Rural, educated, married women live longest in Poland

Anthropologists from Wrocław University researching longevity in Poland say the average life expectancy of a Polish woman born in 2009 is now 80 years, eight years longer than her make counterpart.

Four of those eight years are due to female hormones and the remaining four years to social and lifestyle factors, say the researchers.

The introduction of a market economy and faster economic growth since 1989 has also contributed to a longer life in Poland, especially for men, possibly because they are drinking and smoking less, and eating healthier, points out the report.

The social and economic changes have not been so good for women, however, many of whom are adopting lifestyles more typical to males, with more females entering the labour force and having to balance stressful occupations with domestic duties.

While men living in rural areas have a shorter life expectancy than city dwellers, this is quite the opposite for city women, living on average two months less than women in the country.

Widowed men live shorter lives than widowed women.

The authors of the report conclude that the longest life expectancy is for married women, with university degrees, living in the country; and for married men, also with university degrees but living in cities, particularly in Podkarpacie region. (pg/ek)