International Women's Day 2025
In her research, our colleague Alina Schmitz shows that health inequalities between the genders are particularly visible in old age. Together with Patrick Lazarevič, she comes to the conclusion that the extent of these inequalities depends on the country context, age groups and health indicators. They are particularly pronounced in Southern and Eastern Europe than in Western and Northern Europe, as the SHARE data showed.
In her dissertation, she analysed the distribution of depressive symptoms in older women and men in Europe and showed that older women are more frequently affected. Financial resources and social networks play a decisive role in coping.
This research emphasises how important it is to address gender-specific health differences and develop measures to reduce health inequalities.