TY - JOUR

T1 - Gender disparities in health and healthcare

T2 - results from the Portuguese National Health Interview Survey

AU - Perelman, Julian

AU - Fernandes, Ana

AU - Mateus, Ceu

PY - 2012/12

Y1 - 2012/12

N2 - Although women experience poorer health conditions during their lives, they live longer than men. The main explanations for this paradox suggest that women's excess of ill-health is limited to minor illnesses and their different attitudes toward health. The authors test these assumptions by investigating disparities between men and women in health and healthcare in Portugal. Data are used from the Portuguese National Health Interview Survey 2005/2006 (N = 33,662). Multivariate regressions showed that women were more likely to report worse self-rated health, more days with disability, higher prevalence of hypertension, chronic pain, cancer, anxiety and depression, and more medical consultations. Heart disease was significantly more prevalent among men, possibly explaining part of the paradox. Women's more frequent use of medical consultations may reflect their heightened awareness of health problems, which may protect them against early death. Gender differences in socioeconomic status explain part of the differences in health, but fail to provide a complete understanding.

AB - Although women experience poorer health conditions during their lives, they live longer than men. The main explanations for this paradox suggest that women's excess of ill-health is limited to minor illnesses and their different attitudes toward health. The authors test these assumptions by investigating disparities between men and women in health and healthcare in Portugal. Data are used from the Portuguese National Health Interview Survey 2005/2006 (N = 33,662). Multivariate regressions showed that women were more likely to report worse self-rated health, more days with disability, higher prevalence of hypertension, chronic pain, cancer, anxiety and depression, and more medical consultations. Heart disease was significantly more prevalent among men, possibly explaining part of the paradox. Women's more frequent use of medical consultations may reflect their heightened awareness of health problems, which may protect them against early death. Gender differences in socioeconomic status explain part of the differences in health, but fail to provide a complete understanding.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Delivery of Health Care

KW - Female

KW - Health Status Disparities

KW - Health Surveys

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Portugal

KW - Questionnaires

KW - Sex Factors

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Young Adult

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23288066

VL - 28

SP - 2339

EP - 2348

JO - Cadernos de Saúde Pública

JF - Cadernos de Saúde Pública

SN - 1678-4464

IS - 12

ER -