The health of women has risen to a priority position in medical research. Comparative studies of female morbidity are called for as an intermediary stage for generation of hypotheses and design of deeper studies of determinants, such as social, ecological, and individual factors. In previous studies, we have noted differences in female hospitalization between Heraklion in Greece and Linköping in Sweden. They were related to age and to urban versus rural dwelling, and fit projections for a more archaic and a more technocratic society, respectively. This paper aims at showing how the study of women's health may proceed from relevant hospitalization observations to the next level, of exploring already available indicators of self-perceived health in elderly females.
PIP: Women's health has gained priority in medical research. Comparative studies of female morbidity are called for as a step toward the creation of hypotheses and design of more extensive studies of determinants, such as social, ecological, and individual factors. The authors have, in previous studies, noted differences in female hospitalization between Heraklion in Greece and Linkoping in Sweden. They were related to age and to urban versus rural dwelling, and fit projections for a more archaic and a more technocratic society, respectively. The authors demonstrate in this paper how the study of women's health may proceed from relevant hospitalization observations to the next level, of exploring already available indicators of self-perceived health in elderly females.