Irish women live over five years longer than men according to Central Statistic Office (CSO) figures released today which show the women’s life expectancy has increased by 0.7 per cent between 1991 and 1996.
In 1996 the life expectancy at birth was 73.0 years for males and 78.5 years for females - gap of 5.5 years. Life expectancy improved by 0.7 years for males and 0.6 years for females between 1991 and 1996, the figures show.
Life expectancy has increased consistently for both men and women since the first life table was compiled in 1926 - when men had life expectancy of 57.4 years while it was slightly higher for females at 57.9 years.
The improvement, the CSO says, is a direct result of decreasing mortality, particularly infant mortality rates over the period. Much of the improvement occurred between 1946 and 1961 and to a lesser degree, from 1986 to date.
The gap in life expectancy between men and women has generally increased over the last 70 years at all ages. Since 1926 life expectancy of male infants has increased by 16 years or 27 per cent while for female infants the increase was 21 years or 36 per cent.
Over the same period the life expectancy for 65 year old males has increased by 1 year or 8 per cent and more significantly by 4 years or 30 per cent for females.
The increasing gap in life expectancy between the sexes is also true internationally.
In 1960 the EU average was 5.5 years while in 1996 it increased to 6.4 years, placing Ireland below the EU average.
In 1960, Sweden had the smallest gap at 3.7 years while Finland had the largest gap at 7 years.
In 1996, Irish life expectancy at birth ranked second last out of the 15 member states for both sexes. In 1960 the picture was the same for females, but Irish males ranked higher than the EU average at 4th place.