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Review
. 2022 Jan;19(1):47-63.
doi: 10.1038/s41585-021-00535-4. Epub 2021 Nov 18.

Are sex disparities in COVID-19 a predictable outcome of failing men's health provision?

Tharu Tharakan  1   2 , Christopher C Khoo  3 , Aleksander Giwercman  4 , Channa N Jayasena  5 , Nikolaos Sofikitis  6 , Andrea Salonia  7   8 , Suks Minhas  3   9
Affiliations
Review

Are sex disparities in COVID-19 a predictable outcome of failing men's health provision?

Tharu Tharakan et al. Nat Rev Urol. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has taken a catastrophic toll on society, health-care systems and the economy. Notably, COVID-19 has been shown to be associated with a higher mortality rate in men than in women. This disparity is likely to be a consequence of a failure to invest in men's health, as it has also been established that men have a lower life expectancy and poorer outcomes from non-communicable diseases than women. A variety of biological, social and economic factors have contributed to the sex disparities in mortality from COVID-19. A streamlined men's health programme - with the urologist as the gatekeeper of men's health - is needed to help prevent future tragedies of this nature.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Sex-disaggregated cases, hospitalizations, intensive care admissions and deaths in COVID-19.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is similar between sexes (49% versus 51%) but men have a higher rate of hospitalizations, intensive care admissions and deaths. Data source: Global Health 5050. Values correct as of 5 October 2021.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Obstacles and benefits of men’s engagement with health-care services.
Current barriers to male health-care utilization include the absence of a reference specialist and the need to see several specialties, sometimes in different hospitals and over multiple appointments. Advantages of a men’s health policy include a multidisciplinary pathway that incorporates the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of both benign and malignant conditions. Potential outcomes from a men’s health policy (such as increasing male life expectancy, novel data acquisition and reducing the burden and costs of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidities through a preventive medicine approach.
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References

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