Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Primary Care

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Health and Gender

  • 644 Accesses

Abstract

Gender medicine aims to improve the health condition of women and men by intervening both on the disease as a disorder requiring multidimensional care and on lifestyles that represent substantial risk factors. Gender is related to behavior and life experience: it influences the adoption of healthy habits, access and use of the health-care services, and the attitude of medical personnel [1]. The final objective is to reduce the incidence of disabling chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular and respiratory ones, cancer, and diabetes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Regitz-Zagrosek V. Sex and gender differences in health. EMBO Rep. 2012;13(7):596–603.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Alberts SC, Archie EA, Gesquiere LR, Altmann J, Vaupel JW, Christensen K. The male-female health-survival paradox: a comparative perspective on sex differences in aging and mortality. In: Weinstein M, Lane MA, editors. Sociality, hierarchy, health: comparative biodemography: a collection of papers. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2014. p. 339–64.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Cavazza G, Malvi C. La fragilità degli anziani [The fragility of the elderly]. Santarcangelo di Romagna, RN: Maggioli Editore; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  4. World Health Organization. Update on the WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. 2014. http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB136/B136_10-en.pdf.

  5. Save the Children. Surviving the first day: state of the world’s mothers. London, UK: Save the Children; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Singh S, Darroch JE, Ashford LS. Adding it up: the costs and benefits of investing in sexual and reproductive health, 2014. New York: Guttmacher Institute; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  7. National Institute of Statistics. Leading causes of death in Italy, year 2012. https://www.istat.it/en/files/2014/12/Leading-causes-of-death.pdf?title=Leading+causes+of+death+in+Italy+-+3+Dec+2014+-+Full+text.pdf.

  8. National Institute of Statistics. Annual report 2014 – the state of the Nation. http://www.istat.it/en/files/2014/06/Sintesi-rapp-ann-2014-en1.pdf.

  9. Cipriani F, Baldasseroni A, Franchi S. Lotta alla sedentarietà e promozione dell’attività fisica [Fight against sedentariness and promotion of physical activity]. Roma: National System Guidelines; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  10. World Health Organization. Breast cancer: prevention and control. 2011. http://www.who.int/cancer/detection/breastcancer/en.

  11. World Health Organization (WHO). Global recommendations on physical activity for health. 2010. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/44399/1/9789241599979_eng.pdf.

  12. Fowler RA, Sabur N, Li P, Juurlink DN, Pinto R, Hladunewich MA, et al. Sex-and age-based differences in the delivery and outcomes of critical care. CMAJ. 2007;177:1513–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Reale E, Carbone U. Il genere nel lavoro. Valutare e prevenire i rischi lavorativi nella donna [The gender in work. Evaluate and prevent work risks in women]. Milano: Franco Angeli Editore; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  14. De Los Angeles CP, Lewis WW, McBain R, Yasamy MT, Olukoya AA, Morris J. Use of mental health services by women in low and middle-income countries. J Pub Ment Health. 2014;13:4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Health Search – Research Institute of Italian Society of General Practice. VIII Report Years 2013/2014. 2014. https://healthsearch.it/documenti/Archivio/Report/VIIIReport_2013-2014/VIII%20Report%20HS.pdf.

  16. Nelson D, Jarman DW, Rehm J, Greenfield TK, Rey G, Kerr WC, et al. Alcohol-attributable cancer deaths and years of potential life lost in the US. Am J Public Health. 2013;103:641–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Shahly V, Chatterji S, Gruber MJ, Al-Hamzawi A, Alonso J, Andrade LH, et al. Cross-national differences in the prevalence and correlates of burden among older family caregivers in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys. Psychol Med. 2013;43(4):865–79.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Scholle SH, Gardner W, Harman J, Madlon-Kay DJ, Pascoe J, Kelleher K. Physician gender and psychosocial care for children: attitudes, practice, characteristics, identification, and treatment. Med Care. 2001;39(1):26–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Roter DL, Hall JA, Aoki Y. Physician gender effects in medical communication: a meta-analytic review. JAMA. 2002;288(6):756–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Levinson W, Lurie N. When most doctors are women: what lies ahead? Ann Intern Med. 2004;141(6):471–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Fantini MP, Carretta E, Mimmi S, Belletti M, Rucci P, Cavazza G, et al. L’impatto delle caratteristiche e dell’organizzazione dei MMG sulla qualità assistenziali delle malattie croniche [The impact of the characteristics and organization of GPs on the quality of care for chronic diseases]. Mecosan. 2010;73:73–93.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Casini F, Sighinolfi C, Tedesco P, Bandieri PV, Bologna M, Colombini N, et al. Primary care physicians’ perspective on the management of anxiety and depressive disorders: a cross-sectional survey in Emilia Romagna Region. BMC Fam Pract. 2013;14:75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Bertakis KD, Helms LJ, Callahan EJ, Azari R, Robbins JA. The influence of gender on physician practice style. Med Care. 1995;33(4):407–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Berardi D, Ferrannini L, Menchetti M, Vaggi M. Primary care psychiatry in Italy. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2014;202(6):460–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. David J, Danielle C, Sharon P, Kim W. Attitudes and practices of general practitioners training to work with drug-using patients. Drug Alcohol Rev. 1999;18(3):287–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Browne MO, Lee A, Prabhu R. Self-reported confidence and skills of general practitioners in management of mental health disorders. Aust J Rural Health. 2007;15:321–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Sammer CE, Lykens K, Singh KP. Physician characteristics and the reported effect of evidence-based practice guidelines. Health Serv Res. 2008;43(2):569–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Suggested Reading

  • Amos A, Greaves L, Nichter M, Bloch M. Women and tobacco: a call for including gender in tobacco control research, policy and practice. Tob Control. 2012;21:236–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arganini C, Saba A, Comitato R, et al. Gender differences in food choice and dietary intake in modern western societies. In: Maddock J, editor. Public health social and behavioral health. Croatia: Intech; 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cancian M, Battaggia A, Celebrano M, et al. The care for chronic heart failure by general practitioners. Results from a clinical audit in Italy. Eur J Gen Pract. 2013;19:3–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doyal L. Sex, gender, and health: the need for a new approach. BMJ. 2001;323:1061–3.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrario M, Chiodini P, Chambless LE, et al. Prediction of coronary events in a low incidence population. Assessing accuracy of the CUORE Cohort Study prediction equation. Int J Epidemiol. 2005;34:413–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler RA, Sabur N, Li P, et al. Sex-and age-based differences in the delivery and outcomes of critical care. CMAJ. 2007;177:1513–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franconi F, Campesi I. Sex and gender influences on pharmacological response: an overview. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2014;7:469–85.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Primary Care, Bologna Local Health Unit, Bologna, Italy

    Emanuele Ciotti & Daniele Irmici

  2. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Marco Menchetti

Authors
  1. Emanuele Ciotti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniele Irmici
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marco Menchetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Menchetti .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Bologna Transcultural Psychosomatic Team (BoTPT), Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Ilaria Tarricone

  2. Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

    Anita Riecher-Rössler

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Ciotti, E., Irmici, D., Menchetti, M. (2019). Primary Care. In: Tarricone, I., Riecher-Rössler, A. (eds) Health and Gender. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15038-9_28

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15038-9_28

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-15037-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-15038-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation