More women than men are getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Sacramento County

SACRAMENTO — Though more men than women in Sacramento County have died from COVID-19, fewer men are getting vaccinated against the virus.

About 56% of the 1,663 deaths in Sacramento County were among men, despite the fact that more women have contracted the virus in the county. Of the more than 563,000 people who’ve received a dose of the vaccine in Sacramento County, about 43% are men and 57% are women.

It’s a gender disparity that’s been seen across the state and country. Some of it can be attributed to demographics and the early vaccine rollout — in the United States, there are more women than men over the age of 65. Sacramento County public health officials say they’re aware of the lower vaccination rate among men, but are not able to theorize the reasons why.

Cultural attitudes among men toward health may also explain the gap. Studies have found men generally engage in riskier behavior that can have impacts on their health, like smoking and drinking, and take less care of their health. Men are also more likely to have health conditions that put them at risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as diabetes and cancer.

During the pandemic, surveys have found that women in general take more safety precautions against COVID-19, and are more likely to view the virus as a serious threat to the community.

A Sacramento-area poll publish last October by Capital Public Radio and Valley Vision found that 80% of women considered COVID-19 as a threat to the entire population, rather than just those who are elderly or medically vulnerable, compared to 68% of men.