VOA慢速英语:Life Expectancy Gap Widens Between Women in Rich and Poor Countries

The World Health Organization says women aged 50 and older are generally in better health now than they were 20 to 30 years ago. But a new study confirms that older women in rich countries live longer than those in the developing world and the differences in life expectancy are widening.
世界卫生组织称，50岁及以上年龄妇女一般比她们二、三十年前更为健康。但一项新的研究证实，在富裕国家，老年妇女比发展中国家妇女更长寿，而且差距正在增加。

The World Health Organization says heart disease, stroke and cancers are the leading causes of death of women aged 50 years and older. But it says women in developing countries can often die from one of these problems at an earlier age.
世界卫生组织称，心脏病、中风和癌症是50岁及以上年龄女性死亡的主要原因。但它说，发展中国家的妇女往往会在更早的年龄因为这些问题之一而去世。

The study is one of the first to examine the causes of death of women aged 50 years and older from several rich and poor countries. It found that many women die at a young age because they live in places that lack for money to prevent, identify and treat non-communicable diseases.
这项研究是首次检查了几个富裕和贫穷国家50岁及以上年龄妇女死亡原因的研究之一。它发现，许多妇女早逝是因为她们所在的地方缺乏资金来预防、发现和治疗非传染性疾病。

Colin Mathers is head of the WHO Mortality and Burden of Disease Unit. He says developed countries have the money and health systems to reduce and control heart disease. He says cancer of the cervix is one of the leading cancers among African women. He says the disease is largely preventable, but African countries have fewer resources to treat it.
Colin Mathers是世界卫生组织死亡率和疾病负担部门的负责人。他说，发达国家有足够的金钱和卫生系统，以减少和控制心脏疾病。他说，宫颈癌是非洲女性中主要的癌症之一，这种疾病在很大程度上是可以预防的，但非洲国家没有足够资源来处理这种疾病。

"There is simply not enough money to provide high quality health care to everyone that is accessible. And, also a matter of human resources, that there often are not enough trained doctors and nurses and other health professionals in the country."
“非洲根本没有足够资金向所有人提供高品质的医疗保健，而且，人力资源也存在问题，非洲国内经常缺少训练有素的医生、护士以及其它专业卫生人员。

Dr. Mathers says donors give comparatively little money to fight non-communicable diseases in African. He says most of the money goes instead toward reducing the number of women dying during child birth. This has helped to bring down maternal mortality rates, but death rates among older women have increased.
Mathers医生称，捐赠人在非洲提供的用于对抗非传染性疾病的资金相对较少，大部分资金都用于降低分娩时的妇女死亡人数。这有助于降低孕产妇死亡率，但老年女性的死亡率却增加了。

The study found on average, women over 50 live at least 3.5 years longer than they did 20 years ago. Older women in Japan now can expect to live 88 years. In Germany, the life expectancy rate for older women is 84. Women in many other developed countries can expect to live to age 83 or 84. But women in poorer countries die about 10 years earlier.
该研究发现，50岁以上妇女比20年前平均至少多活3.5年。日本老年妇女目前有望活到88岁，德国老年妇女的预期寿命是84岁，其它许多发达国家妇女有望活到83或84岁。但贫穷国家的妇女要少活约10年。

Dr. Mathers says major risks for older women include smoking, the harmful use of alcohol, and being overweight or obese.
Mathers医生称，老年妇女面临的主要风险包括吸烟、酗酒，以及超重或肥胖。

The World Health Organization says the number of long-lasting diseases can be cut through cost-effective methods to stop common diseases. These include prevention, early identification and control of high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol.
世界卫生组织称，可以通过采取成本低收效大的方式来阻止常见疾病来减少慢性病的数量。这些措施包括高血压、肥胖以及高胆固醇的预防、早期确诊和控制。