Genetically, physiologically, physically, chemically, emotionally etc, men and women are different. The gender differences are clearly relevant to some degrees to valid discussion in several subject matters. However, in the modern society the differences should not be employ to denigrate or as a marker to place a social status on the role of women or men. Rather, gender differences should be a discussion that empowers informed knowledge and informed decision making process.

The role of gender differences is apparent in some disease etiology. Considering cigarette related pulmonary diseases, a study showed that the prevalence of smoking between men and women are 78% and 35% respectively (Xu, Li, & Wang, 1994). The study also showed that quitting rate in cigarette smoking among men was 14% in contrast to 23% among women (Xu, Li, & Wang, 1994). Interestingly, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that cigarettes companies specifically target women in their advertisements. Yet out of more than one billion smokers globally, only 200 million are women (WHO, 2010). Perhaps, the reason why smoking rates are higher and quitting rate lower for men than women is multifactorial. It is a complex situation because smoking is also portrayed or lulled as a fitness and stress mitigator; thus the introduction of the “slims” and women fear weight gain than men, and though women gain more weight after quitting than men, fewer women smoke than their men counterpart. In reality, smoking is a precursor to premature death, sexual problems and many negative health outcomes (Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Perhaps, social structures that places or portrays men in the position of power, wealth, and sexual domination encourages and makes it look more fitting for men to smoke than their women counterpart.

The female lifetime nonsmoker’s mean percentage lung function values are greater than male lifetime nonsmokers’ lung function values (Xu, Li, & Wang, 1994). In contrast, and accounting for physiological differences and impact of smoking, female cigarette smokers had lower lung function values than their male counterparts (Xu, Li, & Wang, 1994). The findings elucidated the role of physiological and other differences between men and women, which was confirmed by sex-specific regression analyses. Hence, global tests on the interactions between smoking and sex were highly significant suggesting that adverse effects of smoking affects women pulmonary function significantly than in men (Xu, Li, & Wang, 1994). Furthermore, Dong et al., (2012) study suggested that women are at higher risk of developing respiratory disease or higher respiratory mortality rate than men because of the inherent physiological differences between men and women airways (Dong, et al., 2012). Hence, dose responses were detected easily in women, and greater lung particle deposition of 1uM were deposited in women than in the men airways (Dong, et al., 2012).

Another example of gender and physiological differences occur with obesity individuals. Obese women experienced irregular menstrual cycle and polycystic ovarian syndrome (Moeller, 2011). Furthermore, a retrospective analysis on organochlorine pesticides (OCP) on the risks of endometriosis within reproductive age women showed that organochloride had a negative impact on estrogen (Upson et al., 2013). The serum levels of OCP in women were linked to increased risk of endometriosis and reproductive disorder (Upson et al., 2013).

Based on the scientific information available on the OCP assessment, the centers for disease control and prevention fosters women awareness by encouraging proactive preventative measures to protect reproductive women from OCP toxicity (CDC, 2013). Scientifically, it does not serve the society well to ignore that gender differences exist and that it consequently affects the quality of life of women or men, depending on the subject matter. Recognizing and accepting the differences is empowerment and not a weakness. It will allow the occupational fields to have a better protective infrastructures for women and also allow vulnerable population the opportunity to make an informed decision, and thus the acknowledgement of such differences should be admired and appreciated, not chastised.

References

Dong, G., et al., (2012).  Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and respiratory disease mortality in Shenyang China: A 12 year population-based retrospective cohort study. Respiration, 84(5), 360–368.  DOI: 10.1159/00033293. Retrieved from http://search .proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/1288382552/141D3CEFD072A3EF9A1/16?accountid=14872#

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Fourth national report on human exposure to environmental chemicals, updated tables. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ exposurereport /pdf/FourthReport_UpdatedTables_Sep2013.pdf

Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Gender differences and tobacco. Gender difference: A meaningful distinction.  Retrieved from http://www.tobac cofreemaine .org/channels/providers/gender_differences.php

Moeller, D.  W. (2011). Environmental health (4th ed.). Harvard university press, Cambridge  Massachusetts

Upson, K., DeRoos A. J., Thompson, M. L., Sathyanarayana, S., Scoles, D., Barr, D. B. & Holt,   V. L. (2013). Organochlorine pesticides and risk of endometriosis: Findings from a population-based case–control study. Environmental health perspectives, 121(1112). DOI:10.1289/ehp.1306648.  Retrieved from http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1306648/

Word Health Organization. (2010). 10 facts on gender and tobacco. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/gender/documents/10facts_gender_tobacco_en.pdf

Xu, X., Li, B., & Wang, L. (1994).  Gender difference in smoking effects on adult pulmonary function. European Respiratory Journal, 7(3), 477-83. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi .nlm.nih.go v/pubmed/8013605