According to American historian Jay Russell (author of the study "Population in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages"), human life expectancy was extremely low for a long time. For example, as Washington ProFile notes, an Englishman of the 14th-15th centuries could expect 24.3 years of life. By the 17th century, life expectancy had risen to 37.7 years, and in the 19th century it reached 40 years. Similar indicators were seen in other European and Asian countries: for instance, in Japan at the end of the 18th century, a person could expect 32.2 years. A significant increase in life expectancy was noted only in the 1820s - then the average European lived 37 years. In 1900, life expectancy increased to 46 years, in 1950 to 67, and in 1999 to 78 years.
This process was accompanied by a steady decline in birth rates: 3.74 births per 100 people in 1820, 3.08 in 1900, 1.83 in 1950, and 1 in 1999. The reasons for these processes are many (development of science, medicine, agronomy, etc.), one of them being the change in the social security system. Previously, children were a kind of "insurance policy" for a person: the more children and grandchildren one had, the greater the chance that descendants would support them in old age. A similar system of relations still exists in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the main killers of people today are cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases, lung diseases, HIV/AIDS, gastrointestinal diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, and road traffic accidents. The spread of viral diseases is particularly concerning for doctors. Perhaps that is why the question of whether to vaccinate children is becoming more relevant than ever. Each country has its own rules regulated by ministries of health.
A study by the British University of Cambridge and the German Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research found that, starting from 1840, life expectancy in the industrialized countries of the world increased by three months each year. If this trend continues in the future, then by 2050 the average age of a European, Japanese, or North American could reach 100 years.
The International Labour Organization concluded that in countries where there is no significant stratification of society into rich and poor, the average life expectancy is 5-10 years higher than in countries with a less fair economic system. However, the difference in income is not the only reason for such a disparity in longevity. The fact is that wealthier segments of the population have greater access to medical, educational, and other types of social services.
A joint study by Harvard and Princeton Universities yielded an unexpected result: despite the fact that the average life expectancy of humanity increased by 30 years during the 20th century, high mortality in the poorest countries of the world negates this achievement. Even today, the difference in life expectancy between poor and rich countries is about 30 years. As a rule, countries with more educated and affluent residents have higher average life expectancy. The fundamental difference between rich and poor countries lies not in the amount of income of the population, but in how successfully and purposefully state institutions operate.
Since 1999, WHO has used the indicator "healthy life expectancy," that is, the expected lifespan of a newborn taking into account the mortality rate existing at that time. The new indicator also takes into account the amount of time a person spends in an unhealthy state. This criterion more accurately describes the effectiveness of the healthcare system in different countries. Studies show that the number of years a person spends in an unhealthy state is significantly higher for residents of poor countries. On average, a representative of the healthiest nation spends 9% of their life in an unhealthy state, while for the least "healthy" countries this figure is 14%.
According to this criterion, the world leader is Japan, where citizens live an average of 74.5 years of healthy life. Other leaders in healthy life expectancy include Australia, France, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Monaco, and Andorra. The worst result among 191 countries is shown by Sierra Leone - less than 26 years of healthy life. In 24 countries, this indicator is equal to or above the 70-year threshold, and in 32 countries it is less than 40 years. The United States ranks 24th in the ranking - an average of 70 years of healthy life for newborns in 1999. In Russia, one of the most significant gaps in healthy life expectancy between the female (66.4 years) and male (56.1 years) populations is observed compared to other countries.
According to CIA estimates, in 2006 the highest mortality rate in the world was recorded in Swaziland – 29.74 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. Next on the list of the most "deadly" countries are Botswana (29.50 per 1,000), Lesotho (28.71), Angola (24.20), and Liberia (23.10). The lowest mortality rate is expected in the Northern Mariana Islands, where there were 2.29 deaths per thousand residents. Next are Kuwait (2.41), Saudi Arabia (2.58), Jordan (2.65), and American Samoa (3.27). Low mortality is explained not only by the quality of life and medical care, but also by the young age of the majority of the population.
Among the former USSR countries, Russia demonstrated the highest mortality rate – 14.65 deaths per 1,000 residents, placing it 29th in the world in terms of mortality, after countries such as Ethiopia and Côte d'Ivoire. Things are only slightly better in Ukraine, which ranks 30th in the global ranking with a rate of 14.39. Next come Belarus – 14.02 (32nd), Latvia – 13.66 (34th), Estonia – 13.25 (38th), Moldova – 12.64 (43rd), Lithuania – 10.98 (55th), Azerbaijan – 9.75 (74th), Kazakhstan – 9.42 (79th), and Georgia – 9.23 (85th). The five former Soviet republics with the lowest mortality rates are Turkmenistan – 8.60 (98th), Tajikistan – 8.25 (108th), Armenia – 8.23 (109th), Uzbekistan – 7.84 (116th), and Kyrgyzstan – 7.08 (135th).
For comparison, the mortality rate in Germany was 10.62 deaths per 1,000 residents. Thus, Germany is ranked 56th in the global mortality rating. Next come Italy – 10.40 (60th), Great Britain – 10.13 (66th), Japan – 9.16 (87th), France – 9.14 (88th). In 2006, the United States had 8.26 deaths per thousand residents, placing the United States 107th in the global rating. The lowest mortality rate among industrialized countries is observed in Canada – 7.80 (119th place).
The University of Michigan has found an answer to the old question: "Why do men usually live shorter lives than women?" Today, women have a longer life expectancy in almost all countries of the world. Scientists first noted this phenomenon in the mid-18th century. Moreover, humans are not unique - a similar phenomenon is observed in many species of animals and birds. For example, male chimpanzees also live shorter lives than females. Thus, this phenomenon has a long evolutionary history. The authors of the study believe that the cause of this phenomenon lies in the biological nature of attracting sexual partners. Here, the roles of females and males (women and men) differ significantly. Men usually compete with each other for female favor. As a result, men develop a more "risky psychology." However, life expectancy is sacrificed for strength, aggressiveness, energy, and brightness. In turn, the immune system of men is weaker than that of women, their bodies are less able to absorb fat, and the "pain threshold" in men is also noticeably lower.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital also calculated how investments in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic pay off. For this purpose, US statistics from 1989 to 2003 were analyzed. This period was divided into "eras" characterized by certain successes in the fight against the plague of the 20th century. Starting in 1989, the US began taking initial steps to educate the population on safety rules, and patients began taking the first AIDS medications that suppress the virus. As a result, the average patient's lifespan increased by almost three months. In 1993-1995, this campaign gained mass scale, and patients' lifespans increased by another two years. During the period from 1996 to 2003, four "eras" were noted, characterized by the use of new generation drugs and therapy methods, resulting in lifespan increases of 8, 11, 12, and 13 years. Ultimately, American patients and those infected gained more than 3 million years of life.
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