Namibian men are dying younger than women, with the country’s latest census showing that a boy born today can expect to live almost nine years less than a girl born at the same time.
The 2023 Population and Housing Census Mortality Report released yesterday puts men’s life expectancy at birth at 64 years, compared to 72.7 years for women.
Of the 20 822 household deaths reported in the 12 months before the census, 11 414 were males, accounting for 54.8% of all reported deaths. Female deaths stood at 9 408, or 45.2%.
The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) says the difference between male and female survival is visible from childhood.
Under-five mortality involved 41.7 deaths per 1 000 live births among boys, compared to 35.9 among girls.
The gap becomes much larger once people reach adulthood.
Out of every 1 000 15-year-old boys, 186 are expected not to survive to age 50, compared to 105 girls.
By age 60, the difference is even greater, with 304 out of every 1 000 males reaching age 15 not surviving to age 60, compared to 186 females.
This means almost one in three boys who reach 15 is estimated not to reach 60, compared with fewer than one in five girls.
The difference continues into older age. At 60, a woman is expected to live another 23.2 years, while a man can expect another 18 years.
At age 70, women have a further 16.7 years of expected life, compared with 12.7 years for men.
Only at age 80 and above do reported female deaths exceed male deaths.
WHERE YOU LIVE CAN KILL YOU
“Adult mortality varies across regions, with Omusati having the highest adult mortality rate,” the report says.
For men, life expectancy at birth was the highest in the Erongo region at 73.1 years, but the lowest in the Hardap region at 57.8 years – a difference of more than 15 years.
For women, the Oshana region had the highest life expectancy at 77.3 years, while the Omaheke region recorded the lowest at 61.0 years.
Adult mortality also varies considerably.
In the Omusati region, 300 out of every 1 000 men who reach age 15 are estimated not to survive to age 50. This figure rises to 447 out of 1 000 before age 60.
The Erongo region recorded the lowest male adult mortality risk, with 79 deaths per 1 000 before age 50 and 158 before age 60.
For women, the Omaheke region recorded the highest mortality risk before age 50, at 201 deaths per 1 000, while the Kunene region recorded the lowest at 59 per 1 000.
LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH
According to the NSA, the reasons behind the mortality gap change depending on age.
“The results reveal that out of the recorded 20 822 household deaths, the leading cause of death was cancer with 1 583 (7.6%), followed by hypertension with 1 310 (6.3%).
The third most prevalent cause of death was natural disasters with 1 060 household deaths (6.1%).”
For males between five and 34, the census identifies external causes including accidents, suicide and murder as major contributors to deaths.
For women, illness accounts for a larger share of deaths in this age group.
CANCER CAUSES MOST DEATHS
Among people aged 35 to 59, men recorded a higher death rate from heart disease and lung disease, as well as murder.
Women in the same age group recorded higher mortality from hypertension/stroke and diabetes.
Nationally, cancer was the leading reported cause of death, accounting for 7.6% of deaths, followed by hypertension and stroke at 6.3%.
According to the World Health Organisation, the persistent gap in life expectancy between men and women as well as distinct geographical and developmental disparities is driven by key biological, behavioral, and system-level mechanisms.
“Where men and women face the same disease, men often seek healthcare less than women,” the organisation says. According to medical doctor Cornelia Ndifon, the higher male mortality rate comes as no surprise to healthcare professionals.
“In the medical field, we’ve known these things for as long as possible. There are fundamental differences in the genetics and the biology of the boy infant versus the girl infant.
“Behind the scenes, a boy has the XY chromosome while the girl has the XX chromosome. It, therefore, means that the X chromosome in the boy stands alone.
And if it’s carrying any disease in the genetic code, it is going to manifest. While in the girl, even if it’s in one X, the other X can sort of provide a cover or dampen the situation,” she says.
