Women take a more proactive approach to their health than men

Research led by the Jordi Gol Institute of Primary Care Research (IDIAPJGol) and the Lleida Institute of Biomedical Research (IRBLleida) concludes that women take a more proactive and autonomous role in addressing their health problems than men. The study shows that women are more involved in understanding, monitoring and preventing their health problems, while men tend to rely more on external support (family, partner or professionals).

This research, published in the academic journal Archives of Public Health, analyses gender differences in self-management of health among people with multimorbidity (two or more chronic diseases). The research team emphasises the need for gender-sensitive interventions which, in the case of women, should focus on supporting decision-making and avoiding overload when they are also caregivers, and in the case of men, should be aimed at promoting autonomy, early help-seeking and participation in community support networks.

Health literacy

The article highlights that one of the areas where there is the greatest disparity between genders is knowledge about health. In this regard, the results indicate that women make more of an effort to acquire knowledge about the treatments they undergo.

Laia Llubes, a researcher at the Lleida Research Support Unit of the IDIAPJGol and the Catalan Health Institute, and at the IRBLleida's Health Care Research Group (GReCS), Laia Llubes, who is the first author of the article, highlights that women 'not only take responsibility for monitoring and controlling their medication, but also seek to better understand treatments in order to manage them effectively.' In contrast, men tend to show lower levels of health literacy and often delegate medication management to their partners or caregivers.

More initiative

In terms of decision-making about their health, the study shows that men tend to follow medical instructions without questioning them, while women show greater initiative in researching alternatives and management strategies.

The study is based on a qualitative methodology, with in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with 43 patients with multimorbidity from three primary care centres in Lleida, selected through purposive sampling to ensure diversity. The study was co-funded by the Research Grant from the Official College of Nurses of Lleida (COILL) that Laia Llubes obtained in 2022.

Article: Llubes-Arrià L, Briones-Vozmediano E, Mateos JT, Sol-Cullere J, Gea-Sánchez M, Rubinat-Arnaldo E. Gender differences in self-management activation among patients with multiple chronic diseases: a qualitative study. Arch Public Health. 31 July 2025;83(1):200. doi: 10.1186/s13690-025-01686-1. PMID: 40745663; PMCID: PMC12315370.