Gender Differences in Stress and Health of the Elderly

Abstract

The objective of this study is to know if there are gender differences in stress reported by people over 65 and in the association between stress and health. The sample is made up of 602 people (half women and half men), over 65 years who participated voluntarily. The mean age of men is 72.54 years (SD = 5.74) and that of women 72.85 (SD = 5.97), differences that are not statistically significant t(600) = -0.64 , p = .52. Stress and health were assessed using four instruments. Statistically significant differences were found between men and women in chronic stress, reporting women more stress than men. The correlations between different types of stress with physical and mental health also showed that gender was a source of differences.