As men die violently, women live longer

Nielmar de Oliveira

Reporter Agência Brasil

Rio - In a survey (Tábua de Vida 2004), the government statistical bureau (IBGE) reports that life expectancy for women is greater than for men and that the main reason for the difference is violence. The survey covered the period from 1984 to 2004.

According to the IBGE, in 1984, women lived an average 6 years and one month more than men. In 2004 the difference had risen to 7 years and six months, even though overall life expectancy for all Brazilians had risen slightly over 10 years.

"There is a close relationship between male deaths, especially young males, and deaths which have external causes," says the report. Translation: males get killed while they are young; women live on to an old age.

Translation: Allen Bennett