In many countries around the world, men are diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes and HIV/AIDS more often than women. Men are also less likely to seek medical help for these pathologies. Scientists from the University of Southern Denmark came to this conclusion. The results of the study were published in the journal PLOS Medicine.
The analysis included data from the health systems of 204 countries. The researchers looked at so-called "cascades of care," the patient's path from high risk of developing disease to death, broken down by gender. Complete data on hypertension were found in 200 countries, diabetes in 39, and HIV/AIDS in 76.
The results showed that men were not only more prone to hypertension, diabetes and HIV/AIDS, but were also significantly less likely to be diagnosed, start treatment and follow medical advice. In addition, in most countries, men are more likely to smoke, while women are more likely to be overweight and have unprotected sex.
The authors of the study emphasize that in order to eliminate inequalities in the health care sector, it is necessary to involve men more actively in preventive and therapeutic programs. It is also important to consider gender differences when analyzing health statistics and planning health strategies.
Translation by Euromedia24.com
