More men are dying of COVID-19 in El Paso than women; health experts are not sure why
EL PASO, Texas -- A higher percentage of men are dying from COVID-19 in El Paso County, despite a near equal divide of coronavirus cases among men and women.
As of June 12, men made up just over half of all coronavirus cases in El Paso County. That figure is reflected by the blue portion on this graph.
However, they accounted for roughly 67% of all deaths in the county, according to county health data. Women accounted for just under half of all cases, but only about 33% of deaths.
ABC-7 asked City and County Health Authority, Dr. Hector Ocaranza, about the trend.
"Researchers are trying to [figure out] whether there is a protective factor for females where estrogen might play a role in how the virus attaches to cells in the body," Dr. Ocaranza said.
The theory is being studied nationwide. Researchers across the country are currently looking into the possibility of treating male coronavirus patients with hormones predominantly found in women to see if symptoms improve.
Another theory presented by Dr. Ocaranza, as well as another infectious disease expert from Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso, is that men might be more likely to suffer from underlying health conditions.
"What we know also is that many times, men might get some of the other chronic conditions a little bit more than females," said Dr. Ocaranza.
Underlying health conditions can lead to a higher likelihood of developing complications from COVID-19.
A 2015 study published in the journal, "Taylor & Francis Online" found men were more likely than women to be hypertensive. As of June 5, more than 60% of coronavirus-related deaths in El Paso occurred in patients who had hypertension.
The same study also found other healthcare discrepancies between men and women. The study noted that women surveyed were more likely to report having health insurance and seeing a healthcare professional within the past six months.
However, at this time, researchers still are not on the same page about what role gender could play in the pandemic.
You can review the latest case numbers and trends in El Paso by clicking here.
