Dementia risk and gender equality: global insights into social determinants

This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed data from 2011 to 2021 across 154 countries to explore the relationship between gender equality, measured by the Gender Equality Index (GEI), female dementia incidence, and gender disparities at global and regional levels. Higher GEI scores were linked to elevated dementia incidence among women and an expanding female–male disparity, with the strongest associations observed in resource-limited countries undergoing rapid social and lifestyle transitions. Multiple regression identified GEI as the most significant predictor of both female dementia incidence and gender disparity, while economic affluence and urbanization showed no independent effects. Findings highlight a paradox: although gender equality advances women's access to education, employment, and healthcare, it may simultaneously increase exposure to dementia-related risk factors, including chronic stress, work–life imbalance, and lifestyle changes such as greater smoking and alcohol use. These results emphasize the importance of gender-sensitive public health strategies that address unintended health consequences of social progress. Interventions should prioritize stress management, workplace mental health, and lifestyle modification while accounting for disproportionate caregiving responsibilities, thereby supporting equitable cognitive health outcomes for women worldwide.