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The contributions of avoidable causes of death to gender gap in life expectancy and life disparity in the US and Canada: 2001–2019

Pandey, Sujita ; Hajizadeh, Mohammad and Kiadaliri, Ali LU orcid (2024) In Social Science & Medicine
Abstract
Objectives
This study measures public health policies' and healthcare system's influence, by assessing the contributions of avoidable deaths, on the gender gaps in life expectancy and disparity (GGLD and GGLD, respectively) in the United States (US) and Canada from 2001 to 2019.

Methods
To estimate the GGLE and GGLD, we retrieved age- and sex-specific causes of death from the World Health Organization's mortality database. By employing the continuous-change model, we decomposed the GGLE and GGLD by age and cause of death for each year and over time using females as the reference group.

Results
In Canada and the US, the GGLE (GGLD) narrowed (increased) by 0.9 (0.2) and 0.2 (0.3) years, respectively. Largest... (More)
Objectives
This study measures public health policies' and healthcare system's influence, by assessing the contributions of avoidable deaths, on the gender gaps in life expectancy and disparity (GGLD and GGLD, respectively) in the United States (US) and Canada from 2001 to 2019.

Methods
To estimate the GGLE and GGLD, we retrieved age- and sex-specific causes of death from the World Health Organization's mortality database. By employing the continuous-change model, we decomposed the GGLE and GGLD by age and cause of death for each year and over time using females as the reference group.

Results
In Canada and the US, the GGLE (GGLD) narrowed (increased) by 0.9 (0.2) and 0.2 (0.3) years, respectively. Largest contributor to the GGLE was non-avoidable deaths in Canada and preventable deaths in the US. Preventable deaths had the largest contributions to the GGLD in both countries. Ischemic heart disease contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD in both countries. Conversely, treatable causes of death increased the GGLE/GGLD in both countries. In Canada, “treatable & preventable” as well as preventable causes of death narrowed the GGLE while opposite was seen in the US. While lung cancer contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD, drug-related death contributed to the widening GGLE/GGLD in both countries. Injury-related deaths contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD in Canada but not in the US. The contributions of avoidable causes of death to the GGLE declined in the age groups 55–74 in Canada and 70–74 in the US, whereas the GGLE widened for ages 25–34 in the US.

Conclusion
Canada experienced larger reduction in the GGLE compared to the US attributed mainly to preventable causes of death. To narrow the GGLE and GGLD, the US needs to address injury deaths. Urgent interventions are required for drug-related death in both countries, particularly among males aged 15–44 years. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Social Science & Medicine
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85187948970
ISSN
1873-5347
DOI
10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116751
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f1cd97f4-0e65-41fc-9efe-53f0ee0e2253
date added to LUP
2024-03-11 10:49:45
date last changed
2024-04-04 13:22:07
@article{f1cd97f4-0e65-41fc-9efe-53f0ee0e2253,
  abstract     = {{Objectives<br/>This study measures public health policies' and healthcare system's influence, by assessing the contributions of avoidable deaths, on the gender gaps in life expectancy and disparity (GGLD and GGLD, respectively) in the United States (US) and Canada from 2001 to 2019.<br/><br/>Methods<br/>To estimate the GGLE and GGLD, we retrieved age- and sex-specific causes of death from the World Health Organization's mortality database. By employing the continuous-change model, we decomposed the GGLE and GGLD by age and cause of death for each year and over time using females as the reference group.<br/><br/>Results<br/>In Canada and the US, the GGLE (GGLD) narrowed (increased) by 0.9 (0.2) and 0.2 (0.3) years, respectively. Largest contributor to the GGLE was non-avoidable deaths in Canada and preventable deaths in the US. Preventable deaths had the largest contributions to the GGLD in both countries. Ischemic heart disease contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD in both countries. Conversely, treatable causes of death increased the GGLE/GGLD in both countries. In Canada, “treatable &amp; preventable” as well as preventable causes of death narrowed the GGLE while opposite was seen in the US. While lung cancer contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD, drug-related death contributed to the widening GGLE/GGLD in both countries. Injury-related deaths contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD in Canada but not in the US. The contributions of avoidable causes of death to the GGLE declined in the age groups 55–74 in Canada and 70–74 in the US, whereas the GGLE widened for ages 25–34 in the US.<br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Canada experienced larger reduction in the GGLE compared to the US attributed mainly to preventable causes of death. To narrow the GGLE and GGLD, the US needs to address injury deaths. Urgent interventions are required for drug-related death in both countries, particularly among males aged 15–44 years.}},
  author       = {{Pandey, Sujita and Hajizadeh, Mohammad and Kiadaliri, Ali}},
  issn         = {{1873-5347}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Social Science & Medicine}},
  title        = {{The contributions of avoidable causes of death to gender gap in life expectancy and life disparity in the US and Canada: 2001–2019}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116751}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116751}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}