The effects of role multiplicity on health status, illness rates and illness behavior in men and women: A test of the scarcity and expansion hypotheses

Marilyn Kay Potts, Purdue University

Abstract

The scarcity and expansion approaches provide a useful framework for examining sex differences in health and illness behavior (e.g., physician visits, reduced activity days, being hospitalized). The scarcity approach maintains that time and energy allotted to the performance of one role must be subtracted from resources available for other roles. The expansion approach maintains that time and energy can expand to meet the demands of multiple role enactment, and that role multiplicity provides many benefits. The expansion approach was used to predict that role multiplicity would lead to good health status (especially in men and for chronic and/or mild conditions). The scarcity approach was used to predict that role multiplicity would deter illness behavior (especially in women and for highly intrusive behaviors). Using data from the 1983 National Health Interview Survey, the effects of role multiplicity on health status and illness behavior were examined. The final sample consisted of 6026 respondents who were 18 to 64 years old, and who had one and only one of eight conditions: mild arthritis, hypertension (chronic/mild); ischemic heart disease, severe diabetes (chronic/severe); common cold, influenza (acute/mild); and fracture/major injury, pneumonia/bronchitis (acute/severe). OLS regression results showed that role multiplicity had a beneficial effect on health status, but only in men. In men, role multiplicity also increased the likelihood that the condition was mild, but decreased the likelihood that the condition was chronic. Logistic regression results showed that role multiplicity decreased the likelihood of engaging in several illness behaviors (cut-down days, bed days and being hospitalized). In women only, role multiplicity decreased the likelihood of seeing a physician. The likelihood of engaging in the most intrusive illness behavior (being hospitalized) was decreased more by role multiplicity than were the less intrusive illness behaviors examined. The approach used here contributes to existing knowledge of sex differences in health-related issues by developing a theoretical framework, by distinguishing among various types of health conditions and illness behaviors, and by differentiating conceptually between illness and illness behavior.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Stahl, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology|Public health

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