The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemic

Data worldwide is pointing towards an increased mortality of men a from COVID-19, while infection rates are equal or higher in women. Immunological differences might play a role in this as well as differences in risk factors and co-morbidities. In addition, differences in exposure, testing, case def...

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Main Author: S. Oertelt-Prigione
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2021-04-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821001668/type/journal_article
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author S. Oertelt-Prigione
author_facet S. Oertelt-Prigione
author_sort S. Oertelt-Prigione
collection DOAJ
description Data worldwide is pointing towards an increased mortality of men a from COVID-19, while infection rates are equal or higher in women. Immunological differences might play a role in this as well as differences in risk factors and co-morbidities. In addition, differences in exposure, testing, case definitions and access to healthcare might play a role. Differences in symptoms have been reported, as well as potential differences in therapeutic choices. Also, the phenomenon of “long COVID” with all its psychophysical consequences appears to be more common in women. In addition to the consequences of the acute infection, COVID-19 is significantly impacting economies, social systems and political priorities. I will try to give a general overview of the current situation, starting from a medical standpoint and moving into the wider social consequences of this pandemic. I will highlight how the lack of attention to sex and gender can impact statistics, potential therapies and vaccines, livelihoods and the healthcare sector as a whole.
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spelling doaj.art-154707a365af4771941902306d050f0b2023-11-17T05:08:06ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S53S5310.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.166The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemicS. Oertelt-Prigione0Department Of Primary And Community Care, University of Radbout, Nijmegen, NetherlandsData worldwide is pointing towards an increased mortality of men a from COVID-19, while infection rates are equal or higher in women. Immunological differences might play a role in this as well as differences in risk factors and co-morbidities. In addition, differences in exposure, testing, case definitions and access to healthcare might play a role. Differences in symptoms have been reported, as well as potential differences in therapeutic choices. Also, the phenomenon of “long COVID” with all its psychophysical consequences appears to be more common in women. In addition to the consequences of the acute infection, COVID-19 is significantly impacting economies, social systems and political priorities. I will try to give a general overview of the current situation, starting from a medical standpoint and moving into the wider social consequences of this pandemic. I will highlight how the lack of attention to sex and gender can impact statistics, potential therapies and vaccines, livelihoods and the healthcare sector as a whole.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821001668/type/journal_articlesexCOVID-19Gender
spellingShingle S. Oertelt-Prigione
The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemic
European Psychiatry
sex
COVID-19
Gender
title The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_fullStr The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full_unstemmed The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_short The impact of gender in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_sort impact of gender in the covid 19 pandemic
topic sex
COVID-19
Gender
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821001668/type/journal_article
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