Social Justice
Gender Disparity and Covid-19
- 09 Apr 2020
- 2 min read
Why in News
Recently, GlobalHealth50/50 suggested that the gender-split of Covid-19 cases in all countries is roughly 50-50, barring two exceptions: India and Pakistan.
- Men in India more than women likely to test positive for COVID-19.
- Another unusual exception was South Korea — the country that has conducted the maximum number of tests as a proportion of population — in that more women tested positive than men.
- GlobalHealth50/50 is an independent research initiative that tracks gender and health. It compiled data from almost 40 countries on Covid-19 cases.
- Many countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, do not have sex-segregated national data while publicising data on cases and death rates.
Key Points
- Data Analysis (% of men out of total cases):
- Greece- 55%
- Italy- 53%
- China- almost 51%(February data).
- India- 76%
- Pakistan- 72%
- Germany- 50%
- South Korea- 40% (more women positive)
- India has not shared national figures on Covid-19 mortality rates in men and women yet. However, on April 6, 2020, the Health Ministry said 76% of the confirmed cases in India were men.
- Reasons:
- Epidemiologists have highlighted that in most countries men and women equally travelled internationally.
- Indian case is reflective of employment trends also. There are less working women and very less are likely to travel internationally for work.
- India’s wide disparity is more likely due to sociological factors.
- Global research on coronavirus so far has shown that men are more likely to be harbouring additional ailments like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and more likely to smoke.
- These conditions make men even more vulnerable to the severe infection.
- The figure seems to be a statistical reflection of relatively low testing for the disease.
- With more testing and more infections detected, the male-female gap would likely narrow.
