Journal of Global Research in Education and Social Science

Disparities in the incidence of SLE between the male and female gender are well known but the reasons for these disparities from a gender perspective have not been properly addressed. This study analyzes the incidence of SLE and its consequences from a gender based perspective using data obtained from SLE patients in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, over a period of 10 years. Results obtained shows that cultural and economic based gender discrimination may be a vital reason for the high occurrence of SLE in women. Similarly, the myth that lupus is a woman’s disease and the social cultural roles associated with men may be the reason why there is a higher rate of fatality in the male gender compared with the female gender. This study concludes that policies/advocacy for combating gender based discrimination and encouraging more gender awareness activities as it relates to preventing/reducing SLE incidence should be designed and implemented.