Behavioral gender differences are reinforced during the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

Behavioral gender differences have been found for a wide range of human activities including the way people communicate, move, provision themselves, or organize leisure activities. Using mobile phone data from 1.2 million devices in Austria (15% of the population) across the first phase of the COVID-19 crisis, we quantify gender-specific patterns of communication intensity, mobility, and circadian rhythms. We show the resilience of behavioral patterns with respect to the shock imposed by a strict nation-wide lock-down that Austria experienced in the beginning of the crisis with severe implications on public and private life. We find drastic differences in gender-specific responses during the different phases of the pandemic. After the lock-down gender differences in mobility and communication patterns increased massively, while circadian rhythms tended to synchronize. In particular, women had fewer but longer phone calls than men during the lock-down. Mobility declined massively for both genders, however, women tended to restrict their movement stronger than men. Women showed a stronger tendency to avoid shopping centers and more men frequented recreational areas. After the lock-down, males returned back to normal quicker than women; young age-cohorts return much quicker. Differences are driven by the young and adolescent population. An age stratification highlights the role of retirement on behavioral differences. We find that the length of a day of men and women is reduced by 1 h. We interpret and discuss these findings as signals for underlying social, biological and psychological gender differences when coping with crisis and taking risks.

Sexual dimorphism in COVID-19: potential clinical and public health implications

“… 93 A study using mobile phone data from 1·2 million devices in Austria found gender differences in social behaviour during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic; for example, women avoided larger shopping malls during lockdown, and after lockdown, men returned to their normal social behaviour faster than women. 94

Figure 2 Sexual dimorphism in severity and mortality of COVID-19 Men experience more severe disease courses and more deaths connected to COVID-19, but women appear to be at increased risk of long COVID. Therefore, we argue that sex should be taken in consideration regarding COVID-19 treatment, follow-up, and establishment of public health measures.

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Stress appraisal as a mediator between the sense of coherence and the frequency of stress coping strategies in women and men duringCOVID‐19 lockdown

“…A study conducted in Austria from 1 February to 29 June 2020 showed that during lockdown women, in comparison to men, significantly reduced their own mobility, avoided shopping centers and recreational places more strongly. Moreover, after the lockdown, men returned to normal more quickly than women (Reisch, Heiler, Hurt, Klimek, Hanbury & Thurner, 2021 ). Subsequent research showed that women were more likely than men to use both positive (keeping good relationships with family; maintaining emotional closeness with others through the use of social media; supporting family members or close others; taking care of oneself through diet, exercise, or reading) and negative (being easily angered by others; believing that one's own actions are ineffective; panic buying) coping strategies (Ramos‐Lira, Rafful, Flores‐Celis et al ., 2020 ).…”

Gender Differences in Burnout Among Endocrinologists in China

“…Some researchers suggested resilience and coping strategies play an important role in affecting DP ( Chong et al, 2021 ; Di Giuseppe et al, 2021 ; Di Trani et al, 2021 ; Li P. et al, 2021 ; Nituica et al, 2021 ; Perry et al, 2021 ). Studies also showed gender differences in coping strategies and resilience ( Gargiulo et al, 2021 ; Reisch et al, 2021 ; Yan et al, 2021 ; Zhang X. et al, 2021 ), and this could partially explain the gender differences regarding the differential associations between work hours and sleep duration and DP ( Di Giuseppe et al, 2021 ). As the etiology and mechanism of burnout remain elusive, these findings would help understand the pathogenesis of physician burnout.…”