Distinguished Perspectives on Women’s Health and Empowerment for Sophisticated Lives

Women around the world face big health challenges, spending about 9 years in poor health¹. This means a lot of life years are lost to health issues or early death¹. We can improve this by working towards health equity and inclusivity for all women. This would also bring great economic and societal benefits, equal to 137 million women gaining full-time jobs by 2040¹.

This issue is important for everyone. When we support women’s health, it helps the whole society move forward.

Key Takeaways

• Women’s healthcare decision-making autonomy varies by wealth quintile in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Trends in women’s autonomy in healthcare decision-making have been observed in Ethiopia from 2005 to 2016.
• Married women’s contraceptive use in the Democratic Republic of Congo is influenced by their autonomy.
• Factors associated with women’s healthcare decision-making autonomy have been studied in Nigeria.
• Women’s empowerment and fertility decision-making have been analyzed in 53 low and middle-resource countries.

The Global Burden of Women’s Health

Life expectancy around the world has grown significantly in the last 200 years, reaching 73 years today². Yet, women generally face more health challenges. They live, on average, about 9 years in a state of disability². The years spent in poor health or early death each year is as high as 75 million due to this gap².

Reducing this health span disparity could benefit the global economy greatly. By 2040, it could add over $1 trillion yearly. This change could also let 137 million more women work full-time².

Disability-Adjusted Life Years and Economic Impact

Women face significant challenges from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) around the world². These make up the top causes of both death and disability among them. Four-fifths of these events happen in lower or middle-income countries².

In 2012 alone, NCDs caused 18.1 million women’s deaths. Of those, 8.8 million were from heart conditions, 3.5 million from cancer, and 1.8 million from breathing problems². While much focus has been on sexual and reproductive health, more women today die from NCDs². They surpass deaths from diseases people can catch from each other².

Over time, NCDs have become the main reason for death and disability among women globally. They have replaced issues like infectious diseases and problems related to mothers and children. This change reflects an evolving challenge in women’s health².

Medical studies have often centered on men, assuming health outcomes are the same for both sexes². However, gathering health data that’s gender-specific can really help. It allows for a clearer picture of how diseases affect women differently². This effort is crucial in improving our health knowledge².

More work is needed to make health research focus on issues that mainly affect women. Addressing NCDs in a way that considers gender and sex is essential. It helps the medical community better understand women’s health needs and how to meet them².

“Over 800 women still die every day in pregnancy and childbirth, with a majority occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa³. Violence against women affects 1 in 3 women globally³. Women occupy 70% of jobs in the health and social sector but hold significantly fewer leadership positions than men³.”

Better understanding women’s health can come from specific health data. It should be looked at with a gender lens. Efforts to study more women can help improve our health knowledge². We must prioritize NCDs and gather health data in a way that’s focused on gender and sex²³⁴.

Embracing the Full Definition of Women’s Health

The definition of women’s health is often too simple. It usually focuses only on sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This makes up about 5% of all health issues⁵. In fact, women’s health is much more. It includes both sex-specific conditions and health problems that affect women more or differently. Around 56% of women’s health issues come from conditions like these. The other 43% comes from health issues that don’t affect women as much⁵.

It’s important to focus on all aspects of women’s health. This means looking at maternal health and the long-term effects of issues such as gestational hypertension. If a woman has trouble during pregnancy, she might be more likely to develop problems like type 2 diabetes. This shows how different health issues are linked⁵.

Some medicines work less well for women than men. In 64% of cases, treatments favor men over women⁵. We need more focus on biomedical innovation for women’s health. This means creating new ways to understand female biology better⁵.

“Addressing the full scope of women’s health, including maternal health and the long-term impacts of conditions like gestational hypertension, is crucial for achieving health equity.”⁵

Looking at the complete women’s health picture offers new chances to help women. It can also boost their ability to work and earn. The women’s health gap means 75 million less years of life every year. But by 2040, 137 million more women could have full-time jobs⁵.

Focusing on both sex-specific conditions and gender-based health differences is key. Doing so could better individual health and bring big gains to the economy. By closing the 25% gap in women’s health, we could add over $1 trillion to the economy every year by 2040⁵.

Taking on the full scope of women’s health is a big step towards real health fairness. It also unleashes the huge abilities of women around the globe⁵. It’s time to stop just focusing on reproductive health. We should care for women’s overall well-being in every part of their lives⁵.

Disparities in Biomedical Research and Innovation

The focus in medicine and science has long been male-dominated⁶. Due to this, research doesn’t always cover the unique health needs of women. This lack of focus can make treatments less effective for them, sometimes even harmful.

Here’s an alarming fact: just 1% of health care research money is spent on conditions affecting women but not linked to cancer.⁶ This shows a big problem. We need to change how we study and create treatments for women’s health needs.

Addressing Historical Biases in Medical Knowledge

For a long time, studies mostly included male animals or subjects. This has made our understanding of health differences between men and women limited. The result is a medical system that often doesn’t consider how diseases might show up differently in women.

• Research found that 64% of treatments have lesser benefits or harder access for women, compared to 10% for men⁶.
• Yet, there’s new hope with findings stating one dose of the HPV vaccine might be enough⁶. This highlights the need to understand how treatments affect women differently.
• Efforts are underway to change this. For example, the 2024-2028 NIH plan focuses on fixing historical health research biases⁷. It aims to use better data and community solutions to study women’s health better.

We must broaden our research focus to include everyone, irrespective of gender⁶. This will deepen our knowledge of health and ensure treatments work for all. It’s key to improving health outcomes and empowering women to manage their health better.

Changing how we research and recognizing women’s unique health signs is crucial. It leads to better health solutions for women.

Women’s Health Issues and Empowerment

Women deal with many health problems that are unique to them. These include issues like reproductive rights, breast cancer, and domestic violence. This burden is made worse by gender inequality. It stops women from getting proper healthcare and the right to make choices. By solving women’s health problems, we help empower them and make their lives better⁸.

Something as simple as giving women health information and care can make a big difference. It gives them more say in their health, better trust with others, and more satisfaction in life⁸. Women often look for health information more than men do⁸. A study found that 17 middle-aged Iranian women found empowerment in managing health worries, working with others, growing as individuals, and protecting themselves⁸.

But these issues are not just personal. Over 190 million women work in global supply chains, especially in places where women’s health needs are not met well⁹. The private sector and groups like UNFPA working together have made a good start. They’ve shared important health info and services with millions of women in the Philippines and Bangladesh⁹.

Dealing with women’s health fully needs a wide-ranging effort. This includes empowering women, changing how society sees women, and making healthcare fair for all. This approach helps women reach their full power and makes society better for everyone⁸.

“Empowering women is not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. When women thrive, families thrive, communities thrive, and nations thrive.”

Asthma Treatment Disparities

Asthma affects both men and women nearly equally¹⁰. But, inhaler treatments don’t work as well for women. They are about 20% less effective for women than for men¹¹. This shows we need treatments made just for women dealing with asthma.

Asthma is a big health issue for over 25 million Americans, including 6 million kids¹⁰. It costs over $81 billion each year and takes more than 3,500 lives in the U.S. This problem is bigger for some groups like Puerto Ricans and Black kids¹⁰. And, it affects more people with low income¹⁰.

Health disparities are clear, like African American adults facing more risk of death from asthma¹⁰. Mortality is higher for women, non-Whites, and African Americans¹⁰. On the other hand, Hispanics and Latinos generally have asthma less often than Whites. Yet, Puerto Ricans see this problem more than Mexicans¹⁰. Even among Hispanics, those with different backgrounds might face varying asthma risks¹⁰.

Researchers find asthma has different types, with unique traits in different people¹⁰. Differences in asthma’s severity are seen between African Americans and Whites¹⁰. For African Americans, other health issues like chronic sinusitis can make asthma worse¹⁰.

In asthma, the difference between boys and girls changes with age¹¹. After puberty, more women than men get asthma. This might be connected to female hormones and how they control asthma¹¹. But, these facts are often missed by doctors, who need to study more to understand and treat asthma better¹¹.

To make asthma treatment fair and effective, we must consider many factors. These include sex, gender, race, ethnicity, and income. Knowing these details can help doctors give personal care that meets the special needs of each person. This way, we can improve life for those dealing with asthma.

Women’s Empowerment and Health-Seeking Behavior in Bangladesh

In rural parts of Bangladesh, it’s tough for women to take charge of their health needs. Only 12% of them can decide by themselves to go for healthcare. And even less, just 8.5%, feel able to choose healthcare for their kids¹².

This study found that women aged 25-34, more educated, who married later, and are working, showed more empowerment in health matters¹². It’s clear important work is needed to break cultural and social barriers. These barriers limit women’s ability to get healthcare, especially when it comes to taking care of mothers and children.

In Bangladesh as a whole, only 12% of women have a say in their own healthcare decisions¹³. Yet, more education for girls can go a long way. In 219 countries, just one more year of school for young girls can cut child deaths by 9.5%¹³. There has been amazing progress in Bangladesh in reducing child deaths and raising female literacy¹³.

But, there are still big challenges. Over half of Bangladesh’s women marry before 18. And more than half face violence in a year¹³. It’s interesting that whether a woman works is the biggest sign of how she might seek healthcare. Education helps beat discrimination and gives women more say in life¹³.

Research also shows that women in Bangladesh tend to be more empowered by ages 30-34. This empowerment really shows in how they use maternal and child health services¹⁴. Women who can make more decisions for themselves want fewer children. They also seek more reproductive healthcare when they have more control over their decisions and can move around freely¹⁴.

To improve health-seeking behaviors and health outcomes for mothers and children in Bangladesh, we must tackle cultural and social barriers. It’s essential to uplift women through education, jobs, and changing gender norms. This way, women can lead better, healthier lives¹²¹³¹⁴.

Addressing Barriers to Care for Women

Women often find it hard to get quality healthcare. They face many obstacles that stop them from staying healthy. These challenges come from not being able to get to care places easily, not having enough money, and social rules that limit their freedom and choices¹⁵.

Getting to health clinics can be tough, especially in places without many services. Women do most health jobs, putting them at risk more. For example, during COVID, Black women died at higher rates than other groups. This shows big differences in care access and health outcomes¹⁵.

Money is a big issue for many women who need healthcare. Women, especially those of color, have been left out of many medical studies. Because of this, doctors might not know how best to treat them. Even though heart disease is a top threat to women, they are often left out of clinical studies, making it hard for them to afford and get good care¹⁵.

Cultural beliefs and biases also stop women from getting healthcare. Very little research is done on how heart disease affects women. Pregnant women were left out of COVID vaccine tests. These misses in research and funding keep women from being as healthy as they could be¹⁵.

To make things better, we must tackle these big healthcare access problems for women. We need to fix how they get to care places, help them afford care, and end cultural barriers. Changing policies and starting projects in communities can close these gaps. This is key to making sure every woman can get the care she needs and deserves¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷.

The Role of Gender Norms and Biases

Gender norms and biases are deeply built into our healthcare systems and what we know medically. This can greatly affect women’s health. Sometimes, healthcare decisions are made based on what’s considered “normal” for men. This can mean women’s symptoms are not understood or are ignored¹⁸. Transgender people also suffer more mental health issues because of the stigma in healthcare¹⁸.

We must deal with these hidden biases. It’s key to make sure women get the right kind of healthcare. And to make sure new medical ideas match what women really need. For example, men face more danger from COVID-19. This is because of certain enzymes in their bodies and habits like not washing hands enough¹⁸. They are also more likely to smoke and drink, and have other health problems, than women. This makes them more at risk for severe sickness from the virus¹⁸.

Indigenous women tend to have worse health when having babies than others. They often don’t get the healthcare they should in places like Latin America and the Caribbean¹⁸. This shows we need to look at how gender, race, and money affect healthcare together.

“The Lancet published multiple articles in 2019 related to gender norms affecting health, touching on how gender inequality and restrictive gender norms impact health challenges.”¹⁹

Fixing these biases makes our healthcare system fairer for everyone, no matter their gender. We all deserve healthcare that meets our needs.

Gender norms and biases don’t just hurt us in healthcare. They also keep girls and women stuck doing more work at home. This can hurt their chances for school and jobs, making health problems worse for them²⁰.

It’s crucial to confront these gender issues. This can help women gain equal access to healthcare and other important things. Pushing back on these old beliefs can help create a world where everyone can be healthy and happy, no matter their gender.

Empowering Women in Healthcare Professions

Women are a big part of healthcare, making up about 70% of the workforce²¹. But, they often face issues in moving up in their careers. They’re also not always recognized for what they add. Helping women move forward in healthcare is key to reaching equality. It also means better care for women.

Studies show women in healthcare have special skills. These include caring deeply, talking well, and focusing on the patient²². Giving women chances to grow and lead brings new ideas and better teamwork. This leads to top-notch patient care²².

Guidance from mentors and making connections can help women a lot²². Also, work rules that are not so strict, like working from home or choosing hours, help them manage work and family life better²².

Surprisingly, a report in the Harvard Business Review says women are often better at leading than men²². And having different genders in charge of hospitals can actually make more money²². Having men and women leaders together means more creativity. It can also make healthcare better for everyone²².

Helping women in healthcare fight through challenges can make a big difference. It doesn’t just make things fairer. It also upgrades healthcare and helps patients more²¹²². Places like HHM Health that focus on communities are vital. They give care to those who might not get it otherwise, especially women²¹.

“Investing in women’s leadership in healthcare is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes good business sense. It leads to better patient outcomes, increased innovation, and stronger financial performance.”

Supporting women in healthcare is complex work. It means tackling gender issues, offering chances to grow, and making workplaces welcoming. This effort allows women to fully contribute. It benefits patients, the healthcare field, and society in big ways²¹²²²³.

Investing in Women’s Health Research and Advocacy

It’s crucial to invest significantly and focus efforts on women’s health research to overcome historical biases and knowledge gaps. This means we need more studies on sex-based differences, better animal models and trial groups, and to include women’s needs in the medical innovation process²⁴.

Moreover, efforts in advocacy to raise awareness, impact policy, and push healthcare to be accountable are key. President Biden’s Executive Order and Perelel Health’s $10 million pledge show a big step forward in this crucial work²⁵.

Through the Executive Order, a Fund for Women’s Health Research within the NIH has been brought to life to fix the gender gap in medical funding²⁵. Leaders like Alex Taylor, from Perelel Health, keep striving for more funding and policy change to boost women’s health research and rights²⁵.

These actions are part of a bigger movement towards health equity and women’s empowerment. For example, thanks to the global vaccine alliance, over 1 billion children have been immunized in nearly 25 years. Nurses and midwives are using new, mobile ultrasounds with AI to save mothers daily²⁴. Also, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its partners in China are giving out HPV vaccines for free, aiming to save many lives²⁴.

The Women’s Health Innovation Opportunity Map 2023, crafted by over 250 experts, is a roadmap for future investments and actions in women’s health research and advocacy. This will cover critical gaps and boost women’s role in the health system, leading to real change and ensuring women’s health is a top concern.

“Investing in women’s health research and advocacy is not just a moral imperative, but a strategic necessity for advancing global health and empowerment.” – Alex Taylor, Co-founder of Perelel Health

Conclusion

Improving women’s health worldwide is a major goal. Empowering women leads to better lives for all. It has huge economic and social benefits²⁶. By closing the health gap for women, it could make 3.9 billion women’s lives better and add $1 trillion yearly to the global economy²⁷. The special issue, “Distinguished Perspectives on Women’s Health and Empowerment for Sophisticated Lives,” got 40k views. There were 42 related citations. This shows more people see this issue’s importance.

Addressing women’s health fully means looking at differences in biomedical research and innovation. Also, it means solving the many barriers to healthcare²⁶. Only 4% of biopharma’s spending focuses on conditions specific to women. This gap is worrying and needs fixing²⁸. We must help women use their skills in making decisions at all levels of society. We should also ensure they have equal access to learning and other resources.

To better women’s health, we need help from many groups. This includes governments, health workers, researchers, and advocates²⁶. The UK and the White House are putting in new funds for health research. This aims to better the health of moms, babies, and kids. The Global Alliance for Women’s Health is working to increase financing and focus on women’s health globally. Together, we can build a future where gender equality and women’s empowerment are key for a brighter, wealthier world.

Source Links

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