Aging, Author Interviews, Gender Differences / 16.06.2016
Morbidity-Mortality Paradox: Women Live Longer But With More Chronic Illness in Late Life
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Kathleen Fischer, PhD
Department of Biology
UAB | University of Alabama Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Fischer: Aging is by far the greatest risk factor for most of the chronic, non-communicable diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes). By discovering the basic mechanisms responsible for aging we can find ways to extend healthy and productive life and reduce the burdens of chronic disease and disability experienced by individuals and society. Sex differences in longevity can provide novel insights into the basic biology of aging; however this aspect of aging has been largely ignored.
Demographic data show that women outlive men in every society during every historical period and in every geographic area. In spite of this robust survival advantage, women suffer far greater morbidity late in life—a phenomenon described as the morbidity-mortality paradox. It is not clear whether this is a general mammalian pattern or something unique to humans. Research on sex differences in aging and age-related diseases in humans and a range of species will be crucial if we are going to identify the basic mechanisms responsible for the patterns we observe.
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