Death in America: When and How We DieLife Expectancy in the historyCauses of deathDying Trajectories and StressHeart DiseaseEmotions and Afflictions of the HeartCancerAlzheimer’s DiseaseHomicideSuicideAccidentsNatural DisastersWarAIDS and communicable diseasesDeath in America: When Death in America: When and How We Dieand How We DieChapter 2Chapter 2Dusana RybarovaDusana Rybarova2007 Psyc 4562007 Psyc 456Life Expectancy in the Life Expectancy in the historyhistory•Roman Empire – 22Roman Empire – 22•Middle Ages in Europe – 33Middle Ages in Europe – 33•American Revolution – 36American Revolution – 36•1900 – 471900 – 47•Currently – women 79 and men 72Currently – women 79 and men 72•39% of women living today and 21% of men 39% of women living today and 21% of men can expect to celebrate their 85can expect to celebrate their 85thth birthday birthday•Projections for 2050 – women 85.6, men 79.7Projections for 2050 – women 85.6, men 79.7Causes of deathCauses of death•The most common causes of death in the US:The most common causes of death in the US:1.1.Heart diseaseHeart disease2.2.CancerCancer3.3.strokestroke•The eight leading causes of death in the US The eight leading causes of death in the US defined by years of potential life lost before defined by years of potential life lost before age 65age 65–Cancer, heart disease, motor vehicle accidents, Cancer, heart disease, motor vehicle accidents, suicide, birth defects, homicide, AIDSsuicide, birth defects, homicide, AIDSDying Trajectories and Dying Trajectories and StressStress•Dying trajectoriesDying trajectories – pattern of dying – pattern of dying–Duration of a deathDuration of a death •Time between the onset of dying and the actual arrival of Time between the onset of dying and the actual arrival of deathdeath–Shape of a deathShape of a death•The course of the dying process (predictable, expected or The course of the dying process (predictable, expected or unexpected)unexpected)–Brief trajectory for infants, children, adolescents and Brief trajectory for infants, children, adolescents and young adultsyoung adults•They are much more likely to die by sudden means They are much more likely to die by sudden means involving fatal accidents, homicide, suicide, and warinvolving fatal accidents, homicide, suicide, and war•Stress and LifeStress and Life–Long life expectancy is the result of improved life Long life expectancy is the result of improved life standards but industrialization has consequences forstandards but industrialization has consequences for•Global warming; air, water and earth pollution and Global warming; air, water and earth pollution and increased increased psychological stresspsychological stressHeart DiseaseHeart Disease•Development of lesions on the coronary arteries is Development of lesions on the coronary arteries is the principal cause of heart diseasethe principal cause of heart disease–PlaquesPlaques – deposits in arteries – deposits in arteries–AtherosclerosisAtherosclerosis – blocking of blood supply to some parts of – blocking of blood supply to some parts of the heart musclethe heart muscle–Angina pectorisAngina pectoris – periodic chest pains caused by an – periodic chest pains caused by an insufficient supply of blood to the heartinsufficient supply of blood to the heart–Myocardial infarctionMyocardial infarction – blocking off of the heart’s blood – blocking off of the heart’s blood supplysupply•Heart disease, hypertension, stroke, atherosclerosis, Heart disease, hypertension, stroke, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases are, as a group, and other cardiovascular diseases are, as a group, the primary cause of death in the entire worldthe primary cause of death in the entire world•One in five of us will develop some form of heart One in five of us will develop some form of heart disease before our sixtieth birthdaydisease before our sixtieth birthdayEmotions and Afflictions of the Emotions and Afflictions of the HeartHeart•HypertensionHypertension–Developing heart disease has been linked to high blood Developing heart disease has been linked to high blood pressurepressure–People who are continually subject to a great deal of stress – People who are continually subject to a great deal of stress – and who lack the skills to cope with it – are at significantly and who lack the skills to cope with it – are at significantly greater risk of heart diseasegreater risk of heart disease–Emotionally driven rises in blood pressure can cause injury to Emotionally driven rises in blood pressure can cause injury to endothelium (the inner lining of the arteries) and as a result endothelium (the inner lining of the arteries) and as a result plaque begins to form at the site of damageplaque begins to form at the site of damage•Type A behavior patternType A behavior pattern–Hard-driving, competitive, aggressive, experiencing time-Hard-driving, competitive, aggressive, experiencing time-urgency in almost everything they do, fast speaking in loud urgency in almost everything they do, fast speaking in loud and explosive style, display clenched fists and aggressive and explosive style, display clenched fists and aggressive facial expressionsfacial expressions–Most harmful pattern of behavior isMost harmful pattern of behavior is hostility hostility – results in greater – results in greater increases in heart rate and blood pressure in response to increases in heart rate and blood pressure in response to stressful situations than people with less or no hostilitystressful situations than people with less or no hostilityCancerCancer•General term for more than 100 diseasesGeneral term for more than 100 diseases•Most cancers take 10-40 years to develop thus Most cancers take 10-40 years to develop thus the risk increases with agethe risk increases with age•Cancer-prone individualsCancer-prone individuals–An inability to express emotions such as anger, An inability to express emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety (cognitive denial and emotional fear, anxiety (cognitive denial and emotional repression)repression)–Inability to cope with stress and tendency to Inability to cope with stress and tendency to develop feelings of hopelessness and depressiondevelop feelings of hopelessness and depression•Grieving process and the experience of Grieving process and the experience of