Differences across the lifespan between females and males in the top 20 causes of disease burden globally

Abstract

Background

Sex and gender shape health. There is a growing body of evidence focused on comprehensively and systematically examining the magnitude, persistence, and nature of differences in health between females and males. Here, we aimed to quantify differences in the leading causes of disease burden between females and males across ages and geographies.

Methods

We used the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 to compare disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) rates for females and males for the 20 leading causes of disease burden for individuals older than 10 years at the global level and across seven world regions, between 1990 and 2021. We present absolute and relative differences in the cause-specific DALY rates between females and males.

Findings

Globally, females had a higher burden of morbidity-driven conditions with the largest differences in DALYs for low back pain (with 478·5 [95% uncertainty interval 346·3–632·8] more DALYs per 100 000 individuals among females than males), depressive disorders (348·3 [241·3–471·0]), and headache disorders (332·9 [48·3–731·9]), whereas males had higher DALY rates for mortality-driven conditions with the largest differences in DALYs for COVID-19 (with 1767·8 [1581·1–1943·5] more DALYs per 100 000 among males than females), road injuries (1012·2 [934·1–1092·9]), and ischaemic heart disease (1611·8 [1405·0–1856·3]). 

The differences between sexes became larger over age and remained consistent over time for all conditions except HIV/AIDS. The largest difference in HIV/AIDS was observed among those aged 25–49 years in sub-Saharan Africa with 1724·8 (918·8–2613·7) more DALYs per 100 000 among females than males.

Interpretation

The notable health differences between females and males point to an urgent need for policies to be based on sex-specific and age-specific data. It is also important to continue promoting gender-sensitive research, and ultimately, implement interventions that not only reduce the burden of disease but also achieve greater health equity.

Funding

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.