When it comes to health, men and women face different risks — sometimes because of biology, sometimes because of lifestyle and often a combination of both.
Some diseases and other medical conditions show up more often in men, and understanding the risks is a crucial first step toward prevention and early detection. Especially as men are often reluctant to see doctors in the first place.
A survey from the Cleveland Clinic found that only 50% of men engage in preventive care, and 72% of men would rather do household chores than see their primary care doctor.
A potential reason could be the fact that 41% of surveyed men say they were told as children that men aren’t supposed to complain about health issues.
Even when they do seek some form of medical attention, they may not be as honest as what’s truly necessary for effective medical care, with 20% of survey respondents saying they weren’t completely honest with their doctor in the past.
If that sounds familiar, keeping an eye on signs for the following conditions is particularly important.
Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative condition in which part of the brain slowly dies, resulting in a loss of dopamine, a chemical that helps transmit messages to the body for muscle movement and coordination.
Resulting physical — or motor — symptoms may be tremors, limb stiffness, gait and balance problems, and slowness or insufficient movement. But Parkinson’s can also have non-motor symptoms, such as sleep disorders, hallucinations, anxiety and depression.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, men are 1.5 times more likely than women to get diagnosed with Parkinson’s. In the U.S., approximately 1.1 million people have the condition and about 90,000 are diagnosed every year.
Research published in the journal Biology of Sex Differences says that the higher rates of Parkinson’s in men could in part be due to the protective effects of estrogen in women. But women are underrepresented in research, and including women more often in future studies could help scientists understand why men and women are affected differently.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer accounts for 25% of cancer deaths and is the second most common form of cancer among men and women. More men die because of it, but the American Cancer Society says that gap is closing, with lower rates among men over the past few decades.
The number of women who will die from lung cancer in 2026 is about 61,950. The number of deaths for men will be around 63,040.
The difference in numbers may be due to a younger diagnosis age for women. Women are also more likely to respond well to chemotherapy treatment and to survive lung cancer at all stages.
Research published in the journal Translational Lung Cancer Research suggests that differences in occupations may also be a factor. The fact that women generally have a healthier baseline status and a more aggressive immune system against cancer could also contribute to their higher survival rate.
Like Parkinson’s, though, researchers note that the underrepresentation of women in studies contributes to the lack of clarity about why men are affected more severely.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis occurs when a chronic liver problem progresses to its final stage, marked by extensive scarring (fibrosis). If left untreated, this can eventually result in liver failure, in which a liver transplant is the only treatment option.
This condition is the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S., Yale Medicine says. And about a third of those with cirrhosis don’t even know they have it — likely because symptoms of liver disease often don’t appear until it’s reached the advanced stages.
Men are more likely to develop the condition, and death rates for men with cirrhosis are twice as high as for women.
Hepatitis viruses (viruses that cause liver inflammation and damage), excessive alcohol consumption and fatty liver disease are a few liver-damaging disorders linked to the development of cirrhosis. Studies have found that men are more likely to indulge in heavy alcohol consumption and acquire viral hepatitis. This likely contributes to the higher rate of cirrhosis in men.
Hormonal and genetic differences may also play a part. Arizona Liver Health says these, in addition to lifestyle differences, “can significantly increase the likelihood of liver cirrhosis in men.”
Liver cancer
The American Cancer Society predicts that about 28,000 men and nearly 15,000 women will be diagnosed in 2026 with liver cancer.
Like cirrhosis, the higher rate of liver cancer among men can be attributed in part to lifestyle differences. Viral hepatitis, heavy alcohol use, tobacco use, excess weight and the use of anabolic steroids are all risk factors in developing liver cancer and are behaviors more prevalent in men than women.
Gout
Gout is a type of arthritis and is one of the most common forms experienced by men. The Arthritis Foundation notes that it can be particularly painful.
It’s caused by elevated levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia), which is typically eliminated through urine and sweat. However, uric acid levels in those with gout are too high, so the acid builds up and forms crystallized shards. These shards then migrate to lower joints, often the big toe.
Think of these crystallized shards as tiny pieces of glass that tear tissue and cause severe pain.
Gout is more common in men because their baseline levels of uric acid are higher than women’s. Women are more likely to get it after menopause, though, as their uric acid levels then become more equal to men’s.
A diet that’s high in fatty foods, red meat and alcohol — particularly beer — can also contribute to an increased risk of developing gout.
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer represents just 3.3% of new cancer cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) predicts that nearly 68,000 people will receive the diagnosis in 2026, and about 53,000 will die from it. This cancer has an estimated five-year survival rate of 13.7%.
HHS and Johns Hopkins Medicine report that pancreatic cancer is slightly more prevalent in men than women.
Risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include smoking cigarettes, smoking cigars and pipes, and using smokeless tobacco products. Other risk factors include industrial chemical exposure, heavy alcohol use, chronic pancreatitis, diabetes, pancreatic cysts and diets rich in red and processed meats.
Kidney stones
Kidney stones are small, hard deposits of minerals and salts that are in urine and form inside the kidneys.
Research published in the journal Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation examined urine composition in both men and women.
Uric acid levels were typically higher in the men sampled, as were calcium oxalate and phosphate. These compounds can form crystals when present in higher levels. Kidney stones are formed when these crystals attach to each other. Most people are diagnosed after severe pain when the stone breaks loose and blocks the drainage of urine from the kidneys.
The research concludes that men are at a higher risk of kidney stones because of lifestyle factors — such as diet, carrying excess weight and taking certain medications — and urine composition.
Like other health conditions men are more prone to, post-menopausal women are more at risk of developing kidney stones than pre-menopausal women. That supports the idea that hormones and genetics may play a role as well.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) says. By age 50, men are more likely to get melanoma than women, but by age 65, they’re two times as likely to get it compared with women in the same age group. By age 80, they’re three times as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma.
One reason, the AAD says, may be that men know less about skin cancer than women. A 2016 study from the AAD compared their knowledge based on the following questions:
There is no such thing as a healthy tan.
- 56% of men knew this was true
- 76% of women knew this was true
A base tan cannot protect you from the sun’s harmful rays.
- 54% of men knew this was true
- 70% of women knew this was true
Skin cancer can develop on skin that gets intermittent or little sun.
- 56% of men knew this was true
- 65% of women knew this was true
Because men don’t have as full an understanding of skin cancer, they’re less likely to protect themselves against sun exposure.
Autism spectrum disorders
As of 2022, about 1 in 31 8-year-old children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But it’s more than three times more common among boys than among girls, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
Marissa Moore, licensed professional counselor and owner of Mending Hearts Counseling, says that the ratio of diagnoses between boys and girls demonstrates not that girls don’t have ASD, but that they may be underdiagnosed.
One reason for that may be that autism affects boys and girls differently.
Girls with ASD may be more likely to mask symptoms and tend to have better communication skills. Boys with ASD tend to show lower motor skills and dexterity, making their diagnosis more physically visible.
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