Overview

There is a considerable volume of research on differences between women and men in terms of their experiences of ill health and how well health services meet their needs. National and international data show that men experience higher mortality and lower life expectancy than women around the world, while women tend to experience more ill health than men, although this varies across the lifespan and in relation to specific conditions. In most countries, women also experience a better healthy life expectancy than do men but spend more years living with a disability. This policy brief provides an account of the key issues in the delivery of appropriate, accessible and evidence-informed health care to women and men, and considers how public policies might improve these experiences and health outcomes for both sexes. The benefits, costs and barriers involved in different approaches are also identified. It is clear that health systems can make important contributions to gender equality and gender equity by addressing gender in a variety of ways.