The mortality of Swedish and U.S. white males: a comparison of experience, 1969-1971

The life expectancy of males in the United States is lower than that of males in most of the developed countries and in some of the not so developed ones. U.S. females, by contrast, do much better in international ranking. This study compares the mortality of U.S. white males with that of Swedish males who have had the highest reported male life expectancies in the world since the early 1960s. Life expectancy at birth in 1969-71 was 67.9 for U.S. white males compared with 71.9 for Swedish males. Greater U.S. white male mortality is found at all ages from birth through ages 75-79. At the upper ages there is a reversal of the differential with U.S. white males having lower mortality than their Swedish counterparts. The greatest relative differentials between the two male populations is found at ages under 1, aged 20-24, and ages 50-59. At ages under 1 the greater U.S. white male mortality is accounted for mainly by higher rates from infectious diseases, at ages 20-24 by higher rates from the external causes of death (specifically accidents and homicide), and at ages 50-59 from most of the major organic causes of death.