For women around the globe, the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic brought more health challenges than the first.
In 2020, the medical technology company Hologic launched a global survey in partnership with Gallup to assess how well women's health needs were being met. Countries were scored based on women's responses to questions in five categories: general health, preventative care, mental health, safety and basic needs like food and shelter.
The overall score for the Global Women's Health Index in 2021 was just 53 out of 100, one point lower than in 2020.
No country scored higher than 70 points in 2021, with Taiwan, Latvia, Austria and Denmark in the top spots. Three countries scored fewer than 40 points: Afghanistan, Congo and Venezuela. The United States landed in 23rd place, with 61 points out of 100.
"The economic and psychological burden of the pandemic will weigh down many households for a while, and we know that it particularly affected women," said Gertraud Stadler, director of the Institute of Gender in Medicine at the Charite hospital in Berlin, who was not involved in the survey.
In fact, women were more stressed, worried, sad and angry in 2021 than they were at any other point in the past decade, according to a Gallup survey that factored into the Global Women's Health Index rankings.
Women were also more likely than men to say that they didn't have enough money to afford food in 2021, a share that rose from 34% of women in 2020 to 37% in 2021.
"We understand you can only impact and improve what you measure," said Dr. Susan Harvey, vice president of worldwide medical affairs at Hologic and former director of breast imaging at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
"Overall, the data is sobering. And we understand that we need women to be healthy to fully engage and be empowered. It's clear that the time has come to work together and begin to find solutions and improve women's health care."
According to Hologic and Gallup, the five key areas assessed in the Global Women's Health Index can explain most of the variation in a woman's life expectancy at birth.
For example, they found that women who said they had seen a health care professional in the past year had an average life expectancy that was two years longer than those who hadn't.
The overall score for the Global Women's Health Index in 2021 was just 53 out of 100, one point lower than in 2020.
Preventive care is one area where the United States scored better in 2021 than in 2020. It ranked second best in this dimension in the Global Women's Health Index, after only Latvia.
"It was a small improvement, but we have to be joyful about that," Harvey said. "Overall, though, the world is failing women in preventive care."
About 1.5 billion women did not have access to preventive care last year, she said. And globally, fewer than 1 in 8 women were screened for cancer at any point in the past year, according to the survey.
Although the remedy for this shortcoming might seem more straightforward, experts say it actually reflects the multiple layers of challenges women face.
Women "are always the last to take care of ourselves. We are the chief medical officers of our families," said Katie Schubert, president and chief executive officer of the Society for Women's Health Research, an activist group based in the US that was not involved in the new study.
"This goes back to a lot of those different burdens that women are taking on, both from the perspective of being a caregiver but also being a part of their community."
In the US, for example, Schubert says, women are more likely to go to a well visit for their child than they are for themselves. And the share of women who don't show up for a key doctor's visit at six weeks postpartum is "pretty striking."
Despite some improvement, the US remains a poor outlier in overall women's health -- in part because of maternal health, an area that experts agree deserves more attention worldwide.
Opinions of health and safety among women in the US dropped in 2021 Global Women's Health Index, as did measures of individual health, including pain and general health problems.
One safety-related question asked women to assess whether pregnant women where they live get high-quality health care. A study published in June found that maternal mortality in the US spiked in the first year of the pandemic, especially among Hispanic and Black women. And new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 4 in 5 pregnancy-related deaths were preventable.
Wealthy nations generally scored better than low-income nations in the Global Women's Health Index. In fact, the gap in scores between high- and low-income countries nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021, with an average difference of more than 20 points. But life expectancy in the US was lower than average, despite spending on health care that was well above average.
In some ways, broader gender disparities in health care are already well-known around the world.
For example, women seeking medical help for a heart attack in many countries take longer to get a correct diagnosis, are treated less consistently and are less likely to attend cardiac rehabilitation, Stadler said.
"All of this combines to worse outcomes and higher mortality in women than in men," she said.
Experts agree that improving women's health will lift society as a whole.
"Women often have the role of health manager in their families and communities. And they are taking on a large share of care work, so children, partners, parents benefit as well from women's health," Stadler said.
And the effects are wide-reaching.
"Without this foundational health and well-being of women, we won't be able to advance any of the goals related to economic stability or equity in socioeconomic development," Schubert said. "That really all stands on the shoulders of a healthy environment, a healthy person and healthy outcomes."
But gender equality -- in health and other aspects of life -- is still far from reality.
Schubert noted that the Covid-19 vaccine trials did not include pregnant women.
"My hope would be that we can better prepare to be more inclusive and extensive in our biomedical research moving forward, regardless of whether we're dealing with a pandemic or some other public health emergency," she said. But the pace of change has been "excruciatingly slow."
Much of what is measured in the Global Women's Health Index aligns with objectives identified by the United Nations in its Sustainable Development Goals.
And a report published by UN Women and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs this month found that at the current pace of progress, gender equality will not be achieved by 2030, as originally intended with the Sustainable Development Goals. Instead, it will take centuries.
"It is critical that we rally now to invest in women and girls to reclaim and accelerate progress," Sima Bahous, executive director of UN Women, said of that report. "The data show undeniable regressions in their lives made worse by the global crises -- in incomes, safety, education, and health. The longer we take to reverse this trend, the more it will cost us all."
But there is some hope.
"My hope is that we come out stronger from the pandemic," Stadler said. "The pandemic has brought the importance of preventive behaviors to more people's attention. People learned a lot about the importance of joint action to protect each other."
The-CNN-Wire
& 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
Continue reading here:
Women's health got worse in 2021, global survey finds - WXOW.com
- Preventive or Preventative: Is There a Difference? - Merriam-Webster - January 21st, 2023
- Nurses: The Frontlines of Preventative Care - Bradley University Online - November 24th, 2022
- Functional Medicine of Idaho | Preventative Root Cause Medicine - October 29th, 2022
- This Indigenous Scientist Helped Save Lives as Covid Devastated the Navajo Nation - Scientific American - October 13th, 2022
- As governor calls for better mental health services, Healthy Wyoming says Medicaid expansion needed - Oil City News - October 13th, 2022
- Clinisys formed to help companies manage 'revolution' of lab science - OutSourcing-Pharma.com - October 13th, 2022
- Ainos Announces Positive Results from Additional Preclinical Study of Its Low-dose Oral Interferon Formulation Against New Variant Virus - Omicron -... - October 4th, 2022
- North Korea tells officials that 350,000 people died of diseases this year - Radio Free Asia - October 4th, 2022
- Episode 45 - Preventative Medicine: the Mediterranean Diet and the ... - September 25th, 2022
- Wolf Creek PCN expands programming geared to health improvement - Lacombe Express - September 25th, 2022
- 1 in 10 Adults and 1 in 5 Teens Have Symptoms of Depression, What We Know - Healthline - September 25th, 2022
- Three tips to keep youth athletes in top nutritional shape this school year - The Philadelphia Inquirer - September 25th, 2022
- A blood test that detects cancer without symptoms could be a game changer for Louisiana - NOLA.com - September 25th, 2022
- Eric Idle on Surviving Pancreatic Cancer - TIME - September 25th, 2022
- Attacks on hospitals and healthcare in Ukraine: Joint Submission to the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine,... - September 25th, 2022
- Spending on Food and lifestyle for preventive wellness is better than spending on medicines and treatment - The Financial Express - September 25th, 2022
- Exercise is Preventative Medicine - myBurbank.com - September 16th, 2022
- Best preventative medicine, health screening and anti-ageing clinics for HNWs in 2022 - Spear's WMS - September 16th, 2022
- The high hospital bills we make victims of rape and sexual violence pay - Vox.com - September 16th, 2022
- Press Release: CHMP recommends approval of Beyfortus (nirsevimab) for prevention of RSV disease in infants - StreetInsider.com - September 16th, 2022
- Why Now is the Time to Double Down on Virtual Care - HIT Consultant - September 16th, 2022
- Pickleball injuries are on the rise: 5 preventive tips to keep you on the court - The Manual - September 16th, 2022
- Opinion: From the Great War to the pandemic, doctors and nurses have always carried a heavy burden - The Globe and Mail - September 16th, 2022
- Can Sustainable Initiatives Benefit Your Team's Mental Health As Well As The Environment? - MinuteHack - September 16th, 2022
- Management of Chronic Migraine in Children and Adolescents | PHMT - Dove Medical Press - September 16th, 2022
- Workshop on promotion of physical activity in pregnancy | JMDH - Dove Medical Press - September 16th, 2022
- Men at The Emeline: how preventative medical care can help keep you on track - Australian Jewish News - August 30th, 2022
- Study: PCPs Need 26.7 Hours Per Day to Provide Recommended Care - Healthcare Innovation - August 30th, 2022
- New Guidelines Target Preventing Obesity In Midlife Women, But The Conclusion Is Somewhat Controversial - Suggest - August 30th, 2022
- Colleges need to prepare for monkeypox to spread among students, infectious disease experts say - PhillyVoice.com - August 30th, 2022
- BHERC Presents Its First Health Matters Film Screening and Panel Focused on Mental Health During The 28th Annual African American Film Marketplace and... - August 30th, 2022
- The Antitumor Effects of Quercetin - The Epoch Times - August 30th, 2022
- Why 4mg of folic acid will dramatically reduce the risk of birth defects during pregnancy - iNews - August 22nd, 2022
- Cure Is An Absolute, But Prevention Is The Ideal Vasanthi Ramachandran - CodeBlue - August 22nd, 2022
- GET PREPPED FOR A HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE SCHOOL YEAR - PR Newswire - August 22nd, 2022
- Researchers examine link between pesticides and thyroid cancer risk in Central California area - EurekAlert - August 22nd, 2022
- 5 Ways Your Body Is Telling You That You Need More Potassium, According to a Cardiologist and a Dietitian - Well+Good - August 22nd, 2022
- Restore Hyper Wellness Announces First Half of 2022 Performance Results with Over $60M in System-Wide Sales & Official Announcement of its Medical... - August 22nd, 2022
- Quest Diagnostics Aims to Close Gaps in Maternal Healthcare with New Obstetrics Test Panel that Includes Hepatitis C Screening - PR Newswire - August 22nd, 2022
- Flu Viral: Here Are The Most Common Queries Answered - NDTV - August 22nd, 2022
- Letters to the Editor, Aug. 19, 2022 - Toronto Sun - August 22nd, 2022
- Gambia: How Covid-19 vaccine contributes to the immunization of the most vulnerable - - Voice Gambia Newspaper - August 22nd, 2022
- The Effect of Maintenance Treatment with Erdosteine on Exacerbation Tr | COPD - Dove Medical Press - August 22nd, 2022
- Diagnostic Robotics has AI catching health problems before they take you to the ER - TechCrunch - August 14th, 2022
- Roches Xofluza issued FDA approval to treat influenza in children aged five years and older - PMLiVE - August 14th, 2022
- Ananta Medicare Provides Preventative Health Solutions to the World - PR Newswire - July 19th, 2022
- 5 "Health Tips" That are Terrible for Over 50s Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That - July 19th, 2022
- 'Death Cap' Mushrooms Pose Threat to Dogs - University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine - University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary... - July 19th, 2022
- What Medicaid expansion means for new moms in Virginia - CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR - July 11th, 2022
- Healthcare for the Busy Bee - Flathead Beacon - July 11th, 2022
- The COVID BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are highly transmissible. Here's what else people in CT need to know. - CT Insider - July 11th, 2022
- NHS to test using drones to fly chemotherapy drugs to Isle of Wight - The Guardian - July 11th, 2022
- The Role of Smoking and Body Mass Index in Mortality Risk Assessment for Geriatric Hip Fracture Patients - Cureus - July 11th, 2022
- Family Health Care Atlanta | Primary & Preventative Medicine - July 3rd, 2022
- Preventative medicine in Rochester Hills MI - July 3rd, 2022
- Joan Merriam: Prevention is the best medicine - The Union - June 22nd, 2022
- RIVERVIEW PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AVAILABLE TO OVERSEE YOUR HEALTH NEEDS - kroxam.com - June 22nd, 2022
- Prevention is the best medicine | Caseys Corner - Oroville Mercury-Register - June 22nd, 2022
- With Father's Day in mind, Mayo Clinic doctors remind men to be mindful of their health - WQOW TV News 18 - June 22nd, 2022
- Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare will be presented this fall to Health Equity Leader Dr. Mona Fouad - City-sentinel - June 13th, 2022
- Margolius named Cleveland director of public health - Cleveland Jewish News - June 13th, 2022
- Three things to know about COVID-19 at this time: Dr. Robert A. Salata - cleveland.com - June 13th, 2022
- Remission seen in every rectal cancer patient in small study of drug - The Hill - June 13th, 2022
- University of Vermont: Advancing healthcare through impactful medicine - Study International News - June 13th, 2022
- On Three Different Continents, Rural Health Strains under the Weight of the Coronavirus - Scientific American - June 13th, 2022
- Do You Suffer from Knee Pain Due to Inflammation or Arthritis? Taking More Walks Will Help, a New Study Shows - Yahoo Life - June 13th, 2022
- Benign Breast Lumps | Health, Medicine and Fitness | siouxcityjournal.com - Sioux City Journal - June 13th, 2022
- 'We are definitely missing cases:' Just a fraction of COVID-19 cases reported in Washington - KING5.com - June 13th, 2022
- Flea-borne typhus outbreak puts three Aucklanders in hospital - Stuff - June 13th, 2022
- Promoters of Preventive Health A Key Role in Nursing - wknd. - May 15th, 2022
- What we know (and don't know) about North Korea's Covid outbreak - WREX.com - May 15th, 2022
- Metabolic Health and Skin Care: What to Know - WWD - May 15th, 2022
- VERIFY Fact Sheet: COVID-19 treatments - VERIFYThis.com - May 15th, 2022
- Twitter: AI applications in healthcare and more - Pharmaceutical Technology - May 15th, 2022
- How Jefferson Health is harnessing philanthropy to address health disparities - Becker's Hospital Review - May 15th, 2022
- Digital Health Companies Bring Paradigm Change Across the Health... - Healthcare Tech Outlook - May 15th, 2022
- We all have a heros journey and our job is to triumph over our tragedies - Kitimat Northern Sentinel - May 15th, 2022
- Doctor Reveals How Woke Activists Have Infiltrated Medicine - Daily Signal - May 15th, 2022
- Study: Serious COVID-19 Outcomes Are More Likely Among Unvaccinated With Heart Issues - Pharmacy Times - May 15th, 2022
- What are the Key Opportunities on Offer for Self-care Medical Device Manufactures Exclusive Study - PharmiWeb.com - May 15th, 2022