Gender and Health Inequalities: Social Networks in the Context of Health and Health Behavior

Abstract

AbstractThere are significant differences in morbidity (incidence of disease) and mortality (death rate) between men and women. By puberty, male adolescents are more likely to have health problems. During puberty, girls suffer from chronic and mental illnesses and male adolescents are more likely to suffer from acute and life-threatening diseases. Boys and men have riskier health behavior. The field of research mainly relates to the binarity of the sexes—men and women. Studies on trans and queer persons are rare in this field. Networks have a gender-specific effect on risk behavior. Women provide more and more time-consuming social support, even in case of illness. After widowhood, networks have both negative and positive effects, which are gender-specific.