COVID-19 Gender Disparities and Mitigation Recommendations: A Narrative Review

Nordhues, Hannah C.; Bhagra, Anjali; Stroud, Natya N.; Vencill, Jennifer A.; Kuhle, Carol L.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly created widespread impacts on global health and the economy. Data suggest that women are less prone to severe illness; however, sex-disaggregated data are incomplete, leaving room for misinterpretation. Additionally, focusing on only biologic sex underestimates the gendered impact of the pandemic on women. The present narrative review summarizes what is known about gender disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic, domestic, and health burdens along with overlapping vulnerabilities related to the pandemic. Additionally, this review outlines recommended strategies that advocacy groups, community leaders, and policy makers should implement to mitigate the widening gender disparities related to COVID-19.