Pandemics & Society Webinar 7 May, “How Do Gender Mortality Gaps Differ across the WHO European Region Spanning Six Decades?”
For the 12th and final Pandemics & Society Seminar of our Spring 2026 series we are pleased to welcome Umit Tleshova (Charles University). The seminar will be held on Thursday, 7 May at the normal time (16:00 CEST). More information about our speakers and the presentation is below. You can sign up for email notifications about the seminar series, including the Zoom details, here.
About the talk:
Theslova will present the first comprehensive six-decade quantitative analysis of gender mortality gaps across 48 countries in the WHO European Region, conducted with Dr. Klára Hulíková Tesárková, Dr. Libor Jelen, and Prof. Dagmar Dzúrová. Using sex-specific life expectancy data and decomposition analysis, the research systematically examines variations in gender gaps across three distinct country groups: post-communist CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), post-communist EU (European Union), and Europe (others) countries. The analysis reveals significant temporal and regional variations in gender mortality gaps, with critical peaks occurring during key historical periods in both Western and post-communist European contexts. A key finding demonstrates that observed gender gap variability primarily stems from structural, between-group differences rather than country-specific characteristics. Notably, the research identifies distinct pathways through which different regions experienced changes in their gender gaps, with important implications for understanding how demographic, political, and health system factors relate to gender mortality patterns. These findings offer insights for health policymakers seeking to reduce health disparities by targeting the systemic factors that drive long-term gender mortality patterns.
About the speaker:
Umit Tleshova is a PhD candidate in Demography at the Faculty of Science, Department of Demography and Geodemography, Charles University in Prague.