TITLE:
Examining Gender Inequality and Female Health Outcomes: A Cross-National Analysis of Structural Determinants, Capabilities, and Policy Implications
AUTHORS:
Wullianallur Raghupathi, Sarah Jinhui Wu
KEYWORDS:
Gender Inequality, Female Health Outcomes, Capability Approach, Institutional Theory, Social Determinants of Health, Life Expectancy, Mortality, HIV, Cross-National Analysis, World Bank Data
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.18 No.1,
January
5,
2026
ABSTRACT: Persistent gender inequality remains a key structural determinant of global health disparities. This paper investigates the relationship between gender inequality across education, economic, political, and personal safety domain with health and women’s health outcomes—specifically female mortality, life expectancy, and incidence of HIV—using a panel dataset of 116 countries from 2007-2019 derived from the World Bank. The analysis employs general linear models controlling for year and country effects to estimate the strength and direction of associations between dimensions of gender inequality and female health outcomes. Results indicate that gender inequality in education, employment, and political representation significantly affects female mortality and longevity, while the relationship with HIV incidence is weaker. Paradoxically, greater gender parity in education and employment correlates with shorter female life expectancy, suggesting contextual vulnerabilities in occupational health and structural inequities in work environments. The study integrates Sen’s Capability Approach, Institutional Theory, and the Social Determinants of Health framework to interpret results. Findings emphasize the necessity for integrative policies that transcend access equality to address institutional, economic, and cultural factors that limit the translation of gender equity into improved health outcomes. Implications extend to the design of gender-sensitive health policies, enforcement of labor protections, and investment in women’s political empowerment.