Happy International Woman's Day!

March 8 is International Women's Day.  When it comes to health, does gender matter?  Absolutely!

Men and women have different health issues and can be affected in different ways by the same issue.  For example, research shows that heart disease affects women differently than men.

Culturally, women are more likely to be victims of sexual or physical violence than men.  Women are more likely to live in poverty or to be single parents.  All of these factors can have a negative impact on someone's health.  Often, careers tend to be more male- or female-dominated.  Men and women may earn different wages for the same work which can impact on income.

On the other hand, women have longer life expectancy than men and usually build stronger support networks.

Think about your community.  How do gender difference affect the health of people in your community?