As the Biden administration prepares to leave the White House, the legacy of its historic initiatives to advance women’s health—such as the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research—faces an uncertain future. First Lady Jill Biden, speaking at the inaugural White House Conference on Women’s Health Research, vowed to continue advocating for funding and innovation in women's health. However, with political transitions looming, women across the U.S. may need to take the reins and advocate for their own health.
To better understand the gender health gap and why it matters, here are some key facts that highlight disparities, biases, and areas requiring urgent attention.
The Gender Health Gap at a Glance
The Toll of Inequality: The gender health gap—disparities in healthcare access and outcomes between men and women—accounts for 75 million years of life lost annually due to poor health or early death.
Delayed Diagnoses: Women are diagnosed four years later than men, on average, across more than 770 diseases, often leading to worse outcomes.
Cancer Disparities
Lung Cancer Trends: Lung cancer diagnoses in women have risen by 84% over the past 40 years, while they’ve declined by 36% in men. Over half of women diagnosed with lung cancer are non-smokers, yet screening guidelines still focus solely on smoking history.
Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, accounting for one in three new female cancers annually. It is also among the most expensive cancers to treat, costing nearly $30 billion per year.
Dense Breast Tissue: Half of all women have dense breast tissue, increasing their risk of breast cancer by 4–6 times. However, mammograms—the primary screening tool—fail to detect 50% of cancers in women with dense breasts.
Cardiovascular Disease
Leading Cause of Death: Cardiovascular disease kills one in three women, making it the leading cause of death among women.
Gender Bias in Diagnoses: Women reporting symptoms of coronary heart disease are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with a mental illness rather than the actual condition.
Clinical Trials and Drug Dosing
Underrepresentation: Women make up 51% of cancer patients but only 41% of oncology clinical trial participants. Across all clinical trials, only 41.2% of participants are women, despite women comprising 50.5% of the U.S. population.
Racial Disparities: Black Americans make up 15% of cancer patients but only 2–5% of oncology trial participants. Similar disparities exist for Hispanic Americans.
Drug Dose Gap: Drug doses for 86 medications, including painkillers and antidepressants, were approved based on clinical trials that primarily included white men, leaving women at greater risk for adverse effects.
Reproductive and Maternal Health
Contraception Deserts: Over 19 million women in the U.S. live in areas where they lack reasonable access to a health center offering a full range of contraceptive methods.
Economic Benefits of Access: Investing $3.6 billion annually in contraception for all who want it could yield $432 billion in returns, or $120 for every dollar spent.
Endometriosis Neglect: Affecting 10% of women of reproductive age, endometriosis receives just $16 million in annual NIH funding, far less than research into erectile dysfunction.
Maternal Mortality: More than 60% of maternal deaths are preventable. Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.
Menstruation and Menopause
Knowledge Gap: Over half (58%) of women don’t know what constitutes a normal menstrual cycle, and 30% only learned about menstruation when they got their first period.
Economic Impact of Menopause: The U.S. loses over $26 billion annually due to medical expenses and lost productivity related to menopause symptoms.
Healthcare Workforce and Outcomes
Women in Healthcare: Women comprise 80% of healthcare workers and make 80% of household healthcare decisions.
Surgical Outcomes: Women treated by male surgeons are 16% more likely to experience complications and 32% more likely to die than those treated by female surgeons.
Better Care from Women: Patients treated by female physicians—regardless of the patient’s gender—experience lower rates of death and hospital readmission.
Funding for Women’s Health
VC Funding Gap: Female founders received just 1.8% of all venture capital funding in 2023, with Black female founders receiving less than 0.5%.
Investment Returns: Investing $350 million in women’s health could generate $14 billion for the U.S. economy.
Progress in Research: In 2024, the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research catalysed nearly $1 billion in funding, including $500 million from the Department of Defense and $200 million from the NIH.
What Needs to Change
Jill Biden’s parting words at the White House Women’s Health Research Conference reflect the urgency: “The women of this country are paying attention.” Women must continue to demand equitable healthcare, advocate for themselves, and fight for the research and policies that prioritise their needs.
As we move into 2025, these 25 facts serve as a call to action—not just for women but for everyone invested in building a healthier, fairer future. Recognising and addressing these disparities is critical for improving lives, reducing inequities, and closing the gender health gap once and for all.
Note: Originally published by https://www.forbes.com/
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