Gender differences in disability: Evidence and underlying reasons

Women have greater longevity than men and represent a larger proportion of the expanding older population. Several health, disease, behavioral and soc iodemographic factors contribute to the higher prevalence of disability in women compared to men. This paper presents a review of methodologic and epi demiologic considerations important to our understanding the gender differe nces in the prevalence of disability, and discusses underlying causes for t hese differences. Compared to men, women have a longer duration of life liv ed with disability, in part due to higher prevalence of non-fatal chronic c onditions, constitutional factors such as lower muscle strength and lower b one density, and higher rates of life style factors suck as sedentary behav ior and obesity. Several of these factors are modifiable, and provide impor tant targets for researchers, clinicians, and public health practitioners i n their efforts to reduce the burden of disability in the older population. (C) 2000. Editrice Kurtis.