Why Womens Health Matters

1
Why Womens Health Matters

• Elaine Bowen, Ed.D.
• Extension Specialist Health Promotion

2
What Well Talk About

• What does research say about womens health?
• How does your gender affect your health?
• What are the differences between mens and
  women's health?
• How can I use this information to improve my
  health?

3
Why look at WOMENS health?

• Women make health care decisions
• Women spend health care dollars
• Women are role models for family members
• Womens bodies, thoughts, attitudes, actions, and
  world are VERY different than those of mens

4

• 2/3 of women are solely responsible for family
  health care decisions
• 72 of informal caregivers are women
• Womens health issues are different
• than mens
• 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 Womens Health (2001). Womens
  Health Issues An Overview. Available at
  http//www.4woman.gov .

5
In the Beginning

• There was a CELL. Every individual cell is male
  or female.
• These differences in cells begin in the womb and
  continue through life.

6
The Male Medical Model

• What we know is based on centuries of knowledge
  about
• - how a disease affects a man
• - how drugs work in men
• - why a procedure was successful in a man
• The more we learn about womens health, the more
  we know that women are DIFFERENT physically,
  mentally, emotionally, socially, etc.

7
A womans health is a reflection of her

• Family genetics
• Culture
• Social norms
• Economics
• Physical environment
• Daily actions and thoughts

8
Top 10 Health Differences Women vs. Men

• Osteoporosis
• Smoking
• STDs
• Anesthesia
• Drug reactions
• Autoimmune disease
• Depression
• Alcohol
• Pain
• Heart disease

Source The Savvy Woman Patient. (2006). Society
for Womens Health Research.
9
Women vs. Men
10
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!

11

• How often do you ask your health care providers
  if medications might affect women differently or
  work differently in women?
• Always 13
• Most of the time 6
• Sometimes 16
• Almost never 16
• Never 48

12

• How often do you ask your pharmacist if
  medications might affect women differently or
  work differently in women?
• Always 9
• Most of the time 6
• Sometimes 11
• Almost never 13
• Never 61

13

• How often do you read the label of medications to
  see if they might affect women differently or
  work differently in women?
• Always 50
• Most of the time 9
• Sometimes 9
• Almost never 5
• Never 27

14

• How Can You Be a
• Health-Savvy Woman?

15
1 Get health screening exams
16
2 Practice a healthy lifestyle every day

• Eat healthy
• Get moving
• Sleep well

17
3 Know your risks and history
18
Your RiskDo You Know Your Numbers ?

• What numbers?
• - height and weight and Body Mass Index
• - waist measurement
• - blood pressure
• - blood lipids or fats (cholesterol, LDL,
• HDL)
• - blood glucose (sugar)
•  

19
4 Be an informed health consumer

• Know your body
• Know your doctor, nurse, dentist, and pharmacist
• Ask 3 Questions
• 1. What is my main problem?
• 2. What do I need to do?
• 3. Why is it important for me to do this?
• Know the best resources

20

• 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

21
Your health

• Its VALUABLE
• Its YOURS
• Its YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
• If your health is GOOD, protect it
• Do SOMETHING every day for your good health. Your
  family is counting on you!