Most people do not think about their health or issues revolving around their health until they are actually ill or people think that their health is only affected by biological factors. However, our health should be a focus in our lives because our daily life has an affect on our health. Illness does not only have biological causes but is also influenced by social factors such as the socially imposed roles of gender and socioeconomic differences.

Before the affect of gender on health can be discussed, the difference between gender and sex must first defined. Sex refers to actual physiological and hormonal differences between men and women; gender refers to the differences that are imposed by society. Statistics have shown that women have higher rates of morbidity but men have shorter life spans. This means that although women live longer than men, those years are not healthy years but rather are filled with illness. This cannot be completely explained by biological causes but the affect of social factors must be taken into account.

There are two types of gender difference disease: completely biological and biological amplified by social. Examples of completel

These various stressors of everyday life caused by gender differences and differences in socioeconomic status can have a more profound affect than they seem

Those of lower socioeconomic status suffer from higher exposure to health risks as compared to the general population. Poor housing and overcrowding can increase stress levels can thereby increase risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Pollution, dust, smoke, and roach eggs have been linked to the development of chronic asthma in children who grew up in such environments. Such poor living conditions often have poor facilities such as outdated plumbing systems which can increase the amount of contaminants in the water and lead paint which can cause lead poisoning especially in small children. Those of a higher socioeconomic status have the money so that they can move out of urban areas away from pollution.

Rieker, Patricia P. and Chloe E. Bird. "Sociological Explanations of Gender Differences In Mental and Physical Health." Handbook of Medical Sociology. Ed. Chloe E. Bird, et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice, 2000. 98-113.

The stress of everyday life can also affect health. Those of a lower socioeconomic status have higher levels o

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