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KMID : 1159920090100010065
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Korean Journal of Women s Health
2009 Volume.10 No. 1 p.65 ~ p.114
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Gender Gap and Difference in Women shown in National Health Statistics - centering around a mental health, a medical system use and a chronic desease -
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Pyo Jung-Sun
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Abstract
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The purpose of this research is to give help on studies of the influence of gender to health and disease by reorganizing previous studies focusing on gender gap and differences in women due to mental health, use of medical system and chronic disease, based on statistical research of National Health Statistics in 2007. The research intends to find out social implications of the study"s result and further requests, showing differences by women"s age, education level, income level and carrier, focusing on gender gap in mental health, use of medical system and chronic disease like obesity, hypertension, diabetes.
The following points were found throughout this research.
First, a significant difference was shown between men and women regarding mental health such as stress level, melancholia and suicidal thoughts. This result implicates that women"s social position and the environment around their private and public territory have effect on women"s health. Based on the research that one"s social position like education level, income level or job has larger influence on women"s health than they do on men"s health, the result is more obvious.
Second, the rate of mental troubles and chronic diseases appeared to be very high in elderly women. This suggests that current women"s health policies focused on maternal health has to be extended to developing new health indexes and policies regarding women"s life cycle.
Third, the use of medical systems in women appeared to be lower than that in men. One of their biggest reasons was financial problems.
Fourth, a significant difference was shown in the prevalence of chronic disease according to one"s educational level, income level and its occupation.
This analysis is based on the premise that health is influenced by social and psychological factors and that gender discrimination influences to one"s health. Also it is based on the fact that women"s health is influenced by the social roles they are expected to play in every life cycle and the fact that their health status is decided by their social positions. The result of this research should not be focused only at biological sex differences but also at the social implications that are drawn from the study.
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KEYWORD
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women health, gender gap, mental health, medical system use, chronic disease, National Health Statistics
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