Are women less healthy than men? Testing a common hypothesis with new data

Journal/Book: Kolner Z Soziol Sozialpsychol. 1998; 50: Postfach 5829, W-6200 Wiesbaden, Germany. Westdeutscher Verlag GmbH. 471.

Abstract: It is taken for granted, that women in comparison to men have a poorer health, although they live longer. This statement, however, is partly based on measures which de not represent indicators of heath (Or illness), but indicators of health (or illness) behavior (i.e. Utilization of medical services). This article reviews some new findings regarding physical health comparing men and women, considering subjective and objective indicators of health: self-assessments of health, self-reports of symptoms and diseases, and statistics of hospital diagnoses, which exist for Germany since 1993. Altogether, no convincing evidence is found that men should have a better physical health than women. Rather, some indicators of health could be positively biased through tendencies of self-perception or self-presentation in men. This seems to be true especially for East-German than for West-German men.

Note: Article Sieverding M, Free Univ Berlin, Inst Soziale Med & Med Psychol, Med Psychol ABT, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, D-14195 Berlin, GERMANY

Keyword(s): APPARENT SEX-DIFFERENCES; GENDER DIFFERENCES; PHYSICAL HEALTH; STRESS; MORTALITY; BEHAVIORS; ILLNESS; ROLES

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