Mortality

Compiled by Men’s Health Forum, March 2013

Mortality rates are higher for men than women.

In 2010, the age-standardised mortality rates in the UK for males and females were 655 and 467 deaths per 100,000 population respectively (Reference: ONS).

Between 1980 and 2010 age-standardised mortality rates for males and females declined by 48 per cent and 39 per cent respectively. Male mortality rates were higher than females throughout the 30 year period, but because rates for males fell at a faster rate, the gap between male and female mortality decreased (Reference: ONS).

Premature mortality

Men are more likely than women to die prematurely.

In the UK in 2010, 22% of all male deaths were aged under 65 (women 13%) and 42% of all male deaths were aged under 75 (women 26%) (Reference: BHF).

Males are more likely than females to die in all age groups under 80 years. The biggest gap is in the 15-34 age group: in the UK in 2010, 2% of all male deaths were in this group compared to 0.9% of all female deaths (Reference: BHF).

Causes of death

The biggest single cause of death in men is cancer.

In England and Wales in 2011, the age-standardised male mortality rate for cancer was 2,023 per million population. The second major cause of death for men was circulatory diseases (1,803 per million) and the third was respiratory diseases (798 per million) (Reference: ONS).