Women Less Likely to Get Active Treatment
A review of 41 studies finds women often receive less aggressive care than men for the same medical conditions.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Women’s Health
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A review published in PLOS One analyzed 41 papers and found that 33 reported a significant difference in how men and women were treated. Researchers found women were less likely than men to receive active management for the same conditions.
Why it matters
The findings point to sex-based differences in care that could affect outcomes for women across a range of medical conditions. Researchers plan to test whether the same treatment patterns appear in generative AI outputs.
The review covered 41 papers, 38 of which were retrospective case series drawn from patient records, and 33 of which reported significant sex-based treatment differences. The analysis does not establish the underlying cause of these differences.
The players
University of St. Andrews
A public research university in Scotland, founded in 1413 and among the oldest in the English-speaking world, and the institution with which the study's lead author is affiliated.
The details
Researchers found men were more likely to receive opioids from prehospital emergency teams and targeted temperature management after cardiac arrest. Women with heart failure or myocardial infarction were more likely to receive conservative medication management rather than ablation or bypass surgery, and women with depression or treatment-resistant schizophrenia were less likely to be prescribed medications. Women also stayed longer in hospitals after surgery and were less likely to receive liver transplants or permanent dialysis access.
Timeline
Study published in PLOS One; Healio reported on it on November 6, 2026.
Health Landscape
The findings extend a long-documented pattern of sex-based disparities in medical care across multiple specialties. The review adds a broad, multi-specialty view to a body of evidence that has previously been examined mostly within individual fields.
Women facing a serious diagnosis may want to ask their clinicians directly about the full range of treatment options available for their condition. Patients can also seek second opinions when they are uncertain whether recommended care is as complete as it could be.
The takeaway
Patients who feel their care is less aggressive than expected can raise the question with their doctors and ask what alternatives were considered. Awareness of these documented patterns can help women advocate for complete evaluation of their symptoms.
Further reading
For more on sex-based differences in care, explore our Women's Health coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Healio.
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