Chapter 10 - Sex Differences in Health

Obesity is more common among with what SES? - Why is this? -

-Lower SES -Associated with poorer diets and less exercise

Who is underserved by the health care system? - - In part due to what? -

-Lesbians -Gays -Lack of health insurance/less likely to have it

Who are parents less likely to supervise? -

-Less likely to supervise boys

When do sex differences in morbidity appear? - Increase? - Decrease? -

-Adolescence -Sex differences increased with age -Sex differences decreased in countries where women had more education and income

The leading causes of death are influenced by a combination of what? -x, y, & z

-Age, rate and sex

*What do women die from more than men? -*

-Alzheimer's disease

Men are more likely to have what type of obesity? -: Women? -:

-Android obesity: the apple shape, which consists of extra weight collected around the abdomen -Gynoid obesity: the pear shape, which consists of extra weight around the hips.

What motivated women to exercise? - Men? -

-Appearance and weight control -Competition

In the early part of the century, what is one reason why men smoked more than women? -

-Because smoking was not viewed a socially acceptable for women

*What are health behaviors? - Based on health behaviors, what are come findings on the sex differences in health? - -*

-Both risky and healthy behaviors that contribute to our heath. -Women are more likely to engage in preventative health care -Men smoke more than women but women have more trouble quitting

Parent's are more likely to encourage risk-taking behavior in who? -

-Boys

*During childhood, who visits health care professionals more frequently? - During adolescence? - What could this be due to? -*

-Boys -Girls -Parents taking boys complaints more seriously because they expect boys to be less likely than girls to complain of symptoms.

How does being in a risky situation affect boys and girls? - - What did this predict? - -

-Boys are more likely to associate risk-taking behavior with excitement -Girls are more likely to associate it with fear -More risk taking behavior in boys -Less risk taking behavior in girls

*What is the top-most leading cause of death? - Second? - Third? - (i.e. ) Fourth? - (i.e. ) Fifth? - What is most noteworthy about the table that shows this? - Exception? -*

-Coronary heart disease -Cancer -Cerebrovascular disease (i.e. stroke) -Chronic lower respiratory disease (emphysema) -Accidents -Males are dying more than females from 12/15 of these top causes. -Alzheimer's disease is the only causes of death that has a higher mortality rate for women

*Over the years, the trend in smoking has gone... -*

-Down

*What happens to estrogen levels during menopause? - What can this cause? - - What did this lead to in the 80's and 90's? - Results? -*

-Drop -Less protection from heart disease -Cholesterol changes -HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) -Had to be stopped because it was leading to an increased risk of breast cancer and increased risk of heart attack

What are artifacts? - ex: ex:

-Factors that cause sex differences to appear that do not really exist ex: Men have a higher socioeconomic status than women, and SES is related to health. Is women's poor health a function of their lower income? ex: Physician bias - perhaps physicians treat women and men differently so it appears women are sicker, but women and men are actually equally healthy or unhealthy

*Major explanation for sex differences in mortality and morbidity - biology: Includes? - + - + - -: +*

-Genes +Women's second X chromosome is a protective factor -Hormones +Complicated: Estrogen contributes to women's greater resistant and vulnerability to disease -Immune system -Cardiovascular reactivity: increase in blood pressure and hear rate during challenging or stressful task +Historically, men showed more cardiovascular reactivity to stressful tasks

What has occurred to participation in high school athletic programs over the last 30 years? - +However...

-Girls participation has increased dramatically +This is still a lot less than male participation

SES is clearly related to what? - + What does this depend on? - + +

-Health +With an increase in income, health improves -How SES is measured +If by earning, men have higher status +If measure by education, both sexes are equal

*What kind of exercise are women more likely to particpate in? - Men? - What does this lead to? -*

-Individual sports and noncompetitive exercise -Team sports -Men getting more exercise overall because they are more likely to participate in sports

In the 20th century, people were most likely to die from what? - Today? -

-Infectious diseases -Diseases in which lifestyle factors play a role

Physical activity has been associate with what? - - Specifically? - - - - - -

-Lower rates of morality -Lower rates of morbidity -Reduces heart disease -Hypertension -Some cancers -Type 2 diabetes -Osteoporosis -Depression

Smoking is most strongly linked to what chronic illness? - Is this true for both sexes? -

-Lung cancer -Yes

*In the US, who is more likely to die of most of the leading causes of death? -*

-Men

*Who dies younger throughout lifespan (in any country)? -*

-Men

*Who is more likely to engage in riskier behaviors? -*

-Men

*Who is more likely to exercise? -*

-Men

Who engages in riskier sexual behavior? -

-Men

Who is less likely to perceive their weight as being a health problem? -

-Men

Who is more likely to own guns? -

-Men

*Who has higher death rates at all ages? - Largest difference when? - This is possibly due to what during this time? -*

-Men -15-24 years old -Increase in risk taking behaviors

Who uses drugs more? - When is this especially true? - When isn't this true? - Who is more likely to seek treatment for drug use? - Who is more like to develop physical health problems following drug usage? -

-Men -18-25 years old (both sexes increase usage A LOT) -12-17 year old (rates are the same) -Men -Women

Who is more likely to get ore exercise? - Why is this? -

-Men -Because they are more likely to participate in sports, specifically team sports.

*Alcohol usage and alcohol problems are highest among who? - This is true for what? - + + + Is this finding on alcohol usage always true? -*

-Men -However you measure binge drinking +% of binge drinkers +Frequency (per month) +# of drinks -No, it's more equal among high school students

*Who smokes the most? - Drinks? -*

-Men -Men

Who is more likely to commit violent crimes? - Who is more likely to be a victim? -

-Men -Men

Who it less likely to use sunscreen? - What could this explain? -

-Men -Mens' higher likelihood of getting skin cancer

*What is binge drinking? -Men = -Women =*

-Men = 5+ drinks on a single occasion -Women = 4+d rinks on a single occasion

*Morality differences throughout life span: - - -*

-Men die younger than women throughout life span (in any country) -Men have higher death rates than women at all ages -Women outlive men in U.S. by about 5 years.

*Men's higher mortality compared to women could be due to: - +Including what? - + -*

-Men having more job hazards +Both at work and labor at home -Driving more often (and farther) +Faster and take more risks -Greater risk-taking behavior

*What are some gender differences in smoking in the US? - - Potential reasons for this? - - -*

-Men smoke more -Women have a harder time quitting -Women are more likely to have depression -Women are more likely to be psychologically addicted to smoking -Women are more concerned with the potential for weight gain

The relationship of moderate alcohol intake to health is what? - + +

-Mixed +Protective against hear disease and appears to provide immunity from the common cold +May also be associated with breast cancer

Whereas mortality rates have decreased and the live span has lengthened,..... - What does this mean? - What account for this? -

-Morbidity rates have increased -People are living longer, but because they are living with diseases rather than dying from them. -The increase in chronic diseases

Does alcohol have similar consequences in men and women? - ex:

-No ex: Physiological consequences of alcohol are more damaging to women

*What is a chronic illness? - What does this account for? -*

-One that is long lasting and typically does not disappear. -The increase in chronic diseases accounts for the increase in morbidity.

*What type of tasks peak mens' stress levels? - ex: *

-Ones that cause achievement stress ex: Math, science, and verbal ability tests

*What type of tasks peak women' stress levels? - ex:*

-Ones that cause interpersonal stress ex: rejection

One motivator for women to quite smoking is what? -

-Pregnancy

*What drugs do females tend to use more than males? -*

-Prescription tranquilizers and sedatives

Women's immune system vs. mens: - - What could this lead to/explain? - -

-Response to viruses better than men's -Greater response to infection -Higher rates of autoimmune diseases -More vulnerable to diseases specific to the immune system

*What are fixed role obligations? - Who has more? - What are they? -x & y*

-Responsibilities specific to one's role that are structured and difficult to reschedule. -Men may have more than women -Worker & head of household

Asian american men are less likely than european american me to do what? -

-Seek help for mental illness

What has been referred to as the single most preventable cause of death? -

-Smoking

What is one reason why adult women drink less heavily than men? - -

-Society's attitude towards drinking and on who it is acceptable behavior for -Women are more likely to be involved in religion, which deters drinking

Who are women most likely to be killed by? -

-Someone they know. This is true across all age groups.

*What is the sick role hypothesis? - +Such as.... What does this result in? -*

-Suggests that sex differences in medical care utilization are due to women's greater tendency to adopt the sick role. +Labeling a symptom as illness and responding to it -Women are more likely to utilize medical care

Why has there been a reduced rate of physical activity among children? -

-Technology advances that have made sedentary activities more appealing

What is android obesity? - Who is more likely to have this? -

-The apple shape, which consists of extra weight collected around the abdomen -Men

*What is mortality rate? - Who has higher rates of mortality? -*

-The death rate -Men

Several studies have shown that males' risk-taking behavior is due to/influenced by what? - -

-The higher masculinity scores -The presence of the other sex

*What is cardiovascular reactivity? - Who experiences this more? - What could this help to explain? -*

-The increase in blood pressure and heart rate that occurs when engaging in a challenging or stressful task -Men -Men's higher rates of heart disease

*Cardiovascular reactivity in men and women depend on what? - + (i.e.) +(i.e.) How was this studied? - Findings? - -*

-The nature of the stressor +Men will react more to stressors relevant to the male gender role (i.e. achievement stressor) +Women will react more to stressors relevant to the fame gender role (i.e. interpersonal stressor) -Looking at male and female's reactions to achievements stressors (math, verbal memorization) vs. interpersonal stressor (rejection) -Men exhibited greater cortisol increases than women in response to the achievement stressor -Women exhibited greater cortisol increases than men in response to the interpersonal stressor

What is gynoid obesity? - Who is more likely to have this? -

-The pear shape, which consists of extra weight colleges around the hips. -Women

*What is mobility rate? - Who has higher rates of mobility? - When does this start? -*

-The rates of illness or disease -Women -Starting after adolescence

What aspects of the female gander role relate to women's lower mortality rates and higher morbidity rates? -

-Their more frequent visits to the to physician might be counted as higher morbidity, but if effective, could reduce mortality.

*Why may women have a greater genetic resistance to some diseases compared to men? - How? - What can this explain? -*

-Their second X chromosome may protect them from some genetically based diseases -An abnormality is usually recessive so the second X chromosome can usually suppress it -Why more males than females suffer from some congenital disorders

What do men associate preventive health care wit? -

-Undermining they masculinity

*Who is more likely to use medical care? -*

-Women

At any given point in time, who is more likely to be ill and living with a chronic disease? -

-Women

In the vast majority of the countries in the world, who is more likely to be obese? -

-Women

Men pain disorders are more preventable in who? -

-Women

Smoking is related to heart disease more so in who? -

-Women

Who is more likely to use a seat bleat? -

-Women

Who suffers from more painful diseases? -

-Women

*Who reports more illness behavior? - What is this? - ex: ex: ex:*

-Women -Behaviors that signal illness ex: More days in bed due to illness ex: More days in which they restricted their behavior ex: Greater use of health services

Who perceives their health to be worse? - What happens to this sex difference with age? -

-Women -Declines

*Who is more likely to engage in preventative health care? - What does this include for them? - -*

-Women -Healthy diet -Doctor visits

*Who is more likely to use health services? - What is one reason why? -*

-Women -Women have a greater number of chronic conditions

Who is sicker, men or women? - However... - Interesting statistic about males death rates: -

-Women -Women live longer than men -Men are more likely than women to die from 9 out of the 10 leading causes of death in the US.

*Who has higher morbidity rates? - +Specifically.... When does this sex difference appear? -*

-Women -Women suffer from more acute illnesses and more nonfatal chronic illnesses compared to men -Adolescence

Studies have shown that who is more interest in health matters? - ex: However... -

-Women ex: women think about and read more about their health -It is not the case that women's concerns with health lead them to engage in all health promoting behaviors.

What are theories on why women have more trouble quitting smoking? - - -

-Women are more likely to have depression -Women are more likely to be psychologically addicted to smoking -Women are more concerned with the potential for weight gain

*What is one reason why women have a lower incidence of heart disease than men at younger ages? - When is this most salient? - After this, what happens? - Why is this? -*

-Women are protected from heart disease by estrogen -At younger ages before women reach menopause -After menopause, women's rates of heart disease increase dramatically -Because before menopause, they have higher levels of estrogen.

How is the physician bias related to heart disease? - +One reason being - -

-Women have a worse prognosis from heart disease compared to men +One reason being because diagnostic tests and treatments have largely been developed on men. -Women are less likely than men to receive information from their physician about the risks of heart disease -Women are less likely than men to receive each other three major treatments fro heart disease

What is the nurturant role hypothesis? - 1. 2. 3. Who is this especially true for? - However, what is true about these women? - What could explain this? -

-Women's roles require them to attend to the needs of others, and taking care of others interferes with taking care of oneself. 1. Leads to fatigue and vulnerability to illness 2. Leads to greater exposure to communicable diseases 3. Prevents one from taking care of oneself -Married women and those with children -Marries women are healthier than single women -It's possible that the nurturant role leads to more illness but also to less reporting of illness

What fixed roles do men typically have? - - Women? - What does this effect? -

-Workers -Head of household -Housewife -Since women have less fixed role obligations, they are more likely to adopt the sick role.

*- outlive - in the US by about -*

-women -men -5 years

*What are the major explanation for sex differences in mortality and morbidity? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.*

1. Biological factor 2. Role of artifacts 3. Role of health behaviors 4. Aspects of female and male gender role 5. Symptom perception 6. Illness behavior