All across the United States, the coronavirus is killing more men than women, data show

[Zorro]

As New York City erupts in coronavirus infections and deaths, Kaedrea Jackson has noticed something peculiar during her shifts inside the emergency department at Mount Sinai Morningside hospital.

“It seems there are more men coming in with really severe illness,” said Jackson, an emergency physician. “In general, I’ve seen more male patients. And when they do come in, they are at a sicker state.”

She and her colleagues on the front line of the pandemic have had little time to ponder why covid-19 seems deadlier for men than women — a phenomenon she could not recall happening with other diseases, such as the flu. “I don’t think there’s anything that’s very clear that shows me the etiology of why it’s been more males,” she said.

Coronavirus data reported by more than a dozen states and the nation’s largest city support Jackson’s experience. In most states, slightly more women are getting infected than men. But of more than 3,600 deaths in 13 states and New York City that report fatalities by gender, the majority of victims are men.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/04/coronavirus-men/

[lindysalsagal]

1. So, who's the "weaker" sex, now?

[MichMan]

2. Wonder what the underlying cause is? Generally poorer health, genetic predispositions, or behaviors?

I have seen the same type of data showing a disparity between races as well which leads me to the same questions.

[Hugin]

6. There is speculation that the missing part of the "X" chromosome which makes a male "Y" may have

something to do with it.

But, testosterone poisoning has been a problem in Humans for millennia.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. How About This?

More men early on, not willing to knock off shaking hands, high giving, and generally thinking they were tough enough to not be concerned.
That seems an element of maleness to account for part of it.
Women in general, took it more seriously, and knocked off silly behaviors that lead to high viral load.
I'm a guy, but I took the gloves & hand washing thing seriously. But, I know guys that went "Pfffftt!".

[LizBeth]

15. I do not know if that is a reason, but true that. As a 60 yr old woman, early on I was washing hands

with soap and not just sanatizer so often, my hands hurt. By 3/12 and shutting down events, watching our cancellations skyrocket, I was the first to say, take me off the payroll I will stay home.

I had no qualms protecting my health or having others thinking I was ridiculous. I was dealing with lots and lots of people, in close spaces.

[SoCalDem]

17. Since women are "designed" to be child carers,

I think there's an innate "mechanism" that protects us.

Moms are ALWAYS washing up.......after kids, pets, men, everything.

We tend to be noticers of first signs of illnesses, and are not as doctor-phobic as men are.

We have more "intimate" contact with medical contact and are not as squeamish as men are. we notice things early.

Sadly, men/boys are often told things like "suck it up..walk it off..be a MAN....don't be a crybaby" and it affects their psyches.

Men also tend to have "hidden illnesses" that are often discovered when they are very advanced, making them more susceptible to things like Covid19

[LizBeth]

18. Two decades raising and once got a 24 hour, and still had to get up and help the kids.

Other than a cold, i took care of the kids illnesses and didn't get it. So, may be a point.

[brewens]

3. I might as well say it. It's unfortunate, but we do get the long end of the stick on that one.

If it's mostly older people and mostly men, that will mean mostly older white men. Add to that many of the right-wingers willful ignorance makes them even more at risk. If it has to be anyone, I'm not gonna be quite so sorry to see any Trump worshipper I know go.

[MichMan]

4. Data in Michigan shows that older AA men have the highest death rates.

AA population in Michigan is 14 % and AA are approx. 40 % of deaths from the virus.

Is it generally poorer health to begin with, genetic predispositions, social distancing behaviors, or proximity of living close to others in urban areas ? Likely a combination of all of these

[cwydro]

12. Early data is showing black Americans are disproportionately affected by this.

There’ve been a few threads on it.

So, not so sure about your older white man theory.

[former9thward]

19. 70% of the fatalities due to CV in Chicago are African American.

[CaptYossarian]

5. Poor behavior and choices, not going to the doctor, and thinking they're invincible.

[Vogon_Glory]

8. I think that male Covid mortality here is following the Italian pattern

For many of the same reasons you cited. Plus the added stresses of racism and lack of healthcare access isn’t helping any, particularly in the South and Appalachia.

Bubba meet Guido. Guido, meet Bubba.

[CaptYossarian]

10. In the end, it'll be interesting to see how the lily-white states fared.

Don't forget, they thought it was a hoax for at least 2 months because of their cult leader.

[Vogon_Glory]

11. It will be.

Of course, there will be deviations. I fear that Afro-Americans in the Deep South are going to suffer even more than poor whites.

I might be wrong, but I see a lot of Arkansas and Oklahoma as being cultural extensions of Appalachia (Which is why they’ve been voting for Club Pachyferm the last 35 years).

Idaho, now, that’ll be interesting. There are a lot of racists whites, but also a lot of right-wing LDS’ers. I don’t think that the LDS’ers are quite as wedded to Trump’s views on the COVID virus, but fools like that Bundy guy may prove me wrong.

[CaptYossarian]

16. +1

[leftyladyfrommo]

9. God works in mysterious ways. nt

[Blue_true]

13. Someone can check me if I am wrong. But China and Europe saw the same trend. nt

[npk]

14. It could be lots of things, maybe smoking

I know studies have for years shown that more men smoke or have smoked than women. Obviously smoking causes lung cancer overtime, but it also destroys the lungs in other ways also. Obviously with the COVID-19 virus being a respiratory virus you need your lungs to be in as good of shape as they can be. Men also tend to drink more alcohol than women, and that could effect the vital organs of the body such as the liver.

Men have always had a shorter life expectancy than women in this country, and I think a lot of that has to do with men taking less care of themselves and exposing themselves to bad habits, such as smoking and excessive drinking at higher rates than women.