Women’s health has significantly worsened while that of men has improved since 1990, say scientists who suggests that gender disparities in the society is causing significant harm to the wellbeing of young females.
Researchers at Umea University and Region Norrbotten in Sweden have studied health trends among women and men aged 25 -34 from 1990-2014.
In 1990, 8.5 per cent of women self-rated their health as being worse than peers in their own age group. In 2014, this trend increased to 20 per cent of women.
In contrast, a bigger part of the men self-rated their health as better at the end of the study period compared to the start.
“In recent years, public debate has raised the issue of increased illness and sick leaves among women. Our study now shows, for the first time, that there are corresponding health trends also among young women,” said Annika Forssen, co-author of the study published in the journal PLOS One.
The researchers behind the study have, through a long- term, population-based survey, analysed answers from 1,811 people in the MONICA study in Northern Sweden.
As a part of a standard health check, study participants answered a questionnaire which included questions about self- rated health.
The results also showed that an increased proportion of study participants indicated obesity, anxiety and dissatisfaction with their personal economy, among both women and men.
Simultaneously, the proportion of women and men with high levels of
physical activity increased over the period.