PSYC 320 Lecture Notes - Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Immune System
Document Summary
In childhood, illness behaviour is greater among males than females. The sex difference reverses in adolescence with females reporting greater illness behaviour. In childhood males more likely to employ health care services and more likely to show greater illness behaviour. Too express illness goes against the male gender role and therefore parents view it as a greater problem or more severe illness when their son expresses illness. There are three groups of factors that account for the documented sex differences in health: biological factors, genes: girls xx (may serve as an advantage in health) vs males xy. Xx vs. xy: having a second x chromosome suppresses the expression of many diseases among females (e. g. , haemophilia, duchenne muscular dystrophy, wiskott- Difficulties associated with internal organs, blood vessels that feed the brain may lead to early stroke: hormones: estrogen may have some health protective effects (particularly against heart disease).
