Introduction

The report aims to evaluate the health disparities between men and women that arise due to gender bias. Intimate contact problems are common among women and men in all walks of life. The range of intimate problems is wide, ranging from a variety of disorders to chronic illnesses. The report assesses the causes and variables that influence the medical problems of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. It has been discovered that disparity in the economic, financial, and mental aspects of men’s and women’s lives has resulted in serious sexually transferred problems.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases in men and women

Vaginal troubles could be a sign of a more serious issue, including sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs) or cancer of the reproductive system (Genuis, 2006). Although mild infections may be easily treated, if left untreated, infections may lead to complications such as sterility or renal failure (Leslie and Kennedy, 2007). A number of diseases are included in the list of the disorders:

• Human Papillomavirus
• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• Herpes
• Trichomoniasis
• HIV/AIDS

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also known as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are spread through bodily fluids. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired through sexual contact with another person. According to the data from the Urology Care Foundation (2021), each year, more than 20 million Americans become infected with HIV. They range in age from 15 to 24 years old. As a result, the majority of STDs are treatable and curable. STDs are caused by bacteria and viral that thrive in hot, damp places within the body. It’s a sexually transmitted disease. It is possible for infections to spread from the penis to the vagina, the mouth or the anus, among other places.

According to a study by Folasayo (2017), these infections may range in severity from mild to extremely painful and even life-threatening. These infections can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which may result in infertility or ectopic pregnancy. Anal and vaginal sexual encounters are the most common. Through infected blood, some STDs can spread from person to person (Folasayo, 2017). Sharing contaminated needles among people who use illicit drugs can be one of the leading examples of STDs. It’s also possible for a mother to infect her baby while pregnant, giving birth, or nursing. It is impossible to spread STDs through casual contact. If one shakes hands, wears the same clothes, or sits on the same toilet seat, a person won’t get STDs.

According to a study by Christiana and Okojie (1994), it was found that gender inequalities in health lead to health hazards in women and men at every stage of life. Women’s healthcare issues included excessive woman deaths in adolescence, abuse towards girls and women, and industrial and ecological dangers. The cervix and breast cancer were one of the health issues that women in third-world nations suffered the most. A study in China reported by Zeng, Liu and Loke (2012) showed that gynaecological cancer impacted the lifestyles of patients such that the sexual issues and concerns were not addressed significantly. Most of them resulted in mortality, which is the most well-studied indicator of women’s reproductive health (Christiana and Okojie, 1994).

STDs can affect anyone. High-risk groups include adolescent and young adult populations (Folasayo, 2017). They are more likely to have a large number of sexual partners, and they may not know how to avoid issues. These risks are increased for those who use dirty needles. The research by Folasayo (2017) found that the infections can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes in women. Additionally, a mother can transmit STIs to her unborn child. It can lead to foetal and possibly maternal death. STIs and cancer have also been linked in some cases.

There were a number of diseases reported in women that led to fertility issues due to the STDs. Tuberculosis is a significant public health concern, affecting millions of women globally. As a result of untreated sexually transmitted diseases, tubal inflammation, damage, and scarring are common causes of tubal factor infertility. A study by Tsevat et al.  (2017) has shown that pathogenic bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonococci cause reproductive tract morbidities, including tubal factor infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease. A small body of evidence suggests that other sexually transmitted organisms, such as Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma genitalium, may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of infertility. If tubal factor infertility can be prevented, further research into the vaginal microbiome and other potential pathogens is needed. It’s possible that improved clinical screening and prevention of ascending infection could include a remedy to the hardship of fertility problems.

According to the study by Onyemocho et al., (2014), it was found that the patients’ gender, race, faith, and education level all have a substantial link with the gender of their preferred physician. However, it was found that religion was the most important determining factor. The majority of women preferred to see a female obstetrician or gynaecologist. Women’s religion, on the other hand, was the most likely determining factor. For instance, it was found in the study that to satisfy the demands of female Muslim patients, it was concluded that Islamic ladies must be encouraged to study Gynecology. Similarly, a study by Menard et al. (2010) found that the practice of cultural beliefs amongst immigrant Haitian women influenced their gynaecological health. The dependence was more on the male partners for the economic circumstances of women. The practice of gynae health was dependent on the likes and dislikes of the male counterparts.

Nature of STDs

Apart from the awareness of the STD health challenges, the rise in kidney and cardiac failures has also increased recently. The research by Canobbio, Perloff and Rapkin (2005) found that as a growing number of females with congenital cardiac disease reach the childbearing age, the number of pregnant women in the patient population has increased. However, gynaecological care, including contraceptives, period, and menopausal, has fallen further behind in terms of experience and treatment (Canobbio, Perloff and Rapkin, 2005). However, studies have found that the lack of financial and economic capacity leads to the spread of STDs globally.

Extent of STDs

It was found that in the Third World nations, gender disparity in health is one of the social dimensions in which it manifests. As a result, initiatives to improve the position of women must be included in strategies to eliminate gender inequities in health (Christiana and Okojie, 1994).

STIs are posing a growing threat to public health worldwide. The systematic review by Morris et al. (2019) found that more than 1 million STIs are acquired every day in the world, as per the reports by WHO. About 357 million new cases of Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and Trichomonia are reported each year (Morris et al., 2019). Herpes simplex virus genital infection is estimated to affect more than 500 million people worldwide. Furthermore, 290 million women are infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Sexually transmitted infections can cause infertility and birth defects, increase HIV susceptibility, and cause long-term morbidity in women, according to the World Health Organization (Morris et al., 2019). In addition, it increases the risk of STI transmission from mother to child and premature mortality. As a result of HIV infection, a wide range of co-morbidities are more likely to occur. In the United States, STIs are common (Morris et al., 2019).

Aside from economic factors, trauma disorders have contributed to the prevalence of STDs in both men and women. Adults are more likely to be victims of sexual and other forms of violence. The study by Cloitre et al. (2001) found that violence puts women at risk for a variety of health issues including sexually transmitted disorders. Aside from the violence, the use of contraception, and the change in lifestyle, women’s cardiac health has also been observed in women with gynaecological health issues following the transmission of the STD. The number of women with cardiac diseases who reached menopause is increasing and the number of heart strokes has doubled in the past two decades (Canobbio, Perloff and Rapkin, 2005). Since a growing percentage of females with congenital heart defects reached breeding age, professionals caring for young adults must be conscious of not only the dangers of childbirth associated with different types of CHD, but also concerns representing the entire reproductive cycle in order to provide appropriate care, counselling, and schooling (Canobbio, Perloff and Rapkin, 2005).

Relevant policy

The determination of the health inequalities is dependent on a number of variables. Age, cultural values, gender, economic condition and mental health are some of the primary indicators of health inequalities. Based on the discussion above, STDs in women and men are primarily found due to the lack of awareness and the economic condition of people in rural areas. To tackle health inequalities, the World Health Organization as well as the United Nations had pushed countries to incorporate gender-based ideologies into the healthcare industry and other public-related policies (Crespi-Llorens, Hernandez-Aguado and Chilet-Rosell, 2021).

As per the policy brief by Payne (2009), the policy is designed to approach gender equality and gender equity in healthcare systems. The approach is divided as per the country and their industry strategy. It is crucial to remember that various tactics may need to be blended to properly fulfil gender equity goals. The different approaches are as follows:

• Regulatory method– Legislation aimed to combat discrimination, safeguard human rights, and protect patient rights, as well as regulations requiring public-sector agencies to recognize and prevent gender inequities, are examples of regulatory measures (Payne, 2009).
• Behavioural approaches – First-line prophylaxis versus STIs (including HIV) and unwanted pregnancies include education plus psychological treatments As per the reports by WHO (2019), these efforts are sex and relationship education, HIV/STI pre-and post-test counselling services, safer sex/risk-reducing consultation, contraceptive advancement, STI initiatives aimed at key affected populations, including such trafficked women, men who have had sex with male, and intravenous drug users, as well as STI prevention counselling and education tailored to the specific needs of teenagers. Aside from that, counsellors can help people recognise the signs of STIs and enhance their probability of seeking care or encouraging a sex partner to use it.

For instance, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action issued twenty-five years ago, sparked efforts on gender equality (Crespi-Llorens, Hernandez-Aguado and Chilet-Rosell, 2021). As a result, the eradication of inequities based on gender differences and feminist empowerment has been included as a goal in a number of global declarations and accords. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for more focus on socioeconomic variables of healthcare, such as gender-based planning (Crespi-Llorens, Hernandez-Aguado and Chilet-Rosell, 2021). However, the same obstacles and limits that the Beijing signatories identified remain in place, and the total scenario is one of gradual and dissimilar growth.

Recommendations

Policies of future references coined at eliminating gender inequality in healthcare could be guided by prosperous programs and recommendations depending upon past experiences. The following recommendations are suggested based on the analysis above:

1. Besides offering solutions, we can gather proof to defend the development of programs to minimize gender inequities, as well as recommendations to help them be implemented (Hadolt and Gritsch, 2017).
2. Policymakers and regulators should exercise caution. The caution will address the bindings and limitations of a society. Understanding the societal factors and politics in every nation will be necessary for scaling up these successful experiences (Crespi-Llorens, Hernandez-Aguado and Chilet-Rosell, 2021).
3. To reform as well as assess gender-based healthcare programs, more funds are needed to structure multidisciplinary techniques as well as instruments (Van Kammen, de Savigny and Sewankambo, 2006).
4. To address protected intimacy and in policy decision-making, mainstream policies regarding public health have to fund significantly in R&D (Crespi-Llorens, Hernandez-Aguado and Chilet-Rosell, 2021).

Conclusion

The report aimed to evaluate the health discrepancy between women and men due to gender bias. The sexually transmitted infections are frequently observed among people in all sectors. The issues vary from a number of diseases to chronic illnesses. The report evaluates the reasons and factors influencing these medical issues. It is found that the inequity in the economic, financial and lack of awareness amongst women and men in society has led to severe issues of sexually transmitted diseases. There have been a number of policies designed by the WHO. Despite the fact that international agencies such as the UN and WHO with responsibilities have amassed databases of knowledge and practices on what has eventually worked out and what hasn’t when it comes to tackling gender gaps in health, this precious information stays unused and unanalyzed. Although there is a lack of genuine dedication, there is evidence of advances that policymakers may want to examine.

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