ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a brief discussion of primary aging, secondary aging or senescence, and gender differences in rates of aging. This is followed by an overview of the epidemiological issues such as life expectancy, survival, and mortality and morbidity of the 15 top chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, stroke, and cancer to help in discussing the phenomenon of 'elite' survivors and womens' longevity. It is organized to demonstrate gender differences in symptomatology, behavior, and outcome that may affect the physical and psychosocial consequences of intervention on health, on the development of frailty or loss of functional independence, and ultimately on the health care system. The colleagues and author have conducted several studies that have been directed at examining age and gender effects on illness behaviors. Because their study examined the interpretations and presentations of symptoms in the clinical setting, they were able to examine factors that might account for gender effects.
