The Importance of Gender-Sensitive Health Care in the Context of Pain, Emergency and Vaccination: A Narrative Review

Abstract

So far, health care has been insufficiently organized in a gender-sensitive way, which makes the promotion of care that meets the needs of women and men equally emerge as a relevant public health problem. The aim of this narrative review was to outline the need for more gender-sensitive medical care in the context of pain, emergency care and vaccinations. In this narrative review, a selective search was performed in Pubmed, and the databases of the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Institute for Gender Equality and the German Federal Ministry of Health were searched. Study data indicate that there are differences between men and women with regard to the ability to bear pain. On the other hand, socially constructed role expectations in pain and the communication of these are also relevant. Studies indicate that women receive adequate pain medication less often than men with a comparable pain score. Furthermore, study results indicate that the female gender is associated with an increased risk of inadequate emergency care. In terms of vaccine provision, women are less likely than men to utilize or gain access to vaccination services, and there are gender-sensitive differences in vaccine efficacy and safety. Sensitization in teaching, research and care is needed to mitigate gender-specific health inequalities.