Women Less Likely to Get Active Treatment
Women with several common conditions received less active management than men, according to a review of 41 studies.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Women’s Health
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A review of 41 published papers found that women are less likely than men to receive active management for the same medical conditions across several specialties. Researchers reported the findings in PLOS One and plan to test whether similar treatment patterns appear in generative AI outputs.
Why it matters
Differences in whether men and women receive procedures, medications, or specialist referrals for the same condition can shape outcomes such as recovery time and access to advanced therapies. The authors' plan to examine AI outputs suggests concern that such patterns could be reproduced by tools increasingly used in clinical and health information settings.
This is a review of 41 published papers, 38 of which were retrospective case series based on patient records, with 33 reporting a significant male-female difference in treatment. Because most included studies were observational and drew on existing records, the review describes associations rather than proving why the differences occurred.
The players
University of St. Andrews
A Scottish research university whose researchers led the review of sex-based treatment differences published in PLOS One.
The details
Across emergency medicine, cardiology, psychiatry, neurology, nephrology, and surgery, the reviewed studies documented several patterns. Men were more likely to receive prehospital opioid pain relief and targeted temperature management after cardiac arrest, while women with heart failure or myocardial infarction more often received conservative medication management instead of ablation or bypass surgery. Women with depression and treatment-resistant schizophrenia were less likely to be prescribed medications, men with Parkinson's disease were more often referred for deep brain stimulation, and women stayed longer in hospital after surgery and were less likely to receive a liver transplant or a permanent dialysis access.
Timeline
Healio published its article on the sex-based treatment differences study on November 6, 2026.
Health Landscape
The review adds to a body of research documenting sex-based differences in clinical care across many specialties, most of it drawn from retrospective patient records. Its authors plan a next step that examines whether generative AI systems reproduce the same treatment patterns.
If you are a woman managing a heart, mental health, or surgical condition, it is reasonable to ask your clinician how your treatment options were weighed and whether any specialist referral is worth considering. Discussing this with your doctor can help you make sure your care reflects your own history and preferences.
The takeaway
Treatment differences between men and women were documented across many specialties, though the review does not explain their causes. Keep an open conversation with your doctor about all recommended treatment options for your condition.
What happens next
Researchers plan to test whether these same treatment patterns appear in generative AI outputs, though no date for that work was given.
Further reading
For more on how treatment gaps affect women's care, see Women's Health.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Healio.
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