Mental disorders can affect women and men differently. Some disorders are more common in women such as depression, eating disorders, and anxiety.
There are also certain types of depression that are unique to women. Some women may experience symptoms of mental disorders at times of hormone change, such as perinatal depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and perimenopause-related depression.
Sex Differences in Prevalence, Onset, and Course of Disorders
Lifetime prevalence rates for any kind of psychiatric disorder were high, but similar for men (48.7%) and women (47.3%).
In childhood, most studies report a higher prevalence of conduct disorders, for example with aggressive and antisocial behaviours, among boys than in girls.
During adolescence:
Girls have a much higher prevalence of depression and eating disorders, and engage more in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than boys.
Boys experience more problems with anger, engage in high-risk behaviours and commit suicide more frequently than girls.
In general, adolescent girls are more prone to symptoms that are directed inwardly, while adolescent boys are more prone to act out.
In adulthood:
The prevalence of depression and anxiety is much higher in women, while
Substance use disorders and antisocial behaviours are higher in men.
In the case of severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar depression, there are no consistent sex differences in prevalence, but men typically have an earlier onset of schizophrenia, while women are more likely to exhibit serious forms of bipolar depression.
In older age groups, although the incidence rates for Alzheimer’s disease is reported to be the same for women and men, women’s longer life expectancy means that there are more women than men living with the condition.
Underlying Factors
Interaction between biological and social vulnerability:
Genetic and biological factors
Hormonal changes
Antenatal and postnatal depression
Psychological distress associated with reproductive health condition (infertility, hysterectomy…)
Gender Roles:
Lower self esteem
Anxiety over their body image
Lack of autonomy and control over one’s life
Low income women and uncontrolledLife Expectancy
Gender based violence:
Depression, anxiety and stress-related syndromes, dependence on psychotropic medications and substance use and suicide are mental health problems associated with violence in women’s lives.
A highly significant relationship between lifetime experience of physical violence by an intimate partner and suicide ideation
A strong association between being sexually abused in childhood and the presence of multiple mental health problems later in life
Health Seeking Behaviour
Women reported higher levels of distress than did men, and were more likely to perceive having an emotional problem than men who had a similar level of symptoms. Once men recognised they had a problem, they were as likely as women to use mental health services.
Men tended to use alcohol as a remedy for relief from temporary strain caused by external pressure, and considered the use of psychotropic drugs as indicating loss of autonomy.
Women, on the other hand, used psychotropics to restore their capacity to carry out emotionally taxing labour related to their caring work in the private sphere.
Women are consistently more likely to use outpatient mental health services than are men. Men may seek care at a later stage after the onset of symptoms, or delay until symptoms become severe.
Social Consequences
Women may face greater disability than men because of the higher prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders.
Schizophrenic patients found that married men were likely to be cared for and financially supported by their wives, while married women were more likely to be deserted, abandoned or divorced by their husbands, and to have experienced physical abuse by their husbands prior to separation.
Women may have an advantage over men when it comes to residential independence.
Socially constructed gender roles make women the principal care-givers in many settings, while giving them less social support to perform this function, leading to low morale and high stress levels.
Violence Against Women
Between 40 and 90 per cent of women suffer some form of violence and harassment during the course of their lives.
Violence and harassment at home or work has immediate effects on the concerned women, including a lack of motivation, loss of confidence and reduced self-esteem, depression, anger, anxiety and irritability.
Main Objectives:
To contribute to the protection of women
To contribute to the prevention of violence against women at work
To develop and carry out an awareness raising campaign
The identification, collection and dissemination of best practices