Is gender equality associated with a longer healthier life? Ecological evidence from 27 European countries.

This article examines the association between country-level gender equality and both life expectancy (LE) and healthy life expectancy (HLE) across 27 European countries from 2013 to 2019, using the Gender Equality Index and its domains: work, knowledge, money, time, and power. The study found that higher gender equality, particularly in the domains of work participation and power (including political and economic power), is positively associated with longer and healthier lives for both men and women, as well as smaller gender gaps in LE. Other domains such as money and knowledge showed weaker or inconsistent associations with HLE. These findings suggest that promoting gender equality in employment and leadership roles may contribute to improved longevity and health outcomes at the population level.