Determinantes sociales en la diferencial de mortalidad entre mujeres y hombres en Cuba

Abstract

IntroductionThe determinants that differentiate men and women from the biological, sexual, cultural and social viewpoints have a bearing on what kind of health problems affect them and how as well as on the required health interactions. Objectives To identify those differences in mortality indexes between Cuban men and women in 2006. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study using mortality index databases from the National Division of Statistics. Age-specific, sex-specific and potential years of life lost-specific mortality rates along with rate rations for the first causes of death were estimated to gather proper information. Results It was found that men had an overmortality rate in most of the main causes of death, and died earlier than women from a group of chronic diseases, accidents, self-inflicted lesions; additionally, malignant tumors negatively affected both sexes. Conclusions There are differences between men and women that favor the latter with respect to potential years of life lost, although the gap between men and women shows negative tendency towards the women.