1. HEALTH TRENDS AND STRATIFICATION
GENDER

2. OBJECTIVES On completion of this section, you should be able to…
1. identify trends in life expectancy of males and females.
2. explain trends in mortality and morbidity rates between men and women.
3. discuss explanations put forward for differences in health / illness experiences between men and women.

3. TRENDS IN LIFE EXPECTANCY??
At every stage of the life
cycle, mortality rates for
men are higher
Women live longer than men. In the UK today life expectancy for men is 77yrs and for women 81yrs (Social Trends, 2010)

4. Men’s overall death rate is more than 40% higher than that of women.
On average women live 5 years longer than men.
Before the age of 65, almost 2/3rds of deaths are males.
By the age of 85, there are twice as many females living compared to males

5. LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH1
Causes of death are very different for men and women:
Men are more likely to suffer heart disease, cancer and HIV/Aids.
Men are twice as likely to die in accidents as women and three times more likely to commit suicide.

6. Why do men die younger?

7. SMOKING Smoking rates of men and women Men smoke more than women
Figure 2 (page 4)
Men smoke more than women

8. ADULT TEETOTALLERS BY GENDER?
page 6
BINGE DRINKING BY GENDER?
Page 10 (as above link)

9. Morbidity rates
“Men die quicker but women are sicker”.

10. EXPLANATIONS FOR
DIFFERENCES
Gender differences
There are differences in health issues between men and women:
Biological / natural
Cultural / behavioural
Structural/ material

11. EXPLANATIONS FOR
DIFFERENCES
Gender differences
BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES
As women live longer than men across most societies and cultures, many argue that women are the stronger sex.
Certain illnesses are sex specific; such as: ovarian cancer and prostate cancer

12. Oestrogen protects against heart disease
Women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than men, even if we discount the fact that women are more likely to live longer. The reasons for this are unclear.
One factor that has been suggested is a lack of the hormone oestrogen in women after the menopause.

13. EXPLANATIONS FOR
DIFFERENCES
Gender differences
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
In our society it is acceptable for women to admit to illness.
Men are not seen as ‘macho’ if they moan about illness
Women are socialised to talk about health.
Women are more likely to visit the doctor’s.
Women ask for more help from their doctor.
Married women can sacrifice their own health in order to ensure the well-being of the family.

14. It is argued that due to women trying to combine family, home
Health Trends and Stratification
Gender differences
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
It is argued that due to women trying to combine family, home
and work commitments they suffer from more stress than
men which can cause various illnesses including mental illness.

15. EXPLANATIONS FOR
DIFFERENCES
Gender differences
STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES
Women may be affected by poor housing as they are likely to be the partner who stays in the home to look after the children or at least to spend more time there even if they work.
The same can be said for single parents who have ‘to keep going’ for the sake of the child. The majority of lone parents are women and lone parents are much more likely to experience poverty which has devastating effects on the health of family members.

16. EXPLANATIONS FOR
DIFFERENCES
Gender differences
STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES
Men work in more dangerous occupations leading to more accidents.
Men more likely to work full-time, take overtime and work shifts –
all increase levels of stress resulting in more illnesses and diseases
which can lead to death.

17. Further reading:
Nursing Times
Ken Browne ‘An Introduction to Sociology’