07/19/2005
What are the odds?
According to Factfinder, for "men and women aged 25 to 54, the number of men for each 100 women in 2000 was 99. Among older adults, the male-female ratio continued to fall rapidly, as women increasingly outnumbered men. For people 55 to 64, the male-female ratio was 92 to 100, but for those 85 and over, there were only 41 men for every 100 women."
Wow! Forty one men to 100 women for those over age 85? In 2003 "Life expectancy went up for men from 73.4 years to 74.4 and for women from 79.7 to 79.8" and death's associated with heart disease and stroke are decreasing (also good for men) so men are gaining (as are women but at a decreasing rate compared to men) but something still appears to be happening to males between 65 and their early eighties. Could it be that "flexibility, resiliency and connections protect women against early death while men are more often wiped out by their own rigidity, aggression and denial of feelings as this article suggests? This statement makes me angry to the point I want to punch the author and no I don't have rigidity issues or problems with aggression. Just kidding around, I suppose men are generally less flexible and more aggressive but does this lead to such a great difference in life expectancy once you reach age 65? I doubt it but still have no solid answers for this male-female ratio difference. The unprovable answer to me is goals. Those without goals die sooner.
So what are the non gender odds of death? The real culprits are still Heart Disease and Cancer. Odds of being Legally Executed is just 1 in 58,618 over your life span, seems much too likely but I'm probably safer living far away from Texas.
| Cause of Death | Lifetime Odds |
| Heart Disease | 1-in-5 |
| Cancer | 1-in-7 |
| Stroke | 1-in-23 |
| Accidental Injury | 1-in-36 |
| Motor Vehicle Accident* | 1-in-100 |
| Intentional Self-harm (suicide) | 1-in-121 |
| Falling Down | 1-in-246 |
| Assault by Firearm | 1-in-325 |
| Fire or Smoke | 1-in-1,116 |
| Natural Forces (heat, cold, storms, quakes, etc.) | 1-in-3,357 |
| Electrocution* | 1-in-5,000 |
| Drowning | 1-in-8,942 |
| Air Travel Accident* | 1-in-20,000 |
| Flood* (included also in Natural Forces above) | 1-in-30,000 |
| Legal Execution | 1-in-58,618 |
| Tornado* (included also in Natural Forces above) | 1-in-60,000 |
| Lightning Strike (included also in Natural Forces above) | 1-in-83,930 |
| Snake, Bee or other Venomous Bite or Sting* | 1-in-100,000 |
| Earthquake (included also in Natural Forces above) | 1-in-131,890 |
| Dog Attack | 1-in-147,717 |
| Asteroid Impact* | 1-in-200,000** |
| Tsunami* | 1-in-500,000 |
| Fireworks Discharge | 1-in-615,488 |
So what can you do to extend your life? Wear a safety belt? Live in a ranch style home to avoid using steps? Don't drive a motorcycle own a gun or smoke and live close to a hospital to avoid air ambulances and all the while don't take yourself so seriously and eat your green vegetables?
I've been alive for 504 months and in an other 504 months I'd be fast approaching 85 years old. I wonder what the current ratio of 41 men to 100 women will be in 2048? I wonder if I'll be alive to observe it? The odds say no but ya gotta have a goal and for me it's observing the male-female ratio in 2048.
16:55 Posted in Health | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Comments
nice blog, interesting themes,
thanks.
Posted by: Krefeld | 04/29/2006
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