Journal of women's health
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Women have historically faced gendered patterns of disadvantage during times of emergency. Evidence demonstrates differences in gendered exposures and inequities during acute crises such as natural disasters and pandemics, including Covid-19, and longer-term emergencies such as climate change. These patterns, without intervention, may be perpetuated in future crises. ⋯ Finally, gendered expectations of social roles contribute to increased vulnerabilities, such as displacement and poverty. Violence against women rises in times of emergency and pathways to escaping trauma can be limited. In addition to directly addressing women's unique barriers and providing support in times of emergency through bolstering health care access, economic, and social support systems, thoughtful solutions such as trauma-informed care, increasing the number of women in leadership roles, educational initiatives, and advocacy from health professionals are needed to protect and advance women's health.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2021
Evidence of Gender Differences in the Diagnosis and Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients: An Analysis of Electronic Health Records Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning.
Background: The impact of sex and gender in the incidence and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains controversial. Here, we aim to describe the characteristics of COVID-19 patients at disease onset, with special focus on the diagnosis and management of female patients with COVID-19. Methods: We explored the unstructured free text in the electronic health records (EHRs) within the SESCAM Healthcare Network (Castilla La-Mancha, Spain). The study sample comprised the entire population with available EHRs (1,446,452 patients) from January 1st to May 1st, 2020. ⋯ Imaging by chest X-ray or blood tests were performed less frequently in females (65.5% vs. 78.3% and 49.5% vs. 63.7%, respectively), all p < 0.001. Regarding hospital resource use, females showed less frequency of hospitalization (44.3% vs. 62.0%) and intensive care unit admission (2.8% vs. 6.3%) than males, all p < 0.001. Conclusion: Our results indicate important sex-dependent differences in the diagnosis, clinical manifestation, and treatment of patients with COVID-19. These results warrant further research to identify and close the gender gap in the ongoing pandemic.