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Posted: March 27th, 2020

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            Chapter 10 of the book “Psychology of Gender” by Vicki Helgeson explores the differences in health between the sexes, with respect to gender implications on the well-being of men and women. The author states that the term ‘health’ encompasses an individual’s physical wellbeing as well as psychological wellbeing. This means that when referring to one’s health, we refer to both physiological symptoms and emotional well-being. With this definition, psychological distress, happiness, and life satisfaction are all considered to be factors of health. According to Helgeson (2016), men die younger and have higher mortality rates as compared to women. On the other hand, women tend to have more cases of illness. These observations present researchers with a paradox that needs to be solved to provide valuable insights into the formulation of more effective treatment and disease management strategies.

            Research conducted by Helgeson (2016) revealed that men had shorter life spans and are more prone to being affected by leading causes of death. For example, men in the US are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, or accidents as compared to women. Inherent differences between men and women exist, ranging from their physique to their unique physiology. Women and men experience illnesses differently, and their responses to medical and therapeutic interventions vary across the gender divide. Regitz-Zagrosek (2012) published a journal article titled “Sex and Gender Differences in Health” that discusses the novel concept of evidence-based gender and sex medicine. These observations can be used to posit that an individual’s gender plays a critical role as a modulator of disease risks and their responses to medical treatment.

            Regitz-Zagrosek (2012) posits that despite the inherent similarities between men and women, the two sexes also exhibit essential behavioral and biological variances that are significant factors in healthcare. Gender differences impact on the manifestation of pathophysiology and epidemiology of numerous diseases that women and men encounter. The nature of the different health care approaches used to address these illnesses in the two sexes also differs. The research study conducted by Regitz-Zagrosek (2012) was informed by the observation that there was little or no evidence of gender-specific healthcare strategies or interventions. The researchers noted that almost all existent medical prevention, therapeutic, and management interventions for a majority of common diseases do not reflect any consideration for sex as a significant risk factor. The failure or lack of considering sex as a significant disease risk factor inhibits the formulation of more effective and efficient healthcare interventions. The authors delineate sex differences between men and women by describing them as biological variances. These factors include reproductive functions, expression of genes on the X and Y chromosomes and their effect on the accumulation of fat in women, as well as the concentration of sex hormones. In contrast, gender is commonly associated with people’s lifestyles, behaviors, and life experiences, which subsequently impact their access to healthcare, use of medicines, and attitudes towards medical practitioners and related professionals. Regitz-Zagrosek (2012) identify sex differences in healthcare to include the prescription of medications, use of preventive medical services, such as vaccines, health insurance, and the use of technologies such as pacemakers.

            Sex differences in healthcare is an interesting topic because it explores often ignored or overlooked disease risk factors that portend significant insights into improving and providing more effective and efficient healthcare services to people. The different genders respond to illnesses and medical interventions in varied ways. Consequently, it makes sense that there should be clinical interventions that are sex-specific so as to ensure the provision of appropriate and more effective medical treatments to patients. Sex-specific healthcare interventions portend significant benefits to the healthcare industry because it contributes to an increased potential to accrue better and more favorable clinical outcomes. The information provided in chapter 10 of the book by Helgeson (2016) is consistent with the observations and assertions made in the journal article published by Regitz-Zagrosek (2012). The two publications concur on the need to develop sex medicine that takes into consideration the impact of sex on healthcare because it constitutes factors that modify people’s risk of developing sicknesses and also their level of exposure to risks that are harmful to health. Helgeson (2016) observes that sex disparities in health are associated strongly with the nature of health behaviors that men and women engage in on a daily basis. Factors such as occupation, drug abuse, exercise, nutrition, and condom use are examples of sex-based behaviors that determine the level of health risks that individuals are exposed to in their daily lives.

            Sex-specific healthcare services and interventions offer people greater opportunities to receive high quality and more effective healthcare services. It is critical to note that this healthcare method should entail filling gaps in knowledge and skills related to unique health challenges facing people of either gender. With that said, neither sexual category should be favored at the expense of the other, and instead interventions should be formulated with equal consideration for both sexes. The implications of sex on healthcare are expected to play a more significant role in the future, concerning the formulation of medical interventions, which will then facilitate the accrual of better clinical outcomes. Biological sex is not a choice that humans have when they are born and as a result, medical interventions should be equally available to both sexes.

Works Cited

Helgeson, Vicki. Psychology of Gender. Routledge, 2016, pp. 350-380

Regitz-Zagrosek, Vera. “Sex and Gender Differences in Health: Science & Society Series on Sex and Science.” EMBO Reports, vol. 13, no. 7, 2012, pp. 596-603