Key result
Female sex is linked to ~62% higher odds of blood pressure screening despite fewer hypertension diagnoses.
Why the study?
Sex differences in hypertension management over time, including screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control, and the modifying effect of age were unclear in Switzerland.
Are there sex differences in hypertension screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control in the Swiss population over a 25-year period?
Cross-Sectional (n=94,785)
Are there sex differences in hypertension screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control in the Swiss population over a 25-year period?
Odds Ratio: 1.62 (95% CI 1.5–1.75)
Despite higher rates of self-reported blood pressure screening, women are paradoxically less likely to report being diagnosed or treated for hypertension compared to men, indicating a persistent gap in earlier stages of management.
Women show persistent higher screening but widening gaps in hypertension diagnosis/treatment since 2012; leaves open whether targeted strategies improve outcomes.
PURPOSE: To assess how sex differences in hypertension management have evolved over a 25-year period in Switzerland, focusing on screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control, and to determine whether age modifies these differences. METHODS: We analyzed self-reported data from six consecutive Swiss Health Surveys (1997-2022) from samples representative of the Swiss population. Multivariable logistic regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle covariates. Age-stratified analyses were conducted using age >50 years as a proxy for menopausal status. RESULTS: Among 94,785 participants (55.3% female), females consistently had a higher likelihood than males of reporting blood pressure screening (e.g., adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.62, 95% CI 1.50-1.75 in 2022), with no narrowing of the trend over time. In contrast, from 2012 onward, females had a lower likelihood of reporting a diagnosis of hypertension (e.g., aOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.68-0.79 in 2022) or antihypertensive medication use among those diagnosed (e.g., aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74-0.95 in 2022), with gaps widening over time. No sex differences in self-reported blood pressure control were found among those reporting treatment. Age-stratified analyses showed consistent sex differences across both age groups, though the onset and magnitude varied. CONCLUSION: Despite comparable treatment outcomes, our findings show a paradoxical sex difference in earlier stages of hypertension management, higher screening yet lower treatment in females.
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Yi et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=94,785). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Self-reported blood pressure screening (2022) (aOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.50-1.75). Compared to males, females had a higher likelihood of blood pressure screening (aOR 1.62; 95% CI 1.50-1.75 in 2022) but a lower likelihood of hypertension diagnosis and medication use.
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