Transcript Lecture54-PPT1 - UBC Psychology`s Research Labs

Psychology 320:
Gender Psychology
Lecture 54
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Invitational Office Hour Invitations,
by Student Number for March 11th
11:30-12:30, 3:30-4:30 Kenny 2517
26581074
36470094
40784084
66654062
69153047
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Reminder
Paper topic due date: March 11 (Option A or B, 2-3
sentence summary; send to David at dbking11@psych.
ubc.ca).
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Physical Health:
1. Are there sex differences in mortality and morbidity?
(continued)
2. What factors account for sex differences in health?
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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. describe the relationship between sex differences in
morbidity and gender equality.
2. discuss sex differences in illness-related behaviour.
3. review biological factors that may contribute to sex
differences in mortality and morbidity.
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4. distinguish between X-linked recessive diseases and
autoimmune diseases.
5. review health behaviours that contribute to sex
differences in mortality and morbidity.
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Are there sex differences in mortality and morbidity?
(continued)
 In childhood, morbidity is greater among males than
females. The sex difference reverses in preadolescence, with females reporting increasing health
problems.
 Sex differences in morbidity are smaller in countries
with a relatively high Gender Development Index.
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Torsheim et al., 2006
Assessed health complaints among 125,732
adolescents aged 11-15 in 29 countries in Europe
and North America. In all countries, girls reported
more health complaints than boys:
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Odds Ratio of Females Reporting More
Health Symptoms than Males*
(Torsheim et al., 2006)
Age
Low GDI
Medium GDI
High GDI
11-year-olds
1.56
1.17
1.18
13-year-olds
1.88
1.70
1.56
15-year-olds
2.27
1.91
1.88
*Odds ratio: Higher numbers indicate that more females than males reported symptoms.
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Relationship Between GDI and Female/Male
Odds Ratio of Health Complaints Among 11Year-Olds (Torsheim et al., 2006)
Sex differences are smaller in
countries with a relatively high
Gender Development Index.
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 In addition to higher rates of reported illnesses,
females report more illness-related behaviour than
males: days in bed due to illness, use of prescription
drugs, restriction of activities due to illness, and use
of health care services.
 In childhood, illness behaviour is greater among males
than females. The sex difference reverses in
adolescence, with females reporting increasing illness
behaviour.
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Utilization of Health Care Services by
Females and Males in 2004
(National Center for Health Statistics, 2004)
80
70
60
Percent
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Females
Males
40
30
20
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What factors account for sex differences in health?
• There are three groups of factors that account for the
documented sex differences in health:
Biological factors.
Health behaviours.
Gender-related factors.
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1. Biological Factors
(a) Genes
 XX vs. XY: Having a second X chromosome
suppresses the expression of many disorders among
females, making females less likely than males to
exhibit some congenital diseases (e.g., haemophilia,
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, X-linked
agammaglobulinemia, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome,
Menkes disease, Fragile X syndrome).
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Wiskott-Aldrich
Syndrome
Fragile X
Syndrome
Menkes Disease
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(b) Hormones
 Research assessing the influence of estrogen on
health has produced mixed findings:
Prior to menopause, the relatively high levels of
estrogen among females appear to serve as a
protective factor against heart disease by decreasing
cholesterol levels.
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After menopause, however, hormone (e.g., estrogen)
replacement therapy is associated with an increased
risk of heart disease, breast cancer, and blood clots
(Lowe, 2004; Shumaker et al., 2003).
Oral contraceptives, many of which contain estrogen,
increase blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and
blood glucose levels.
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(c) Immune System
 Females have higher immunoglobulin levels than
males (Schuurs & Verheul, 1990).
 Females display greater immune responses to
infection than males (Bouman et al., 2004; Rieker &
Bird, 2005; Whitacre et al., 1999).
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 The heightened sensitivity of the immune system
among females may account for the greater
prevalence of autoimmune diseases among females
than males (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, graves
disease, vasculitis).
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
Graves’ Disease
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Lupus
Vasculitis
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2. Health Behaviours
(a) Preventive Health Care
 Females are more likely than males to take vitamins,
adopt a healthy diet, engage in self-exams, have a
regular physician, obtain regular check-ups, take
prescriptions as recommended, and return for followup appointments (Courtenay et al., 2002; Slesinski et
al., 1996; Wardle et al., 2004).
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 Females are more likely than males to have a regular
physician due to reproductive issues (Helgeson,
2009).
 Preventative health care coupled with early diagnosis
and intervention due to regular physician visits may
contribute to the relatively low mortality rate among
females.
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Physical Health:
1. Are there sex differences in mortality and morbidity?
(continued)
2. What factors account for sex differences in health?
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