Men and COVID-19: A Biopsychosocial Approach to Understanding Sex Differences in Mortality and Recommendations for Practice and Policy Interventions

Abstract

What is already known about this topic? Data suggest that more men than women are dying of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide, but it is unclear why. What is added by this report? We describe an approach that considers biological and psychosocial factors that affect men's health and how these factors may intersect. Clinical, public health, community, and policy examples illustrate what can be done, and is being done, to address men's COVID-19-associated mortality risk. Our approach highlights the importance of examining COVID-19-associated mortality risk from a men's health perspective rather than one that focuses solely on sex differences. What are the implications for public health practice? We can seize this moment to reimagine and redesign our health care and public health systems to consider the many factors that influence men's health.

Race and ethnicity, gender, and age on perceived threats and fear of COVID-19: Evidence from two national data sources

“…While Asian Americans do not present an increased risk of death from COVID-19, virologic surveillance data also indicate Asian Americans are more likely to be become infected and be hospitalized when compared to Whites. With respect to gender, men and women are as likely to be exposed SARS-CoV-2, though men are at greater risk of severe COVID-19 disease ( Griffith et al, 2020 ). Given that COVID-19 infections and deaths continue to rise, and the probability of exposure and severity of disease differs across groups, future research should investigate whether threat and fear perceptions of COVID-19 changes over time and whether changes in perceptions vary by race and ethnicity, gender, and age.…”

What’s Testosterone Got to Do with It? A Critical Assessment of the Contribution of Testosterone to Gender Disparities in COVID-19 Infections and Deaths

“…5). [55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70] Even when number of comorbidities are matched for men and women, men die at higher rates in every age group. [63][64][65][66][67][68] Men are more likely to suffer from heart disease and chronic lung disease as they are more Traish and Morgentaler; Androgens: Clinical Research and Therapeutics, 2.1 http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/andro.2020.0012…”

“…67 frequently smokers, drinkers, or working in occupations that expose them to risk. [63][64][65][66][67][68] Men do not utilize health services, including preventive health services, as much as women, which may translate to men being further along in the course of their illness before they seek care. In the end, the simplest and likeliest explanation for the surfeit of male deaths with COVID-19 is the fact that men have greater susceptibility to death than women across all ages.…”

A biopsychosocial framework for recovery from COVID-19

“…The rationale of Griffith et al (2020) guides our use of BPS as a theoretical framework in this research. We seek to understand the impact of COVID-19 and its control measures biologically, psychologically and sociologically to inform biopsychosocial intervention development to holistically reduce the contagion and mortality rates of COVID-19 short term and improve wellbeing for the long term.…”