Dr. Minagawa and Dr. Luy, together with colleagues, have published “Why do women live longer than men, but spend more time in poor health? A decomposition analysis of the gender gap in unhealthy life years across Europe” in European Journal of Epidemiology. This study tested the “longevity hypothesis,” which suggests that women spend more years in poor health mainly because they live longer. The study examined gender differences in unhealthy life years at age 50 across several health indicators. Women consistently experienced more years in poor health than men. Results varied somewhat across health indicators and countries, but overall findings support the longevity hypothesis and highlight the importance of considering different dimensions of health when examining gender inequalities.

View Publication: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-025-01346-2