Gender, health, and Ill-health

Abstract

This paper addresses a seeming paradox. Why is it that women in most industrialized societies live many years longer than men when available health indicators suggest that women have more ill-health than men?’ Concern about the level of morbidity (or is it the greater use of the health dollar?) has led governments to identify women as an at risk population and to policy initiatives such as the National Women’s Health Policy in Australia. MORTALITY Women’s greater longevity has been noted since 1662 when John Graunt, an Englishman, analyzed weekly reports of deaths in the parishes of London and noticed that the proportional deaths of women were below those of men.2 In the last century, in developed countries, there has been a marked increase in life expectancy at birth (more than 20 years). Similarly, there have been significant increases in life expectancy at older ages. The increased longevity has been greater for women than for men. In Australia the difference in life expectancy widened from 3.6 years at the beginning of the century, to 7.1 years in 1980 and has since narrowed to 6.4 years.” It is possible that the erosion of women’s longevity advantage reflects women’s changing lifestyles and work patterns. Even in developing societies, by and large, women outlive men, save for the experience in some countries (notably the Indian subcontinent) where, during early life and during the reproductive years, women’s social status may seriously threaten life chances and jeopardize their access to necessary health services. Education of girls (even a few years) plays a crucial role in increasing life expectancy in developing countries. A much reduced life expectancy is also seen for indigenous people, for example the Australian aborigines, reflecting even greater social inequities. Progress in life expectancy is often attributed to a multitude of factors. Examples are the significant reductions in infant mortality and in mortality