Why getting more girls into STEM is key to closing the gender health gap
Women's health gap diagnoses for health conditions such as cancer and diabetes come later for women than for men. According to a report from the World Economic Forum and the McKinsey Health Institute, women spend 25% more of their lives in debilitating health than men. Although the world has passed important milestones towards gender parity in recent years, there remains much to be done – especially when it comes to the gender health gap.
Understanding the Health Gap
The health gap relates to the lack of equity concerning healthcare for women and men. This gap can take shape in many ways, from access to care to research. For instance, the women’s health gap equates to 75 million years of life lost due to poor health or early death each year. Closing the gap would give the 3.9 billion women in the world today an extra 2.5 healthy days a year, finds a recent report by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey.
Systemic Bias and Pain Management
The factors contributing towards this divide are multiple and nuanced, from systemic bias to a lack of understanding due to poor data. A study in August 2024 revealed that doctors treat men and women differently when it comes to pain. Consider the following facts:
- Women are 10% less likely than men to have their pain level assessed when they arrive at hospital.
- Women wait around half an hour longer than men to be seen by a doctor.
- Women are less likely to be given pain medication.
The study's co-author, Alex Gileles-Hillel, put the discrepancy down to a longstanding and unchallenged bias: “Women are viewed as exaggerating or hysterical and men are viewed as more stoic when they complain of pain.”
Economic Consequences of Inequality
This gap has economic consequences as well. In 2020, for example, only 1% of healthcare research and innovation was invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology, according to the Forum report. However, every $1 invested in women’s health would return around $3 in economic growth. Bridging the women's health gap could boost the global economy by at least $1 trillion annually by 2040, thanks to fewer early deaths and health conditions and a greater capacity for women to contribute to society and the economy.
| Metric | Impact and Data |
|---|---|
| Years of life lost annually | 75 million years due to poor health or early death |
| Economic boost by 2040 | $1 trillion annually |
| Investment return | $3 for every $1 invested |
| Research investment | Only 1% for female-specific conditions (excluding oncology) |
The Role of STEM and Female Representation
Increasing girls' access to and uptake of STEM careers and education could help address the inequalities. Research consistently suggests that when females are treated by female doctors they have better outcomes, including lower mortality and readmission rates. With 2025 marking the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, this underlines the importance of encouraging and enabling girls to pursue STEM careers. More years lost due to poor health, underdiagnosed, and being less likely to be asked about their pain levels describe how women's health is treated today. Greater female representation in the medical profession might help close the gender health gap.