Gender Differences In Risk Factors Research Articles

Risk factors for falls in a longitudinal population-based cohort study of Japanese men and women: The ROAD Study

The objective of this study was to clarify the associations of physical performance and bone and joint diseases with single and multiple falls in Japanese men and women using a population-based longitudinal cohort study known as Research on Osteoarthritis/osteoporosis Against Disability (ROAD). A total of 452 men and 896 women were analyzed in the present study (mean age, 63.9years). A questionnaire was used to assess the number of falls during the 3-year follow-up. Grip strength, 6-m walking time, and chair stand time were measured at baseline. Knee osteoarthritis (OA) and lumbar spondylosis were defined as Kellgren Lawrence=2, 3 or 4. Vertebral fracture (VFx) was assessed with the Japanese Society of Bone and Mineral Research criteria. Osteoporosis was defined by bone mineral density using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry based on World Health Organization criteria. Knee and lower back pain were estimated by an interview. During a 3-year follow-up, 79 (17.4%) men and 216 (24.1%) women reported at least one fall, and 54 (11.9%) men and 111 (12.4%) women reported multiple falls. Knee pain was a risk factor for multiple falls in women, but not in men. VFx tended to be associated with multiple falls in women, but not in men. A longer 6-m walking time was a risk factor for multiple falls in women, whereas a longer chair stand time was a risk factor for multiple falls in men. We found gender differences in risk factors for falls.

Gender differences in risk factors for airway symptoms following tracheal intubation

A common complaint after endotracheal intubation is sore throat and hoarseness. The aim of this study was to describe gender differences and independent risk factors in the development of post-operative sore throat and hoarseness after endotracheal intubation in adults. This prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a university hospital in Sweden. A total of 495 patients were included (203 men and 292 women) and enrolled from a total of eight different surgical departments. Outcome variables were post-operative sore throat and hoarseness evaluated post-operatively in the post-anaesthesia care unit. A total of 31 variables were recorded which described the intubation process, intraoperative factors as well as the extubation process. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The overall incidence of post-operative sore throat was 35% and hoarseness 59%. The results show different predictors for men and women in the development of airway symptoms. The main risk factor for developing sore throat in men was intubation by personnel with < 3 months' work experience. In women, it was endotracheal tube size 7.0 and multiple laryngoscopies during intubation. The main risk factors for hoarseness were cuff pressure for both men and women, and oesophageal temperature probe in women. Post-operative sore throat and hoarseness result from several factors, and the cause of these symptoms are multifactorial and differs by gender. Identification of these factors pre-operatively may increase awareness among anaesthesia personnel and possibly reduce the incidence of these minor but distressing symptoms.

Gender Difference in Risk Factors for Depression in Community-dwelling Elders

This study was conducted to compare the degree of depression between men and women and to identify factors influencing their depression. Participants in this cross-sectional descriptive study were 263 persons over 65 years old (men: 103, women: 160). Data were collected through face to face interviews using questionnaires and were done in two urban areas in 2010. Research instruments utilized in this study were SGDS, MMSE-K, SRH, FILE, sleep pattern scale, family and friend support scale, and social support scale. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing depression in elders. The proportions of participants with depression were significantly different between men and women (52.4% vs. 67.5%). Regression model for depression in elderly men significantly accounted for 54%; disease stress (32%), economic stress (10%), perceived health status (4%), and family support, educational level, age, and hypertension. Regression model for depression in elderly women significantly accounted for 47%; disease stress (25%), perceived social loneliness (8%), friend support (5%), family stress (4%), and sleep satisfaction, and family support. Results demonstrate that depression is an important health problem for elders, and show gender differences for factors influencing depression. These results could be used in the developing depression prevention programs.

Factors Associated with Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization Among Taiwanese Adolescents

This study examined the individual and interpersonal factors of peer sexual harassment victimization among Taiwanese adolescents. A random sample of 1,376 7th to 9th grade middle school students in Taichung City, Taiwan, completed questionnaires about their demographics, delinquency, peer/teacher interaction, and experience of being sexually harassed by peers. Approximately 25.4% of the respondents had suffered peer sexual harassment during the previous semester. Boys reported more exposure to sexual harassment than did girls. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed separately for boys and girls. Significant risk factors of peer sexual harassment victimization for both genders included being bullied by peers and teacher maltreatment. Boys’ sexual harassment victimization was also associated with their involvement in fights. Peer relationship problems contributed to girls’ sexual harassment victimization. These findings suggested the relevance of a hostile school climate to peer sexual harassment and the gender differences in risk factors.

Gender differences in the developmental trajectories, risk factors and outcomes of antisocial behaviors

The purpose of this review was to synthesize relevant research concerning gender differences in risk factors, developmental trajectories and outcomes of antisocial behaviors. Regarding risk factors, research suggests that genetic factors predict female antisocial behavior more so than male antisocial behavior. Research suggests that neonatal insults were found to be better predictors of male antisocial behaviors relative to females. Research also suggests that neurocognitive differences (e.g., ADHD) were more predictive of antisocial behaviors in males than in females. Social factors (i.e., family-related and peer related) were found to predict behavior differently in males and females, depending on the variable in question. With regards to developmental trajectories, the reviewed research suggests that both males and females adhere to similar paths, but differ mostly as a matter of quantity of behaviors along those paths. Finally, it was shown that males on antisocial behavior trajectories faired more poorly than females, but this effect was trajectory dependent.

Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Intracranial Cerebral Atherosclerosis Among Asymptomatic Subjects

Gender is known to be one of the factors linked to differences in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, little information is available regarding gender differences in the risk factors for intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis (ICAS). This study investigated the risk factors for ICAS separately by gender in an asymptomatic population. We collected data from a consecutive series of 935 subjects who had no history of stroke and who had undergone transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD). For each subject, their medical history was documented and tests for biochemical markers were performed. Multiple logistic regression analyses were separately conducted to assess the risk factors associated with ICAS by gender. The risk factors for asymptomatic ICAS were determined for every 10-year increase in age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23-2.46), diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR = 3.45, 95% CI = 1.49-7.95), smoking (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.01-4.32), and hypercholesterolemia (OR = 3.31, 95% CI = 1.15-9.50) for male subjects; risk factors female subjects included hypertension (OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.40-3.15) and DM (OR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.11-5.44). An additional stratified analysis indicated that there was no significant risk factor for male subjects aged <50 years, whereas hypertension (OR = 2.90, 95% CI = 1.57-5.37) was the significant risk factor for female subjects aged <50 years. For male subjects aged ≥50 years, DM (OR = 6.00, 95% CI = 1.87-19.20), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 4.72, 95% CI = 1.05-21.19), and every 10-year increase in age (OR = 4.33, 95% CI = 2.02-9.28) were significant risk factors for asymptomatic ICAS, whereas DM (OR = 2.93, 95% CI = 1.14-7.48) was significant for female subjects aged ≥50 years. The findings suggest that the risk factors for asymptomatic ICAS differ between sexes, indicating a possible role of sex hormones in the development of ICAS.

Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Violent Victimization

While gender is a well-known correlate of victimization risk, there has been a tendency to study women’s experiences of violence separately from those of men. As a result, relatively little attention has been paid to the question of whether gender moderates well-known risk factors for violent victimization. In this article, the authors use data from the Area-Identified National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) to examine whether the relationships between individual, family, and neighborhood factors and victimization risk are similar in strength and direction for males and females. The findings show that most risk factors for violent victimization are similar across gender and crime type. In a few important instances, however, risk factors such as neighborhood disadvantage were found to vary some across gender. The implications of these findings for the assumptions about gender differences underlying various theoretical perspectives are discussed.

Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Aberrant Prescription Opioid Use

Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Aberrant Prescription Opioid Use

Examining Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Suicide Attempts Made 1 and 7 Years Later in a Nationally Representative Sample

This study examined the prospective risk factors for making a nonfatal suicide attempt and whether they varied by gender. We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. A nationally representative sample of 10,828 youth was assessed over three different time points spanning 7 years. We conducted multivariable logistic regression to examine the main and interactive effects on the odds of making a suicide attempt 1 and 7 years later. Regardless of an individual's gender, multivariable analyses indicated unique risk factors including suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, a friend's past history of attempted and completed suicide, and a family member's past history of attempted suicide that were significantly associated with increased odds of suicide attempts made 1 and 7 years later. Parental loss predicted likelihood of suicide attempt 1 year later but not 7 years later. Moderational analyses indicated that gender did not interact with most of the risk factors. However, post hoc probing of two significant interaction terms indicated that young age was a risk factor for making a nonfatal suicide attempt 1 year later for females but not for males, and that females with high somatic symptoms had a greater risk for making a nonfatal suicide attempt as compared with those with low somatic symptoms and with males with low or high somatic symptoms. These results indicate similar risk factors for nonfatal suicide attempts among males and females. However, younger age and somatic symptoms were reported to be risk factors for females but not for males, suggesting the need for targeted interventions with young females with somatic complaints.

Gender differences in risk factors for violence: an examination of the predictive validity of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth

The research literature on predicting violence is particularly lacking in specifying risk factors for violence in adolescent girls. The recently developed Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth [SAVRY; Borum et al., 2006] shows promise as it is empirically derived and incorporates dynamic factors in its assessment of risk. To date, there exists little information attesting to the reliability and validity of the SAVRY, and few investigations of the SAVRY's utility across gender. This study investigated the SAVRY in a sample of 144 high-risk adolescents (80 males and 64 females), focusing on gender discrepancies in the predictive utility of the measure. Results indicate that the SAVRY moderately predicts violent and non-violent reoffending in the entire sample, and also suggest that the SAVRY operates comparably across gender. Although not precluding the existence of gender-specific domains of risk, current results suggest that validated risk factors in boys hold relevance for the prediction of violence and delinquency in girls.

Gender differences in factors associated with suicidal ideation in major depression among cancer patients

Major depression is a well-documented risk factor for suicide, and several gender differences in risk factors for suicide exist in cancer patients as well as in the general population. However, no data is available regarding gender differences in risk factors for suicide among cancer patients with major depression. We investigated the background differences between cancer patients suffering from major depression with or without suicidal ideation according to gender by analyzing the consultation data obtained for patients referred to the Psychiatry Division. Among the 5431 referred patients, 329 males and 399 females were diagnosed as having major depression; among these patients with major depression, 136 (41%) males and 157 (39%) females also had suicidal ideation. A preliminary analysis showed that physical functioning and an advanced stage were potential factors that interacted significantly with gender differences regarding suicidal ideation. A final logistic regression analysis indicated that poor physical functioning and an advanced stage were significant risk factors among male patients. These preliminary findings suggest that gender differences in important indicators of suicidal ideation exist among cancer patients with major depression; these findings may be useful for developing strategies to prevent suicide among cancer patients.

Letter by Lin et al Regarding Article, “Triple Versus Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients With Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention”

To the Editor: We read with interest the work by Chen et al,1 which reported that triple antiplatelet therapy seems to be superior to dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents. Chen et al1 reported the mortality benefits of triple antiplatelet therapy obtained mainly within 30 days after STEMI, reflecting the importance of the addition of cilostazol to aspirin and clopidogrel before stenting. Meanwhile, …

Elevated lung cancer risk is associated with deficiencies in cell cycle checkpoints: genotype and phenotype analyses from a case‐control study

Cell cycle checkpoints play critical roles in the maintenance of genomic integrity and inactivation of checkpoint genes are frequently perturbed in most cancers. In a case-control study of 299 non-small cell lung cancer cases and 550 controls in Baltimore, we investigated the association between gamma-radiation-induced G(2)/M arrest in cultured blood lymphocytes and lung cancer risk, and examined genotype-phenotype correlations between genetic polymorphisms of 20 genes involving in DNA repair and cell cycle control and gamma-radiation-induced G(2)/M arrest. The study was specifically designed to examine race and gender differences in risk factors. Our data indicated that a less efficient DNA damage-induced G(2)/M checkpoint was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in African American women with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.63 (95% CI = 1.01-7.26); there were no statistically significant associations for Caucasians, or African American men. When the African American women were categorized into quartiles, a significant reverse trend of decreased G(2)/M checkpoint function and increased lung cancer risk was present, with lowest-vs.-highest quartile OR of 13.72 (95% CI = 2.30-81.92, p(trend) < 0.01). Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis indicated that polymorphisms in ATM, CDC25C, CDKN1A, BRCA2, ERCC6, TP53, and TP53BP1 genes were significantly associated with the gamma-radiation-induced G(2)/M arrest phenotype. This study provides evidence that a less efficient G(2)/M checkpoint is significantly associated with lung cancer risk in African American women. The data also suggested that the function of G(2)/M checkpoint is modulated by genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in DNA repair and cell cycle control.

Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Suicide: Findings from a Swedish National Cohort Study

To investigate whether childhood sociodemographic factors and parental psychopathology affect suicide risk differently in men and women. Cox regressions were used to calculate interaction effects of gender for childhood and parental risk factors for 8815 suicides (27% women) in a national cohort of 2.47 million people born between 1946 and 1968. Low parental socioeconomic status increased suicide risk only for men, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.22 (P = 0.003 for gender interaction), while living in a metropolitan area increased the risk only for women, HR = 1.42 (P < 0.001 for gender interaction). Parental psychotic or affective disorder increased suicide risk more strongly for women (HR = 2.08), than for men (HR = 1.52) (P = 0.004 for gender interaction). Growing up in an urban environment and parental psychotic or affective disorder are significant gender-related risk factors for suicide, both conveying higher risks in women. The mechanisms linking childhood urbanicity to increased risk of suicide in adult women stand out as an important research area for the future.

Gender differences in risk factors for aberrant prescription opioid use.

This is a longitudinal predictive study to examine gender differences in the clinical correlates of risk for opioid misuse among chronic pain patients prescribed opioids for pain. Two hundred seventy-five male and 335 female patients prescribed opioids for chronic noncancer pain were asked to complete a series of baseline questionnaires, including the revised Screener and Opioid Assessment for Pain Patients (SOAPP-R). After 5 months, the subjects were administered a structured prescription drug use interview (Prescription Drug Use Questionnaire; PDUQ) and submitted a urine sample for toxicology assessment. Their treating physicians also completed a substance misuse behavior checklist (Prescription Opioid Therapy Questionnaire; POTQ). At 5-month follow-up, women showed higher scores on the PDUQ (P < .05), whereas men had a higher incidence of physician-rated aberrant drug behavior on the POTQ (P < .05). An item analysis of the SOAPP-R, PDUQ, and POTQ showed that women tended to score higher on items relating to psychological distress, whereas the male patients tended to report having more legal and behavioral problems. These results suggest that risk factors associated with prescription opioid misuse may differ between men and women. Understanding gender differences in substance abuse risk among chronic pain patients is important for clinical assessment and treatment. This study suggests that women are at greater risk to misuse opioids because of emotional issues and affective distress, whereas men tend to misuse opioids because of legal and problematic behavioral issues.

Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence Recidivism

Risk assessment measures are increasingly used to evaluate offenders charged with intimate partner violence (IPV). Scales currently available for this purpose suffer from two important limitations: First, several well-established risk factors from research with general offenders are excluded from most IPV scales, including age, deviant peer associations, and antisocial attitudes. Further research is needed to determine whether these factors should be included in the next generation of IPV risk measures. Second, all of the existing scales have been validated solely for use with males despite increased arrests among women. This study sought to investigate both of these issues using a large sample of male and female IPV offenders. The results highlight gender differences in risk factors for recidivism.

Driver- and Passenger-Based Estimates of Alcohol-Impaired Driving in the U.S., 2001–2003

Alcohol-impaired driving (AID) continues to be a major public health problem in the U.S. The objective of this study was to estimate the number of annual driver- and passenger-reported episodes of AID and explore the effect of sociodemographic characteristics and drinking patterns on both behaviors. Data from a nationally representative random-digit-dial telephone survey of U.S. adults were analyzed in 2007. From July 23, 2001, to February 7, 2003, an estimated 7 million drivers reported 190 million annual episodes of AID, and an estimated 10.5 million passengers reported 290 million annual episodes of AID. A comparison of estimates from this survey to those from a similar survey conducted in 1994 shows that episodes of both driver- and passenger-reported AID have increased by slightly more than 50%. Multivariable analysis revealed several gender differences in risk factors for both driver- and passenger-reported AID. For example, being of Hispanic ethnicity and not always wearing a seat belt were both associated with an increased risk of AID episodes for men but not women. A strong association between binge drinking and both driver- and passenger-reported AID was found for both genders. Episodes of driver- and passenger-reported AID increased substantially between the middle 1990s and the early 2000s. The passenger estimates suggest that drivers may under-report AID by about 50%. Public health interventions to reduce AID should give equal consideration to impaired drivers and their passengers.

Gender differences in risk factors and outcomes after cardiac rehabilitation

Objective — We compared the baseline characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes between men and women in an Iranian cardiac rehabilitation programme after adjusting for age, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio.Methods — In a self-controlled descriptive study performed between 1996 and 2006, we evaluated 547 patients with documented coronary heart disease before and after a 24-session cardiac rehabilitation programme.Results — Women were older, more likely to be obese, anxious, depressed, and had more traditional coronary heart disease risk factors than men. At baseline, exercise capacity was lower (P < 0.001), but total cholesterol (P < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.007), lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.001), fasting blood sugar (P = 0.002), left ventricular ejection fraction (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), and heart rate (P = 0.016) were higher in women. Although there was significant improvement in most of the variables and risk factors after cardiac rehabilitation, changes were not statistically significant between men and women except for significantly more improvement in exercise capacity (P < 0.001) and less reduction in body mass index (P = 0.04) in men.Conclusion — Following a short-term cardiac rehabilitation programme, modification in cardiac risk factors and quality of life occurs. Both genders benefit alike in most aspects from this programme.

Gender Difference in the Clinical and Behavioral Characteristics of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-infected Injection Drug Users in Taiwan

Injection drug users (IDUs) have become the major contributors to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic in Taiwan, accounting for more than 60% of new cases in 2005. In Taiwan, gender difference in risk factors for HIV among IDUs has not been reported before. We studied the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behaviors, drug use histories and criminal records of male and female HIV-infected IDUs. A total of 100 male and 25 female HIV-infected inmates from two prisons were included. An individually structured interview was conducted with each inmate. Serostatus of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were tested. CD4+ T cell count and HIV viral load were also evaluated. The mean age of the HIV-infected inmates was 31.7 +/- 6.4 years. All inmates were co-infected with HCV and 20% were HBV carriers. The mean CD4+ T cell count was 498 cells/microL, and the mean viral load was 20,119 copies/mL. Heroin use history averaged 6.3 +/- 5.1 years, and 84.8% of patients had a previous criminal offense prior to current conviction. Female inmates were significantly younger, had more sexual partners, had more drug-using family members or sexual partners, shared injection paraphernalia more frequently, and started using methamphetamine and heroin at younger ages (p < 0.05). Male inmates tended to be single, had less parental support, had been more frequently convicted of non drug-related crimes, started using non-illicit substances more frequently at younger ages and had sex with prostitutes more frequently (p < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that drug injection risks and sexual behavior related risks are equally important in determining the risk of HIV infection among IDUs. Gender-specific approaches to prevention which reflect differences in gender-related patterns of risk are also needed.

Gender differences in disordered eating and its correlates

The goal of this study was to examine gender differences in the prevalence of disordered eating and body dissatisfaction as well as examine gender differences in several risk factors: mass media, self-esteem and perfectionism. Three hundred fifty-three undergraduates completed surveys about their body dissatisfaction, disordered eating habits, exposure to and influence of mass media, self-esteem and perfectionistic tendencies. As expected, women experienced more symptoms of disordered eating as well as body dissatisfaction than did their male counterparts. There were also gender differences in the risk factors. For women, mass media, self-esteem, and perfectionism related to disordered eating behaviors, whereas for men, only perfectionism and mass media related to disordered eating behaviors. For women, mass media and self-esteem related to body image dissatisfaction, whereas for men, mass media and perfectionism related to body image dissatisfaction. The results of the present study indicate that risk factors for disordered eating and body dissatisfaction for men and women may be different, which has implications for understanding the etiology of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating and for possible treatment interventions.