Why men die earlier than women, by WHO

According to “2019 World Health Statistics” published on the WHO website on Thursday, the trend is similar in low and high-income countries as men often seek health care services less than women.

The health statistics, which according to the report, was disaggregated by sex for the first time, stated that women outlived men everywhere in the world particularly in wealthy countries.

The report said that where men and women faced the same disease, men often seek health care less than women.

It said that only by intensifiying efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can countries close this health gap and improve the health and wellbeing of everyone.

“Women outlive men everywhere in the world particularly in wealthy countries and the World Health Statistics 2019 disaggregated by sex for the first time explains why.

“Attitudes to healthcare differ. Where men and women face the same disease, men often seek health care less than women.

“In countries with generalised HIV epidemics for example, men are less likely than women to take an HIV test, less likely to access antiretroviral therapy and more likely to die of AIDS-related illnesses than women.

“Similarly, male Tuberculosis (TB) patients appear to be less likely to seek care than female TB patients.

“Where women can access health services, maternal deaths decrease thereby lengthening women’s life expectancy.

“In many circumstances, men access health care less than women. The report also highlights the difference in causes of death between men and women.

“Some are biological, some influenced by environmental and societal factors while some are impacted by availability of and uptake of health services,” the report said.

– NAN