First published: 20/08/2024
Despite strides toward gender parity, a stark gap remains in the realm of healthcare, with women disproportionately suffering from a lack of equitable treatment compared to men. A recent report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the McKinsey Health Institute sheds light on this persistent issue, revealing that women spend 25% more of their lives in debilitating health than men. This disparity, known as the women's health gap, underscores the urgent need for reforms in how women's health is understood, diagnosed, and treated.
The WEF's report, originally published in October 2023 and updated in August 2024, highlights the profound impact of this health gap on both individuals and the global economy. Addressing this gap could add $1 trillion to the global economy by 2040, thanks to reduced early deaths and health conditions, and increased capacity for women to contribute economically and socially.
Understanding the Gender Health Gap
The gender health gap refers to the inequities in healthcare that affect men and women differently. This gap manifests in various ways, including disparities in access to care, differences in treatment, and a significant data gap in medical research. The consequences are severe: the WEF report estimates that the gender health gap results in 75 million years of life lost each year due to poor health or early death.
One startling statistic reveals that if the gap were closed, the 3.9 billion women alive today would gain an average of 500 extra healthy days over their lifetimes. However, current investment in female-specific conditions remains shockingly low. In 2020, only 1% of healthcare research and innovation funding was directed towards conditions specific to women, excluding oncology. Yet, every dollar invested in women's health could yield a $3 return in economic growth, according to the report.
Six Conditions Highlighting the Women's Health Gap
1. Pain Management Disparities: A recent study shows that women are 10% less likely than men to have their pain assessed when they arrive at a hospital. Women also wait about 30 minutes longer to be seen by a doctor and are less likely to receive pain medication. This discrepancy is rooted in long-standing biases, where women are often viewed as exaggerating pain, while men are seen as more stoic.
2. Delayed Diagnoses: In Denmark, a study involving nearly 7 million people found that women are diagnosed with health conditions on average four years later than men. For instance, diabetes diagnoses occur four and a half years later for women, while cancer diagnoses are delayed by an average of two and a half years. This delay in diagnosis can have serious implications for treatment outcomes.
3. Underrepresentation in Clinical Trials: The gender data gap in medical research is significant. Over a 15-year period, men outnumbered women 3:1 in 31 clinical trials for congestive heart failure. This lack of female representation in research has led to a limited understanding of how various treatments affect women differently than men.
4. Cardiovascular Health: Women are often under-diagnosed and under-treated for heart conditions, despite cardiovascular disease being a leading cause of death for women worldwide. The symptoms of heart disease in women can differ from those in men, leading to misdiagnosis or delayed treatment.
5. Mental Health: Mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, are more prevalent in women, yet they are often under-diagnosed or dismissed as hormonal or emotional issues. This contributes to a lack of adequate treatment and support for women struggling with mental health issues.
6. Orthorexia: The fixation on eating only "pure" or "healthy" foods, known as orthorexia, is more commonly diagnosed in women. However, this condition often goes unrecognised, leading to severe nutritional deficiencies and psychological distress.
Global Efforts to Address the Gap
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of these disparities, disrupting access to healthcare for women globally. Recognising the urgent need for change, the World Economic Forum launched the Global Alliance for Women's Health at Davos in January 2024. This initiative aims to reform how women's health is funded and prioritised, with the goal of closing the gender health gap.
As British journalist Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias In A World Designed For Men, noted, "For millennia, medicine has functioned on the assumption that male bodies can represent humanity as a whole." This assumption has left women with inadequate healthcare and a dangerous data gap that must be addressed.
The WEF and McKinsey's report highlights that closing the women's health gap is not just a matter of equity—it is an economic imperative. Investing in women's health has the potential to improve lives, boost the global economy, and create a more just and equitable world for all.
As the global community continues to push for gender parity, the health of women must be prioritised, ensuring that future generations do not inherit the same disparities that have plagued women for far too long.
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