Life Expectancy: USA Average longevity: 78.2 Male longevity: 75.4 Female longevity: 80.7

The “Gender Gap” Gender gap: 5.3 years Why? Estrogen—a molecule that females produce (hormone) Provides protection against cardiovascular disease Keeps arteries “clean”

Life Expectancy: USA Average longevity: 78.2 Male longevity: 75.4 Female longevity: 80.7 Gender gap: 5.3 years Average longevity, 1900s: 47 years

In 100 years, we have gone from 47 years to 78 years. Why? Antibiotics Vaccines

Antibiotics: substances that weaken bacterial cell walls New Problems: Resistant strains Cost—in order to develop a new drug, it takes 5-7 years and around $800,000 Not cost effective for drug companies

Vaccines: a weakened form of a disease which causes your immune system to respond Dead strain of the disease or a less virulent strain

Success of Vaccines in the US

Polio: Extremely specific virus that can cause paralysis President Roosevelt If diaphragm paralysis occurs, what could happened to the individual? Treatment: Iron lung Current treatment: vaccine

©http://www.kshs.org/cool3/graphics/ironlung2lg.jpg

©http://focus.hms.harvard.edu/2005/Mar25_2005/images/iron_lung.jpg

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DPT) Diphtheria: bacteria that causes breathing difficulty, inflammation around the heart Enters the body person to person (throat or nose) Tetanus: Exists as spores in the soil Enters the body through cuts Causes Lockjaw (loves the mandible muscle)

Pertussis: Whooping cough that can lead brain damage and death if left untreated Bacteria

MMR Measles: rash, causes high fever, can cause permanent brain damage Mumps: Fever, swollen glands, hearing loss, sterility Rubella: German measles Can cause birth defects if mother is pregnant and becomes infected

Life Expectancy Around the World (2005-2010) Japan 82.6 years Hong Kong 82.2 Iceland 81.8 Switzerland 81.7 Australia 81.2 Spain 80.9 Sweden 80.9 Israel 80.7 Macau 80.7 France 80.7 Canada 80.7 Italy 80.5 New Zealand 80.2 Norway 80.2

Singapore 80.0 Austria 79.8 Netherlands 79.8 Martinique 79.5 Greece 79.5 Belgium 79.4 Malta 79.4 United Kingdom 79.4 Germany 79.5 US Virgin Islands 79.4 Finland 79.3 Guadeloupe 79.2 Channel Islands 79.0

Cyprus 79.0 Ireland 78.9 Costa Rica 78.8 Puerto Rico 78.7 Luxembourg 78.7 United Arab Emirates 78.7 South Korea 78.6 Chile 78.6 Denmark 78.3 Cuba 78.3 United States 78.2 Portugal 78.1 Slovenia 77.9 Kuwait 77.6

Barbados 77.3 Brunei 77.1 Czech Republic 76.5 Reunion 76.4 Albania 76.4 Uruguay 76.4 Mexico 76.2 Belize 76.1 New Caledonia 76.1

Zimbabwe 39.5 Zambia 38.4 Angola 37.6 Swaziland 32.2 Why so short?

What do you think accounts for most of the deaths? What do you think you may die of?