Gender disparities in hospital admission patterns during the Covid-19 health emergency

A systematic review

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15363289
AutoresNahikari Vizuete-aldave (University of the Basque Country), Haritz Arrieta (0000-0002-3912-6861, University of the Basque Country, autor de correspondencia), Idoia Zarrazquin (0000-0002-4704-7426, University of the Basque Country), Maider Kortajarena (0000-0002-2997-3370, University of the Basque Country), Ainitze Labaka (0000-0002-0632-5741, University of the Basque Country)
Año2026
Volumen26
Número1
Fecha de publicación2026-03-14
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBMC Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1471-2458 • E-ISSN: 1471-2458
EditorialBioMed Central (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1186/s12889-026-26806-6
PMID41832484
OpenAlexW7135392253
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas68

Sex/gender differences influence health outcomes, healthcare access, and hospital use. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health systems and may have exacerbated existing disparities. This systematic review was conducted to examine whether sex/gender disparities exist across diagnostic categories and hospital admission routes, and to determine whether these differences were altered following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic. This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library to identify studies published in English or Spanish between 2020 and 2024 examining hospital admissions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, with sex-disaggregated data. A total of 41 studies met the inclusion criteria, revealing gender-related differences in hospital admissions during the pandemic. The articles were classified according to ICD-10 chapters. During the pandemic, among adults and across all age groups, there was a notable increase in hospitalisations among women for acute burns, alcohol-associated hepatitis, resected lung cancer, malignant melanoma, and others. Women also showed increased emergency visits for infections, mental health problems, and injuries. In contrast, men experienced an increase in admissions for gastrointestinal bleeding. Additionally, studies reported rises in sexual abuse of girls, higher self-harm rates among boys, and more admissions for mental health problems among girls. This systematic review identified differences in hospital admissions for various conditions and highlighted social and health inequalities exacerbated by lockdown. These findings undersore the importance of integrating a gender perspective into public health strategies and responses during health emergencies. The review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on 22 August 2025 (CRD420251038282)

Biostatistics · Declaration · Health care · MEDLINE · Mental health · Occupational safety and health · Public health · Systematic review · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · COVID-19 and Mental Health · COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction · Epidemiology