Gender Differences In Support Research Articles

Lack of social support, gender and colorectal cancer screening participation across Europe: How do screening programmes mitigate the effect of social support for men and women?

This study investigates how a lack of social support differentially affects men and women's colorectal cancer (CRC) screening participation, considering different screening strategies implemented across European countries. Although health sociology has stressed gender differences in social support and its effects on health behaviours, this was overlooked by cancer screening research. Using a data set of 65,961 women and 55,602 men in 31 European countries, we analysed the effect of social support variables on CRC screening uptake. We found that living alone and lower perceived social support were associated with lower screening uptake for both men and women. These effects were, however, stronger among men. Population-based screening programmes mitigated these effects, particularly for women, but not for men living alone. In countries with opportunistic screening programmes, social support variables remained associated with screening uptake. We conclude that cancer screening interventions should pay attention to social support and its gender-differentiated effects.

Living with diabetes in Northeast India: An exploration of psychosocial factors in management

PurposeIndia is the ‘Diabetes Capital of the World’ and accounts for one in seven adults living with diabetes worldwide. Psychosocial, economic, and cultural correlates of disease have important implications for disease management but are rarely explored in India. The purpose of this study is to address psychosocial and cultural factors in diabetes management in the northeastern region of India which has a high disease burden. MethodsThis study attempts to explore the psychosocial and lived experience of diabetes in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. The sample was selected from individuals attending an outpatient facility of a multi-speciality clinic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 individuals (13 women and 12 men), above the age of 40 years, who had been diagnosed with diabetes for at least 6 months. The narratives were analysed using thematic analysis. ResultsUsing the social cognitive framework, themes were organized in terms of a thematic map linking knowledge of diabetes to the perception of diabetes as ‘a silent killer’, to coping, leading to self-efficacy. However high self-efficacy, over time, may lead to complacency, disrupting health behaviours and requiring re-establishment of those behaviours. Adequate knowledge along with cognitive adaptation and self-efficacy were important constructs that contributed to behaviour change and maintenance. Elements of the cultural context were observed in the spiritual aspects of adaptation, the socially isolating consequences of diabetes, as well as gender differences in social support and management. ConclusionUnderstanding the lived experiences of patients contributes to planning more effective interventions keeping the social and cultural context in mind for more effective management of diabetes. Additionally, acknowledging and supporting women's needs in diabetes management is called for.

Elite Cueing, Gender, and the Partisan Gap in Environmental Support

ABSTRACT This study extends research on how political and social contexts mediate the relationship between men’s and women’s political identities and their support for the environment. Our test consists of a 3 × 2 factorial survey experiment that interacts an individual’s partisan identity with three conditions modeling elite support for federal spending to protect the environment. Democrats demonstrate consistently high rates of support regardless of legislative sponsorship. Among Republicans, when Democratic legislators sponsor environmental legislation, support drops about 18% compared to conditions where a bipartisan group sponsors legislation. Support among Republican women, however, remains relatively stable across experimental conditions. Republican variations in support are almost entirely attributable to declines in support among Republican men, whose support drops an average of 24% when Democratic legislators sponsor legislation. In conclusion, intraparty gender differences in opinions and support should be considered more broadly, especially when examining polarized public issues.

Punishing Hate: Examining Individual Variation in Support for Hate Crime Laws

While first implemented in the 1980s, hate crime legislation remains divisive in America; yet, most research examining differences in support for hate crime laws was conducted decades ago. This research addresses this gap by examining individual differences in support for hate crime laws using information from 3,503 survey respondents across the U.S. The results indicate that most respondents (66%) support hate crime laws, and that only roughly 12% of respondents actively oppose them; 22% had no opinion. Results further suggest there are significant gender differences in support; however, these differences are no longer significant after controlling for differences in individual attitudes, including prejudice and Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), which are strong predictors of opinions toward hate crime laws.

Investigating gender differences in quality of life and social support in patients with severe mental illnesses.

Severe mental illnesses (SMIs), including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder affect patients significantly. Gender has been identified as a key factor influencing the experience of SMIs with notable disparities in prevalence, symptoms, and treatment outcomes. Additionally, the quality of life (QoL) and social support for patients with SMIs can vary based on gender. This study examined gender differences in QoL and social support of patients with SMIs. Participants include 170 outpatients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder at Shafa Hospital (2021). QoL and social support were assessed using World Health Organization QoL (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire and Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), respectively. Group differences were analyzed using t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, and two-way multivariate analyses of variance explored the effect of gender and disease type. It was indicated that females with schizophrenia reported higher QoL than males, but the opposite was observed for bipolar disorder. Gender differences in social support were not significant among schizophrenia patients, nor between the two patient groups. However, women with bipolar disorder and multiple hospitalizations experienced lower social support and QoL compared to men. Additionally, more hospitalizations were associated with decreased QoL in both genders with schizophrenia. Findings suggest the need for gender- specific interventions and support policies to enhance QoL and social support in patients with SMI.

Gender differences in academic adjustment and interpersonal support Among University Students

Gender differences in academic adjustment and interpersonal support Among University Students

INVESTOR BEHAVIOR AND RISK PERCEPTION: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

Financial literacy is explained as the cognitive understanding of financial indicators and risk aversion, risk perception and investor behavior. Perhaps the investor behavior may vary depending on several factors such as gender, age, income level, social status, education etc. This research aims to highlight the effect of gender on financial market perception among Turkish investors. The outputs of two surveys the first for the last quarter of 2022 and the second for the first quarter of 2023, are analysed and compared. Therefore, two consecutive quarters are compared by gender for investment behaviors. This reserach observes some factors such as stress level, portfolio holding times, investment decisions and expectations regarding cryptocurrency markets. The methodology follows the Cronbach Alpha, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and ShapiroWilk Normality, and Mann-Whitney U tests respectively. The findings support gender differences in perception and investment behavior.

Binary Gender Differences in Quality of Life and Social Supports Among Individuals with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP): Data from the ITP Natural History Study Registry

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune bleeding condition characterized by low platelet count and a range of bleeding risks. Patients with ITP often report their quality-of-life (QoL) is negatively impacted by fatigue, mental health, and changes in their physical appearance. Research on impact of sex differences on QoL for ITP patients is limited. Studies show the importance of social support systems for patients with rare disease, but variation in social support between male and female ITP patients have not been reported. Using patient inputted registry data, we highlight binary gender differences in social support and ITP disease impact on survey participants overall health related QoL. METHODS This is a prospective cohort study of self-reporting adults with ITP registered in the ITP Natural History Study Registry. Data were collected using responses from three surveys within the Registry up to July 3, 2023. Participants were included in the study if they completed all three surveys. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests. Majority of questions asked were based on a Likert scale. Responses were divided into the following categories: ‘Social Supports’, ‘Physical health’, ‘Emotional health’, and overall health related QoL (HRQoL). RESULTS Four hundred and sixty participants were included in the study; 358 (78%) were females over 18 years of age and 102 (22%) were males over 18 years of age. Most participants were from the US (382; 83%) and between ages 18-100 years (mean age 47 years). Social Supports: Women and men reported similar levels of social support.Within the prior seven days, 280 (90%) females and 80 (79%) males reported they had someone to listen to them ‘often’ or ‘always’ (n = 354 (females), 102 males). Two hundred and seventy-nine (78%) females and 77 (72%) males reported they had someone to confide in ‘often’ or ‘always’ (n = 354 (females), 102 males), and 233 (63%) females and 71 (71%) males reported they had someone in their life who understands them ‘often’ or ‘always’ (n = 355 (females), 102 males). Physical health: Women reported significantly more limitations in activities due to physical health compared to men (85; 23% vs 8; 8%; p = .0004) (n = 358 (females); 102 (males). Women reported higher average fatigue levels (109; 19% vs 15; 14%; p = .0015), and greater frequency of feeling tired compared to men (207; 58% vs 27; 27%; p = .00001). Emotional health: Women reported significantly higher levels of negative mental health ‘often’ or ‘always’ impacting mood and ability to think compared to men (201; 57% vs 38; 38%; p = .000618) (n = 356 (females); 102 (males), and reported being bothered ‘often’ or ‘always’ by emotional problems such as feeling anxious, depressed, or irritable, more than men (76; 21% vs 12; 12%; p = .032). Overall HRQoL: Men reported overall HRQoL as either ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ more than women (179; 50% vs 59; 59%). The difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates adult females and males with ITP have differences in reported HRQoL. Both reported similar levels of social support, such as having someone who understands their problems and can listen. Despite this, females reported higher frequencies of being limited in doing various activities, feeling tired, mental health struggles, and emotional problems. This study offers novel insight into experiences between adult women and men with ITP. Comparisons with non-ITP participants would be helpful to include in future studies to investigate whether sex differences in HRQoL are in fact due to the ITP itself. Future treatment plans may consider which HRQoL factors are impacted most by ITP and could tailor management approaches accordingly.

Exploring gender differences in HIV-related stigma and social support in a low-resource setting: A qualitative study in the Dominican Republic.

HIV-related stigma can affect health by compromising coping and social support. Gender differences in stigma experiences and social support are underexplored, particularly in the Caribbean. We conducted semi-structured interviews (N = 32) with patients at two HIV clinics in the Dominican Republic. Transcripts were coded using qualitative content analysis (deductive and inductive approaches) to identify themes regarding stigma experiences and social support, which were then compared across men and women participants to identify gender differences. While both men and women described experienced stigma, including verbal abuse, men's experience of stigma were subtler and women described outright rejection and instances of physical violence, including intimate partner violence. Both men and women described job discrimination, but women described severe disempowerment as well as permanent loss of income and/or employment whereas men described temporary changes in employment and /or decrease in income. Men and women described modifying behavior due to anticipated stigma, but only women discussed isolating themselves and discomfort taking HIV medication in front of others. Regarding internalized stigma, both men and women described shame, guilt, and depression over their HIV status, though these experiences were more common among women. Women's experiences prevented health care seeking and included suicidality, while men sometimes blamed women for their HIV status and expressed a desire to "move on" and "look ahead." Both men and women described receiving financial support from family and friends, community support from neighbors, governmental support, and support from other people living with HIV. Women most frequently discussed receiving support from family and friends and using religiosity to cope, whereas men referenced general family support and government benefits and were less forthcoming about personal relationships and social networks, oftentimes not disclosing HIV status to others. The social context of HIV-related stigma affects women and men differently with physical and mental health impacts and may require distinct mitigation approaches.

Social support over time for men and women veterans with and without complex trauma histories.

Social support is closely linked to health, but little is known about United States (U.S.) veterans' social support over time and factors that may influence their support trajectories. This study investigates social support over time for U.S. men and women Post-9/11 veterans in relation to trauma history and gender. A secondary analysis of longitudinal cohort data from the Survey of Experiences of Returning Veterans (SERV), which employed a repeated-measures longitudinal design using five waves of data (baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12 months) with 672 combat veterans. Results from random intercept multilevel models found no significant gender differences in social support over time. Veterans with complex trauma histories were at risk for lower social support across waves. A stability trend was also observed; specifically, at baseline, veterans who started with high support maintained their level over time whereas veterans who started with deficits in social support remained low over time. Veterans identifying as African American or Latinx, and those with lower annual incomes, reported lower support compared to White and higher-income veterans. Furthermore, low social support was significantly associated with severe posttraumatic stress symptoms and active suicidal ideation across 12 months. SERV utilized a nonrandom sampling method that may reduce generalizability of findings. There is also potential for residual confounding by factors related to both social support levels and time since discharge that were not available in this data set. Findings have implications for developing clinical and community interventions intended to support veterans as they transition back to the community. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender Differences in Autism Diagnostics

Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is predominantly diagnosed in boys and men. There is evidence that this is also because girls and women with ASC don't receive a diagnosis, or, if they do, only later in life. This study investigates gender differences in diagnosis, support needs, mental health, and life satisfaction among individuals with autism spectrum condition (ASC) in Germany. Data of an online questionnaire study with 659 persons with ASC from 3-67 years of age living in Bavaria, Germany, were analyzed (215 thereof were female). It was found that women with ASC are diagnosed 7-11 years later than men and are more likely to receive at least one misdiagnosis. They are more likely than men to have unmet educational support needs and comorbid internalizing psychiatric disorders. The results of this study point towards a strong gender bias in clinical diagnosis of ASC in Germany and need for improvements in the case of women.

Less Time for Health: Parenting, Work, and Time-Intensive Health Behaviors among Married or Cohabiting Men and Women in the United States.

Time spent working or caring for children may reduce the time available for undertaking time-intensive health behaviors. We test competing perspectives about how work hours and the number of children of specific ages will be associated with married or cohabiting men's and women's sleep duration and physical activity. We use data from the 2004 to 2017 waves of the National Health Interview Survey (N = 154,580). In support of the "time availability" perspective, longer work hours and children of any age are associated with shorter sleep hours. However, in support of the "time deepening" perspective, additional hours of work beyond 40 hours per week and children over the age of five are not associated with reduced physical activity. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find gender differences in support of our theories. Our results suggest that the economy of time works differently for sleep and exercise.

Gender Differences in Social Support and Posttraumatic Growth for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

The current study investigated gender differences in perceived social support and posttraumatic growth for survivors of intimate partner violence. Participants for this study included 86 undergraduate students who indicated at least one instance of partner abuse (consisting of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and harassment). Participants were predominantly female (68%), White/Caucasian (62%), and between 18 and 21years of age (84%). Participants responded to the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Composite Abuse Scale, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Mean differences and correlational analyses were utilized to investigate potential gender differences in the study variables as well as the relationships among them. The prevalence of intimate partner violence was comparable to those found in other studies, with 59% of men and 57% of women indicating experiencing abuse from a partner. Although the prevalence rates were similar, women indicated higher overall partner abuse victimization than did men. Moreover, women indicated statistically significantly higher scores than men in three of the four Composite Abuse Scale subscales, reflecting higher levels of victimization for all forms of abuse except for partner harassment. Further, perceived social support scores were similar for men and women, with the only significant gender difference to emerge being that men indicated higher levels of familial support than did women. No statistically significant gender differences emerged for overall posttraumatic growth or for any of its domains. Finally, social support was correlated with posttraumatic growth for women but not for men. The current study, therefore, suggests that men and women may experience similar levels of personal growth in the aftermath of partner abuse. Moreover, these results imply that the relationship between social support and posttraumatic growth may vary according to the gender of the survivor.

You will take care of me when I am old: Norms on children’s caregiver obligations - An analysis with data from the European Values Study

Objective: We explore gender differences in support of the norm that children must provide care for their parents. Background: Society's values and norms play a crucial role in deciding whether to provide family care. We investigate these values and norms on family care by analyzing which individual and country level factors affect them. Method: We use data from the European Values Study wave 5 and multilevel regression techniques. The question, "Adult children have the duty to provide long-term care for their parents", serves as our dependent variable. The explanatory variables at the individual level are gender and further socio-demographic variables. At the country level, we include expenditures on health care, and the female labor force participation rate. Results: The results show that women, as well as those living in countries with high expenditure on health care and high female labor force participation rates, are less supportive of the norm that children have an obligation to provide care for their parents. Furthermore, the gender effect is stronger in countries with a higher female labor force participation rate. Conclusion: Norms and values on family care are not fixed and can change, as suggested by the differences between countries. They are also not shared by all social groups equally, as the differences between women and men and along other socio-demographics show.

Business grants following natural disasters and their different impact on the performance of female and male-owned microenterprises: Evidence from Sri Lanka.

This paper investigates gender differences in the treatment effects of business grants on firm performance following natural disasters, and seeks to identify the mechanisms underlying the unequal effects. A panel data-set from an experiment in Sri Lanka is used to measure the difference in the treatment effects of a business grant on the performance of female and male-owned firms following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The sample of 608 microenterprises includes 297 female-owned firms and 311 male-owned firms. There are 338 firms (Male = 176, Female = 162) in the treatment group that received the grant and 270 firms (Male = 135, Female = 135) in the control group that did not receive the grant. Data on firm performance, firm characteristics and owner characteristics were collected in 13 survey waves from April 2005 to December 2010. Firm performance, which is measured by firm profit, is assessed by employing linear regression with fixed effects in an intention-to-treat analysis. The results suggest that the business grant has a positive impact on the performance of male-owned firms, but zero effect on that of female-owned firms. Several potential mechanisms drive the results, including gender differences in business investment, household expenditure and initial business closures. The results also show a positive treatment effect of the business grant on the psychological recovery of recipients, but there is no evidence supporting gender differences in this dimension. This paper provides new evidence on gender differences in the treatment effects of business grants on firm performance in the context of post-disasters, and has implications for business recovery programs aimed at supporting female microentrepreneurs in the aftermath of large-scale catastrophes.

Gender differences in social support for diabetes self-management: A qualitative study among veterans

ObjectiveDescribe the role of social support in veterans’ diabetes self-management and examine gender differences. MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews among veterans with diabetes from one Veterans Health Administration Health Care System. Participants described how support persons influenced their diabetes self-management and perspectives on a proposed self-management program incorporating a support person. We used thematic analysis to identify salient themes and examine gender differences. ResultsAmong 18 women and 18 men, we identified four themes: 1) women felt responsible for their health and the care of others; 2) men shared responsibility for managing their diabetes, with support persons often attempting to correct behaviors (social control); 3) whereas both men and women described receiving instrumental and informational social support, primarily women described emotional support; and 4) some women’s self-management efforts were hindered by support persons. Regarding programs incorporating a support person, some participants endorsed including family/friends and some preferred programs including other individuals with diabetes. ConclusionsNotable gender differences in social support for self-management were observed, with women assuming responsibility for their diabetes and their family’s needs and experiencing interpersonal barriers. Practice implicationsGender differences in the role of support persons in diabetes self-management should inform support-based self-management programs.

Gender dimorphic M1 excitability during emotional processing: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study.

BackgroundIt is widely held that emotions prime the body for action. However, the influence of gender on primary motor cortex (M1) excitability during emotional processing is not well explored.MethodsUsing single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we stimulated the right or left M1 at 150 ms and 300 ms after emotional stimulation onset (presentation of negative, neutral, and positive pictures to male and female subjects). Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) ratio induced by single-pulse TMS was used to assess changes in corticospinal excitability.ResultsIn response to right M1 stimulation, males demonstrated higher MEP ratios following presentation of negative pictures at 150 ms while MEP ratios in response to presentation of positive pictures were greater at 300 ms. Furthermore, male subjects showed larger MEP ratios in right M1 versus left M1 at 300 ms after initiation of positive pictures, indicating lateralization of motor excitability in male subjects.ConclusionsThe current study thus provides neurophysiological evidence to support gender differences and functional lateralization of motor excitability in response to emotional stimuli.

Gender and Attitudes Towards a Peace Agreement in Situations of Intractable Conflict: The Case of the Jewish‐Israeli Society

The question of whether women are more oriented towards peace has been debated in the research literature for several decades but has not been systematically tested in conflict‐driven areas. The aim of our article is twofold: (1) to suggest a conceptual framework regarding gender differences in support for peace in intractable conflict and test it in a prominent case study; and (2) to examine whether major events leading to conflict reescalation have differential effects on women and men. Across 145 polls carried out on a monthly basis among nationally representative samples of Jewish‐Israelis between 1995 and 2006, we found only marginally higher levels of support for the Oslo Accords among women versus men, while conflict‐related worldviews—political ideology and religiosity—had a much larger effect. Furthermore, violent reescalation in the conflict had a stronger effect on reducing men's levels of support for the Oslo Accords than those of women. Robustness analysis of 196 monthly surveys from 2002 until 2018 examining the effect of gender on support for negotiation provided further support for our findings. Overall, our analyses indicate that sex‐based differences play a minor role in explaining attitudes towards peace in situations of protracted violent conflicts at different stages, compared to the prominent effects of political ideology and religiosity.

When Do Männerparteien Elect Women? Radical Right Populist Parties and Strategic Descriptive Representation

Radical right populist (RRP) parties are often described as Männerparteien, predominantly led by, represented by, and supported by men. Yet recently, these parties have elected more women. Under what conditions do we see this increase in women MPs? This paper presents a novel argument of strategic descriptive representation: electorally struggling RRP parties with large gender gaps in voter support increase their proportion of women MPs to attract previously untapped women voters. To test this argument, we develop the most comprehensive dataset to date on women MPs and gender differences in voter support across Europe and over time, covering 187 parties in 30 countries from 1985 to 2018. Our analyses confirm that RRP parties engage in strategic descriptive representation when they are both struggling electorally and suffering from a gender gap in support. Additional models reveal that this tactic is largely unique to RRP parties.

Gender Differences in Social Adjustment and Interpersonal Support among Undergraduate Students

The present study was conducted during 2019 in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (GNDU); Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (PAU) and Punjabi University, Patiala (PUP), Punjab, India to investigate the gender differences and relationship between social adjustment and interpersonal support among university students of Punjab. The sample consisted of 480 university students randomly selected from three purposively selected government universities of Punjab state i.e. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and Punjabi University, Patiala, India. An equal number of students distributed across both the gender were randomly selected from each university. Social Adjustment and Interpersonal Support Evaluation Scales were used for the study. The social adjustment of the university students was measured by using the Social Adjustment Scale and Interpersonal Support Evaluation scale was used to measure the peer support available to university students. Data was analyzed using t-test and Karl-Pearson’s coefficient of correlation. The results of the study revealed that male students had displayed significantly better social adjustment and interpersonal support than their female counterparts. Furthermore, correlation analysis emphasized that interpersonal support had positive relationship with social adjustment among male students whereas in case of female students, interpersonal support was found to have non-significant positive relationship with social adjustment. Because female students less likely to express their problems or emotions with their age mates as well as less involved in social activities as compared to male students. Therefore, Interpersonal support played a major role in the social adjustment of the students at university level.