Women more likely to suffer illness than men

ARE women really the weaker sex?

A survey by retail analysts Mintel said that women were more likely to report having suffered various ailments, with 81 per cent reporting suffering a headache in the past year, versus 68 per cent of men.

It found 57 per cent of women have suffered back pain, compared to 50 per cent of men and one in three women; 34 per cent said they had experienced five or more different types of pain in the last 12 months versus one in four men. Some 57 per cent of women who suffered a cold or flu said they coped by going to bed and resting, compared to a lower 44 per cent of men.

The study found that 78 per cent of women are happy to turn to over the counter medicines when they are ill, compared to 66 per cent of men.

Mintel’s Consumer Lifestyles Analyst said the research showed that women are notably more likely to experience more types of pain as well as experiencing a greater range of pains.

This could be due to the fact that women continue to multi-task in terms of running the household, caring for the children and holding down a job leading them to feel run down and more susceptible to bugs and illness.