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European Journal of Epidemiology
Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology 7/2010

Open Access 01-07-2010 | MORTALITY

Cross-national comparison of sex differences in health and mortality in Denmark, Japan and the US

Authors: Anna Oksuzyan, Eileen Crimmins, Yasuhiko Saito, Angela O’Rand, James W. Vaupel, Kaare Christensen

Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology | Issue 7/2010

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Abstract

The present study aims to compare the direction and magnitude of sex differences in mortality and major health dimensions across Denmark, Japan and the US. The Human Mortality Database was used to examine sex differences in age-specific mortality rates. The Danish twin surveys, the Danish 1905-Cohort Study, the Health and Retirement Study, and the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging were used to examine sex differences in health. Men had consistently higher mortality rates at all ages in all three countries, but they also had a substantial advantage in handgrip strength compared with the same-aged women. Sex differences in activities of daily living (ADL) became pronounced among individuals aged 85+ in all three countries. Depression levels tended to be higher in women, particularly, in Denmark and the HRS, and only small sex differences were observed in the immediate recall test and Mini-Mental State Exam. The present study revealed consistent sex differentials in survival and physical health, self-rated health and cognition at older ages, whereas the pattern of sex differences in depressive symptoms was country-specific.
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Metadata
Title
Cross-national comparison of sex differences in health and mortality in Denmark, Japan and the US
Authors
Anna Oksuzyan
Eileen Crimmins
Yasuhiko Saito
Angela O’Rand
James W. Vaupel
Kaare Christensen
Publication date
01-07-2010
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
European Journal of Epidemiology / Issue 7/2010
Print ISSN: 0393-2990
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7284
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-010-9460-6

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