Sex differences in medicine
Sex differences in medicine
Sex differences in medicine (pronunciation: /sɛks ˈdɪfərənsɪz ɪn ˈmɛdɪsɪn/) include the study of the biological and physiological differences between the human sexes and how that affects differences in disease. Traditionally, medical research has mostly been conducted using the male body as the basis for clinical studies. The findings of these studies have often been applied across the sexes and healthcare providers have assumed a uniform approach in treating both male and female patients. More recently, medical research has started to understand the importance of taking into consideration the unique biological and physiological differences between the sexes.
Etymology
The term "sex differences" originates from the Latin "sexus", meaning "the state of being male or female", and the Latin "differentia", meaning "difference". The term "medicine" originates from the Latin "medicina", meaning "the healing art".
Related terms
- Gender differences in medicine: While sex differences in medicine refer to biological and physiological differences, gender differences in medicine refer to differences in health outcomes and medical treatment that are not based on biology or physiology, but on socially constructed roles and behaviors typically associated with being male or female.
- Sexual dimorphism: This is a term used in evolutionary biology to describe differences in physical characteristics between males and females of the same species, including humans. It is related to sex differences in medicine in that it underlies the biological and physiological differences between the sexes that can affect health outcomes and responses to treatment.
- Precision medicine: This is an approach to patient care that allows doctors to select treatments that are most likely to help patients based on a genetic understanding of their disease. This could involve taking into account sex differences in the genetic and molecular basis of disease.
- Epidemiology: This is the study and analysis of the distribution, patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in defined populations. It is a key aspect of public health research, and can help to understand patterns of health and disease in different sexes.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sex differences in medicine
- Wikipedia's article - Sex differences in medicine
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