No Scrubs Notes: Women’s Health

Women’s Health

What is Women’s Health?

Women’s health focuses on treating and diagnosing diseases and conditions that affect women (Arber, 2018). This includes a wide variety of focus areas including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, menopause, osteoporosis, sexual health, birth control, and pregnancy and childbirth (Arber, 2018).

What Inequalities Exist in Women’s Health?

Unfortunately, there are still many inequalities between men and women, and within women, there is even greater inequality between different socio-economic status, ethnicity, and geographical location (Allen & Sesti, 2018). Some data is starting to show that women’s life expectancy is no longer greater than men’s life expectancy (Allen & Sesti, 2018). Women are at greater risk for dementia (especially poorer women), they are more likely to live with disability, are more likely to suffer from a mental illness, and women’s complaints of pain are not taken as seriously in health care (Allen & Sesti, 2018). To this day, there are still around 800 women who die every day because of pregnancy and childbirth (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022).

Some ways the gap can be closed is to improve education, building greater relationships with female patients, enhancing health care itself (better funding, employment, etc.), and by advocating for women’s health (Allen & Sesti, 2018).

What is Being Done to Improve Women’s Health?

The World Health Organization has set out six priorities for women’s health worldwide. The priorities are as follows (WHO, 2022):

1. Address gender inequality in the COVID-19 response and recovery
    Women took more responsibility of unpaid work (example, childcare) during the pandemic, domestic violence increased during closures, and pregnant women were excluded from vaccine trials.
2. Elevate the position of women in the health and care workforce  
    Although there are more women in health care, there are very limited women in leadership roles and the wage gap still exists in most parts of the world.
3. Prevent and respond to violence against women
    WHO wants to advocate for greater violence prevention and care services.
4. Ensure quality sexual and reproductive health for all
    Pregnancy and childbirth were not put on hold during the pandemic; sexual health should be a part of all COVID-19 responses to ensure safe and continuous care.
5. Reduce noncommunicable diseases among women 

6. Noncommunicable diseases are responsible for 3 in every 4 deaths in women every year. Providing services and care for those with noncommunicable diseases is essential.

1. Increase women’s participation and leadership in science and public health 
    WHO is committed to increasing the amount of women in science and leadership positions as well as enhance women’s participation in clinical trials
2. Resources in The Community
3. Here are some community and campus resources that you can use or that can be shares with a loved one:
4. Student Health Services
    An on-campus clinic with a group of nurses and doctors that provide personal, emotional, and physical health care.
    An appointment can be booked by calling the following number: (519) 973 – 7002
5. Peer Support Centre
    An on-campus resource with trained peer support volunteers who offer counselling services to students.
    No appointment required, use the following link to connect with a volunteer via ZOOM:
   https://uwsa.ca/services/psc/
6. Women’s Health Centre
    Community centre for women aged 16 years or older that provides health care to women beyond the services of OHIP.
    The clinic is on 1400 Provincial Road in Windsor, ON.
    Telephone: (519) 250 – 6990
7. Just for You – Women (Government of Canada)
    Are you interested in learning more about women’s health or have a question about a certain female health issue? The Government of Canada has compiled a list of resources on a wide variety of topics that you can use to further your knowledge on women’s health.
    Learn more by clicking the following link:
   https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/healthy-living/just-for-you/women.html

References
Allen, J., & Sesti, F. (2018). Health inequalities and women – addressing unmet needs. British Medical Association. https://www.bma.org.uk/media/2116/bma-womens-health-inequalities-report-aug-2018.pdf

Arber, S. (2018). Opening the ‘black box’: inequalities in women’s health. In P. Abbott’s and G.Payne’s (Eds.), New directions in the sociology of health. Routledge.

World Health Organization (2022). 6 priorities for women and health.
https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/6-priorities-for-women-and-health