Case Study in Gender and Family Health Case Study information: "W" is a 26-year-old woman and mother of 2 children, ages 2 and 4. She is married and her main roles are caring for her children and taking care of the home as her husband is the sole income provider. Both W. and her husband abuse alcohol. They live in a rural environment, which includes supportive friends and family. W has polycystic ovarian syndrome and benign ovarian cysts. She is also a smoker and overweight (but constantly dieting). Discussion of relevant literature: First of all, in examining pertinent literature, it evident that it is not surprising that W is economically dependent on her husband as rural women "limited employment opportunities in rural areas cause many women to obtain only part time jobs" (Mulder, et al, 1999). As this suggests, it is reasonable to presume that a significant factor in W's worldview and perception of her gender role is her rural environment. Yet, family and gender relations, within the context of rural areas, have changed significantly in recent decades (Morell and Aszatlos, 2007). Family farming was once the defining signifier or rural life, but the percentage of rural families who earn their living from agriculture has declined significantly and rural living today can often be more accurately conceived of today as a life-style, rather than in the traditional sense (Morell and Aszatlos, 2007). Therefore, one of the most pertinent demographic factors that the student researching this subject should investigate is whether or not W is a farmer's wife and if rural living is simply a lifestyle choice. Statistics suggest that there is a greater incidence of self-reported obesity in rural areas than in other environments and that this contribute to a higher incidence of chronic health conditions (Eberhardt and Pamuk, 2004). Such statistics reflect the new reality of rural living, as farm life typically entails a great deal of manual labor, which reduce the risk for obesity. In regards to the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), literature states that this is an "endocrine disorder" that afflicts women across the breadth