Excess male mortality at the productive age in Poland at the end of the 20th century.

In the last decades of the 20th century there was observed a continuous increase in mortality rates of men at the productive age, which still causes enormous economic and social problems. Thus the aim of the paper is the analysis of the causes of excess death rates in men at the productive age in Poland. There were gathered demographic data collected by the Main Statistical Office (GUS) concerning Polish society as well as available epidemiological data related to the state of health of male population in Poland. The mortality rates referring to Polish males were analysed in several age groups. It was observed that the main causes of excess male mortality in Poland were cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms as well as trauma and accidents, which is consistent with the trends in the whole population. The mortality rates from ischaemic heart disease and pulmonary cancer have doubled in the years 1970-1990. However, in the last years of the 20th century there is perceived a decreasing trend in mortality of men at the productive age. The maintenance of this trend will be very profitable for the Polish society in the new millennium.