Gender Inequalities and Their Impact on Women’s Health

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Introduction Developing an understanding of the gender inequalities that exist around the world is vital for recognizing the myriad health impacts these inequalities may have on women and their families. Gender inequality is defined as the differing success of women and men in attaining important resources and opportunities (Tepperman & Curtis, 2011, p. 90). Differential access to resources and opportunities can create a range of complex problems and issues for women and their families, and wage disparities can exacerbate already precarious financial matters. This paper will provide a discussion of the extent to which inequalities exist between men and women, as well as the myriad negative health impacts for women which arise out of these inequalities. Indeed, it will be argued that gender inequalities have significant negative implications for the health of women around the world, including physical health and wellness issues, as well as mental health issues. Finally, the paper will conclude with a commentary and discussion of gender inequalities and their health impacts as reflections of patriarchal values within society. What Do We Know? Over the last several decades, there has been a major increase in the number of women obtaining paid employment (O'Campo, Eaton, & Muntaner, 2004, p. 585). Indeed, it has been argued that this increased participation in the labour market, as well as an increased awareness of issues of inequality between men and women, have changed gender relations (Scott, Crompton, & Lyonette, 2010, p. 1). However, these changes have not been uniformly positive, as available data indicates that women are still more frequently engaged in part-time employment than men (Scott, Crompton, & Lyonette, 2010, p. 1). In Canada, research shows that men are more likely to have permanent, full-time employment when compared with women (Cranford, Vosko, &

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