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Gender-specific responses to social determinants associated with self-perceived health in Taiwan: A multilevel approach

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  • Chen, Duan-Rung
  • Chang, Ly-Yun
  • Yang, Meng-Li

Abstract

There are well-documented gender differences in health. However, few studies have considered that the associations of personal and household characteristics with perceived health may vary between men and women because of their different socialized gender roles. This study investigates gender differences in health and addresses gender-specific responses to individual- and household-level determinants of health. We analyze the data of the 2001 Social Development Survey on Health and Safety, which consists of a representative sample of all registered households in Taiwan. Our findings give limited support to the hypothesis that women and men are differently associated with social determinants of health. We observe a significant gender gap in self-perceived health even after controlling for various health determinants. Notwithstanding, men and women are similar in many important aspects in relation to social determinants of health. Gender-specific responses are found only in the impacts of employment status, stressful life events, own disability, and number of family members with a disability. Men report having poorer health than women when being disabled and facing stressful events. Women's perceived health is at a higher risk when family members require short-term, intensive care. Further consideration of the observed, gender-specific responses to health determinants shed insight on the possible social and cultural relevance behind gender differences in self-perceived health.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Duan-Rung & Chang, Ly-Yun & Yang, Meng-Li, 2008. "Gender-specific responses to social determinants associated with self-perceived health in Taiwan: A multilevel approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(10), pages 1630-1640, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:67:y:2008:i:10:p:1630-1640
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    Cited by:

    1. Tharp, Derek & Parks-Stamm, Elizabeth, 2020. "Examining Gender Differences in Predictors of Financial Satisfaction: Evidence from Taiwan," SocArXiv 2yvjs, Center for Open Science.
    2. Chen, Duan-Rung & Wen, Tzai-Hung, 2010. "Socio-spatial patterns of neighborhood effects on adult obesity in Taiwan: A multi-level model," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(6), pages 823-833, March.
    3. Jeremy Mennis & Suzanne Lashner Dayanim & Heidi Grunwald, 2013. "Neighborhood Collective Efficacy and Dimensions of Diversity: A Multilevel Analysis," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 45(9), pages 2176-2193, September.
    4. Pavel Grigoriev & Olga Grigorieva, 2011. "Self-perceived health in Belarus: Evidence from the income and expenditures of households survey," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 24(23), pages 551-578.

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