Unequal disease burdens: exploring the intersection of gender, health and disease dynamics in China

作者：Xueneng Yang, Ruijuan Li, Junfei Liu, Jun Shu, Hanbo Chen, Minglin Dong, Jia Lv, Yong Yuan, Qiangqiang Song, Limin Guo, Ming Zeng, Bo Li · 发表于：BMC Public Health · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s12889-025-23354-3 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Sex and Gender in Healthcare、Diversity and Career in Medicine、Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Gender differences have a significant impact on disease burden. Although there is extensive research on disease burden in China, the age-related and long-term trends in gender differences for major diseases are not clear. This study analyzes the gender differences in the burden of 20 major diseases in China from 1990 to 2021, revealing temporal and age-related trends, and providing evidence for gender-sensitive public health policies. METHODS: This study uses data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) to analyze gender differences in 20 major diseases in China. Absolute differences (male DALY − female DALY) and relative differences (absolute difference / male DALY × 100%) were calculated to analyze the long-term trends and age-related characteristics of gender differences across different age groups (0–14 years, 15–49 years, 50–69 years, 70 + years). RESULTS: In 2021, diseases with a significantly higher burden for males included stroke (male 31,862,593.3 vs. female 21,328,097.8; absolute difference 10,534,495.5, relative difference 33.1%), cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases (relative difference 69.3%), and lung cancer (absolute difference 6,743,543.2). Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias were the only diseases with a higher burden in females (female 6,500,198.7 vs. male 3,572,278.8; relative difference − 82%). Gender differences were present in early childhood, especially in neonatal disorders and road injuries, while stroke showed t...