Interaction: Sex, Gender and Health

The ‘one-size-fits-all’ theory does not hold water in medicine. Just as it had to be recognised that children are not small adults and require individualised medicine, it has also been established since the women’s rights movement in the 1980s that women are neither biologically nor psychosocially equal to men. (Kautzky-Willer, 2014, p. 1022)

What physiological and psychosocial Differences really exist between Women and Men?

Women and men are biologically different. There are differences in [1] [2]:

• Genetics
• Cells
• Physique
• Metabolism
• Cardiovascular system
• Muscle-fat ratio
• Immune system
• Hormones
• Gastrointestinal tract

Our behaviour, our social norms and values as well as our upbringing and social role models influence us and our health. This results in differences in lifestyle in terms of [3]:

• Physical activity
• Nutrition
• Smoking behaviour
• Alcohol consumption
• Attitude towards preventive measures

These physiological and behavioural differences have an influence on health-related factors, making them decisive for the extent to which health or illness arises, develops and can be contained. This means that the above-mentioned differences have an impact on [4]:

• Mortality
• Incidence of disease
• Burden of disease
• Self-assessment of the general state of health
• Health-related quality of life
• Life expectancy
• Communication
• Dealing with own body image
• Health literacy
• Gender roles
• Utilisation of care services

But what can happen if the physical, psychological and environmental differences between the two sexes are not taken into account in medical terms?

This would have serious negative consequences for the actual goal of medicine – the preservation of human health. The following scenarios would be conceivable [1] [2]:

• Women would continue to lose healthy years of life
• Depression in men would not always be diagnosed in time
• We would risk frequent side effects in women taking medication
• The life expectancy of men would not be able to increase
• We would not be able to reduce the mortality rate of women who die of a heart attack
• Women-associated diseases such as osteoporosis or autoimmune diseases would be diagnosed less frequently in men

This shows that modern medicine must take gender-specific (risk) factors into account in order to provide equal opportunities and quality of life for men and women.

Old structures must be torn down and rebuilt in order to do justice to both genders in prevention, diagnosis and treatment within the healthcare system. If we ignore and fail to address the barriers to gender medicine, we risk lives on both sides. [1]

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Takeaway Points:

• The ‘one-size-fits-all’ theory in medicine is outdated.
• Women are biologically and psychosocially different from men.
• Disregarding gender-specific differences in medicine would have serious consequences such as years of life lost, unrecognised depression, side effects of medication, stagnating life expectancy, etc.
• Modern medicine must take gender-specific factors into account in order to guarantee equal opportunities and quality of life for men and women.
• Old structures in the healthcare system must be revised in order to do justice to both genders and protect lives.

Fore more Inforamtion

EQUAL CARE certifies medical intervention with a balanced gender representation in data and evidence. Join EQUAL CARE today and lead the health market with our certification. Together, we can set a new standard for healthcare excellence and create a future where everyone receives the care they deserve.

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