Gender and Health Inequality (AQA A-Level Sociology): Revision Notes

Gender and Health Inequality

Gender plays a major role in determining health outcomes, creating distinct patterns of advantage and disadvantage between men and women. When examining gender-based health disparities, it's essential to consider both statistical evidence and feminist perspectives that highlight how male-dominated medical professions may misunderstand or inadequately address women's health concerns.

Mortality patterns by gender

Life expectancy data reveals consistent gender differences that have persisted over time. In 1901, men could expect to live $45$ years compared to women's $49$ years. By 2014, these figures had increased dramatically to $79.2$ years for men and $83.3$ years for women, representing the highest life expectancy levels ever recorded in the UK for both genders.

This upward trend is projected to continue, with those born in 2035 expected to live $94.2$ years if male and $97.2$ years if female. The gender gap in mortality has remained relatively stable, with women maintaining approximately a 4-year advantage in life expectancy.

The morbidity paradox

Despite living longer, women paradoxically experience higher rates of illness throughout their lives. This creates what sociologists term the morbidity paradox - the seemingly contradictory pattern where the gender with greater longevity suffers more health problems.

Research indicates that women can expect to spend approximately $18$ years in less than optimal health, compared to men's $15.1$ years. This difference may partly reflect women's longer lifespans, as health problems typically increase with age, giving women more years to accumulate health issues.

While men consistently show lower rates of sickness absence from work, this pattern becomes more complex when considering occupational factors. Women are more likely to work in public sector roles, which typically have higher reported sickness levels. However, when researchers control for these and other influencing factors, women remain 42% more likely to experience periods of illness than men.

Sociological perspectives on masculine health attitudes

Biological versus social explanations

Health disparities between genders stem from both biological and social factors.

Biological factors include the greater complexity women's bodies face due to their reproductive role. Women may experience:

• Menstrual difficulties
• Pregnancy-related health issues (including hormonal fluctuations and elevated blood pressure)
• Various challenges during menopause

Social factors also play important roles in creating gender health differences. Men experience higher rates of accidental injuries, reflecting different lifestyle choices and risk-taking behaviours between genders.

Healthcare consultation and consumption patterns

Gender differences in healthcare access reveal interesting patterns. Women appear to consult healthcare professionals more frequently than men, but feminist researchers question whether this reflects genuine health needs or other factors.

Higher consultation rates among women don't necessarily indicate greater illness levels. As mothers, women frequently cross the surgery threshold for their children's healthcare needs, making additional consultations for themselves more convenient. In contrast, men often show reluctance to seek medical help, frequently delaying consultations until symptoms become pronounced.

Hilary Graham (1984) introduced the concept of differential consumption, describing how women in financially constrained households sacrifice their own needs for food and heating to prioritise their male partners and children. This self-sacrificing behaviour increases women's vulnerability to illness and supports Christine Delphy's analysis of women's disadvantaged position within family structures.

The intersection of gender and social class

Recent research demonstrates that social class can override gender as a determinant of health outcomes.

Data from 2009-11 shows that women in the most disadvantaged areas can expect $20.1$ fewer years of good health compared to the wealthiest women. The comparable figure for men shows a slightly smaller gap of $19.3$ years.

This pattern reveals that relative wealth trumps gender as an indicator of life expectancy - a man living in a wealthy area will typically live longer than a woman in a deprived area.

Contemporary health considerations

Modern analysis of gender and health must consider both physical and mental health dimensions. Health outcomes for both men and women are influenced by multiple intersecting factors including social class, age, and ethnicity, creating complex patterns that require careful examination.

Understanding these intersections helps explain why simple gender comparisons can be misleading - the health experiences of working-class women differ markedly from those of middle-class women, just as men's health varies significantly across social class boundaries.