WOMEN IN DENMARK - WHY DO THEY DIE SO YOUNG - RISK-FACTORS FOR PREMATURE DEATH

In Denmark the life expectancy of women has been declining since 1980, and is now the lowest of all OECD countries. Based upon analyses of t he different trends in mortality of 35-64-year-old women in Denmark co mpared to women in Norway and Sweden, national differentials in extern al determinants of morbidity and premature mortality are described. Th e excess mortality of women in Denmark is linked to lifestyle factors: tobacco smoking, alcohol and drug consumption. We discuss the possibl e impact of other external factors: full-time employment, work load, j ob insecurity, unemployment, single motherhood, and social isolation. The main hypothesis is that the daily life of women in Denmark has det eriorated over the years, and that changes in lifestyle and behaviour in part can be explained by evolved strategies in order to cope with a nxiety and strain. Contrary to conditions in Sweden, the welfare syste m in Denmark has not facilitated the combination of child-bearing and paid work. The analysis points to the importance of including data of external stressors in discussions of national variances in lifestyle f actors linked to premature mortality.