A new commentary published in BMJ Global Health by Kalipso Chalkidou and Richard Sullivan explores how commonly used economic methods and data in health financing may unintentionally reinforce gender bias. Drawing on findings from The Lancet Commission: Women, Power and Cancer, the authors examine how current approaches can overlook the economic realities faced by women, particularly in cancer care.
The piece highlights three areas where gender bias may be hidden: the calculation of indirect costs using the human capital approach, limitations in measuring out-of-pocket spending and distress financing, and assumptions within household survey data. The authors call for greater scrutiny of existing metrics and encourage the development of more inclusive and gender-sensitive methodologies to inform health policy and research.