If the prevalence of a disease is higher in women than in men but incidence rates are the same, what is the most likely explanation?

When examining the situation where the prevalence of a disease is higher in women than men despite having the same incidence rates, it suggests that the duration of the disease plays a significant role. If the incidence rates are equal, it means that new cases are occurring at the same rate in both sexes. However, if prevalence differs, it indicates that the disease lasts longer in one gender than the other.

When the duration of the disease is shorter in men, this means that although men are developing the disease at the same rate as women, they are not surviving with the disease for as long as women. Consequently, the number of existing cases (prevalence) in women will be higher because women are either living longer with the disease or experiencing a slower progression.

This scenario fits the definition of prevalence, which reflects the total number of cases at a given time, accounting for both incidence and duration of the disease. Therefore, the most likely explanation for higher prevalence in women, when incidence is equal, is indeed that men have a shorter disease duration. This leads to fewer cases persisting in the male population at any given time, resulting in lower overall prevalence compared to women.