Adding Aging and Gender to the Women's Health Agenda

ABSTRACT

The complex interaction of medical, social, and economic factors that affect women's wellness as they age requires a new paradigm that bridges the gap between those who are concerned about aging issues and those concerned about women's health. In this article, we begin this endeavor by advancing three interrelated themes: (1) there is a gendered relationship between socioeconomic structures and health over time; (2) there are gender-specific implications of health care financing and policy; and (3) there are health consequences to the gendered nature of caregiving.

KEYWORDS:

• Women
• aging
• health
• SES
• policy