Trends in Gender-based Health Inequality in a Transitional Society: A Historical Analysis of South Korea |
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| Authors: | Heeran Chun Sung-Il Cho Young-Ho Khang Minah Kang Il-Ho Kim |
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| Affiliation: | 1.Department of Public Administration, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.;2.Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.;3.Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.;4.Social Epidemiological Research Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada. |
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| Abstract: | ObjectivesThis study examined the trends in gender disparity in the self-rated health of people aged 25 to 64 in South Korea, a rapidly changing society, with specific attention to socio-structural inequality.MethodsRepresentative sample data were obtained from six successive, nationwide Social Statistics Surveys of the Korean National Statistical Office performed during 1992 to 2010.ResultsThe results showed a convergent trend in poor self-rated health between genders since 1992, with a sharper decline in gender disparity observed in younger adults (aged 25 to 44) than in older adults (aged 45 to 64). The diminishing gender gap seemed to be attributable to an increase in women''s educational attainment levels and to their higher status in the labor market.ConclusionsThe study indicated the importance of equitable social opportunities for both genders for understanding the historical trends in the gender gap in the self-reported health data from South Korea. |
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| Keywords: | Health gender gap Self-rated health trend Society change Women''s status |
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