abstract: 'A representative national sample of 2,031 adults aged 18 to 90 was

  interviewed by telephone in 1990. Results showed that men report better

  health than women, but that the gap closes with age. We argue that a

  gender difference in labor and lifestyles explains sex differences in

  perceived health across the life course: gender inequality in paid and

  unpaid work and the subjective experience of inequality disadvantage

  women, whereas lifestyle disadvantages men. Women are less likely to be

  employed, and are more likely to work part-time, have lower incomes and

  more economic hardship, and to do more unpaid domestic labor than men,

  all of which except domestic labor are associated with poor health.

  Domestic labor improves health, up to doing 60 percent of the housework.

  Women also have more distress and fewer subjective work rewards, both of

  which are associated with poor health. If women had the same levels of

  paid work, household income, economic hardship, work rewards, and

  distress as men, their health would equal that of men''s and surpass it

  by age 59. Although we expected to find an overwhelming male

  disadvantage in lifestyle, we did not. Men are more likely than women to

  walk and to exercise strenously, both of which are associated with good

  health. If women''s labor and leisure-time physical activity equalled

  men''s, women over the age of 54 would experience better health than men.

  Men''s lifestyle disadvantage comes from their greater tendency to smoke

  and to be overweight, both of which are associated with poor health.'
affiliation: 'ROSS, CE (Corresponding Author), OHIO STATE UNIV, DEPT SOCIOL, BRICKER
  HALL, 190 N OVAL MALL, COLUMBUS, OH 43210 USA.

  HARVARD UNIV, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 USA.

  TUFTS UNIV NEW ENGLAND MED CTR, BOSTON, MA 02111 USA.'
author: ROSS, CE and BIRD, CE
author_list:
- family: ROSS
  given: CE
- family: BIRD
  given: CE
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.2307/2137363
eissn: 2150-6000
files: []
issn: 0022-1465
journal: JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
keywords-plus: 'LABOR-FORCE PARTICIPATION; ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION; PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY;

  UNITED-STATES; SOCIAL ROLES; MORTALITY; DEPRESSION; ILLNESS; EMPLOYMENT;

  DISEASE'
language: English
month: JUN
number: '2'
number-of-cited-references: '76'
pages: 161-178
papis_id: bc57a0dd041e388f4b9f186d3d216c61
ref: Ross1994sexstratification
researcherid-numbers: Bird, Chloe E/C-7107-2008
times-cited: '198'
title: SEX STRATIFICATION AND HEALTH LIFE-STYLE - CONSEQUENCES FOR MENS AND WOMENS
  PERCEIVED HEALTH
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:A1994PQ26000005
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '31'
volume: '35'
web-of-science-categories: 'Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health; Psychology,
  Social; Social

  Sciences, Biomedical; Sociology'
year: '1994'