Gender and noncommunicable diseases in Europe: analysis of STEPS data (2020)

This synthesis report is part of the gender and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) initiative launched by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, which aims to strengthen the response to NCDs through a gender approach. It is part of a series that includes country profiles with a gender analysis of the WHO STEPwise Survey (STEPS) data for each country.

This report presents an analysis of the first eight country profiles to support international commitments to reducing the burden of NCDs with evidence and knowledge exchange. A gender analysis of STEPS NCD risk-factor survey data describes how risk factors for chronic diseases differ between and among men and women by exploring and tracking the direction and magnitude of trends and exposure to risk factors and accessing services by sociodemographic variables.

Important differences hide even in sex-disaggregated data that need to be unpacked through sociodemographic characteristics, because men and women are not homogenous groups. The report also recognizes gaps in evidence and calls for further analysis of the impact of gender-based inequalities.