Sex and Gender in Paleopathological Perspective

A growing body of literature indicates that diseases can affect women and men differently. Because sex differences extend far beyond biology, it is crucial to adopt a biocultural approach toward understanding human disease patterns and processes. This book synthesizes modern medical research with paleopathological investigations. Contributors explore conditions such as osteoporosis and osteopenia, iron deficiency anemia, infection, and immune reactivity and trauma. Recognizing the relationship between these conditions and aspects of sex and gender in past populations assist in the formulation of models from which modern disease processes can be better understood.