Compared with men, women with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) are more likely to report poorer patient experience, lower health-related quality of life, and poorer perception of their health, according to a study recently published online in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Victor Okunrintemi, M.D., M.P.H., from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and colleagues used data from the 2006 to 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to evaluate gender differences in patient-centered outcomes (e.g., self-reported patient experience, perception of health, and health-related quality of life) among 21,353 individuals (47 percent women) with ASCVD.

The researchers found that compared with men, women with ASCVD were more likely to experience poor patient-provider communication (odds ratio, 1.25), lower health care satisfaction (odds ratio, 1.12), poor perception of health status (odds ratio, 1.15), and lower health-related quality of life scores. Relatedly, women were 23 percent more likely to report that their doctors never or only sometimes listened to them and 20 percent more likely to report that their doctor never or only sometimes showed them respect compared with men. Additionally, women with ASCVD reported 35 percent lower use of aspirin and 45 percent less statin use than men. Women were 28 percent more likely than men to use the emergency department at least two times a year.

"Our study suggests that women with cardiovascular disease aren't getting the same attention and treatment as men with cardiovascular disease, and this can have real-world effects on patient outcomes," Okunrintemi said in a statement. "We should be more proactive and provide more equitable care for all our patients, irrespective of gender."

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