Research led by the Jordi Gol Primary Care Research Institute (IDIAPJGol) and the Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida (IRBLleida) concludes that women take a more proactive and autonomous role in addressing their health problems than men. The study shows that women are more involved in understanding, monitoring, and preventing their health issues, whereas men tend to depend more on external support (family, partners, or professionals).

This research, published in the academic journal Archives of Public Health, analyzes gender differences in self-management of health among people with multimorbidity (two or more chronic conditions). The research team stresses the need for gender-sensitive interventions which, in the case of women, should focus on supporting decision-making and preventing overload when they are also caregivers, and in the case of men, should aim to promote autonomy, early help-seeking, and participation in community support networks.

Health literacy

The article highlights that one of the areas where the gender gap is greatest is in health knowledge. In this regard, the results indicate that women make a greater effort to acquire knowledge about the treatments they undergo.

Researcher Laia Llubes, from the Lleida Research Support Unit of IDIAPJGol and the Catalan Institute of Health, and member of the Health Care Research Group (GReCS) at IRBLleida, who is the first author of the article, emphasizes that women “not only take responsibility for monitoring and controlling their medication, but also seek to better understand treatments in order to manage them effectively.” By contrast, men tend to show lower levels of health literacy and often delegate the management of medication to their partners or caregivers.

More initiative

With regard to the ability to make decisions about their health, the study shows that men tend to follow medical instructions without questioning them, whereas women show greater initiative in seeking alternatives and management strategies.

The study is based on a qualitative methodology, with in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with 43 patients with multimorbidity from three primary care centers in Lleida, selected through purposive sampling to ensure diversity.

The study was funded by the Official College of Nurses of Lleida (COILL) and by the Health Research and Innovation Strategic Plan of the Department of Health.

Reference of the study

Llubes-Arrià L, Briones-Vozmediano E, Mateos JT, Sol-Cullere J, Gea-Sánchez M, Rubinat-Arnaldo E. Gender differences in self-management activation among patients with multiple chronic diseases: a qualitative study. Arch Public Health. 2025 Jul 31;83(1):200. doi: 10.1186/s13690-025-01686-1. PMID: 40745663; PMCID: PMC12315370.