In 2008, males accounted for 16.5 million hospitalizations, while females experienced 23.3 million stays.

• Circulatory conditions were the most frequent major cause of hospital stays in 2008, accounting for 5.9 million stays or 15 percent of all discharges. These stays were for diagnoses such as coronary atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and cardiac dysrhythmias.
• Circulatory conditions accounted for 19 percent of male discharges and 12 percent of female discharges.
• Excluding pregnancy and childbirth, the largest gender differences in reasons for hospitalization were for diseases of the digestive system (1.9 million female versus 1.5 million male stays) and diseases of the respiratory system (2.1 million female versus 1.8 million male stays).
• Even when pregnancy and childbirth stays are excluded, females accounted for more stays than males—18.6 million stays for females compared to 16.5 million stays for males.
• Males accounted for 41 percent of all hospitalizations in 2008.
• Of these stays, 19 percent (3.1 million discharges) were for circulatory conditions, 14 percent (2.3 million discharges) were for stays during the perinatal period, 11 percent (1.8 million discharges) were for respiratory conditions, and 9 percent (1.5 million discharges) were for digestive system conditions.
• These four major conditions amounted to 53 percent of all hospitalizations for males.
• Females accounted for 58 percent of all hospitalizations in 2008.
• Pregnancy and childbirth was the reason for 1 out of every 5 female hospitalizations (4.7 million stays).
• Other major reasons for female hospitalizations included conditions related to the circulatory system (12 percent or 2.8 million stays), respiratory system conditions and stays related to the perinatal period (each 9 percent of stays or 2.1 million stays), and conditions related to the digestive system (8 percent or 1.9 million stays).

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