Gender differences in smoking, for example, have decreased substantially, but gender differences in heavy drinking remain very large. Similarly, gender differences in amount of driving have decreased in recent decades, but gender differences in seat belt use have actually increased during the 1980s. Dr. Waldron believes that these trends can be explained by considering the compatibility of particular types of health behavior with male and female roles. Many young women, for example, are smoking as a way to control weight. Women are supposed to look slender and beautiful.
Women are very appearance-oriented with good reasons.
In contrast, heavy drinking is less compatible with women's roles, including responsibility for sexual restraint and care of small children. Gender roles and the differing social expectations and pressures on men and women, therefore, continue to have powerful effects on gender differences in health behavior and mortality in the contemporary United States, according to Dr. Waldron. Jerry Russo is a freshman workstudy student in News and Public Affairs. Send e-mail to The Compass .