Sex differentials in unintentional injury mortality in relation to age at death.

Abstract

Sex differentials in unintentional injury mortality were examined using death records for New York State residents that died as the result of an unintentional injury between the years 1984 and 1988 (n = 22,547). Male/female ratios were computed for nine age groups and for the four leading causes of unintentional injury death: motor vehicle incidents, falls, fire, and drowning. Male mortality is significantly higher than female mortality for all causes (P < 0.05). The age-specific pattern of mortality varies among the four causes of death examined, but the age-specific pattern of male/female mortality ratios is consistent among all four causes. All four leading causes of unintentional injury death show a peak in relative male risk in young adulthood (usually between 15 and 24 years of age). This common peak may reflect increased risk associated behaviors of young males, including alcohol. Two causes of death, motor vehicle incidents and fire, show a second peak in relative male risk among the elderly (75+ years), perhaps reflecting sex differences in alcohol and tobacco use.