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Social Determinants of Self-Reported Health in Women and Men: Understanding the Role of Gender in Population Health

Author

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  • Ahmad Reza Hosseinpoor
  • Jennifer Stewart Williams
  • Avni Amin
  • Islene Araujo de Carvalho
  • John Beard
  • Ties Boerma
  • Paul Kowal
  • Nirmala Naidoo
  • Somnath Chatterji

Abstract

Background: Women and men share similar health challenges yet women report poorer health. The study investigates the social determinants of self-reported health in women and men, and male-female differences in health. Methods: Data on 103154 men and 125728 women were analysed from 57 countries in the World Health Survey 2002–2004. Item Response Theory was used to construct a composite measure of health. Associations between health and determinants were assessed using multivariate linear regression. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition partitioned the inequality in health between women and men into an “explained" component that arises because men and women differ in social and economic characteristics, and an “unexplained" component due to the differential effects of these characteristics. Decomposition was repeated for 18 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) African region and 19 countries in the WHO European region. Results: Women's health was significantly lower than men's. Health was associated with education, household economic status, employment, and marital status after controlling for age. In the pooled analysis decomposition showed that 30% of the inequality was “explained", of which almost 75% came from employment, education, marital status. The differential effects of being in paid employment increased the inequality. When countries in Africa and Europe were compared, the “explained" component (31% and 39% respectively) was largely attributed to the social determinants in the African countries and to women's longevity in the European countries. Being in paid employment had a greater positive effect on the health of males in both regions. Conclusions: Ways in which age and the social determinants contribute to the poorer health status of women compared with men varies between groups of countries. This study highlights the need for action to address social structures, institutional discrimination and harmful gender norms and roles that differently influence health with ageing.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmad Reza Hosseinpoor & Jennifer Stewart Williams & Avni Amin & Islene Araujo de Carvalho & John Beard & Ties Boerma & Paul Kowal & Nirmala Naidoo & Somnath Chatterji, 2012. "Social Determinants of Self-Reported Health in Women and Men: Understanding the Role of Gender in Population Health," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(4), pages 1-9, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0034799
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034799
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Violetta Rozani, 2022. "Ethnic Differences in Socioeconomic and Health Determinants Related to Self-Rated Health Status: A Study on Community-Dwelling Israeli Jews and Arabs in Old Age," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.
    8. Sefa Awaworyi Churchill & Russell Smyth & Trong-Anh Trinh, 2024. "The Long-Run Effects of Male-Biased Sex Ratios on Mateship and Social Capital," Monash Economics Working Papers 2024-02, Monash University, Department of Economics.
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    10. Alba Llop-Gironés & Sam Jones, 2019. "Beyond access to basic services: Perspectives on the social determinants of health in Mozambique," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-40, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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