Unveiling Gender Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Burden: Insights from India

Trupti Patil, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Arnab Jana, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Sarthak Gaurav, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

While behavioural and metabolic risks for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well-established, sex-and-gender-specific risks remain understudied. Currently, there is no global policy targeting CVDs in women. We examine risk factors for CVD burden among women and men aged 15-49 years (India) and evaluate policy instruments (Maharashtra) We adopted the WHOs framework- Causal links between underlying drivers, behavioural risk, and metabolic risk. We used National Family Health Survey (2019-20). We conducted (1) quantitative data analyses- Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model to examine causal predictors of CVD burden in women and men and (2) policy instrument document analyses to interpret context-specific drivers. Behavioural risks were higher in men (ß = 0.44) than in women (ß = 0.20). Women's empowerment (ß = -0.211) reduces CVD and behavioural risks (ß = -0.212), subsequently lowering women's overall CVD burden. Lastly, menopause increases CVD burden in women. Maharashtra-specific policy instruments effectively and innovatively complemented eleven National policies across four program areas – Access to healthcare, women's education, women empowerment, and food-based nutrition. Sex and gender-specific risks interplay across underlying, behavioural, and metabolic domains, disproportionately contributing to CVD burden in women than men. It emphasizes importance of caution against one-size-fits-all health interventions, urging a gender-responsive approach.

Keywords: Gender Dynamics, Mixed methods research, Qualitative data/methods/approaches, Structural equation modelling

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