White Women Living Shorter Lives « The Thinking Housewife

White Women Living Shorter Lives

September 21, 2012

THE average life span of American white women without college degrees has fallen by a stunning four years in just two decades, according to researchers. (The life expectancy for blacks and Hispanics at the same level rose although blacks continue to have a shorter life span.) For those without a high school degree, it has fallen by five years.

According to The New York Times,

The five-year decline for white women rivals the catastrophic seven-year drop for Russian men in the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, said Michael Marmot, director of the Institute of Health Equity in London.

Could it be that white women on the bottom rungs exist in a moral and physical wasteland? Just asking.

——– Comments ———-

Jesse Powell writes:

Looking at the issue of mortality in a different way the below table details the probability of dying in any particular year given the age range one is in. The table confirms the increase in mortality among white women. The table is not broken down by educational attainment. The mortality rate for white women increased from 1999 to 2009 in the 25 to 54 year old age range; in the younger and older age ranges it declined. The same held true for white men though the increase among white women was greater. No other racial group saw mortality increases in this age range either men or women. The white women mortality rate ages 25 to 54 went from 156 in 1999 to 183 in 2009, an increase of 17%. For white men this mortality rate went from 279 in 1999 to 308 in 2009; an increase of 10%.

Definitions: The numbers given are mortality rates per 100,000 population per year. White refers to non-Hispanic white. Black refers to all blacks. Hispanic refers to all Hispanics. Asian refers to all Asians.

Mortality Rates by Age Group and Race for 1999 and 2009

	under 15	15-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	over 64
Women
White 1999	49	43	58	126	281	742	4,953
White 2009	42	38	65	136	312	646	4,451
Black 1999	107	59	118	279	570	1,263	5,154
Black 2009	95	48	97	212	513	1,016	4,224
Hispanic 1999	57	33	45	97	225	556	3,120
Hispanic 2009	49	32	46	86	209	474	2,647
Asian 1999	41	26	29	59	164	409	2,265
Asian 2009	36	25	29	54	132	318	2,179

Men
White 1999	62	101	124	230	484	1,187	5,690
White 2009	53	92	137	226	514	1,057	4,927
Black 1999	135	185	259	469	1,031	2,146	6,621
Black 2009	120	144	213	343	802	1,821	5,243
Hispanic 1999	67	104	121	215	444	975	3,945
Hispanic 2009	57	96	104	154	376	822	3,170
Asian 1999	46	52	57	108	240	661	3,300
Asian 2009	42	49	54	95	236	536	2,663

Source:

CDC Wonder – Mortality – Detailed Mortality

http://wonder.cdc.gov/

Mr. Powell adds:

Since age composition significantly affects comparisons between 1999 and 2009 when looking at the mortality rate for the 25 to 54 age group the below table gives the mortality rate for the 25 to 54 age group according to race and year where the number of people at each age has been equalized. In other words the mortality rates at each age from 25 to 54 are added up and then divided by 30. This eliminates the distortion caused by the change in age composition from 1999 to 2009.

The age composition adjusted mortality rate for white women went up 9% from 1999 to 2009 (for white men it went up 3%), not as bad as the 17% increase when age composition is not adjusted for, but still quite bad and markedly worse than all the other racial groups.

Definitions: The numbers given are mortality rates per 100,000 population per year where the population at each age has been adjusted so that the same number of people are at each age. The relevant age group is 25 to 54 years old. “Change” means the change in the mortality rate for the prior given demographic category from 1999 to 2009. White refers to non-Hispanic white. Black refers to all blacks. Hispanic refers to all Hispanics. Asian refers to all Asians.

Age Composition Adjusted Mortality Rate of the 25 to 54 Age Group by Race, Sex, and Year