Why Womens Health Matters

Ann McSwain, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS, APRN, BC

Food for ThoughtFood for Thought What does research say about women’s

health?

How does your gender affect your health?

How does your culture affect your health?

What are the differences between men’s

and women's health?

Why look at WOMEN’S Why look at WOMEN’S health?health?

Women make health care decisions

Women spend health care dollars

Women are role models for family members

Women’s bodies, thoughts, attitudes,

actions, and “world” are VERY different

than those of men’s

2/3 of women are solely responsible for family health care decisions

72% of informal caregivers are women Women’s health issues are different

than men’s More women lack health care coverage than

men Health providers may not provide the same

level of care for women as they do for men

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health (2001). Women’s Health Issues: An Overview. Available at http://www.4woman.gov .

A woman’s health is a reflection of her…

Family genetics

Culture

Social norms

Economics

Physical environment

Daily actions and thoughts

Some differences can be explained…

Culture – low self-esteem, stress, lack of assertiveness, less active, male decision-making, female roles (family needs come 1st)

Barriers – lower income, less insurance, child/parent care responsibilities

Attitudes – emphasis on physical appearance, lower educational expectations

Hormones – may protect against heart disease, but after menopause there is more risk

…And some have not yet been discovered!

Question to Ponder >>> How often do you ask your health care

providers if medications might affect women differently or work differently in women?

Always Most of the time Sometimes Almost never Never

Question to Ponder >>> How often do you ask your pharmacist if

medications might affect women differently or work differently in women?

Always Most of the time Sometimes Almost never Never

Question to Ponder >>>

How often do you read the label of medications to see if they might affect women differently or work differently in women?

Always Most of the time Sometimes Almost never Never

$0

$25,000

$50,000

Note: Includes women and men ages 15 and older. Source: US Census Bureau, August 2006 American Community Survey Reports.

Women Men

Median Income, by Sex, 2006

$32,649

$42,210

Wage Gap Persists… Throughout Lifetime

Note: Includes women and men ages 18 to 64. Source: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Kaiser Women’s Health Survey, 2004.

Barriers to Health Services, by Gender, 2004

27%

21%

14%

11%

22%

15%

Women

Men

Had health problem andneeded to see doctor but

did not

Unable to see a specialistwhen needed

Could not afford to filla prescription

Access to Health Services Is a Problem for Many

Women’s Health Care Needs, by Age, 2004

Source: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Kaiser Women’s Health Survey, 2004

23%

50%

59%

9%18%

22% 23% 26%

16%

Chronic ConditionThat Requires

Ongoing Treatment

Disability orLimiting Illness

Diagnosis of Anxiety/Depression

18 to 44

45 to 64

65+

Women’s Health Care Needs Change With Age

“When women are fully involved, the benefits can be seen immediately: families are healthier, they are better fed, their income, savings and reinvestments go up. And what is true of families is true of communities and eventually whole countries.”

- Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary General