Gender and Health
It has often been assumed that gender differences in health are inevitable and constant. However, current research is beginning to take a far more critical view of the links between gender and health. Our aim is to examine whether, when and why various aspects of men and women's health are different, so that we can identify possible ways to improve the health of both.
Gender plays an important role in the opportunities and life chances presented to an individual. Recent decades have witnessed considerable changes in men's and women's attitudes, expectations and roles, especially in relation to employment, marriage and the bearing, rearing and day-to-day care of children.
Since these behaviours and roles (and their associated resources) might be directly or indirectly health promoting or health damaging, there is a need for a systematic analysis and review of existing evidence on gender differences in health to disentangle the influences of time and place, and to take a more explicit account of broad, economic factors. Examining health by gender in this way offers the potential to identify important aetiological pathways between social structure and health.
This programme aims to examine:
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gender differences in various dimensions of health, taking into account different historical and cultural contexts;
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the factors involved in men's and women's recognition, reporting and experience of ill health, and help seeking behaviour;
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the acquired risks of ill health (including health related behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and work related and domestic roles) and how these are distributed among and between men and women.
Publications
Maclean A, Hunt K, Sweeting H. Symptoms of mental health problems: children’s and adolescents’ understanding and implications for gender differences in help-seeking. Children & Society (in press).
Smith E, Sweeting H, Wright C. "Do I care ?" Young adults' recalled experiences of early adolescent overweight and obesity - a qualitative study. International Journal of Obesity in press.
Hunt K, Annandale E. Gender and health volume 1: theoretical and methodological developments. Abingdon: Routledge, 2012.
Hunt K, Annandale E. Gender and health volume 2: understanding the patterning of health by gender. Abingdon: Routledge, 2012.
Hunt K, Annandale E. Gender and health volume 3: gender and health care. Abingdon: Routledge, 2012.
Hunt K, Annandale E. Gender and health volume 4: gender and health behaviours. Abingdon: Routledge, 2012.
Jackson CA, Sweeting H, Haw S. Clustering of substance use and sexual risk behaviour in adolescence: analysis of two cohort studies. BMJ Open 2012;2:e000661.
pubmed open accessAdamson J, Hunt K, Nazareth I. The influence of socio-demographic characteristics on consultation for back pain--a review of the literature. Family Practice 2011; 28:163-71.
pubmed open accessBatty GD, Bhaskar A, Emslie C, Benzeval M, Der G, Lewar H, Hunt K. Association of life course socioeconomic disadvantage with problem and heavy drinking: gender differentials in the west of Scotland [Epub ahead of print]. International Journal of Public Health 2011.
pubmedEmslie C, Hunt K, Lyons A. Older and wiser? Men’s and women’s accounts of drinking in early mid-life [Epub ahead of print]. Sociology of Health & Illness.
pubmedEntwistle VA, France EF, Wyke S, Jepson R, Hunt K, Ziebland S, Thompson A. How information about other people's personal experiences can help with healthcare decision-making: a qualitative study. Patient Education and Counselling 2011;85:e291-8.
pubmedFrance E, Wyke S, Ziebland S, Entwistle V, Hunt K. How personal experiences feature in women's accounts of use of information for decisions about antenatal diagnostic testing for foetal abnormality. Social Science & Medicine 2011; 72:755-62.
pubmedFrance EF, Locock L, Hunt K, Ziebland S, Field K, Wyke S. Imagined futures: how experiential knowledge of disability affects parents' decision-making about fetal abnormality [Epub ahead of print]. Health Expectations 2011.
pubmedGray CM, Hunt K, Lorimer K, Anderson AS, Benzeval M, Wyke S. Words matter: a qualitative investigation of which weight status terms are acceptable and motivate weight loss when used by health professionals? BMC Public Health 2011; 11:513
open accessHanewinkel R, Sargent JD, Karlsdottir S, Jonsson SH, Mathis F, Faggiano F, Poelen EAP, Scholte R, Florek E, Sweeting H, Hunt K, Morgenstein M. High youth access to movies that contain smoking in Europe compared with the USA [Epub ahead of print]. Tobacco Control 2011.
pubmedHunt K, Adamson J, Hewitt C, Nazareth I. Do women consult more than men? A review of gender and consultation for back pain and headache. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy 2011; 16:108-17.
pubmed open accessHunt K, Henderson M, Wight D, Sargent JD. Exposure to smoking in films and own smoking amongst Scottish adolescents: a cross-sectional study. Thorax 2011; 66:866-74.
pubmed open accessHunt K, Sweeting H, Sargent J, Lewars H, Young R, West P. An association between seeing incidents of alcohol or drug use in films and young Scottish adults' own alcohol or drug use: cross sectional study. BMC Public Health 2011; 11:259.
pubmed open accessLorimer K, Gray CM, Hunt K, Wyke S, Anderson A, Benzeval M. Response to written feedback of clinical data within a longitudinal study: a qualitative study exploring the ethical implications. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2011; 11:10.
pubmed open accessMacLean A, Egan M, Sweeting H, Adamson J, Hunt K. Systematic Review Protocol: How robust is the evidence of an emerging or increasing female excess in morbidity rates between childhood and adolescence? Glasgow: MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, 2011.
open accessMcCartney G, Mahmood L, Leyland AH, Batty GD, Hunt KM. Contribution of smoking- and alcohol-related deaths to the gender gap in mortality: evidence from 30 European countries. Tobacco Control 2011; 20:166-8.
pubmed open accessMorgenstern M, Poelen EA, Scholte R, Karlsdottir S, Jonsson SH, Mathis F, Faggiano F, Florek E, Sweeting H, Hunt K, Sargent JD, Hanewinkel R. Smoking in movies and adolescent smoking: cross-cultural study in six European countries. Thorax 2011; 66:875-83.
pubmedPhillips C, Hunt K, Der G, Carroll D. Blunted cardiac reactions to acute psychological stress predict symptoms of depression five years later: evidence from a large community study. Psychophysiology 2011; 48:142-8.
pubmedRidge D, Emslie C, White A. Understanding how men experience, express and cope with mental distress: where next? Sociology of Health and Illness 2011; 33:145-59.
pubmed open accessSweeting H, Jackson C, Haw S. Changes in the socio-demographic patterning of late adolescent health risk behaviours during the 1990s: analysis of two West of Scotland cohort studies. BMC Public Health 2011; 11:829.
pubmed open accessSweeting H, West P, Young R, Kelly S. Dimensions of adolescent subjective social status within the school community: description and correlates. Journal of Adolescence 2011; 34:493-504.
pubmed open accessSweeting H. No admittance to obese persons (Gallery). Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2011; 65:386.
pubmedTownsend A. Applying Bourdieu’s theory to accounts of living with multimorbidity [Epub ahead of print]. Journal of Chronic Illness.
pubmedWyke S, Entwistle V, France EF, Hunt K, Jepson R, Thompson A, Ziebland S. Information for choice: what people need, prefer and use. Report for the National Institute for Health Research Service Delivery and Organisation programme. London: NHS National Institute for Health Research Service Delivery and Organisation programme, 2011.
open accessYoung R, Sweeting H, West P. Associations between DSM-IV diagnosis, psychiatric symptoms and morning cortisol levels in a community sample of adolescents [Epub ahead of print]. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.
pubmed open accessGreen G, Emslie C, O'Neill D, Hunt K, Walker S. Exploring the ambiguities of masculinity in accounts of emotional distress in the military among young ex-servicemen. Social Science & Medicine 2010; 71:1480-88.
pubmedHunt K, Adamson J, Ebrahim S, Mutrie N. Exercise and the onset of disability in later life. Journal of Aging and Health 2010; 22:734-47.
pubmedHunt K, Adamson J, Galdas P. Gender and help-seeking: towards gender-comparative studies. In: Kuhlmann E, Annandale E, eds. The Palgrave Handbook of Gender and Healthcare. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
MacLean A, Sweeting H, Hunt K. ‘Rules’ for boys, ‘guidelines’ for girls: gender differences in symptom reporting during childhood and adolescence. Social Science & Medicine 2010; 70:597-604.
Sweeting H, West P, Young R, Der G. Can we explain increases in young people's psychological distress over time? Social Science & Medicine 2010; 71:1819-30.
pubmed open accessWest P, Sweeting H, Young R, Kelly S. The relative importance of family socioeconomic status and school-based peer hierachies for morning cortisol in youth: an exploratory study. Social Science & Medicine 2010; 79:1246-53.
pubmed open accessWest P, Sweeting H, Young R. Transition matters: pupils' experiences of the primary-secondary school transition in the West of Scotland and consequences for well-being and attainment. Research Papers in Education 2010; 25:21-50.
open accessBatty GD, Hunt K, Emslie C, Lewars H, Gale C. Alcohol problems and all-cause mortality in men and women: predictive capacity of a clinical screening tool in a 21 year follow-up of a large, UK-wide, general population-based survey. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2009; 66:317-21.
Batty GD, Lewars H, Emslie C, Gale C, Hunt K. Internationally recognised guidelines for 'sensible' alcohol consumption: is exceeding them actually detrimental to health and social circumstances? Evidence from a population-based cohort study. Journal of Public Health 2009; 31:360-5.
Emslie C, Browne S, MacLeod U, Rozmovits L, Mitchell E, Ziebland S. ‘Getting through’ not ‘going under’: a qualitative study of men’s and women’s experiences of spousal support after diagnosis with colorectal cancer. Social Science & Medicine 2009;68:1169-76.
Emslie C, Lewars H, Batty GD, Hunt K. Are there gender differences in levels of heavy, binge and problem drinking? Evidence from three generations in the west of Scotland. Public Health 2009; 123:12-14.
Emslie C, Mitchell R. Are there gender differences in the geography of alcohol-related mortality in Scotland? An ecological study. BMC Public Health 2009; 9:58.
Gurney S. Gender, work-life balance and health amongst women and men in administrative, manual and technical jobs in a single organisation: a qualitative study [PhD]. Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2009.
open accessHilton S, Emslie C, Hunt K, Chapple A, Ziebland S. Disclosing a cancer diagnosis to friends and family: a gendered analysis of young men and women’s experiences. Qualitative Health Research 2009; 19:744-54.
Hunt K, France E, Ziebland S, Field K, Wyke S. "My brain couldn't move from planning a birth to planning a funeral": a qualitative study of parents' experiences of decisions after ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2009; 46:1111-21.
Hunt K, Sweeting H, Sargent J, Lewars H, Dal Cin S, Worth K. An examination of the association between seeing smoking in films and tobacco use in young adults in the West of Scotland: cross-sectional study. Health Education Research: Theory and Practice 2009; 24:22-31.
Phillips AC, Gallagher S, Hunt K, Der G, Carroll D. Symptoms of depression in non-routine caregivers: the role of caregiver strain and burden. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 2009; 48:335-46.
Batty GD, Deary IJ, Schoon I, Emslie C, Hunt K, Gale C. Childhood mental ability and adult alcohol intake and alcohol problems: The 1970 British Cohort study. American Journal of Public Health 2008: 98; 2237-43.
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Batty GD, Lewars H, Emslie C, Benzeval M, Hunt K. Problem drinking and exceeding guidelines for 'sensible' alcohol consumption in Scottish men: associations with life course socioeconomic disadvantage in a population-based cohort study. BMC Public Health 2008; 8:302.
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Emslie C, Hunt K. The weaker sex? Exploring lay understandings of gender differences in life expectancy: a qualitative study. Social Science & Medicine 2008; 67:808-16.
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Gallagher S, Phillips AC, Evans P, Der G, Hunt K, Carroll D. Caregiving is associated with low secretion rates of immunoglobulin A in saliva. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 2008; 22:565-72.
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Hilton S, Hunt K, Emslie C, Salinas M, Ziebland S. Have men been overlooked? A comparison of young men and women's experiences of chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Psycho-Oncology 2008; 17:577-83.
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Townsend A, Wyke S, Hunt K. Frequent consulting and multiple morbidity: a qualitative comparison of 'high' and 'low' consulters of general practitioners. Family Practice 2008; 25:168-75.
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Emslie C, Ridge D, Ziebland S, Hunt K. Exploring men's and women's experiences of depression and engagement with health professionals: more similarities than differences? A qualitative interview study. BMC Family Practice 2007; 8:43.
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Emslie C, Whyte F, Campbell A, Mutrie N, Lee L, Ritchie D, Kearney N. "I wouldn't have been interested in just sitting round a table talking about cancer"; exploring the experiences of women with breast cancer in a group exercise trial. Health Education Research: Theory and Practice 2007; 22:827-838.
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Hunt K, Lewars H, Emslie C, Batty GD. Decreased risk of death from coronary heart disease amongst men with higher 'femininity' scores: a general population cohort study. International Journal of Epidemiology 2007; 36:612-620.
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Mutrie N, Campbell A, Whyte F, McConnachie A, Emslie C, Lee L, Kearney N, Walker A, Ritchie D. Benefits of supervised group exercise programme for women being treated for early stage breast cancer: pragmatic randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal 2007;334:517-520.
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Elliott AM, Hannaford PC, Smith BH, Wyke S, Hunt K. Symptom experience and subsequent mortality: results from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study. BMC Health Services Research 2006; 6:158-167.
Emslie C, Hunt K. Genetic Susceptibility. In: Clarke A, Ticehurst F, eds. Living With The Genome. Ethical and Social Aspects of Human Genetics. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006:102-7
Hunt K, Sweeting H, Keoghan M, Platt S. Sex, gender role orientation, gender role attitudes and suicidal thoughts in three generations. A general population study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiolgy 2006; 41:641-647.
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Emslie C, Hunt K, Watt G. A chip off the old block? Lay understandings of inheritance amongst men and women in mid-life. Public Understanding of Science 2003; 12:47-65.
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Emslie C, Hunt K, Watt G. "I'd rather go with a heart attack than drag on". Lay images of heart disease and the problems they present for primary and secondary prevention. Coronary Health Care 2001; 5:25-32.
Emslie C, Hunt K, Watt G. Invisible women? The importance of gender in lay beliefs about heart problems. Sociology of Health & Illness 2001; 23:201-231.
Hunt K, Emslie C, Watt G. Lay constructions of a 'family history' of heart disease: potential for misunderstandings in the clinical encounter? Lancet 2001; 357:1168-1171.
pubmedHunt K, Emslie C. Commentary: the prevention paradox in lay epidemiology - Rose revisited. International Journal of Epidemiology, 2001; 30:442-446.
pubmedMcConnachie A, Hunt K, Emslie C, Hart C, Watt G. 'Unwarranted survivals' and 'anomalous deaths' from coronary heart disease: prospective survey of general population. British Medical Journal 2001; 323:1487-1491.
pubmed open accessHunt K, Davison C, Emslie C, Ford G. Are perceptions of a family history of heart disease related to health-related attitudes and behaviours? Health Education Research: Theory and Practice 2000; 15:131-143.
pubmedHunt K, Emslie C, Watt G. Barriers rooted in biography: how interpretations of family patterns of heart disease and early life experiences may undermine behavioural change in mid-life. In: Graham H, ed. Understanding Health Inequalities. Buckingham: Open University Press, 2000:113-126.
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