Once glossed over, gender differences today are at the forefront of the nation's pain research agenda. Women discuss pain more than men.
Women cope better with pain than men.
Society's attitudes towards men and women in pain may influence physicians' treatment. The open expression of pain sometimes helps people obtain better pain control. Pain treatment that works for one sex may not work as well or at all for the other. About 1 in 5 older persons reports taking pain-relieving medications several times a week. Pain problems are even more common in nursing homes.