Health and social support from a gender perspective

The link among health, well-being and social support is well known. Social support represents an important protective factor against stress both directly (see the main effect hypothesis) and as a mediator (see the stress-buffering hypothesis; Beckman & Syme, 1979; Cohen, 2003). Nevertheless, it fosters health but at the same time may create a burden for those who work as caregivers and perceive the strain of their professional responsibility. Moreover, the relationship between health and social support implies the consideration of gender differences and gender roles. Indeed, in most societies women more often than men offer support, as mothers, daughters, wives, but also in voluntarism and social participation. Therefore, if health is a common good and social support contributes to this phenomenon, it is important to identify processes and mechanisms that favor the development of social networks to functional well-being and to analyze the social conditions that may improve the health status of groups and people. Basic questions should be considered: how do people consider health? Which factors can promote it and what are the causes of disease in the mind of caregivers? How do male and female caregivers consider the health needs referred both to persons to help and to themselves? This contribution presents some theoretical consideration about health and social support from a gender perspective. Then a qualitative research is described. The study involved 35 volunteers in the health domain (51.43% men) who were interviewed about the meaning of health and illness and being in health/illness. Data are presented in order to describe gender differences in the representation of health and illness and to investigate the role social support, both received and given, plays in this representation