Gender Disparities in Injury Mortality: Consistent, Persistent, and Larger Than You’d Think

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Penn collection
Departmental Papers (SPP)
Degree type
Discipline
Subject
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Contributor
Abstract

Objective. Given the recent increase in injury mortality, particularly among women, it is important to update knowledge about gender disparities in injury mortality. Methods. Data were drawn from the Web-based Injury Query System, which contains U.S. injury mortality data from 1981 through 2007. Male-to-female rate ratios in injury mortality were calculated for key variables, and age and ethnic group comparisons were made. Results. Boys and men are more likely than girls and women to die of injury. From 1981 to 2007, the male-to-female age-adjusted rate ratio decreased by 20% to 2.15 for unintentional injury and increased by 11% to 3.91 for violence-related injury. Excess male mortality exists in manner of death, cause of death, and within ethnic and age groups. In addition, with rare exception, the gender disparity is greater than ethnicity and age disparities in unintentional and violence-related injury mortality. Conclusions. Gender disparities in injury mortality are consistent and persistent. Gender patterns in injury mortality do not follow typical social justice analyses of health in that the structurally advantaged group, men, is at greater risk. Lifestyle and behavioral risks as well as masculine socialization are considered.

Advisor
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Publication date
2011-12-01
Journal title
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Postprint version. Sorenson, S. B. (2011). Gender disparities in injury mortality: Consistent, persistent, and larger than you’d think. American Journal of Public Health, 101(S1), S353-S358. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2010.300029
Recommended citation
Collection