Health and Gender Medicine from a Psychosocial Perspective

The past three decades have witnessed numerous changes with respect to the treatment of gender in research on health and quality of life, leading to research in a more inclusive direction that focuses on the experiences of women as well as men. Gender is now considered a significant determinant of health and illness and health care has become more gender-sensitive. Incorporating sex- and gender dimensions in theoretical frameworks concerning various illnesses is not only important for reasons of gender equity. Because many health problems have unequal sex prevalences, the integration of a gender perspective in theory and research is also a necessary tool in obtaining comprehensive, valid knowledge about their relevant etiological factors. The present chapter intends to: a) presenting the main perspectives that address the intrinsic interconnectedness between biological and social dimensions, which lies under gender differences in health and quality of life; and b) exploring how psychology can contribute to the emerging “gender medicine”. Some examples of how a gender perspective can be applied to investigate individuals’ quality of life will be presented.