The weaker sex? Exploring lay understandings of gender differences in life expectancy: A qualitative study

Social Science and Medicine

Volumn 67, Issue 5, 2008, Pages 808-816

  Emslie, Carol ^a   Hunt, Kate ^a  

^a MRC SOCIAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCES UNIT   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Gender; Lay knowledge; Men's health; UK; Women's health

Indexed keywords

ALCOHOL; COHORT ANALYSIS; GENDER DISPARITY; LIFE EXPECTANCY; LONGEVITY; MENS HEALTH; MORTALITY; PERCEPTION; QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS; WOMENS HEALTH;

ADULT; ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION; ARTICLE; CONTROLLED STUDY; DRINKING BEHAVIOR; FEMALE; HEALTH BEHAVIOR; HUMAN; LIFE EXPECTANCY; LONGEVITY; MALE; MANUAL LABOR; MORTALITY; PERCEPTION; SEMI STRUCTURED INTERVIEW; SEX DIFFERENCE; SMOKING HABIT; SOCIAL CLASS; UNITED KINGDOM;

ADULT; FEMALE; GENDER IDENTITY; GREAT BRITAIN; HEALTH BEHAVIOR; HEALTH KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, PRACTICE; HUMANS; INTERVIEWS AS TOPIC; LIFE EXPECTANCY; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; RISK FACTORS; SEX FACTORS; SOCIAL PERCEPTION; WOMEN'S HEALTH;

EURASIA; EUROPE; UNITED KINGDOM; WESTERN EUROPE;

EID: 48949115375     PISSN: 02779536     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.05.009     Document Type: Article

References (46)

1. Annandale E., and Clark J. What is gender? Feminist theory and the sociology of human reproduction. Sociology of Health and Illness 18 1 (1996) 17-44
2. Annandale E., and Hunt K. Gender inequalities in health: research at the crossroads. In: Annandale E., and Hunt K. (Eds). Gender inequalities in health (2000), Open University Press, Buckingham 1-35
3. Backhans M.C., Lundberg M., and Mansdotter A. Does increased gender equality lead to a convergence of health outcomes for men and women? A study of Swedish municipalities. Social Science & Medicine 64 (2007) 1892-1903
4. Barford A., Dorling D., Smith G.D., and Shaw M. Life expectancy: women now on top everywhere. BMJ 332 7545 (2006) 808 10.1136/bmj.332.7545.808
5. Bem S.L. Bem sex-role inventory professional manual (1981), Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, California
6. Bendelow G. Pain perceptions, emotions and gender. Sociology of Health & Illness 15 3 (1993) 273-294
7. Bird C.E., and Rieker P.P. Gender matters: an integrated model for understanding men's and women's health. Social Science & Medicine 48 6 (1999) 745-755
8. Birke L. Sitting on the fence: biology, feminism and gender-bending environments. Women's Studies International Forum 23 5 (2000) 587-599
9. Blaxter M. The causes of disease. Women talking. Social Science & Medicine 17 2 (1983) 59-69
10. Blaxter M. Whose fault is it? People's own conceptions of the reasons for health inequalities. Social Science & Medicine 44 6 (1997) 747-756
11. Bury M. Health and illness in a changing society (1997), Routledge, London
12. Chenet L. Gender and socio-economic inequalities in mortality in central and eastern Europe. In: Annandale E., and Hunt K. (Eds). Gender inequalities in health (2000), Open University Press, Buckingham 182-207
13. Connell R.W. Masculinities (1995), Polity Press, Cambridge
14. Courtenay W.H. Constructions of masculinity and their influence on men's well-being: a theory of gender and health. Social Science & Medicine 50 10 (2000) 1385-1401
15. Davison C., Frankel S., and Davey Smith G. The limits of lifestyle: re-assessing 'fatalism' in the popular culture of illness prevention. Social Science & Medicine 34 6 (1992) 675-685
16. Doyal L. Gender equity in health: debates and dilemmas. Social Science & Medicine 51 (2000) 931-939
17. Emslie C., Hunt K., and Watt G. A chip off the old block? Lay understandings of inheritance amongst men and women in mid-life. Public Understanding of Science 12 1 (2003) 47-65
18. Emslie, C., & Hunt, K. 'Live to work' or 'work to live'? A qualitative study of gender and work-life balance among men and women in mid-life. Gender, Work & Organization, in press.
19. Emslie C., Ridge D., Ziebland S., and Hunt K. Men's accounts of depression: reconstructing or resisting hegemonic masculinity?. Social Science & Medicine 62 9 (2006) 2246-2257
20. Ford G., Ecob R., Hunt K., Macintyre S., and West P. Patterns of class inequality in health through the lifespan: class gradients at 15, 35 and 55 years in the West of Scotland. Social Science & Medicine 39 8 (1994) 1037-1050
21. Frankel S., Davison C., and Davey Smith G. Lay epidemiology and the rationality of responses to health education. British Journal of General Practice 41 (1991) 428-430
22. Hunt, K. (2007). Understanding gender and health: systematically comparing the health and health experiences of men and women [PhD]. MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow: University of Glasgow.
23. Hunt K., and Emslie C. Commentary: the prevention paradox in lay epidemiology - Rose revisited. International Journal of Epidemiology 30 (2001) 442-446
24. Kraemer S. The fragile male. British Medical Journal 321 (2000) 1609-1612
25. Krieger N. Genders, sexes, and health: what are the connections - and why does it matter?. International Journal of Epidemiology 32 4 (2003) 652-657
26. McCracken G. The Long Interview (1988), Sage Publications, Newbury Park
27. Macintyre S. The Black report and beyond. What are the issues?. Social Science & Medicine 44 6 (1997) 723-745
28. Macintyre S., McKay L., and Ellaway A. Who is more likely to experience common disorders: men, women, or both equally? Lay perceptions in the West of Scotland. International Journal of Epidemiology 34 (2005) 461-466
29. Mays N., and Pope C. Rigour and qualitative research. British Medical Journal 311 (1995) 109-112
30. O'Brien R., Hunt K., and Hart G. 'It's caveman stuff, but that is to a certain extent how guys still operate': men's accounts of masculinity and help seeking. Social Science & Medicine 61 (2005) 503-516
31. Paechter C. Masculinities and femininities as communities of practice. Women's Studies International Forum 26 1 (2003) 69-77
32. Pietila I., and Rytkonen M. Coping with stress and by stress: Russian men and women talking about transition, stress and health. Social Science & Medicine 66 2 (2008) 327-338
33. Pill R., and Stott N.C.H. Concepts of illness causation and responsibility: some preliminary data from a sample of working class mothers. Social Science & Medicine 16 (1982) 43-52
34. Popay J., and Groves K. 'Narrative' in research on gender inequalities in health. In: Annandale E., and Hunt K. (Eds). Gender inequalities in health (2000), Open University Press, Buckingham 64-89
35. Popham F., and Mitchell R. Self-rated life expectancy and lifetime socio-economic position: cross-sectional analysis of the British household panel survey. International Journal of Epidemiology 36 1 (2007) 58-65
36. Prior L. Belief, knowledge and expertise: the emergence of the lay expert in medical sociology. Sociology of Health and Illness 25 (2003) 41-57
37. Richards M. Lay and professional knowledge of genetics and inheritance. Public Understanding of Science 5 (1996) 217-230
38. Robertson S. Understanding men and health. Masculinities, identity and well-being (2007), Open University Press, Maidenhead
39. Saltonstall R. Healthy bodies, social bodies: men's and women's concepts and practices of health in everyday life. Social Science & Medicine 36 1 (1993) 7-14
40. Waldron I. Sex differences in illness, incidence, prognosis and mortality: issues and evidence. Social Science & Medicine 17 16 (1983) 1107-1123
41. Wallace J.E. Gender differences in beliefs of why women live longer than men. Psychological Reports 79 (1996) 587-591
42. Walters V., and Charles N. I just cope from day to day": unpredictability and anxiety in the lives of women. Social Science & Medicine 45 11 (1997) 1729-1739
43. West C., and Zimmerman D.H. Doing gender. Gender and Society 1 2 (1987) 125-151
44. Williams G.H. The determinants of health: structure, context and agency. Sociology of Health and Illness 25 (2003) 131-154
45. Wizeman T.M., and Pardue M.-L. Exploring the biological contributions to human health. Does sex matter? (2001), National Academy Press, Washington
46. World Health Organisation. Gender and Health: Technical Document (1998), WHO, Geneva