Mortality Differentials in Gender, Income Level and Cause of Death

Abstract: The reduction in mortality within a nation is a major objective of the government and international organizations. To achieve this goal, indicators of high mortality among disadvantaged people, communities and regions need to be examined and the relationship between these mortality differentials need to be carried out in order to accurately identify how inequalities operate at different levels. The objective of this research is to analyse the mortality differentials in gender, causes of deaths and income levels in order to identify high risk cases where health programmes can be channeled or intensified. In the course of this study, visits were made to hospitals, friends and family members for personal observations, investigation and data collection in order to have comprehensive knowledge on the subject matter. The data were obtained from publications, surveys of health or health related organizations. Male mortality and female life expectancy are higher at all ages in most countries across the globe. In Nigeria, most deaths (in rank) arise from lower respiratory infections, neonatal disorders, HIV/AIDS and malaria, while the leading causes of deaths (in rank) in Africa as a whole are lower respiratory tract infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrhea diseases and ischemic heart diseases. In the world (as a whole), ischemic heart diseases and stroke are leading causes of deaths. Most deaths in lower income group are due to causes that may be treatable through access to basic health services, while most deaths in higher income group are associated with environmental factors and/or natural disasters. In order to minimize the differences in health outcomes and maximize the health gains, responses that are aimed at mitigating exposure to risk factors and/or adequate access to health services should be employed.
Keywords: Gender, income levels, mortality, causes of death, differentials.