MORTALITY TRENDS

• Trends in national mortality rates •  

Graphs showing time trends in mortality rates

All-cause mortality at age 70-79 years in

Scotland: 1875-2006

Graph showing all-cause mortality at age 70-79 years in Scotland since 1875

Colours: The coloured curves represent Scottish males (blue) and females (red); for comparison, the light grey curves represent males (upper grey curve) and females (lower) in England & Wales.

Comment: In the period 1875-1950, Scottish male mortality at age 70-79 years was typically about 20% higher than the corresponding female mortality. However, the male excess rose to 80% in 1976, and again in 1984. After that the male excess started to shrink, and in 2006 it was down to 46%.

Method: Mortality rates were downloaded from the Human Mortality Database (see www.mortality.org or www.humanmortality.de) on 4 December 2009. The plotted lines connect unsmoothed values.

WHO mortality rates for particular countries, ages and causes of death