Gender
Issues In Psychology (PSY -
512)
VU
Lesson
31
GENDER,
HEALTH, AND AGING
Why
Women Live
Longer?
There
are various explanations of
women's higher life expectancy.
Different factors are
considered to be
responsible
for their longevity.
Genetic
Protection
Females
are genetically protected becomes of
two unique attributes that men do
not have i.e., the extra
X
chromosome
and the beneficial effects of estrogen,
the female hormone. Women benefit
from the protective
effects
of estrogen till before menopause
(Rodin and Ickovics, 1990;
USDHHS, 1992). This genetic
protection
is
also considered to be a factor
responsible for the higher rate of
male infant
mortality.
Behavioral
Factors
There
is a lot of research findings
suggesting that on average
man indulge, much more than
women, into health
compromising
and risky behaviors. More
men, than women, smoke
and use alcohol and in higher
quantities;
these
behaviors are linked to the development
of diseases like some
cancers, cardiovascular disease,
respiratory
problems,
and liver cirrhosis.
The
rate of deaths by motor
vehicle accidents is also higher in
men. The influence of alcohol is a
contributory
factor
in this regard. Men, especially in
adolescence and early
adulthood fall victims to accidents
resulting from
behaviors
not commonly practiced by females
e.g. wheeling, jumping from
high places, street fights,
drowning
or
pedestrian accidents.
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