Women and men experience different physiological changes in hormone production and response due to stress reaction in grief, regardless of their personality types (Lane et al., 1987). The elderly experience the grief process physically different from younger individuals also dealing with death through an increase in depression and mortality rates (OConnor, Allen & Kaszniak, 2001).
Prolactin is a hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland and levels can be tested through the blood. Prolactin levels decrease when a person has sleeping problems, a common complaint of the bereaved (Lane et al., 2007). Studies have found a correlation between prolactin levels in men and women in response to stressful situations. Prolactin has been positively correlated with increased emotional states in women. In men, prolactin is negatively correlated with an excited emotional state (Lane et al, 1987). The increase in levels for women as their emotional state elevates demonstrates that men and women have physiological differences in grief. .
External stressors and events may also contribute to the difference in grief reactions in men and women (Lee & Carr, 2007). Stress has shown to have an increase on cortisol levels for individuals. These levels are linked to cardiovascular disease and decrease immune function. By increasing the level of cortisol in the system, a body is unable to properly maintain blood pressure and glucose, causing malaise. But extended stress, such as that in bereavement situation causes the overall cortisol level to decrease creating more physical ailments. Research has found that context of how the person died is just as important as the death itself. Men are more sensitive to the conditions surrounding the death then women. If a person perceives the death to be sudden or un-necessarily harsh, they will have a stronger stress reaction to the event (Lee & Carr, 2007). .
Aside from hormonal differences, mortality rates are also different for men and women post bereavement.
