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Not so long ago, the terms sex and gender were practically interchangeable.

TitleGender women and health in the Americas
Publication TypeBook
Year of Publication1993
AuthorsPAHO -Washington, DC, US
Paginationxix, 280 p. : fig., tab.
Date Published1993-01-01
PublisherPan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Place PublishedWashington, DC, USA
ISBN Number9275115419
Keywordsgender, health, north america, sdigen, south america, women
Abstract

Not so long ago, the terms sex and gender were practically interchangeable. Today, however, sex is the preferred term when speaking of specific biological characteristics in men and women that remain relatively unchanged; gender, on the other hand, is used to refer to those social constructs that define what is masculine and what is feminine in a given culture. The gender approach, as applied to an analysis of women's health, focuses on the relationship between biology and the social milieu, a relationship that translates into women's disadvantage vis-à-vis men in terms of social and economic positions. This disadvantage, in turn, leads to unequal access to basic health promotion and protection resources. This publication underscores gender inequalities in the realm of health in order to foster understanding of their reciprocal effects among a population's health conditions, the factors linked to social gender constructs, and different development modes.

NotesIncl. references
Custom 1121

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