Gender in population research: Confusing implications for health policy

In this paper I discuss some of the health policy implications of an increa sing trend in population research and in its interpretation and presentatio n - a trend to 'political correctness' - defined not in the popular, often derogatory, sense, but as an ideological commitment to certain principles. For one of these commitments, that to the notion of gender equality, greate r strength and legitimacy is today commonly sought by tying it to other les s controversial goals such as that of better health. But straining for conn ections between gender equality and positive health outcomes often unduly c onstrains the research question, the research methods, and the interpretati on of the research. When health policy seeks guidance from this research, i t can receive signals which are too often incomplete, silent on the many tr ade-offs of specific policy measures, and, ultimately, perhaps even detrime ntal to the very goals of gender equity and social justice from which they are derived. Examples of all these possibilities are discussed.