AGE AT DEATH DUE TO ISCHEMIC-HEART-DISEASE - GENDER DIFFERENCES

This paper investigates gender differences in the timing of ischemic h eart disease (IHD) mortality among white Americans. Three age-at-death groupings are examined, using a model incorporating three types of in dependent variables: lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and biology/here dity. Logistic regression techniques are used to analyze National Mort ality Follow-back Survey data. Three hypotheses drawn from the literat ure are tested: (1) that IHD mortality risks will vary by gender and a cross the life course; (2) that the independent variables will exert a lower mortality risk for women than for men at all ages of death; and (3) that differential risks by gender will be larger for younger age- at-death groups. Findings support the first and third hypotheses. The importance of research on gender differentials in age at IHD mortality in relation to parental heart-attack mortality, smoking and spousal s moking, occupation, and fertility is highlighted.