Elsevier

Maturitas

Volume 138, August 2020, Pages 62-68
Maturitas

Are we equal in adversity? Does Covid-19 affect women and men differently?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.05.009Get rights and content

Highlights

  • We reviewed available databases and searched systematically for publications reporting data on gender and Covid-19.

  • The proportion of men and women who tested positive for Covid-19 was comparable.

  • However, men were about 60 % more likely than women to be severely ill or die from complications of Covid-19.

Abstract

Background & objectives

This article examines whether women are less prone than men to Covid-19 infections and their complications.

Data sources

We reviewed available databases and searched systematically for publications. To be taken into account, data had to be broken down by gender. There was no study evaluation nor quantification synthesis, due to the large heterogeneity of the studies. Nineteen databases were selected. 73 publications were considered and 33 were selected, to which 12 more were added.

Results

Globally, the proportion of men and women who tested positive is comparable. However, men are about 60 % more likely to be severely ill or to die from the complications of Covid-19 than are women.

Limitations

The study was hampered by a large heterogeneity in testing and reporting of the data.

Conclusions

Although in the pandemic men die more frequently than women from Covid-19, it is not clear whether this is due to biological differences between men and women, differences in behavioral habits, or differences in the rates of co-morbidities.

Implications of key findings

Countries and studies should report their data by age, gender and co-morbidities. This may have implications in terms of vaccination strategies, the choice of treatments and future consequences for long-term health issues concerning gender equality.

Keywords

Covid-19
Sex difference
Gender difference
Complications
Fatality rate

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