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Gender differences of depressive symptoms in depressed and nondepressed elderly persons.

OBJECTIVES: Women suffer more frequently from major depression and depressive symptoms than men. The somatic and the atypical subtype of depression seem to be more prevalent in women. However, few studies investigated gender differences of depressive symptoms in the elderly. These gender differences in the elderly will be investigated in the present study. METHODS: In the course of a family study 236 subjects with a lifetime diagnosis of major depression aged > 50 years and 357 control subjects from the general population matched for age and gender were questioned using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Chi-square tests were used to compare the individual depressive symptoms between men and women and logistic regression analyses were performed to account for the subjects' age, cognitive performance, family and employment status. RESULTS: Women in the general population suffered from more depressive symptoms than men and had more appetite disturbance and joylessness. These gender differences could be entirely explained by gender differences in the family and the employment status. Men and women with a major depressive disorder presented with a distinct profile of symptoms that could not be explained by psychosocial factors: elderly depressed women presented with more appetite disturbances and elderly depressed men with more agitation. CONCLUSION: Major depression in the elderly presents with partially different symptoms in men and women. The results suggest that the gender differences in the symptoms of major depression in the elderly reflect gender differences in the perception and the expression of depressive syndromes.

Aged↗

Gender differences across race/ethnicity in use of health care among Medicare-aged Americans.

BACKGROUND: Despite Medicare, medical services are not equally used by elderly women and men in the United States. Our purpose is to examine gender differences in healthcare utilization among older Americans, the persistence of gender differences across race/ethnicity, and the roles of sociodemographic, health, and economic factors to explain differences. METHODS: Data from the 1998-2000 Health and Retirement Study are used to investigate gender differences in use of hospital, outpatient surgery, home health, and physician services. Analyses are controlled for sociodemographic, health (medical conditions, functional health), and economic (income, wealth, education, health insurance) factors. RESULTS: Women are significantly less likely to use hospital service (odds ratio [OR]=0.83) and outpatient surgery (OR=0.85) but are more likely to use home health care (OR=1.27) and physician services (OR=1.45), controlling for sociodemographics. Differences in health needs and economic resources partially mediate the gender differences in physician and home healthcare utilization but do not explain the gender differences in hospital service and outpatient surgery. Notably, African American, Hispanic, and white women compared with men show significantly less use of hospital services. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences in medical use vary according to the type of services used and are largely consistent across racial/ethnic groups. As the size of the Medicare population increases, promoting equitable use of healthcare resources by both women and men is an important issue in developing healthcare policy and designing public health strategies.

Black or African American↗

Creatine kinase: race-gender differences in patients hospitalized for suspected myocardial infarction.

Race-gender differences in creatine kinase values were studied in 647 consecutive patients admitted for suspected myocardial infarction. The lowest value in a serial set for each patient was used for group comparisons. Significant differences were found between Hispanic females and black males, using standard values. Using log creatine kinase values, significant differences were found among blacks, Caucasians, and Hispanics. Males had higher log creatine kinase values than females, but no differences were found between sexes within racial groups. Body surface area differences (significant between males and females) did not explain all of the racial-gender differences found. Reexamination of ranges of normality, taking into account race-gender differences, is strongly supported by these data.

Asian People↗

Gender differences in physical activity in older children and adolescents: the central role of organized sport.

Previous studies have generally had limited success in accounting for gender differences in leisure time physical activity. Based on a representative national survey of 3270 Icelandic 6th, 8th and 10th grade students, the study found that girls' lower enrollment in organized sport clubs fully accounts for gender differences in frequency of overall physical activity, and largely accounts for gender differences in frequency of strenuous activity, and weekly hours of overall and strenuous activity (enrollment hypothesis). Furthermore, girls' higher sport club withdrawal rate accounted for a small but significant part of the gender difference in weekly hours of overall activity and frequency of strenuous activity (withdrawal hypothesis). No evidence was found to suggest that different activity levels of boys and girls enrolled in the clubs affected gender differences in levels of overall or strenuous physical activity (activity differential hypothesis). Other independent variables, i.e., perceived importance of sport achievement, sport and exercise related instruction, physical education experiences, and social modeling, did not significantly affect observed gender differences beyond the sport club variables. The meaning of the results, and their implications for gender disparities, health promotion, and future research are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Differential gender differences in ischemic and nephrotoxic acute renal failure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent work has shown that female animals are more resistant to ischemic acute renal failure (ARF) than male animals. The mechanism underlying the gender difference is unclear. Moreover, whether the gender difference holds true for ARF induced by other insults is unknown. This study sought to determine the gender differences in ischemic and nephrotoxic ARF. METHODS: Gender differences were tested in two experimental models of ARF. For ischemic ARF, bilateral clamping of renal pedicles was conducted in C57BL/6 and 129/Sv mice followed by reperfusion. For nephrotoxic ARF, cisplatin was administered to the animals. Renal function, tissue damage, animal survival, and renal cell apoptosis were examined. RESULTS: Ischemic ARF was significantly ameliorated in female mice, as shown by lower serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Female mice also showed better renal histology, less apoptosis and caspase activation, and a much better survival rate than male mice following ischemic insult. On the contrary, female mice were more sensitive to cisplatin-induced ARF. In these animals, BUN increased at day 1 following cisplatin injection, while in males BUN increases were not shown until day 3. Higher levels of serum creatinine were also recorded in female mice. Renal histology showed severer necrotic tubular damage in females, although apoptosis and caspase activation appeared similar in both genders. Consistently, male mice survived better than females in the nephrotoxic model. CONCLUSION: While female mice were resistant to ischemic ARF, they appeared more sensitive to cisplatin-induced ARF. Investigation of the gender differences at the cellular and molecular levels might provide a new area for mechanistic study of ARF.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Gender differences in the phenomenology of bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate gender differences in the phenomenology of episodes in bipolar disorder as according to ICD-10. METHODS: All patients who got a diagnosis of a manic episode/bipolar disorder in a period from 1994 to 2002 at the first outpatient treatment ever or at the first discharge from psychiatric hospitalization ever in Denmark were identified in a nationwide register. RESULTS: Totally, 682 outpatients and 1037 inpatients got a diagnosis of a manic episode/bipolar disorder at the first contact ever. Significantly more women were treated as outpatients than as inpatients. Women were treated for longer periods as inpatients but not as outpatients. In both settings, the prevalence of depressive versus manic/mixed episodes was similar for men and women and the severity of manic episodes (hypomanic /manic without psychosis/manic with psychosis) and the severity of depressive episodes (mild/moderate/severe without psychosis/severe with psychosis) did not differ between genders. The prevalence of psychotic symptoms at first contact was the same for both genders. Among patients treated in outpatient settings more men than women presented with comorbid substance abuse and among patients treated during hospitalization more women than men presented with mixed episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Besides differences in the prevalence of mixed episodes and comorbid substance abuse few gender differences are found among patients presenting with a manic episode/bipolar disorder at first contact in psychiatric inpatient or outpatient hospital settings.

Bipolar Disorder↗

Gender differences in post-infarction hypertrophy in end-stage failing hearts.

OBJECTIVES: We explored whether there are gender differences in cardiac remodeling and whether etiology influences organ and cellular remodeling in advanced heart failure (HF). BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown a survival benefit for women compared to men with symptomatic HF. This observation may be related to gender differences in cardiac remodeling. METHODS: We studied hearts from 100 patients (72 men and 28 women) receiving cardiac transplantation at our institution. Cardiac morphology was assessed with echocardiography and direct measurement of cardiac mass. Cardiac myocyte volume, length, width, cross-sectional area, and contraction were measured using previously validated techniques. RESULTS: Among 50 patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy (CM), we observed no gender-based differences in cardiac or cellular remodeling. In contrast, among 50 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), the heart weight index was significantly greater in men, and there was a strong trend toward an increased left ventricular (LV) mass index as well. These gender differences in cardiac and LV mass were paralleled by marked gender differences in myocyte volume, such that average myocyte volume was 36% greater in men than in women, in association with a 14% increase in resting cell length. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies demonstrate a multilevel gender difference in post-infarction remodeling, with women exhibiting reduced hypertrophy. Our studies further demonstrate that gender differences in cardiac remodeling in ICM are largely related to fundamental differences in cellular remodeling rather than simply differences in infarct size or expansion. Distinctions observed between ischemic and idiopathic CM suggest that gender may influence local myocardial responses to injury.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

Drinking patterns and their gender differences in Europe.

AIMS: To compare drinking habits and to examine differences between drinking cultures in different regions and countries in Europe; to examine gender differences in drinking habits and to compare them over countries. METHODS: Data consisted of independently conducted, centrally analysed surveys in the general population aged 20-64 years in 14 European countries. Central measures were abstention, frequency and volume of drinking overall and by beverage type, amounts drunk per drinking day, and heavy episodic drinking. RESULTS: There were clear gender differences in all drinking measures, except for wine drinking. Differences between genders were often smaller than average in northern Europe. Gender ratios did not show systematic changes by age, with the exception that young men and women differed less than older men and women in the frequency of heavy episodic drinking. The results on beverage preferences indicate that the distinction among wine/beer/spirits cultures have implicitly been based on male drinking. Our expectation was for more daily light drinking integrated in everyday life in the Mediterranean countries, more heavy episodic drinking associated with weekends and celebrations in the North, with the traditional beer countries somewhere in between. The differences observed were usually in the direction expected. However, no country represented an ideal type of drinking culture, i.e. drinking for 'mood-changing effects' only or for 'nutritional purposes' only; all countries were mixtures of these two extremes. CONCLUSIONS: There were clear and consistent gender differences in all countries, while the differences in drinking between countries and regions were not as obvious.

Adult↗

Gender differences in episodic memory.

The relationship between gender and memory has been largely neglected by research, despite occasional studies reporting gender differences in episodic memory performance. The present study examined potential gender differences in episodic memory, semantic memory, primary memory, and priming. Five hundred thirty women and 470 men, randomly sampled from the city of Umeå, Sweden, 35-80 years of age, participated in the study. There were no differences between men and women with regard to age or education, or on a measure of global intellectual functioning. As has been demonstrated previously, men out performed women on a visuospatial task and women outperformed men on tests of verbal fluency. In addition, the results demonstrated that women consistently performed at a higher level than did men on the episodic memory tasks, although there were no differences between men and women on the tasks assessing semantic memory, primary memory, or priming. The women's higher level of performance on the episodic memory tasks could not be fully explained by their higher verbal ability.

Adult↗

Gender difference in letrozole pharmacokinetics in rats.

AIM: To study gender difference in letrozole (Letr) pharmacokinetics in rats. METHODS: Letr concentrations in plasma and tissues were determined after ig administration of Letr 2 mg/kg. Recoveries of Letr in urine and feces were also analyzed. RESULTS: Marked gender differences were found 6 h after ig Letr 2 mg/kg, the plasma concentrations of Letr in male rats were significantly (P < 0.01) lower than those in female rats. For example, at 24, 36, 48, and 72 h after administration, plasma concentrations in female rats were about 3.3, 5.6, 10.5, and 7.4-fold of that of male rats, respectively. AUC value of Letr in male was only about one-third of that in female rats. Estimated terminal phase half-lives (T1/2) were 10.5 and 40.4 h, respectively. In female rats, cumulative excreted fractions of Letr in urine and feces were 5.8% +/- 1.4% and 6.6% +/- 1.1% within 120 h after administration, respectively, but in male rats, the excreted fractions of Letr in urine and feces were only 1.30% +/- 0.59% and 0.87% +/- 0.31%. Letr concentrations in female rat tissues were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than those in male rat tissues 24 h after administration. CONCLUSION: There are marked gender differences in Letr pharmacokinetics in rats.

Animals↗

Gender difference in diastolic function in hypertension (the HyperGEN study).

Although several studies indicate that there are gender differences in left ventricular (LV) systolic function, it remains unclear whether similar differences exist with regard to diastolic function. Accordingly, Doppler echocardiograms were analyzed in 515 male and 839 female, mostly treated (95%) hypertensive participants enrolled in the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) study with no evidence of abnormal wall motion or significant valvular heart disease. There was no difference in age between genders, but after adjusting for age and race, men had lower body mass indexes (29.8 +/- 5.2 vs 32.3 +/- 7.6 kg/m(2)) and heart rates (67 +/- 12 vs 69 +/- 11 beats/min) and higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BP) than women (134 +/- 20 vs 130 +/- 21 and 80 +/- 11 vs 72 +/- 11 mm Hg, all p <0.001). LV mass/height(2.7) was slightly greater in women than in men (43 +/- 10 vs 42 +/- 9 g/m(2.7), p <0.05). After adjusting for age, race, systolic BP, body mass index, heart rate, and LV hypertrophy, both mitral E-wave (70 +/- 18 vs 77 +/- 19) and A-wave (74 +/- 15 vs 79 +/- 17, both p <0.001) velocities were lower in men than in women, but the mitral E/A ratio and atrial filling fraction were nearly identical in both genders. Deceleration time (221 +/- 55 vs 214 +/- 46 cm/s, p = 0.018) and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) were longer in men than in women (85 +/- 18 vs 81 +/- 17 cm/s, p <0.001). Prolonged IVRT was present in more men than women (14% vs 7%, p <0.05). In analyses of covariance, adjusting for age, race, systolic BP, body mass index, heart rate, and medications, male gender remained related to prolonged deceleration time and IVRT. Thus, in this population-based sample of hypertensive adults, men had evidence of slower early diastolic LV filling than women. This gender difference in diastolic function may provide insight into gender differences in congestive heart failure and other specific cardiovascular diseases.

Age Distribution↗

Gender differences among pathological gamblers seeking treatment.

This study investigated gender differences among treatment-seeking pathological gamblers. During treatment intake, 115 pathological gamblers completed the Addiction Severity Index (ASI; A. T. McLellan et al., 1985), including a section on gambling severity, as well as the South Oaks Gambling Screen (H. R. Lesieur & S. B. Blume, 1987). When age and income were controlled, gender differences emerged in ASI gambling, alcohol, and legal scores. Men initiated gambling, began gambling regularly, tried to stop gambling, and first entered gambling treatment at a younger age than women. Women were more likely to be living with someone with a gambling or drinking problem but themselves had fewer alcohol and legal problems. Results suggest that gender differences exist in the initiation of gambling dysfunction and its psychosocial correlates. Understanding these differences may assist in developing treatments that address differential needs of male and female pathological gamblers.

Adult↗

Mate selection preferences: gender differences examined in a national sample.

Social psychologists have devoted considerable theoretical and empirical attention to studying gender differences in traits desired in a mate. Most of the studies on mate preferences, however, have been conducted with small, nonrepresentative samples. In this study, we analyzed data collected from single adults in a national probability sample, the National Survey of Families and Households. Respondents were asked to consider 12 possible assets or liabilities in a marriage partner and to indicate their willingness to marry someone possessing each of these traits. These data extended previous research by comparing men's and women's mate preferences in a heterogeneous sample of the national population and by comparing gender differences in different sociodemographic groups. The gender differences found in this study were consistent with those secured in previous research (e.g., youth and physical attractiveness were found to be more important for men than for women; earning potential was found to be less important for men than for women) and were quite consistent across age groups and races. However, the various sociodemographic groups differed slightly in the magnitude of gender differences for some of the mate preferences.

Adult↗

Gender differences in symptoms of depression among adolescents.

In this paper, we examine sources of gender differences in depressive symptoms among adolescents. Using data collected from a self-administered survey of 306 high school students, we examine differences in the impact of life events, psychosocial resources, and parent-child relationships on levels of psychological distress. Our results confirm a substantial gender difference in level of psychological distress. Moreover, analyses indicate that this gender difference may be due largely to higher levels of self-esteem among males and a tendency for adolescents to perceive their fathers to be overprotective. There is, however, also evidence that other psychosocial resources and parent-child relationships are implicated in this gender difference. We also present analyses to support our contention that parent-child relationships have important effects on the development of psychosocial resources of adolescents that, in turn, influence levels of depressive symptoms.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

The gender difference on the Mental Rotations test is not due to performance factors.

Men score higher than women on the Mental Rotations test (MRT), and the magnitude of this gender difference is the largest of that on any spatial test. Goldstein, Haldane, and Mitchell (1990) reported finding that the gender difference on the MRT disappears when "performance factors" are controlled--specifically, when subjects are allowed sufficient time to attempt all items on the test or when a scoring procedure that controls for the number of items attempted is used. The present experiment also explored whether eliminating these performance factors results in a disappearance of the gender difference on the test. Male and female college students were allowed a short time period or unlimited time on the MRT. The tests were scored according to three different procedures. The results showed no evidence that the gender difference on the MRT was affected by the scoring method or the time limit. Regardless of the scoring procedure, men scored higher than women, and the magnitude of the gender difference persisted undiminished when subjects completed all items on the test. Thus there was no evidence that performance factors produced the gender difference on the MRT. These results are consistent with the results of other investigators who have attempted to replicate Goldstein et al.'s findings.

Adolescent↗

Dissociation and eating psychopathology: gender differences in a nonclinical population.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated gender differences in the relationship between dissociation and eating psychopathology in a non-eating-disordered population. METHOD: Two hundred forty-nine male and female students completed the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI). RESULTS: In both men and women, dissociative experiences were linked more with underlying ego dysfunction than with eating behaviors per se. Specific gender differences were found. Women's EDI scores were most strongly associated with experiences of depersonalization and derealization, although absorption may play an indirect role via poor impulse regulation. In contrast, men's EDI scores were most strongly associated with experiences of amnesia and imaginative absorption. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that it is not adequate to consider dissociation as a unitary construct when examining its link to eating problems. While the findings require replication with a clinical group, the gender differences in the DES-EDI link highlight a potential need to address different defensive styles when working with male and female clients.

Adolescent↗

Gender differences in caregiver stressors, social resources, and health: an updated meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis integrates results from 229 studies on gender differences in caregiver psychological and physical health, caregiving stressors, and social resources. Contrary to common perceptions, gender differences in caregiving variables were small to very small. Women had higher levels of burden and depression, and lower levels of subjective well-being and physical health. They reported that their care recipient had more behavioral problems; they provided more caregiving hours, helped with more caregiving tasks, and assisted with more personal care. Women and men did not differ in the use of informal and formal support. Statistically controlling for gender differences in stressors and resources reduced the size of gender differences in depression and physical health to levels that have been observed in noncaregiving samples. The results support stress-and-coping theories on gender differences in caregiving.

Aged↗

Gender differences in language of AD patients: a longitudinal study.

We examined gender differences in probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients on language measures at four data collections (entry, 6, 12, and 18 months) and a normal elderly (NE) comparison group at entry and 18 months. Comparison of gender differences in language abilities of 60 (29 men, 31 women) early (Clinical Dementia Ratings I and II) AD subjects at entry revealed significant effects for gender on the Boston Naming Test (BNT) and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) but not on the Word Fluency Test, shortened Token Test, or modified Reporter's Test. The 37 subjects (18 men, 19 women) who completed less than four data collection sessions compared with the 23 subjects (11 men, 12 women) who completed all four sessions differed on education and Reporter's Test scores. Longitudinal analysis of measures showed that gender differences persisted for the BNT and PPVT-R and that time differences were found on all measures. Gender differences remained after correcting for age, education, duration of illness, and mental status. We found no differences for the NE comparison group for gender or time. All AD subject trends were downward, suggesting that (1) language is affected over time in AD, (2) both men and women decline at similar rates, and (3) language abilities of women are more severely impaired at all time points.

Aged↗