Women And Men Experience Health Problems Differently, Yet Women Don’t Know It: Study
Posted November 12, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s no secret that men and women are biologically different.
From anatomy to physiology, the visible discrepancies between these two genders are readily apparent.
It may seem obvious that this would mean different health problems beyond reproductive issues, but some females just aren’t getting the message.
According to a study out of Women’s College Hospital, this is the case in a number of diseases.
For example, half of women surveyed believe the rise in type 2 diabetes is affecting men and women equally. In fact, women between the ages of 20 and 50 are experiencing the biggest rise in this serious chronic illness.
Research shows women are twice as likely as men to experience depression in their lifetime, but 61 per cent of women believe the same number of men and women experience it.
“When it comes to health care for women, you have to start by recognizing they are not men. Biological differences, as well as social roles and practices, affect women’s health and health care needs. And that goes beyond the reproductive differences,” explained Gillian Einstein Ph.D., Senior Scientist at Women’s College Research Institute in a press release.
“What the research … shows is that women and men have different symptoms with the same disease, and they get different diseases. But the awareness of this research among both doctors and their patients just isn’t where it should be. Knowing about these differences, and discussing them with your doctor, can really help Canadian women improve their overall health.”
About the study:
Leger Marketing conducted a national online survey of 800 Canadian women over the age of 18 years between August 21st and August 28th, 2008. They conducted the survey with a confidence level of +/- 3.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
Find out more about Women’s Health
Other numbers:
- Only one-third (36 per cent) of Canadian women are aware that sudden pain in the chest, arm, neck, jaw or back are not always the most common symptoms for women suffering from a heart attack. Women often experience unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting.
- One-third of women (34 per cent) think more men than women age 55 to 64 have high blood pressure. In fact, between the ages of 55 to 64, 30 per cent of women have high blood pressure, compared to 28 per cent of men.
- Forty-five per cent of women do not know that women suffer from arthritis more than men, and 26 per cent of women think women are referred for knee replacement surgery as frequently as men. But two-thirds of Canadians living with arthritis are women and nearly 60 per cent are under the age of 65.
- One-third of women (33 per cent) mistakenly believe that men and women who smoke develop lung cancer at the same rate. W omen are 1.5 times more likely than men to develop the disease.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- I heard that along with cancer, heart disease is a major killer of Canadian women. Should I be doing more to prevent heart disease from happening to me?
- Is it true that diabetes is a more important risk factor for heart disease for women than men? What is my risk and what can I do to help prevent developing heart disease?
- As a woman, am I at risk for developing high blood pressure? Should I be tested regularly?
- Heart attacks and strokes have a lot of common symptoms such as chest pain. But are there any symptoms that are unique to women that I should watch out for?
- It’s a well-known fact that type 2 diabetes is on the rise, but I understand the biggest jumps are being seen in women ages 20 – 50. What are the risk factors for diabetes that affect me and what can I do to reduce my risk?
- I’ve heard that diabetes affects women differently than men because of the effect on my hormones, and can actually affect my reproductive health. Can you tell me more about this?
- Is it true that women are twice as likely as men to be disabled by arthritis? What steps can I take to keep arthritis at bay or manage it properly?
- I heard that women are twice as likely as men to experience depression. As a woman, what steps can I take to get help?
- There’s a lot of scary information out there about cancer, but one of the facts that scares me most is that the effects of tobacco are far more damaging to women than men. What are some of the steps I can take to help me quit smoking?
- Is it true that women are the fastest growing group affected by non-melanoma skin cancer? How do I know if I’m at risk?
