Incorporate Gender Differences Research Articles

Why formalize? Examining the context of Peruvian women microentrepreneurs

Purpose In Latin America, the growing participation of women microentrepreneurs who continue to operate in the informal sector stands out. The purpose of this study is to analyse if the context where the business is developed influences the gender perspective in the decision of the microentrepreneur to remain in the informal sector, mainly in Peru, which registers high rates of informality in businesses led by women. Design/methodology/approach The National Household Survey for the period 2014–2021 is used with a sample of 63,020 micro and small Peruvian companies that have been in operation for more than three years. The data is analysed with the logistic regression technique. Findings The results show that microenterprises run by women are less likely to be formal. However, this situation would change if these businesses were larger. In addition, women microentrepreneurs face limitations in accessing resources, and their businesses frequently run from their homes, allowing them to hide their activities from regulatory bodies. Originality/value The context of Peruvian women microentrepreneurs who have been in operation for over three years and who persist in informality is analysed. It is essential to know the characteristics of this sector to formulate policies that encourage the formalization of companies, particularly in Latin America, incorporating gender differences.

Gender Differences in Major Depressive Disorder and Relevant Interventions

Depression can manifest in various ways. There are differences in age of onset, mood regulation, and personality traits between males and females with depression. Due to the interplay of genetic predisposition and environmental circumstances, gender variations in major depression disorder manifest in a variety of ways. Focusing on general gender differences in major depression and related interventions, this article discussed the differences and similarities between women and men with major depression disorder, the reasons for the differences, gender differences in major depression during adolescence, and interventions that take gender into account. As a result of the above research discussions, gender differences in major depressive disorder were concluded and interventions for adolescents were proposed. One of the limitations of previous studies is that they mainly focused on the gender differences during a certain developmental period. Future study should conduct longitudinal studies to investigate the dynamic changes of gender differences across different developmental stages. This review can provide some guidance for prevention and intervention programs at schools for major depressive disorder. These educational programs should incorporate gender differences into the curriculum.

Profile of multimorbidity in outpatients attending public healthcare settings: A descriptive cross-sectional study from Odisha, India.

Background:Multimorbidity, the co-occurrence of two or more long-term conditions (LTC) in individuals, is associated with greater healthcare utilization, expenditure, and premature mortality, thus positing a challenge for patients and healthcare providers. Given its sparsely available epidemiological evidence, we aimed to describe the profile of multimorbidity in a representative sample of public healthcare outpatients in India.Methods:A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st July to 31st December 2015 in Odisha, India. Fifteen public healthcare facilities were selected by stratified random sampling. Data was collected from 1,870 adult outpatients attending these settings using Multimorbidity Assessment Questionnaire for Primary Care (MAQ-PC) tool.Result:Nearly 3/4th of both women and men outpatients were either obese or overweight. >1/2 had multimorbidity (≥2 LTC) while 1/3rd had ≥3 LTC. Most prevalent condition was hypertension (63%), followed by chronic backache and arthritis. Cancer and psychiatric illness were least reported. Multimorbidity increased with age group, socioeconomic status, and education level. Females across all age groups had higher reported multimorbidity than males. Diabetes--hypertension was frequently occurring dyad. Both physical and mental component of quality of life was reduced in multimorbidity.Conclusion:Multimorbidity is becoming a norm in healthcare practice with high prevalence in females and older adults. Health services for non-communicable diseases need to include commonly occurring dyads along with health promotion. Higher prevalence in females reinforces the need to incorporate gender differences while studying multimorbidity. Analysis of multimorbidity epidemiology through an equity lens could illuminate the underpinning complexities and heterogeneities of this phenomenon.

A systematic review of labor-saving technologies: Implications for women in agriculture

In this study, we systematically review the literature on adoption factors and impacts of labor-saving technologies (LSTs) by smallholder and women farmers in developing countries. 85 articles are included in the review after meeting strict selection criteria through a search across several electronic platforms. We highlight several research gaps that need future research focus. Future research should include gendered differences in factors such as – comparing extension models, social networks, and farmers' underlying technological perceptions. We show the need for designing and providing access to gender-friendly LSTs suited to the context. While there are clear impacts of LST adoption on labor and productivity, few studies examine negative consequences such as labor-displacement. Further examination of these trade-offs and differential impacts on welfare dimensions across gender is needed. Our results indicate implications for future research and policy regarding incorporating gender differences in designing, promotion, and adoption of LSTs to reduce womnen's work burdens and to enhance welfare outcomes.

Does Incorporating Gender Differences into Quantifying a Food Frequency Questionnaire Influence the Association of Total Energy Intake with All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality?

This study aims to evaluate whether incorporating gender differences in portion sizes as part of quantifying a food frequency questionnaire influences the association of total energy intake with mortality. The analysis included 156,434 participants (70,142 men and 86,292 women) in the Multiethnic Cohort Study, aged 45–75 years at baseline. A total of 49,728 deaths were identified during an average follow-up of 18.1 years. Total energy intake and percentage energy from macronutrients were calculated using original portion sizes (PSs) and gender specific (GS)-PS and were divided into quintiles for men and women. The associations of total energy intake and percentage energy from macronutrients with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality were examined using Cox regression with adjustment for potential confounders. Mean ± standard deviation daily total energy intake using original-PS was 2449 ± 1135 kcal for men and 1979 ± 962 kcal for women; using GS-PS was 1996 ± 884 kcal for men and 1595 ± 731 kcal for women. For men, the hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence intervals) for all-cause, CVD, and cancer comparing the highest to the lowest quintile of total energy intake were 1.05 (1.00–1.10), 1.07 (0.99–1.16), 1.03 (0.95–1.13) using original-PS and 1.07 (1.02–1.12), 1.11 (1.03–1.20), 1.02 (0.94–1.12) using GS-PS, respectively. For women, the corresponding HRs were 1.03 (0.98–1.09), 0.99 (0.91–1.08), 1.10 (1.00–1.21) using original-PS and 1.06 (1.01–1.12), 1.02 (0.94–1.12), 1.07 (0.97–1.18) using GS-PS. Both versions of percentage energy from total fat were associated with an increased risk of all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality; on the other hand, both versions of percentage energy from carbohydrate showed inverse associations with all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality in both men and women. When using original-PS and GS-PS, the estimated total energy intake differed, resulting in marginal differences in the associations of total energy intake with all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality.

The impact of gender on control behavior when purchasing a new type of cheese

The impact of gender on control behavior when purchasing a new type of cheeseThe evidence for a sustainable perspective method is not a relatively small phenomenon in the EU and around the world; and eventually costumers are the last link of supply chains. But many consumers do not care about different values of food, they do not pay attention to information about food product. The aim of the paper is to investigate effect of gender on control behavior when purchasing a new kind of cheese. Data were collected in the Czech Republic using a paperbased questionnaire. Respondents were university students. Differences between genders in these variables were tested using ordered probit model. Stata was used for data analysis. Findings are that nutrient value of the products, name of the products, producer, the origin of the product, Internet information are significantly impacted by gender. Namely, female are more considerate of the nutrient value of the products they buy, of the name of the products, and producer; they search for desirable information on the labelings, than man. Contrary, man are more considerate of the origin of the product, and of Internet information on the product. The remaining variables were not significantly influenced by gender. Gender variable can be regarded as an indication to explain why some consumers have a positive attitude to solving food-related issue. These findings can help to understand the role of gender on consumer behavior, and may be relevant where there is an organic market at the beginning. The study also underlines the importance of effective nutrition education which should incorporate gender diff erences, it represents a key issue in human health and is compliant with the WHO as stated that “the increased knowledge and evidence of the impact of gender inequalities on specific health problems and health services and of successful responses, and developing tools to promote and expand health sector policies, interventions and programs that systematically address gender concerns”.

Gender, Social Networks, and Stroke Preparedness in the Stroke Warning Information and Faster Treatment Study

The study aimed to investigate the effect of gender on the association between social networks and stroke preparedness as measured by emergency department (ED) arrival within 3 hours of symptom onset. As part of the Stroke Warning Information and Faster Treatment study, baseline data on demographics, social networks, and time to ED arrival were collected from 1193 prospectively enrolled stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients at Columbia University Medical Center. Logistic regression was conducted with arrival to the ED ≤3 hours as the outcome, social network characteristics as explanatory variables, and gender as a potential effect modifier. Men who lived alone or were divorced were significantly less likely to arrive ≤3 hours than men who lived with a spouse (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: .31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .15-0.64) or were married (aOR: .45, 95% CI: .23-0.86). Among women, those who lived alone or were divorced had similar odds of arriving ≤3 hours compared with those who lived with a spouse (aOR: 1.25, 95% CI: .63-2.49) or were married (aOR: .73, 95% CI: .4-1.35). In patients with stroke/TIA, living with someone or being married improved time to arrival in men only. Behavioral interventions to improve stroke preparedness should incorporate gender differences in how social networks affect arrival times.

Where do customer loyalties really lie, and why? Gender differences in store loyalty

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine gender differences in store loyalty and how those differences evolve with age. Design/methodology/approach Data for the study were collected in a survey of 32,054 shoppers in more than 50 grocery stores belonging to the same chain. In total, 20 satisfaction items were factor-analysed, resulting in four satisfaction factors. A logistic regression with store exclusivity as the dependent variable was then run to test the research hypotheses. Findings This study finds that men are more loyal than women to the store chain, while women are more loyal than men to individual stores. Women’s loyalty is more influenced by their satisfaction with interaction with store employees, while for men loyalty is more influenced by satisfaction with impersonal dimensions. Store loyalty increases with age, an effect that cannot be explained solely by declining mobility and cognitive impairment. Research limitations/implications This research examines declared behavioural practices rather than actual behaviour. However, in view of the high frequency of purchases in the retail category examined, and also because of the large sample of over 50 different stores, declared practices should be highly correlated with actual behaviour. Practical implications Results from satisfaction surveys should be interpreted differently for men and women. Loyalty programmes may want to adapt their approach, to incorporate gender differences into their loyalty reinforcing measures. Social implications This paper should also help to a better understanding of loyalty programs for both men and women, younger and older people. Originality/value This is the first demonstration from an in store customer survey that the shopping experience drives store loyalty differently for men and women.

Perceived emotional intelligence and aggression among adults: The moderating role of gender

ObjectiveThis research aimed to explore the moderating role of gender in the relationship between Perceived Emotional Intelligence (PEI) and aggression among adults.MethodThe Trait Meta‐Mood Scale and the Aggressive Provocation Questionnaire were administered to 338 participants from a Spanish community including both genders, ranging from 19 to 53 years old.ResultsGender differences in PEI and aggression dimensions, with higher levels of Attention and frustration in women, and higher levels of Repair and direct aggression in men were found. Correlations between PEI and aggression dimensions showed that among female participants Attention was positively related to feelings of aggression and with direct aggression, while Repair was negatively related to these dimensions. Clarity was positively related to assertive behaviour among women, and Repair correlated positively with assertive behaviour among men. Interaction analyses revealed that gender moderated the relationship between PEI dimensions and aggression, controlling for the effect of age.Low levels of Repair were related to lower levels of assertiveness in men and with higher scores of feelings of anger in women.ConclusionsWe suggest explanations for these differences between the genders, and discuss the importance of incorporating gender differences in theoretical and empirical studies investigating PEI among adults.

Depression Among People Who Inject Drugs and Their Intimate Partners in Kazakhstan.

This paper examines individual, social, and structural factors associated with depression among 728 people who inject drugs (PWID) and their intimate partners in Kazakhstan, with separate multivariate models by gender. Depression scores were higher on average among participants of both genders who recently experienced sexual intimate partner violence, food insecurity, and who had lower levels of self-rated health. Among females, higher depression scores were associated with experiencing childhood sexual abuse, lower levels of social support, and not having children. Findings highlight a need to incorporate gender differences and factors associated with depression in designing mental health services for PWID in Kazakhstan.

Validity of Food Frequency Questionnaire may be improved by Factoring Gender in Development Stage

Although men and women differ in their preferences of food items and amount of consumption, these differences have rarely been reflected in developing food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). This study was conducted to investigate whether the results of FFQ validation studies are influenced by factoring gender in development stage. Searching in PubMed with combinations of keywords “FFQ,” “Food frequency questionnaire,” “Validation,” and “Validity” yielded a total of 1,124 articles. Excluded were studies conducted in one sex or with subjects other than healthy adults, review articles, articles published in languages other than English, and articles that could not be found through web searches. The remaining 246 validation studies were divided into two groups: (1) gender‐factored (GF) group which used FFQs developed with consideration of gender differences, and (2) not gender‐factored (NGF) group which used FFQs with no gender consideration. Differences between FFQ and reference methods in estimated intake levels of eight nutrients ‐ energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, cholesterol, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium – were compared between the two groups. Intake levels estimated by FFQ were more close to those of reference methods in GF group than NGF group in six of the eight nutrients in total subjects. The influence tended to be greater in women (five nutrients) than in men (two nutrients). These results indicate the validity of the FFQ can be improved, especially in women, by incorporating gender differences in the development stage of FFQs. More studies are needed to confirm whether GF FFQs are more sensitive in detecting diet‐disease relationship compared to NGF FFQs.

Emotional intelligence and depression: The moderator role of gender

Recent research has indicated that Emotional Intelligence (EI) is associated with depression. However, the strength of this relationship has been demonstrated by using the method of assessing EI (ability vs. trait), with ability measures showing low correlations. Based in previous research that found gender differences in the relationship between ability EI and relevant social and health outcomes, the current study primarily aims to examine the moderator role of gender in the ability EI–depression relationship. Participants were 620 students who completed an ability measure of EI, as well as a depression inventory. Results confirmed gender differences in ability EI, with higher levels in women compared to men. Next, interaction analyzes showed that gender moderated the ability EI–depression relationship. Low levels of ability EI were related to higher depression in men, but not in women. We suggest explanations for these differences between the genders. We also discussed the importance of incorporating gender differences in both theoretical and empirical studies investigating ability EI.

Gender differences in activity participation, time-of-day and duration choices: new evidence from Calgary

To date only limited research has quantified differences between female and male activity patterns, and analyses at an individual activity level are scarce. Past research has focused on investigating gender differences in mobility levels based on observed travel patterns, especially those related to commuting. This article reports new evidence based on analyses of a household activity survey data-set collected from a Canadian city – Calgary – in 2001. Results show that contemporary females and males have a very similar activity participation pattern. On the other hand, analyses applied to activity starting times support the view that there are minor gender differences in time-of-day choices. In addition, duration and survival analyses through log-rank and Wilcoxon tests show that women and men tend to spend more or less time on some of the 10 weekend/weekday activities, and thus indicate that they share different domestic and societal responsibilities: males tend to spend longer time for out-of-home activities, such as work, school, social, and out-of-town; whereas females contribute more to domestic work, including shopping, eating, and religious activity. In general, this article contributes new evidence to gender differences in activity participation, time-of-day, and duration choices at the individual activity level. Such differences may influence travelers’ time, mode, and location choices and thus have important implications for the complexity of an activity-based modeling framework. These implications are discussed along with recommendations for incorporating gender differences in an activity-based modeling framework.

Early initiation of substance use and subsequent risk factors related to suicide among urban high school students

Objective To examine the association between onset of substance use and risk factors related to suicide. Method 1252 adolescents in two urban school districts completed surveys as part of a large, randomized controlled prevention effectiveness trial. Risk factors measured included depressive symptoms, suicide ideation, suicide ideation specifically with alcohol and/or drug use, endorsement of suicide as a personal option, and suicide attempt. Results In our final multivariate models that controlled for current substance use and demographic characteristics, we found that earlier onset of hard drug use among boys was associated with all five suicide risk factors. In comparison, among girls, earlier onset of regular cigarette smoking, getting drunk, and hard drug use was associated with some of suicide risk factors. Conclusions The findings confirm the importance of screening for substance use in early adolescence. The association between early substance use and suicide risk factors differed by gender; both research and intervention efforts need to incorporate gender differences.

Examining gender differences in the health behaviors of Canadian university students

The relationship between lifestyle choices and health outcomes has been an area of interest for many health professionals. Gender differences in these choices have also been an area of scrutiny. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine gender differences in the health and lifestyle behavioral choices of Canadian university students. A total of 638 (472 female and 166 male) undergraduate students were evaluated. Males and females differed significantly in their responses to appraisals of general state of health, hours/day engaged in social activities, frequency of drinking alcohol, amount of alcohol consumed per session, total number of sexual partners, number of meals eaten per day, participation in physical activity, completion of annual check-ups with doctor, screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and hypertension screening. Generally, men engaged in more risky health behaviors than females (e.g. alcohol use). Results are discussed in terms of cultural comparisons to previous research studies evaluating college health behaviors. Suggestions are made for health professionals to incorporate gender differences in behavioral change programmes geared towards improving awareness of the consequences of lifestyle choices.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy with a feminist orientation: A perspective for therapy with depressed women.

AbstractThe 2:1 ratio of depression among women compared to men has received little attention in the cognitive therapy literature. It has been established that this difference is not artifactual and likely represents, at least partly, differences between women's and men's socialization experiences and environments. Some explanations focus on the contribution of the prototypical female sex-role, through social devaluation of both the female sex-role and of women's abilities. Other explanations for women's susceptibility centre on women's powerlessness, on women's relational focus, which is labelled dependency, in relationships lacking mutuality. Another theme of feminist writings concerning women's depression deals with environmental differences faced by women. Stressors that are unique to women, the chronicity of stressful conditions, the strains of marital and work roles are given significance. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), which constitutes the most prominent approach to treating depression, has attended little to such issues. The implications of such formulations for treatment, therapeutic goals, and the role of the therapist are discussed.Cognitive-behavioural (CB) therapeutic approaches comprise the most widespread non-pharmacological treatment tailored specifically for depression (Beck, Rush, Shaw & Emery, 1979). One might expect, therefore, that cognitive theory would address gender differences in the prevalence of depressive disorders and treatment considerations indicated by these differences. Yet the reasons for these gender differences have not been seriously considered by most cognitive writers (Stoppard, 1989). Although discussions of this issue among clinicians (e.g., informally, and in such fora as convention workshops) are increasing, until gender differences become incorporated into theory and treatment manuals, CB approaches will continue to imply that they are gender-neutral. Underestimating the importance of gender disparity in the incidence of depression is an example of sexism of omission (Collier, 1982). This paper reviews gender issues relevant to therapy with depressed women and suggests how a feminist orientation can address issues usually overlooked by CBT and how CB therapeutic techniques can assimilate feminist concerns. Our goal is to help incorporate gender differences into both theory and practice. We attend to related research literatures and also to writings based on clinical and theoretical viewpoints, some of which do not yet have strong empirical foundation.PrevalenceAn average 2:1 prevalence ratio of women to men with depression has been found consistently for both diagnosed cases of unipolar depression and community surveys of depressive symptoms (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1987, 1990). The lifetime risk of unipolar depression is 8% to 12% for men and 20% to 26% for women (Boyd & Weissman, 1981). Women are much more likely to be depressed in most countries except in some developing nations; consistent sex differences are not found among college students, the Old Order Amish, the bereaved, or the elderly (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1987, 1990).Although the consistency with which gender differences are found is striking, understanding gender differences in depression is complicated by definitional issues, such as the distinction between clinical and subclinical depression. The APA National Task Force on Women and Depression concluded that gender differences were well-established for both major depression and dysthymia (but not bipolar disorder), and also noted that gender differences are largest for less severe symptoms (McGrath, Keita, Strickland, & Russo, 1990). Can it be assumed that the same risk factors underlie gender differences regardless of clinical severity? Nolen-Hoeksema (1990) argues that gender differences should be studied at all levels of severity because no matter how you define depression, after puberty more women are depressed, and even moderate levels of depression significantly impair functioning. …

Aggressive and Nonaggressive Behavior as a Function of Alcohol Intoxication and Frustration in Women

An experiment tested whether alcohol increases aggression in women in a situation in which both an aggressive and a nonaggressive response alternative of equal instrumentality and of equal variability are available. Subjects were assigned to one of three groups, namely, an alcohol, a placebo, or a control group. The alcohol dose was 1.0 ml of pure alcohol/kg body weight. After drinking their respective drink, subjects were instructed to supervise a bogus partner on a visual scan test over a series of trials. Each time this partner made a mistake, subjects could either give an uncomfortable electric shock (scale 1 to 10) or a comfortable vibration (scale 1 to 10) to the partner. Aggressive and nonaggressive behavior was measured as numbers, intensities, and durations of shocks or vibrations, respectively. Neither alcohol nor frustration differentiated the groups on aggressive or nonaggressive behavior. All groups were significantly more inclined to use the nonaggressive alternative irrespective of alcohol dose and level of frustration. In conclusion it was stated that women do not increase their aggression as a function of alcohol in a situation with more than one response alternative available. The need to incorporate gender differences as to aggressive effects of alcohol was stressed.