Public health blindness towards men in HIV programmes in Africa

For some years, concerns have been raised about the blindness towards men in HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) services in Africa. Compared to women in African ART programmes, men are less likely to be diagnosed with HIV, less likely to start ART, more likely to start ART with advanced HIV disease and at older ages […]

Perpetuating gender inequity through uneven reporting

We welcome the Editorial on raising the profile of men’s health to reach gender equity and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve these targets, scientific journals and researchers must urgently recognise and address the role they have in perpetuating gender inequity through uneven reporting of research.

Moving beyond gender stereotypes

We read with interest Sarah Hawkes and Kent Buse’s Viewpoint (May 18, p 1783) on gender and global health. The authors raise important issues about the conventional focus on women’s disempowerment relative to men. In addition, we would like to draw attention to inequities that disadvantage men’s health.

HIV services in sub-Saharan Africa: the greatest gap is men

40 years ago the first cases of what would become known as AIDS were reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since then, millions of lives have been lost, but gradually remarkable progress has been made across the HIV continuum of care. By 2019, 81% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) worldwide knew […]

Gender inequality: Bad for men’s health

Men’s increased risk of death in ART programmes in sub-Saharan Africa is widely reported but poorly understood. Some studies have attributed this risk to men’s poorer health-seeking behaviour, which may prevent them from accessing ART, being adherent to treatment, or remaining in care. In a multicentre analysis of 46 201 adults starting ART in urban […]

Gender Differences in Survival among Adult Patients Starting Antiretroviral Therapy in South Africa: A Multicentre Cohort Study

Background Increased mortality among men on antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been documented but remains poorly understood. We examined the magnitude of and risk factors for gender differences in mortality on ART. Methods and Findings Analyses included 46,201 ART-naïve adults starting ART between January 2002 and December 2009 in eight ART programmes across South Africa (SA). […]

Does the success of HIV treatment depend on gender?

By the end of 2010, there were an estimated 34 million people living with HIV, 50% of whom were female. Worldwide, there are similar numbers of new HIV infections in men and women. In the early years of the HIV epidemic, prior to the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART), there was extremely high morbidity and […]

Public health blindness towards men in HIV programmes in Africa

For some years, concerns have been raised about the blindness towards men in HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) services in Africa. Compared to women in African ART programmes, men are less likely to be diagnosed with HIV, less likely to start ART, more likely to start ART with advanced HIV disease and at older ages […]