New Delhi: Women may be living longer than men, but they are also spending more years battling pain, depression, anxiety and other disabling conditions, according to a major global study published in The Lancet Public Health.The analysis, based on data from 204 countries and territories, found that women bear a disproportionately high burden of many chronic and non-fatal conditions that affect quality of life, while men are more likely to die prematurely from fatal diseases and injuries.Researchers have identified lower back pain as the number one condition affecting women worldwide. Women were also more likely to experience depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, headache disorders, musculoskeletal conditions and dementia.

The findings challenge the common belief that longer life automatically translates into better health. Dr Rommel Tikku, Director of Internal Medicine, Max Hospital, Saket, said that longevity alone is not an indicator of good health. “Women are living longer, but many women spend a large portion of their lives dealing with chronic pain, mental health disorders and non-fatal diseases,” she said.The study found that health differences between women and men begin early in life and increase with age. Mental health disorders and musculoskeletal conditions emerge as major factors of poor health in girls and women during adolescence and continue into adulthood.Tikku said the causes are likely multi-factorial, including biological and hormonal influences, greater susceptibility to autoimmune and musculoskeletal disorders, and social and caregiving responsibilities that can impact physical and mental well-being.The researchers said the findings highlight a major gap in health care systems that largely focus on reproductive and maternal health while often ignoring chronic conditions that make up a large portion of women’s overall disease burden.In contrast, men faced a greater burden from conditions such as COVID-19, ischemic heart disease, road injuries and chronic respiratory diseases, which put them at greater risk of premature death.