Health and gender differences between middle and senior managers in the Canadian Public Service

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Traditional studies on socioeconomic status (SES) and health disparities primarily focus on men.
• Measuring SES in women presents unique challenges, limiting research on gender-specific health outcomes.
• Previous research indicates men experience health benefits from higher SES.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between SES and health in women and men within the upper SES spectrum.
• To determine if women managers experience the same health benefits of higher SES as men.
• To explore potential gender differences in the stress and health outcomes associated with upward occupational mobility.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of demographic, health, and lifestyle data from Canadian Public Service middle and senior managers.
• Comparison of health characteristics between middle and senior managers, stratified by gender.
• Examination of SES-related health benefits and stress factors across genders.

Main Results:

• Achieving higher SES through work appears to be a more stressful process for women than for men.
• Women managers face more restricted upward mobility compared to their male counterparts.
• Despite increased work-related stress, female managers exhibit better health behaviors (less smoking/drinking) and lower rates of high BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol compared to male managers.
• Female managers are more likely to report good overall health.

Conclusions:

• While upward occupational mobility may be more challenging and stressful for women, it does not appear to negatively impact their health.
• Female managers demonstrate superior health indicators compared to male managers, suggesting protective factors or different adaptation mechanisms.
• Further research is needed to understand the resilience and health advantages observed in high-SES women managers.