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PubMed2004

Gender differences in the relationships between multiple measures of alcohol consumption and physical and mental health.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological research examining health consequences of alcohol consumption generally relies on average volume consumed, yet examinations of drinking patterns show different dimensions of use associated with different health outcomes. Gender differences in metabolism and body composition may lead to gender-specific consequences of drinking frequency, quantity consumed per occasion, average amount consumed, and drinking pattern. Inconsistent results suggest gender differences are not well understood. METHODS: Participants were 3069 male and 2600 female health maintenance organization survey respondents. Gender differences in relationships between alcohol consumption and health were examined using analyses of covariance adjusting for age alone and for age, ethnicity, marital status, body water index, and smoking. Past-year alcohol consumption (frequency, quantity per occasion, average drinks per month, and drinking pattern) and health measures (Short Form-36 general health, physical functioning, mental health subscales) were examined. RESULTS: Gender x drinking frequency and drinking quantity interactions were significant in age-adjusted and fully adjusted models of general health and physical functioning. Gender interactions for drinking pattern were significant in the age-adjusted model and marginally significant in the fully adjusted model. No gender x drinking measure interactions were found for mental health. Fully adjusted models attenuated but did not eliminate gender differences for health and magnified relationships for functioning, the latter after adjusting for body water. For both genders, light to moderate consumption and more frequent drinking were associated with better health and functioning; relationships were stronger among women than men. CONCLUSIONS: Gender x drinking measure interactions in health outcomes suggest analyses should include such interactions except, possibly, for mental health. Adjusting for potential confounders can attenuate (general health) or magnify (physical functioning) gender differences. Functional status appears a sensitive measure for evaluating gender differences in alcohol's health effects, adjusting for body water. Women's health may benefit proportionally more from moderate drinking than men's.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Gender differences in relapse situations.

Gender differences in variables relating to alcohol treatment are receiving increased attention. Most reports indicate gender differences in both intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental trans-situational variables that relate specifically to women's drinking. This study investigates gender differences in the immediate relapse situation itself. These differences are then examined in the context of trans-situational (i.e. across time) affective and cognitive variables and social support. This report is part of a larger study designed to replicate Marlatt's taxonomy of high risk situations for relapse, and to examine alternative methods of describing relapse situations. Three hundred subjects (169 men, 131 women) were recruited from six different inpatient and outpatient programs. Subjects were asked to identify their last relapse before entering the index treatment. Details of the drinking episode itself were also obtained, e.g. number of drinking days in episode, drinking to intoxication, presence of others. Measures of state and trait affect, expectancies, and social support were also collected. There were no gender differences in Marlatt's taxonomy, or in drinking topography during relapse. At baseline, women reported drinking less, and drinking less often than men. However, women drank to intoxication more often than men. Surprisingly, men relapsed alone more often than did women. Men and women report relapsing frequently with same sex friends, and women showed a tendency to relapse in the presence of romantic partners. Men also tend to report more positive mood states during relapse than women, which is congruent with the finding that women report more depression. Severity of drinking pattern was found to be an important confounding variable in these analyses. It is suggested that gender differences found in individuals in treatment for alcohol problems may reflect societal differences between men and women, and that taking these differences into account in designing treatment programs may improve outcomes.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Cardiovascular risk factors and probability for cardiovascular events in HIV-infected patients. Part II: gender differences.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the side effects of antiretroviral therapy and long term survival there is an increasing concern of an elevated rate of cardiovascular diseases in HIV-infected patients. The present study analysed the cardiovascular risk profile and the probability of cardiovascular events in HIV-infected patients, due to differences of gender. METHODS: Cardiovascular risk factors of 309 HIV-infected adults, including 240 males were analysed. Overall 10-years probability for cardiovascular events was evaluated by the Framingham algorithm. RESULTS: Gender differences were detected in cardiovascular risk factors such as lipid values, blood pressure and the rate of smoking. Tobacco use was much more common in HIV-infected males compared with HIV-infected females (67.5% vs. 49.3%; p<0.001). Although no significant difference was noticed in total cholesterol (5.49 +/- 0.09 vs. 5.53 +/- 0.19 mmol/L, p = 0.84), the HDL-cholesterol concentration was significantly lower (1.09 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.36 +/- 0.06 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and the triglyceride concentration higher (3.01 +/- 0.21 vs. 2.06 +/- 0.26 mmol/L, p = 0.02) in HIV-infected males compared to HIV-infected females. Additionally, systolic blood pressure was higher in HIV-infected males compared with HIV-infected females (123.1 +/- 1.1 vs. 115.4 +/- 2.1 mmHg, p < 0.01). No significant differences were detected in HbA1c concentrations between both groups (5.15 +/- 0.07 vs. 5.31 +/- 0.11, p = 0.26). The overall 10-years probability for cardiovascular events was 8.7% (median) in HIV-infected males and 1.7% in HIV-infected females (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, we observed gender differences in the cardiovascular risk profile of HIV-infected individuals. The risk of premature atherosclerosis and associated cardiovascular events was significantly higher in HIV-infected males.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Gender differences in psychiatric symptoms related to suicidal ideation in Japanese patients with depression.

Recent figures show that more than 30,000 people suicide each year in Japan, and that many of them are considered to suffer from depression. In addition, the suicide rate among Japanese women has been shown to be higher than in other countries. However, it is not clear whether the psychiatric symptoms leading to suicide differ by gender. The authors examined gender differences in psychiatric symptoms related to suicidal ideation (SI) in Japanese patients with depression. Study subjects were 199 new patients (66 men and 133 women) who were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder. SI and psychiatric symptoms were assessed by several psychological tests using questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) with an adjustment for all relevant factors simultaneously. The stepwise method was also used for selecting variables. In univariate analysis, several psychosocial factors such as self-reproach, derealization, depressive moods, depersonalization, and anxiety traits were statistically significantly associated with SI in both men and women. However, multivariate analysis using the stepwise method distinguished gender differences. Low social/family support and depersonalization were statistically significantly associated with SI in men, while depressive moods and an anxiety state were significantly associated with SI in women. The relation between derealization and SI was statistically significant in women but not significant in men.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Conscious and unconscious retrieval in picture recognition: a framework for exploring gender differences.

The authors explored gender differences by examining 2 distinct memory processes involved in recognizing pictures that were scenes captured from videotapes. For Study 1, the authors used a process dissociation procedure (L.J. Anooshian & P.S. Seibert, 1995; L.L. Jacoby, 1991) to obtain separate estimates of the contributions of recollection (conscious retrieval) and sense of familiarity (unconscious retrieval) in recognizing scenes along previously viewed routes of travel. Women obtained higher familiarity scores than did men, whereas no gender difference emerged for conscious recollection. In Study 2, the authors tested both preschool children and adults and found results similar to those in Study 1 for a task with pictures captured from children's cartoons, regardless of age. The results from these studies illustrate the need for greater attention to diverse memory processes when investigating individual differences, including gender differences, in diverse task domains.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Scintigraphic study of gastric emptying and intragastric distribution of a solid meal: gender differences].

Gender-related differences in gastric emptying are still controversial. The aims of this study were: to confirm the sex-related difference in gastric emptying of a solid meal and to investigate its association with different patterns of meal distribution between the proximal and distal gastric compartments. Eighteen healthy volunteers (nine males, mean age 35 +/- 9 years; nine females, mean age: 41 +/- 11 years) were studied in the morning, after ingestion of the solid test-meal (an omelette labeled with 185MBq of 99mTc-sulfur colloid). Simultaneous anterior and posterior images of the stomach were acquired immediately after ingestion of the meal and every 10 minutes for 120 minutes. Time versus activity curves were obtained for the whole, proximal and distal stomach. Gastric T1/2 was longer in women (96.1 +/- 17.2 min) than in men (79.9 +/- 17.8 min; P = 0.02). The analysis of the meal distribution inside the stomach showed no differences between males and females in proximal gastric emptying, but the meal retention in the distal compartment was significantly increased among women (P = 0.04). In conclusion, gastric emptying of a solid meal is slower in pre-menopausal women than in age-matched men, probably due to an increased retention of the meal in the distal compartment. This should be taken into consideration to avoid misleading diagnosis of gastroparesis for female patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Adolescents' attachment style and early experiences: a gender difference.

We examined gender differences in perceived rearing and adult attachment style in adolescents. A total of 3,912 senior college students (1,149 men and 2,763 women) ages 18-23 (men's M = 20.1 years, women's M = 20.0 years) were administered a set of questionnaires including Relationship Questionnaire (to measure adult attachment), the Parental Bonding Instrument (perceived rearing), and a list of early life events. In the men, positive adult total attachment style was predicted by the scores of paternal care and low scores on maternal overprotection in a hierarchical regression analysis. On the other hand, in the women, positive adult total attachment style was predicted by the scores of paternal and maternal care, and low score on maternal overprotection. Adult attachment was also predicted by fewer Peer Victimization experience as a child in both men and women. However, while men's adult attachment was predicted by Self Disease experiences, women's adult attachment was predicted by Top Star experiences and fewer Relocation experiences. The adult attachment style was predictable from early experiences but there existed some gender differences.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Sudden turns and stops while walking: kinematic sources of age and gender differences.

Background: Significant age and gender differences were found among healthy young and older adult subjects in their abilities to quickly turn or stop in order to avoid obstacles that suddenly appear in the gait path (Cao C, Ashton-Miller JA, Schultz AB, Alexander NB. Abilities to turn suddenly: effects of age, gender and available response time. J Gerontol Med Sci 1997;52A:M88-M93; Cao C, Ashton-Miller JA, Schultz AB, Alexander NB. Abilities to stop suddenly: effects of age, gender, gait phase, and available response time. Submitted for publication, 1997 (also available as a chapter in Cao C. Biomechanics of forward momentum arrest when walking: age and gender differences. PhD Dissertation, University of Michigan, 1996). The present study quantified the extent to which age and gender differences in those subjects' response kinematics affected the total time they needed to suddenly arrest their forward momentum. Methods: Age- and gender-group means of four measures of forward movement of the anterior surface of the abdomen were obtained: the duration of the first post-cue response phase, from the visual cue that initiated the arrest response to reaching peak velocity (T1); acceleration (A1) during this phase; and decelerations (D2 and D3) during two subsequent post-cue response phases. A three-line-segment representation of this forward velocity history was constructed. This representation was used to predict the differences in response time needed (NRT) to suddenly arrest momentum that resulted from measured age and gender differences in each of the four response kinematics measures. Results: The largest contributor to the age group difference found in NRT was the increase in T1 among the older adults. Among the older males, the next largest contributor was their larger value of A1, and among the older females, their substantially smaller value of D2. Among the young adults in sudden turns, no single kinematic parameter seemed primarily responsible for the gender difference found in the NRT. Among the older adults, the gender difference in D2 was almost fully responsible for the gender difference in NRT, in both sudden stops and turns. Conclusions: Much of the older adults' need for longer response times than those of the young was attributable to the lengthened first phase of their responses. Older females, in addition, needed longer response times than young adults or older males because, during the second phase of their responses, their decelerations were substantially smaller. These age and gender differences may have arisen in part from known age and gender differences in abilities to develop lower extremity joint torque strengths rapidly. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1991

Gender differences in tobacco use.

Gender differences in overall tobacco use clearly exist. In general, men are more likely to use tobacco products than are women. However, this simple generalization, ignoring type of tobacco products, time, and culture, masks many more interesting gender differences in tobacco use. There are pronounced gender differences in tobacco use of specific tobacco products within some cultures but not others. Yet these differences have changed across time, including narrowing and widening of this gender gap, depending on culture and tobacco product. This article addresses these issues and presents possible psychosocial, biological, and psychobiological explanations for these phenomena. In addition, the implications of these differences and ways to learn more about these important differences are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Gender differences in pain.

Apparent gender differences have been identified in epidemiologic surveys of patients with pain and in clinical studies of responses to pain. Women are reported to have lower pain thresholds and lower pain tolerance than men have. Whether women are more willing to report pain than men are or experience pain differently than men do is unclear. However, beliefs about gender differences and pain affect nurses' decisions made regarding the treatment of pain. This article reviews the literature addressing pain in women and suggests how clinical practice is affected. Literature from Medline (1966 to 1994), CINAHL (1983 to 1994), and Psych-Lit (1967 to 1994) data bases was searched using the key words pain, gender, and sex. Comments in the manuscript reflect only those studies addressing epidemiology, experimentally-induced pain, or pain in the clinical setting. Studies describing gender differences in an animal model were not included. Limitations of space required that representative examples of studies in the major areas be included; others describing similar design and outcome were not included.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Gender differences in local and systemic reactions to inactivated influenza vaccine, established by a meta-analysis of fourteen independent studies.

In order to determine whether there is a difference between genders in reported adverse reactions to inactivated influenza vaccine, a computerized database of serological studies was investigated. A standardized questionnaire was used to evaluate vaccine reactogenicity. A total of 1,800 vaccinees in 14 studies were analyzed separately for two age groups ( < 60 and > or = 60 years of age). Females reported significantly more local reactions than males. The pooled odds ratio for the outcome measure "any local reaction" was 0.32 (95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.40, significant) and 0.54 (95% Cl, 0.41-0.70, significant) for young and elderly adults, respectively. Similar results were obtained for the outcome measure "any systemic reaction." Previous exposure to influenza or influenza vaccine had no influence on reactogenicity. There were no gender differences in sero-responses. In conclusion, gender should be regarded as a predictor of reported reactions to influenza vaccine in both young and elderly adults and should be addressed in future study designs.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Gender differences in substance use among Mexican American school-age children.

This study identified differences in gender between and among fourth, fifth, and sixth grade Mexican American students for use of four specific "minor" substances: cigarettes, beer, wine/liquor, and marijuana. Minor substances are believed to serve as a "gateway" to more intense and frequent use of minor and major substances. Students (N = 2,216; males 52% and females 48%) were surveyed to ascertain information pertaining to their substance use. The chi-square statistic found significant gender differences at the fourth and fifth grade for use of minor substances. Patterns of initiation of minor substance use by gender and grade are discussed in the context of substance use stage theory. Overall, results support the need for further research emphasizing within group variations in the substance use of singular ethnic groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Gender differences in sexual activity among mid-aged adults in Massachusetts.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine if self-reported measures of sexual activity differ between aging men and women. METHODS: Responses to 12 questions concerning various aspects of sexual activity were compared between 349 women and 589 men aged 51-61, who were participants in two larger community surveys in Massachusetts conducted in 1987 and 1988. Comparisons were made by least squares means adjusted for age, socio-demographic and health-related variables. Analyses were stratified by the presence or absence of one or more current sexual partners. RESULTS: Regardless of partner status, overall satisfaction with sex life did not differ between men and women. For those with partners, the mean frequency of intercourse was somewhat higher for women than men, while mean frequency of sexual desire and fantasies was significantly higher for men. Similar results were seen for those without partners, although frequency was lower and did not differ by gender. CONCLUSIONS: We found no gender difference in sexual satisfaction and little difference in frequency in mid-aged adults, but sexual desire and fantasies were more common for men.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Gender differences in relationships between body composition components, their distribution and bone mineral density: a cross-sectional opposite sex twin study.

Numerous studies indicate that bone mineral density (BMD) is closely related to body mass and its components. Most studies have examined these relationships in women with little attention given to how these relationships differ by gender. The aims of the present study were to use the opposite sex twin model to determine if there were gender differences in the relationship between body composition and its relation to BMD and how any such differences were influenced by age. We measured body composition and bone mass by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in 93 pairs of opposite sex twins. To examine the effect of age, they were divided into two age groups: under 50 years old (45 pairs) and over 50 years old (48 pairs). Lean mass (LM) had stronger positive relationships with the most bone variables than fat mass in both genders at all ages. Fat mass (FM) had positive relationships with total body and hip BMD in women under age 50, but not over 50. There was no significant relationship between FM and total or regional BMD in men under age 50, but men over 50 showed positive relationships between FM measures and total and some regional BMD measures. Central adiposity showed a positive relationship with BMD in men over 50 and women under 50. Fat mass (FM) and lean mass (LM) and their distribution in the body have different relationships with regional BMD in men and women that differ by age.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMed2005

Gender differences in religious practices, spiritual experiences and health: results from the US General Social Survey.

Even though a majority of Americans report having spiritual/religious beliefs, the role of different dimensions of spirituality/religiosity in health is not well understood. Moreover, given that the experience of spirituality/religiosity differs for men and women, it is possible that the strength of the association between spirituality/religiosity and health may also differ by gender. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between spirituality/religiosity and three markers of health and well-being, and any gender differences in these relationships. First, we test the hypothesis that engagement with formal religious institutions (i.e. public religious activity) will be more beneficial for men than for women and we examine the role of denominational affiliation in any observed differences. Second, we directly compare effects of three different kinds of religious activities (public and private religious activity and spiritual experience) on health and well-being. Data are from the 1998 US General Social Survey, a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized adults. Participants were asked about the frequency of engaging in public and private religious activities and having spiritual experiences. Psychological distress, happiness and self-rated health were used as indicators of health and well-being. Results suggest that weekly public religious activity was significantly associated with better health and well-being. Furthermore, this relationship was stronger for men than women and was influenced by denominational affiliation. When public religious activity, private religious activity and spiritual experiences were considered simultaneously, public religious activity emerged as the most consistent predictor of health and well-being among men. Among women, both public religious activity and spiritual experiences maintained an independent association with the health and well-being. These results suggest that it may not be appropriate to generalize findings about the relationship between spirituality/religiosity and health from one form of spirituality/religiosity to another, across denominations, or to assume effects are uniform for men and women.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Concepts of self-rated health: specifying the gender difference in mortality risk.

PURPOSE: This study addresses the question of how the relation between self-rated health (SRH) and mortality differs between genders. In addition to the general question, four specific concepts of SRH are distinguished: SRH in comparison with age peers, SRH in comparison with one's own health 10 years ago, and current and future health perceptions. For these concepts, the gender-specific risks of mortality were evaluated for a short and a longer follow-up period. DESIGN AND METHODS: Baseline and mortality data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (N = 1917, initial ages 55-85 years) were used. Mortality risks were evaluated in Cox regression models at 3 and 7.5 years of follow-up, both adjusted for age and for sociodemographic characteristics, indicators of functional and mental health, lifestyle, and social involvement. All SRH measures were scaled from 1 (positive) to 5 (negative). RESULTS: Baseline correlations between SRH concepts were similar for men and women. After 3 years, 12% of the men and 7% of the women had died; after 7.5 years, these percentages were 27 and 15, respectively. In fully adjusted models, current health perceptions predicted 3-year mortality in men (risk ratio of 1.33). At 7.5 years, mortality in men was predicted by current health perceptions and by SRH compared with age peers (risk ratios of 1.25 and 1.23, respectively). In women, no SRH concept predicted either 3-year or 7.5-year mortality. IMPLICATIONS: SRH was a predictor of mortality only in men, not in women. The gender difference showed most clearly at longer follow-up, in the SRH concept "comparison with age peers."

Age Distribution↗

PubMed1995

Gender differences in schizotypic features in a large sample of young adults.

Research with self-report measures of schizotypic or psychosis-prone features in nonclinical populations suggests that, similarly to schizophrenic populations, males score higher on more "negative" schizotypic features and females score higher on more "positive" schizotypic features. We administered the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and the Chapman Scales of Psychosis Proneness--impulsivity/nonconformity, magical ideation, perceptual aberration, physical anhedonia, and social anhedonia--to a large, nonclinical, young adult sample (N = 1179: 453 males and 726 females). Results indicated increased negative symptomatology in males compared with females, but not increased positive symptomatology in females compared with males. Findings on Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire factors suggested that interpersonal deficits differed by gender as well. Finally, a measure of impulsive behavior and nonconformity not typically associated with negative symptomatology indicated gender differences not predicted by a negative/positive dichotomy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

A community study of sleep-disordered breathing in middle-aged Chinese women in Hong Kong: prevalence and gender differences.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in community-based, middle-aged Chinese women, and to compare the differences between gender with a similar study in men. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study conducted in Hong Kong from 1998 to 2000. SETTING: Sleep questionnaires were distributed to women (30 to 60 years old) in three offices and two community centers. All were invited to undergo full polysomnography in a sleep laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Questionnaires were distributed to 1,532 women, and 854 questionnaires were returned. Polysomnography was conducted in 106 respondents. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Conservative estimated prevalence of SDB (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] > = 5) and OSAS (AHI > or = 5 plus excessive daytime sleepiness [EDS]) were 3.7% and 2.1%, respectively. Age-specific prevalence of OSAS was 0.5%, 2.2%, and 6.1% in the 30- to 39-year-old, 40- to 49-year-old, and 50- to 60-year-old age groups, respectively. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis identified body mass index (BMI) and age as predictors of SDB. Compared to Chinese men, the prevalence of SDB and OSAS in women was lower, but the gender difference decreased with age. The AHI of affected women was also significantly lower despite comparable BMI. Compared to men, women with SDB had same degree of self-reported snoring and a similar degree of EDS despite the lower AHI. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated an estimated prevalence of OSAS at 2.1% among middle-aged Chinese women in Hong Kong, with a 12-fold rise from the fourth to the sixth decade of life. BMI and age were significant independent predictors of SDB. Compared to men, women with SDB had lower AHIs, despite similar BMIs.

Adult↗