Gender Disparities in Cancer and Behavioral Factors – BIOENGINEER.ORG

Report on Gender Disparities in Behavioral Cancer Risk Factors and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction: Advancing Global Health Through a Gender-Sensitive Lens

A comprehensive umbrella review conducted by Marozoff et al. analyzes the critical intersection of behavioral factors, cancer risk, and sex/gender differences. This report synthesizes the study’s findings, framing them within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research provides crucial evidence for developing targeted public health strategies that advance SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by addressing gender-specific health behaviors and outcomes.

2.0 Key Findings on Behavioral Risk Factors and Gender

The review identifies distinct behavioral patterns between men and women that directly influence cancer risk profiles. These disparities highlight systemic challenges to achieving universal health coverage and gender equality.

2.1 Substance Use and Cancer Risk

• Disparate Patterns: Men exhibit higher rates of smoking and alcohol consumption, established risk factors for various cancers. This behavioral divergence presents a significant barrier to achieving Target 3.4 of SDG 3, which aims to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases.
• Targeted Interventions: Understanding these gender-specific behaviors is essential for designing effective prevention campaigns that resonate with different demographic groups, thereby promoting health equity as outlined in SDG 10.

2.2 Nutrition and Dietary Influences

• Sex-Specific Correlations: The study reveals that dietary patterns correlate differently with cancer risk based on sex. For example, high-fat diets are more strongly linked to prostate cancer in men, while fiber intake is a more significant factor for colorectal cancer risk in women.
• Implications for SDG 3: These findings underscore the need for gender-specific nutritional guidelines to minimize cancer risk, contributing directly to the promotion of health and well-being for all.

2.3 Physical Activity and Sociocultural Barriers

1. Protective Effects: Regular physical activity is a known protective factor against multiple cancers.
2. Gendered Barriers: Sociocultural norms, safety concerns, and time constraints disproportionately affect women’s ability to engage in regular physical activity.
3. Alignment with SDG 5: Addressing these barriers is a matter of public health and a crucial component of achieving gender equality (SDG 5) by ensuring women have equal opportunities to pursue healthy lifestyles.

3.0 Intersecting Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors

3.1 The Role of Socioeconomic Status

Economic disparities, a key focus of SDG 10, significantly influence health behaviors and access to care. The review highlights that women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may face a higher risk of certain cancers due to constraints that lead to sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition. Public health policies must address these structural inequalities to ensure equitable health outcomes.

3.2 Cultural Norms and Health Behaviors

Cultural factors can either mitigate or exacerbate cancer risks. In some cultures, social norms against smoking among women reduce lung cancer rates, while in others, societal pressures may encourage harmful behaviors in both men and women. This demonstrates the need for culturally sensitive interventions that respect local contexts while promoting the universal goal of good health (SDG 3).

4.0 Policy and Research Implications for Achieving the SDGs

4.1 Advancing Gender-Aware Health Policy

The report calls for public health initiatives and policies that explicitly incorporate a gender perspective. This aligns with SDG 5 (Target 5.c) to adopt and strengthen policies for the promotion of gender equality.

• Promote equitable access to cancer screenings and preventive services.
• Develop gender-sensitive public health campaigns that address specific behavioral risks.
• Integrate mental health support into cancer prevention strategies, recognizing its gendered dimensions.

4.2 Addressing Research Gaps

A historical male-centric bias in medical research has created knowledge gaps regarding women’s unique cancer risks. To achieve SDG 3 and SDG 5, future research must prioritize the study of sex and gender differences to ensure prevention and treatment are effective for all.

5.0 Conclusion: A Call for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

The findings from Marozoff et al. serve as a call to action for a multi-sectoral approach to cancer prevention. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires a concerted effort that recognizes the intricate links between gender, behavior, and health. By fostering interdisciplinary collaborations among scientists, policymakers, and community advocates, as envisioned in SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), tailored and equitable public health strategies can be developed to reduce the global burden of cancer and advance health equity for all genders.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article’s primary focus is on cancer, a leading cause of death globally, and its prevention. It extensively discusses non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors such as diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption, as well as the importance of mental health and access to healthcare services, all of which are central to SDG 3.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  A core theme of the article is the analysis of sex and gender differences in cancer risk. It highlights how societal expectations, gender roles, cultural norms, and systemic bias in medical research lead to different health behaviors and outcomes for men and women. The call for gender-sensitive prevention strategies and policies directly aligns with SDG 5.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article explicitly states that socioeconomic factors and economic disparities influence health behaviors and cancer risk. It points out that women from lower socioeconomic strata may have a higher risk for certain cancers due to constraints on nutrition and physical activity, and it discusses the need for equitable access to healthcare, addressing the inequality dimension of health.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

    The article directly supports this target by investigating the behavioral risk factors (diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol use) for cancer, a primary NCD. It also mentions the role of mental health (stress, anxiety, depression) in leading to unhealthy coping mechanisms that increase cancer risk.

  • Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.

    This target is addressed through the article’s focus on substance use as a key behavioral factor. It highlights that men are more likely to consume alcohol and smoke, both of which have established links to various cancers, and calls for targeted interventions to alter these risky behaviors.

  • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services…

    The article touches upon this target by noting that economic disparities can limit access to healthcare and that public health policies should promote “equitable access to cancer screenings and preventive health services.”

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

    The article identifies a systemic bias in medical research, which has been “predominantly male-centric,” leading to knowledge gaps about women’s health. This bias is a form of discrimination that affects health outcomes. It also discusses how societal roles and expectations disproportionately create barriers for women, such as caregiving duties affecting their health behaviors.

  • Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels.

    This target is directly referenced by the article’s call for “gender-sensitive interventions,” “gender-aware health policies,” and the need for public health initiatives to “incorporate gender perspectives in cancer prevention.”

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

    The article connects to this target by illustrating how socioeconomic status creates health inequalities. It specifies that “women from lower socioeconomic strata may adopt sedentary lifestyles due to economic constraints,” increasing their cancer risk. Promoting equitable access to healthcare and prevention for these groups is a step towards social inclusion in health.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Implied Indicator for Target 3.4: Mortality rate attributed to cancer, disaggregated by sex/gender. The article’s focus on cancer as a “leading cause of death” implies this is a key metric.
  • Implied Indicator for Target 3.4: Prevalence of behavioral risk factors, disaggregated by sex/gender. The article analyzes “smoking rates,” “alcohol consumption,” levels of “physical activity,” and “dietary patterns,” suggesting these are measurable indicators of progress in prevention.
  • Implied Indicator for Target 3.5: Prevalence of tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol, disaggregated by sex/gender. The study’s finding that men are more likely to smoke and consume alcohol points to the need to track these specific substance use indicators by gender.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  • Implied Indicator for Target 5.1 & 5.c: Existence of national policies and public health strategies that explicitly incorporate gender perspectives for NCD prevention. The article’s call for “gender-aware health policies” makes the adoption of such policies a clear indicator of progress.
  • Implied Indicator for Target 5.1: Health outcome data (e.g., cancer incidence and mortality) disaggregated by sex, gender, and other relevant factors. The entire premise of the study is based on analyzing these differences, making disaggregated data an essential indicator to monitor and address gender-based health disparities.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Implied Indicator for Target 10.2: Health outcomes and access to preventive services (e.g., cancer screenings, nutritional options) disaggregated by both gender and socioeconomic status. The article’s link between “women from lower socioeconomic strata” and increased cancer risk implies that progress must be measured by tracking health equity across these intersecting groups.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: bioengineer.org