Healthcare in Canada
Gender gaps in healthcare
### Gender gaps in healthcare

[thumb\|upright\=1\.05\|[Life expectancy](/wiki/Life_expectancy "Life expectancy") in Canada by gender](/wiki/File:Life_expectancy_by_WBG_-Canada_-diff.png "Life expectancy by WBG -Canada -diff.png")
Gender gaps in healthcare are significantly influenced by socioeconomic status, geographical location, and ethnicity. It has been hypothesized that women experience a higher rate of health\-related issues because of their reduced access to the material and social conditions of life that foster good health, as well as a heightened level of stress associated with their gender and marital roles. Moreover, research has shown that women with low income and who work full\-time outside of the house have poorer health status in comparison to their male counterparts. The added responsibilities women hold as primary caregivers in households not only creates additional stress, but also indirectly increases the difficulty of the scheduling and meeting of medical appointments; these implications explain women's poorer self\-rated health status in comparison to men, as well as their report of their unmet healthcare needs.

Women's additional healthcare requirements, such as pregnancy, further exacerbate the gender gap. Despite comprising approximately half of Canada's population, women receive the majority of Canadian healthcare.

Men and women also experience different wait times for diagnostic tests; longer wait times have been associated with a higher risk of health complications. One Canadian study reports, "mean wait times are significantly lower for men than for women pertaining to overall diagnostic tests: for [MRI](/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging "Magnetic resonance imaging"), 70\.3 days for women compared to 29\.1 days for men."

#### Effects of healthcare privatization

Disparities between men and women's access to healthcare in Canada have led to criticism, especially regarding healthcare privatization. While most healthcare expenses remain covered by Medicare, certain medical services previously paid for publicly have been shifted to individuals and employer\-based supplemental insurance. While this shift has affected both genders, women have been more affected. Compared to men, women are generally less financially stable, and individual payments are a greater burden. Furthermore, many women work part\-time or in fields that do not offer supplemental insurance, such as [homemaking](/wiki/Homemaking "Homemaking"). As such, women are less likely to have private insurance to cover the costs of drugs and healthcare services.

The shift from public to private financing has also meant additional labor for women due to families relying on them as caregivers. Less public financing has shifted care to women, leaving "them with more support to provide at home."

Women's additional healthcare requirements, such as pregnancy, further exacerbate the gender gap. Despite comprising approximately half of Canada's population, women receive the majority of Canadian healthcare.


What is the impact of stress associated with gender and marital roles on women's health?