From a casual perspective, illnesses like osteoporosis, bladder control issues, urinary tract infection and breast cancer are usually more severe in women than men. A report published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shows that gender disparity in health and illnesses are primarily influenced by the differences in physiological growth characteristics and differential genetic vulnerability. In case of the latter, the contributing factors include hormonal changes, vulnerability to illnesses and issues revolving around female reproductive health.
The status of women’s health has also influenced by the way the society responds to women affected by stigmatizing illnesses like mental illness, leprosy and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDs. Women suffering from mental health often experience high levels of anxiety and depression compared to men. This has led to very high cases of women being diagnosed with depression and related illnesses. The effect of STI’s and STDs is more perverse in women. If left untreated, the sexual illnesses in women can easily cause infertility and other health complications.
Gender biases in clinical studies and research have a long history. Clinical research, for a long time relied exclusively on the male model of health, which overlooked unique issues surrounding women’s health and physiological characteristics. The bias ceased when gender differences were established in the clinical studies of diseases like osteoporosis, heart disease, and mental. Today, advances in health and technology, continued research and a special focus on the women’s health have done a lot to promote female health and well-being.
Gender Disparities in the Workplace
Outside health matters, women in male-dominated workplaces usually face high levels of gender discrimination in spite of the gains women have made over the years. The gains include a reduction in wage disparities between men and women and access to high ranking positions and participation. According to a US work study published by the Pew Research Center on March 2018, 49% of women who work in male-dominated workplace say sexual harassment is a big concern to them compared to 32% who work in majority female workplaces.
The other concerns raised by females working in male-dominated workplaces include gender discrimination and concerns about recruitment and hiring and promotions and advancement. The segregation of male and women genders in the workplace is a deeply entrenched practice that stems from the different occupations males and females have traditionally held. In 2017, the gender composition between males and females in the US workforce was almost equal to 53% to 47% respectively. A US Department of Labor report showed occupations such as healthcare, care-giving, and teaching had the highest concentration of women in the workforce.
On the other hand, men occupied blue collar jobs like machine operation and automotive services. Another workplace study conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal showed women were more likely to suffer work-related burnout compared to their male counterparts. According to the report appearing on the UK Independent, the 4 years study revealed that the burnout and frustrations were caused by the relatively fewer powerful positions held by women. The positions held by women offered little latitude when it comes to decision making, which led to a correspondingly lower level authority and lack of opportunities to exploit hidden skills.
Julie Queler is a women’s health expert, advocate. Julie Queler has written many articles on women’s health, workplace gender indifference, and women empowerment. Her articles are available on her blog and in print publications.