The gap in life expectancy between men and women is closing, Statistics Canada says.
Data from 2000 indicate that life expectancy at birth — a fundamental indicator of population health status — increased slightly to new record highs for both sexes in 2000. A female born in 2000 can expect to live 82 years, up 0.3 years from 1999. The life expectancy of a male born in 2000 is 76.7 years, up 0.5 years in the same period. The gender gap has narrowed from 5.4 years in 1999 to 5.2 years in 2000.
Statistics Canada also reports that the number of deaths declined by 0.7% from 1999 to 2000, the first decrease since 1981. In 2000, 218 062 people died in Canada — 111 742 males (down 1.7% from the previous year) and 106 320 females (up 0.4%).
The 2 main causes of death were diseases of the circulatory system (nearly 35%) and cancer (29%). — CMAJ