Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (22)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by GARENNE, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by GARENNE, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1994 Oxford University Press

research-article

Sex Differences in Measles Mortality: A World Review

MICHEL GARENNE

Harvard School of Public Health, Dept. of Population and International Health 665 Huntington Aye, Boston, MA 02115, USA

Background. In general females have a lower mortality than males at all ages. Excess female mortality has been documented In certain high mortality situations, in particular in South Asia. However, females may have a higher mortality for certain causes of death. One of the causes of death for which excess female mortality is suspected is measles.

Method. Sex differences in measles mortality are investigated using all national data on causes of death published by WHO since 1950. An Index of excess mortality is used: the geometric mean of the female sex ratios of age-specific deaths rates from measles, from age 0 to 44 years.

Results and conclusions. When pooled together, the results show an excess of female mortality from birth until age 50 years. The excess female mortality appears small at age 0–4 (+4.2%), larger at age 5–14 (+10.9%) and peaks during the female reproductive period, at age 15–44 (42.6%). This pattern of excess female mortality occurs in all the major regions of the world: Europe, North and South America, Far-East Asia, the Middle East and South Asia. The only noticeable exceptions are the Philippines and Thailand. The validity of the finding is extensively reviewed. Emphasis lies on the statistical power to prove that sex differences in measles mortality do exist, on the critical analysis of a case study in England and Wales, on the comparison with the overall pattern of sex differences and on available data on sex differences in incidence. Possible explanations are reviewed.

Received 1 October 1993


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 CVIHome page
S. Atabani, G. Landucci, M. W. Steward, H. Whittle, J. G. Tilles, and D. N. Forthal
Sex-Associated Differences in the Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Antibody Response to Measles Vaccines
Clin. Vaccine Immunol., January 1, 2000; 7(1): 111 - 113.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.