A major global study has found that men are dying at significantly higher rates than women from hypertension, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. Despite facing greater risks, men are less likely to seek medical care or adhere to treatment, highlighting a critical gap in global health strategies.
The study, published in PLOS Medicine and led by Angela Chang from the University of Southern Denmark, analyzed data from dozens of countries. Researchers assessed how sex differences affect each stage of the “health pathway”—from risk exposure and disease development to diagnosis, treatment, and mortality.
Key findings include:
- Men had higher disease and death rates across all three conditions.
- In 200 countries, disparities were noted in hypertension care; for diabetes, in 39 countries; and for HIV/AIDS, in 76 countries.
- Men were less likely to engage with healthcare services, while women were more likely to face different behavioral risks, such as obesity or unsafe sex.
The researchers emphasize that most health systems apply one-size-fits-all approaches, ignoring gender-specific patterns in health behaviors and access to care. For example, men are more likely to smoke, but less likely to seek routine checkups or follow prescribed treatments.
Experts say this isn’t just a biological issue, but one rooted in gender norms and social behavior. Professors Kent Buse and Sarah Hawkes, co-founders of Global 50/50, stress the need for gender-specific data and policies, noting that “health journeys diverge due to both biology and socially constructed gender roles.”
The study calls for public health leaders to:
- Promote gender-sensitive healthcare policies
- Expand sex-disaggregated data collection
- Address gender-based barriers to diagnosis and treatment
Angela Chang concludes that without clear data on how men and women experience disease differently, healthcare systems risk missing critical intervention points. The findings urge policymakers to design targeted, equitable health responses that reflect these persistent gaps.
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