How Gender Norms Shape the Health of Women and Men?

The role of gender norms in determining women's and men's health has been largely overlooked by the economic discipline. This paper is among the first to evaluate the role of social norms on health disparities, a topic that has received limited attention. By combining two European cross-country data sources, I propose a novel approach to measuring gender norms and identifying the causal effect of changes in social norms on individuals' health. I exploit the European Value Study (EVS) and build time-varying measures of gender norms in the family and the work domains at the country-year level. These measures are then linked with the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data, which is representative at the older population in Europe. I set up an OLS model, including individuals and time-fixed effects, and investigate the role of norms on health status. I show that stronger traditional gender norms in the family increase women's depression. I also find that more gendered norms at work decrease women's reporting of poor health. I disentangle some potential mechanisms to test the precise channel by which the type of norm leads to the selected outcomes: financial difficulties, smoking and drinking are among the most critical drivers. Given that reducing gender health inequalities is crucial for fostering an equitable society, targeting neutral gender norms remains a crucial goal of public policies