Abstract
The aim of the article is to find patterns in the gender gap in life expectancy at birth in European post-communist countries. The analysis covers the years 1990–2018. Larger differences occur in the countries of the former USSR, smaller ones on the Balkan Peninsula. Belonging to the USSR (larger gap) and the Ottoman Empire (smaller gap) in the past has a great influence of the gender gap. In half of the analysed countries, the gender gap decreased. In a quarter, after an initial increase, there was also a decrease in the gender gap (some countries of the former USSR). Moreover, in a quarter of the countries, these changes were ambiguous (some countries on the Balkan Peninsula). One can see here the impact of an improving economic situation of the population. An attempt to link the gender gap and life expectancy with the ’homo-sovieticus’ requires further research.
Highlights
Biological determinants alone make the average life expectancy of males shorter than that of females by one to two years (Luty, 2003; Ram, 1993)
They focus on both the size of differences between men and women in various countries and on the variability in changes of these differences over time: 1. The main factor affecting female–male differences in life expectancy at birth are the cultural determinants related to anti-health behaviours being more widespread among men
Before the actual analysis is carried out – the decision was made to show the value of life expectancy at birth
Summary
Biological determinants alone make the average life expectancy of males shorter than that of females by one to two years (Luty, 2003; Ram, 1993). The main factor affecting female–male differences in life expectancy at birth are the cultural determinants related to anti-health behaviours (mainly alcoholism and nicotinism) being more widespread among men (see McCartney, Mahmood, Leyland, Batty, & Hunt, 2011). This is probably related to a greater intensity of negative traits attributed to the ‘homo sovieticus’. Theorists of Marxism-Leninism promoted the rise of a new and better man He was most often referred to as ‘a new Soviet person’ or ‘homo sovieticus’ (Parniewski, 1995). Taking into account the greater importance of men than women in this concept, one at present this term has negative connotations (cf. Heller, 1988; Tischner, 1992; Zinoviev, 1986)
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