Lancet Study Reveals Gender Disparities in Health

A recent analysis by The Lancet Public Health reveals that globally, men face a greater disease burden and tend to die prematurely compared to women.

Key Highlights of the Lancet Study Reveals Gender Disparities in Health

• Gender Disparities in Disease Burden: In 2021, men bore the brunt of 13 out of the top 20 causes of disease burden compared to women, including COVID-19, road injuries, and various cardiovascular, respiratory, and liver diseases. 
  • These conditions disproportionately led to premature deaths among men. 
• Global Trends in Women’s Health: Conversely, globally, women predominantly encountered non-life-threatening conditions such as musculoskeletal issues, mental health disorders, and headache disorders.
• COVID-19 Impact: In 2021, COVID-19 emerged as the primary cause of health loss globally, with males experiencing a 45% higher health loss from the virus compared to females.
• Gender Disparity in Ischaemic Heart Disease: Ischaemic heart disease ranked second in terms of the absolute difference in health loss between males and females. 
  • Males suffered a 45% higher health loss from heart disease compared to females.
• Cause of Premature Male Death: The research links premature male deaths to cancer, heart disease, and road injuries. 
  • While common among men, lifestyle-related comorbidities remain significant contributors.
• Women’s Health Challenges: Women’s health issues primarily include low back pain, depression, headaches, anxiety disorders, musculoskeletal conditions, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and HIV/AIDS.  These may not lead to premature death but keep them sick throughout their lifetime. 
  • Example: In 2021, females had over a third higher DALY rates than males (1,265 vs 787 DALYs per 100,000). In South Asia, this gap widened to over 50% (1,292 vs 598 DALYs per 100,000).
• Rise of Mental Health cases among Women: Women worldwide are disproportionately affected by mental health conditions. 
  • For instance, in 2021, the health loss attributed to depressive disorders was more than a third higher among females than males globally, with rates of 1,019 vs 671 DALYs per 100,000.

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Causes of Disease Differences

• Gender Differences in Adolescence: In adolescence, disparities between genders become apparent. This period not only marks the onset of biological distinctions but also sees the influence of gender norms shaping individuals’ lives.
• Bias in Health Care Systems: There is a bias in health care systems where they will more easily diagnose women with mental disorders.
  • At the same time, men are less likely to get help for mental health conditions due to perceptions of masculine norms that work against their seeking or getting help.
• Inadequate Treatment: Research indicates that women experiencing pain are frequently disregarded by healthcare providers and receive inadequate treatment when they seek assistance.
  • Additionally, a recent study revealed that healthcare professionals, regardless of gender, were less inclined to provide assistance for lower back pain when the patient was female.
• Triple Burden on Women: Women starting rehabilitation programs for lower back pain often begin in worse condition than men, possibly due to a triple burden of work, household maintenance, and caregiving duties, hindering access to appropriate services.
• Narrow Focus on Women’s Health: There has been a tendency within global health systems to focus on women’s reproductive capacity, equating women’s health solely with their uterus.

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