Contribution of deaths related to alcohol or smoking to the gender difference in life expectancy: Finland in the early 1990s.
BACKGROUND
In comparison to most other countries in Western Europe, Finland ranks high with regard to male excess mortality. This study examined the contribution of smoking and alcohol to the gender difference in mortality in Finland during 1991-93 among the population aged 15 or over.


METHODS
The study is based on data from linked registers. The number of alcohol-related deaths was assessed on the basis of information included in the death certificate, while the conventional method of population attributable fraction was applied to estimate the aggregated contribution of smoking. In combining the effects of alcohol and smoking, three alternative assumptions of their overlap were used.


RESULTS
Approximately 51-56% of the gender difference of 7.6 years in the life expectancy at age 15 was estimated to be attributable to alcohol or smoking, depending on the assumption about the overlap of the contribution of alcohol and smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
The study confirms the important role of alcohol and smoking as a mechanism contributing to the difference in mortality between men and women in Finland.
Martelin
Tuija
T
National Public Health Institute (KTL), Department of Health and Functional Capacity, Helsinki, Finland. tuija.mertelin@ktl.fi
Mäkelä
Pia
P
Valkonen
Tapani
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology