha male as your leader!! :P
Title: Re: Why do Woman live longer then Men?
Post by: Lmnre on 22/03/2012 04:17:26
I can't find anything on the Internet, but I thought they did a study within the last ten years on the positive effect that dexterity has on longevity. The study found that people with less manual dexterity were less able to care of themselves, and so had a shorter life expectancy.

For this thread, I mean that men tend to work rugged jobs and have more powerful hands but less manual dexterity than woman, on average, especially in old age as arthritis advances. So old men are less able to dress properly for cold weather, including buttoning and zippering, and putting on gloves and boots. Old men might not be able to open pill bottles or count tiny pills or split them, so they might miss doses or take the wrong dose. Old men might cut themselves shaving and get an infection; old women don't need to shave at all, and probably don't. Old men might not be able to dial a phone in an emergency. Etc.

If I remember correctly, when the Nazis starved the Dutch to punish them in WW2, the demographic groups with the higher mortality rates were the babies, the sick, and the old men.

I also think that men generally don't ask for help (including calling an ambulance for a heart attack or visiting their doctors regularly) as readily as women do, and would suffer the consequences. After all, men are supposed to be self-sufficient. Men tend to be loners more than women, so they don't connect as much with others who might "keep tabs" on them and offer help without asking. Lack of overall social interaction tends to kill people as well.
Title: Re: Why do Woman live longer then Men?
Post by: Airthumbs on 22/03/2012 17:09:51
Lmnre, it sounds like from what you are saying that identifiable causes of early mortality in men compared to woman are things that our society really should address.