Níveis e padrões do diferencial de mortalidade por sexo no município de São Paulo, 1920-2005

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine, systematically, the sex differential in mortality in São Paulo, from 1920 to 2005. At first, there was an analysis of levels and patterns of the gap in mortality between the sexes. Then, the experiences of cohorts were disentangled. To achieve this, the differential through three indicators, were analyzed: (1) gap in life expectancy at birth; (2) the sex ratios between specific rates of mortality, and (3) the contribution of different ages in the gap in life expectancy at birth, based on a decomposition method. In general, period trends observed in São Paulo were similar to those found in developed countries, with some specificities. Regarding long-term trend in the level of the differential in mortality by sex, there was a lag time from 30 to 50 years. The beginning of the transition of the age pattern of mortality differentials between men and women was late; however, in recent years, the observed changes were similar to those of developed countries. The contribution of different ages to the gap in life expectancy at birth by sex indicated that a large male disadvantage does not, necessarily, imply a large part of contribution to the gap in life expectancy. The reduction on the differentials observed in the last five years has been explained, mainly by the decrease in male mortality at young ages. However, adults and seniors also contributed in a significant amount. The analysis of patterns of age cohorts indicates that the differential tends to concentrate on younger. This trend is similar to that described for the developed world in the (period analysis), and there does not appear among the cohorts, the lag time observed in the patterns of period in São Paulo.