Chapter 13: Health and Fitness

Question 1

What is the “Marriage Benefit”?

Answer 1

• both men and women who are married tend to live longer than their single counterparts (but bad marriages can be detrimental to health)
• men benefit more than women (women provide emotional support and monitor their husbands healthy related behaviours)

Question 2

Mortality rates and gender differences

Answer 2

• women are sicker, men die quicker
• women live longer on average
• gender differences related to health factors
• women seek health care more than men

Question 3

What are cardiovascular diseases

Answer 3

• diseases of the heart and circulation
• leading cause of death in the USA
• similar between genders though men die at younger age

Question 4

What are the risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Answer 4

• Sex: for men under 65 , women hold more risk with hormone replacement therapy
• Lifestyle Factors: smoking, high fat diets (more men)
• treatment in the medical system (women tend to be over-diagnosed)

Question 5

Cancer and Gender

Answer 5

• second leading cause of death in the U.S

- men overall have higher mortality rate (gender differences exist in the various types of cancer)

Question 6

What are the Risk Factors for Cancer

Answer 6

• cigarette smoking, diet (carcinogens and high fat), obesity, physical inactivity
  sexual behaviour : early intercourse (HPV), late pregnancies (breast cancer), relatively higher in men

Question 7

Violent Deaths

Answer 7

• more common in the USA, related to gun laws

- leading cause of death for young adults in the usa

Question 8

Gender differences with violent death and suicide

Answer 8

• african american men more likely to be murdered
• women more attempt suicide though they use less lethal methods such as drugs , lower rates of risky behaviours (seat belts)

Question 9

The health care system and gender

Answer 9

• stereotypical female gender role behaviour leads women to meet the definitions of illness more often than men do
  (and receive more medical care)
• women seek more care

Question 10

Gender differences in seeking health care

Answer 10

• men more likely to avoid health care, reproductive health care issues make women go more (birth control, childbirth and pregnancy)
• men typically have more health insurance than women

Question 11

The patient role

Answer 11

• more compatible with traditional female gender role

- male health care providers and female patients tend to play into stereotypical gender roles

Question 12

Effect of gender and medicine

Answer 12

Androcentrism- the standard by which to measure all health concerns, men are the standard patient

Question 13

Gender differences in receiving hormone replacement therapy?

Answer 13

• the Women’s Health Initiative did a study and found that it could be dangerous to women (menopause?) , related to higher rates of breast cancer, heart disease and dementia
• no comparable evidence for men

Question 14

Women’s reproductive health definition

Answer 14

• specialized problems, “disease” processes that require health care
• contraception, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, menstruation
• women are socialized to go to the doctor for due to reproductive health

Question 15

Which gender is at greater risk of issues with sexually transmitted diseases

Answer 15

• women

- due to more complex reproductive systems

Question 16

Gender Differences in eating

Answer 16

• women tend to eat less infront of hot boys
• more prevalent in adolescence
• females are more motivated by social impressions
• masculine role: pushed toward unhealthy food choices, greater caloric intake

Question 17

Gender differences in body image

Answer 17

• women are supposed to be thin even though women naturally have more fat
• men are supposed to be muscular rather than thin, pressure for men to diet and work out

Question 18

What is anorexia nervosa

Answer 18

• self starvation

Question 19

What is Bulimia

Answer 19

• binge eating and purging

Question 20

Risk factors for eating disorders

Answer 20

• more common in women
• age (higher risk of younger)
• occupation (higher risk for models)
• athletics
• sexual orientation (higher for non-heterosexuals)

Question 21

What are the benefits of exercise and fitness in each gender

Answer 21

• for men it decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease
• for women it decreases risk of osteoporosis
• both have psychological benefits
• Boys generally more than girls, though kids overall have become less active

Question 22

Gender Differences in reasons to exercise

Answer 22

• men- promote fitness, enjoy
• women- keep and manage body shape
• Muscle dysmorphia for men

Question 23

Life expectancy and SES

Answer 23

• higher for wealthy countries

- lower economic countries have more parasites and infections