Resumo de Women's Health

Write your abstract here.Women's health is the concept that examines gender differences in health
and disease states. The average life expectancy has almost doubled for
women (79 years for women and 73 years for men), when compared with
averages during the turn of the century. Because of the gender gap in
lifespan, women comprise approximately two thirds of the population
older than 65 and three fourths of the population aged 85 years and
older. Currently the fastest growing group in the United States is
persons aged 85 years and older. Because of gender life expectancy
differences, it is estimated that at the beginning of the twenty-first
century, women will outnumber men in the 85 years and older category by
3:1. The reasons for this variance are primarily due to physiological
differences among men and women. During
different phases of a women's life cycle there are complex interactions
that exist between sex hormones, physiological changes, and emotional
issues. Physiological changes occur as early as embryonic development
when hormones program structural differences between male and female
brains. During reproductive years, sex hormones profoundly influence
reproduction and development, which creates a spectrum of gender
specific health issues. With advancing
age and onset of menopause, women's risk factors for disease is
comparably similar to men's. Although the same disease may affect women
as men, it is thought that biological mechanisms and psychosocial
differences influence the clinical course of the disease (natural
history) differently in women. The number of women working has doubled
within the past 50 years. The effect of work stress, new environmental
exposures and multiple roles is expected to have health and social impact. The
leading causes of death among women are cardiovascular disease,
malignant cancer, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lung disease,
pneumonia/influenza, and diabetes. Additionally, women can be prone to
osteoporosis, alcohol abuse, psychological disorders, human
immunodeficiency virus infection, and violence. Heart
Disease accounts for approximately a third of all deaths in women.
About 250,000 women die annually of coronary heart disease or a one in
three chance after age 40 years. The incidence of heart disease occurs
about 10 years later in women than in men, since estrogens in
premenopausal women has a protective effect. African American women are
more prone to die from heart disease up to age 75. Beyond 75 years of
age the propensity is reversed. Native American and Hispanic women have
lower death rates from heart disease. Malignant
cancers are the most common cause of premature death among women.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women and the
most commonly diagnosed cancer. Lung cancer, secondary to cigarette
smoking is the leading cause of cancer death among women. Cerebrovascular
disease, or stroked related deaths account for approximately 6% of all
deaths in women and it is the third leading cause of mortality. The
least common form of stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, is the more
common cause in women. The
prevalence of cigarette smoking has increased greatly in women and this
is correlated with pulmonary disease. Death rates for pulmonary disease
including cancer and infectious causes of death are expected to rise
for women. Diabetes,
a leading cause of death in women is more prevalent among Hispanic,
African American, and Native American women. Past age 45, diabetes
affects about one in six women.

Resumos Relacionados