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Sex and Gender Influences on the Impacts of Disasters: A Rapid Review of Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Carol Muñoz-Nieves

    (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada)

  • Lorraine Greaves

    (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
    School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada)

  • Ella Huber

    (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada)

  • Andreea C. Brabete

    (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada)

  • Lindsay Wolfson

    (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada)

  • Nancy Poole

    (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada)

Abstract

Both sex-related factors and gender-related factors affect the immediate and long term mental and physical health impacts of disasters, including those resulting from public health emergencies, climate-related events, and naturally occurring phenomena. These include sex-specific biological, physiological and genetic processes, mechanisms underlying reproduction, disease outcomes, and stress, immune, and trauma responses. Gendered factors such as roles, relations, identity, and institutional policies that have an impact on caregiving, occupation, gender-based violence, and access to healthcare, also influence the impacts of disasters and emergencies. Sex/gender factors interact with a range of social determinants to affect the equitability of impacts. A rapid review was conducted to examine evidence from Australia, Canada, countries from the European Union, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (USA) on the influence of sex- and gender-related factors in the context of disasters, such as COVID-19, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. This article describes and categorizes this evidence with attention to real-world impacts of the interactions between sex, gender, and other equity related factors. Broad considerations for improving research and practices to support more sex and gender research in this area and ultimately, to improve emergency and disaster management, are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Carol Muñoz-Nieves & Lorraine Greaves & Ella Huber & Andreea C. Brabete & Lindsay Wolfson & Nancy Poole, 2025. "Sex and Gender Influences on the Impacts of Disasters: A Rapid Review of Evidence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(9), pages 1-22, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:9:p:1417-:d:1747161
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sandra Lafortune & David P. Laplante & Guillaume Elgbeili & Xinyuan Li & Stéphanie Lebel & Christian Dagenais & Suzanne King, 2021. "Effect of Natural Disaster-Related Prenatal Maternal Stress on Child Development and Health: A Meta-Analytic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-35, August.
    2. Lorraine Greaves & Stacey A. Ritz, 2022. "Sex, Gender and Health: Mapping the Landscape of Research and Policy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-13, February.
    3. Susan L. Cutter & Bryan J. Boruff & W. Lynn Shirley, 2003. "Social Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 84(2), pages 242-261, June.
    4. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
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