Does economic power or leadership matter? The difference between male and female world leaders in managing pandemics

ABSTRACT

Factors that are typically associated with better disease prevention and control, such as the health care expenses and the wealth of a nation, are no longer reliable predictors of disease parameters during the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, we see many developed nations suffering from more widespread infection, a higher mortality rate, and longer pandemic duration. We analyse the performance outcomes of female-led vs. male-led countries in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. We employ regression analysis based on the full sample as well as a propensity score matched sample emphasizing women's roles in society. In general, we provide some evidence that female-led countries exhibit lower numbers of total population-weighted cases and shorter pandemic duration. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.