A World Health Organisation report says men are more likely to die earlier than women due to uneven access to health services.
According to “2019 World Health Statistics” published on the WHO website recently, 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 intensifying efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage 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, 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 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.”
