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Battles Of The Sexes: Who Handles Getting Sick Better?

Some of us spend way too much time debating who’s a bigger baby about being sick, men or women? Well, now we may have some answers. A survey conducted by…

The couple is sitting on the couch wrapped in blankets. Man and woman are sick. The man flies out. Woman holding napkin, being sick, getting sick concept.
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Some of us spend way too much time debating who’s a bigger baby about being sick, men or women? Well, now we may have some answers. A survey conducted by One Poll on behalf of MDLIVE gathered insight into how people handle sickness. They surveyed 2,000 employed adults evenly split by gender.

What They Found

According to the survey, women were more likely to want to be left alone (53%) than men (47%). Meanwhile, 58% of men said they still wished their moms could take care of them while sick. Two in five Americans said their mom takes better care of them than their significant other does when they’re sick.  They also found that nearly 80% of women think they handle being sick better than men. However, only 30% of men think the same.

Most people prefer to keep it to themselves when they’re sick (68%). More than a quarter of those surveyed said they prefer to let others know (28%). Similarly, one in four have posted a picture online to show they were sick at home, with more men having done this than women.

Digging deeper into social media and sickness, 60% admitted they’ve shared a “sick” selfie while at home sick. And one in five have taken part in social media trends, like viral video challenges or posts, to pass the time (19%).

Home Sick

How do sick people spend their day at home? According to the survey, more than half of respondents admit to abandoning at least some part of their hygiene routine (52%). They point out in the study that women are likelier to do so, with 59% vs. 46%.

Looking at hygiene, those surveyed said it’s most important to brush your teeth (94%), shower (89%), and wash your face (89%) when sick at home. On the other hand, 30% admit to skipping their skincare routine, and another one in five don’t always make it to the shower when sick at home. Also found is that 34% have gone at least three days without showering when sick at home. They said, on average, respondents also skip brushing their teeth and stay in the same clothing for two days.

Interestingly, 20% of those surveyed have pretended to work while sick at home. Nearly half have actually worked through sickness (49%).

Check out some more insights with the complete study here.

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.