Societies Failing Health Care Needs of Women Worldwide

Societies around the globe fail to meet the health care needs of women at key moments of their lives, particularly in their adolescent years and in older age, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“As this report reveals, the obstacles that stand in the way of better health for women are not primarily technical or medical in nature. They are social and political, and the two go together… If women are denied a chance to develop their full human potential, including their potential to lead healthy and at least somewhat happier lives, is society as a whole really healthy? What does this say about the state of social progress in the 21st century?” - Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO

All around the world, women consistently provide the bulk of health care in the home and in the community, even as health care fails to address the specific needs of women throughout their lives.

Statistically, women live 6 to 8 years longer than men, but they are not necessarily healthier lives. This creates a growing population of older women whose needs are not being addressed. Many of the health problems faced by women in older age are the result of risk factors that arise in their adolescence and adulthood.

The primary killers of women aged 15 to 45 globally are HIV, pregnancy related conditions, and tuberculosis. As women reach age 45 years and beyond, noncommunicable diseases become major causes of death and disability. Heart attacks and stroke, incorrectly thought of as male issues, are two leading killers of women, but because women often show different symptoms than men, they are improperly diagnosed.

In many countries, women are denied access to education about their own health, or lack the power to make their own decisions. These economic and cultural barriers contribute mightily to the poor health status of women.

Some key items from the WHO fact sheet:

HIV/AIDS: The leading cause of death and disease for women in their reproductive years (15 – 44) worldwide. Contributing factors include lack of access to information and health services, economic vulnerability, unequal power in sexual relations, and rape. Tuberculosis is often linked to HIV infection and is the third leading cause of death among women of reproductive age in low income countries and worldwide. It ranks fifth worldwide among women aged 20 – 59 years.

Violence: Violence against women is widespread around the world. Women who have been physically or sexually abused have higher rates of mental ill health, unintended pregnancies, abortions, and miscarriages than non-abused women. Most violence against women is perpetrated by an intimate male partner. Increasingly in many conflicts sexual violence is also used as a tactic of war.

Pregnancy in Adolescence: Complications in pregnancy are a leading cause of death among girls in the 15 – 19 year age group. Unsafe abortion in unhygienic conditions contributes substantially to the rate of death.

Substance Abuse: Teenage girls are using tobacco and alcohol. There is evidence that tobacco advertising is increasingly targeting young girls and women.

Maternal Health: Every year 99 percent of some half a million maternal deaths occur in developing countries. Despite the increase in contraceptive use over the past 30 years, significant unmet needs remain in all regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, one in four women who wish to delay or stop childbearing does not use any family planning method.

Injuries: Injuries from road traffic accidents figure among the top 10 causes of death among adult women globally. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, burns are a leading cause of death among women aged 15 – 44. Women suffer significantly more fire-related injuries and deaths than men. Many fire-related deaths are related to cooking accidents or a result of intimate partner and family violence.

Breast, Lung and Colon Cancer: Cancers of the breast, lung, and colon are among the top ten causes of death of older women globally. The incidence of breast cancer is much higher in high income countries compared to low and middle income countries, but mortality is similar. This is due to the availability of better treatment in the high-income countries. For lung and colon cancer, both incidence and mortality are currently higher in high income countries. Globally, 71 percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by tobacco use.

Cervical Cancer: Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women, with virtually all cases linked to genital infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Almost 80 percent of cases today and an even higher proportion of deaths from cervical cancer occur in low income countries, where access to cervical cancer screening and treatment virtually does not exist.

Lack of access to education and violence are repeated themes throughout the WHO report. Dr. Chan asks a very good question.

“What does this say about the state of social progress in the 21st century?”

Women’s Health in the United States:

6 Shockers about Womens’ Health Care

Another Blow for Battered Women: Health Insurers Deny Coverage for Victims

Sign the Petition: Being a Women is Not a Pre-existing Condition

Photo: U.S. Aid

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Michel T.

3:39AM PST on Nov 28, 2009

Tom W., your comment on Africa is soo biased and so uneducated!! How can you take for granted that poverty is a result of culture?? You should try to understand the underlyings of poverty before judging others...

Have you ever heard of the washington consensus? You should look that up... After the years of exploitation and slavery in Africa, most of the countries in Africa were left with an unstable economy focused on exportation that was established before the Revolution by the colonials and these countries were poor as a result of their forced involvement during the second World War.

And in order to receive loans from the IMF, the Washington consensus forces them to liberalize, or expose their fragile market to the mercy of globalization, to do drastic budget cuts in public services and to cut all types of subsidies and to raise the taxes for their producers, preventing them from any expansion of their market. Why would these countries be required to do all these drastic negative policies to receive a loan to provide for its own people, while in America, during recessions, America is granted unlimited funding, and have enclosed their markets several times to protect them, while according to the Washington consensus, they were supposed to open them to competition? Globalization prohibits the use of subsidies; the U.S. during recessions, again receives unlimited loans and are somehow allowed to use it all in subsidies to boost the economic growth, while all other poor

send a green star

Pat P.

7:26AM PST on Nov 13, 2009

NOw Tom,
Dangerous is hardly the word I would search for, but more like " Knowledgable"
In the church I go to the marriage vows consist of the new wording "as long as this union will last", not " till death do us part!"
And yes Tom, we even have "WOMEN" who are ordained and in our pulpits.
But for you, as we are not in church, I will let this one go and only say, it has been nice chatting with you.

5:20AM PST on Nov 12, 2009

"It is our duty to assert and reassert this right (to vote) to agitate, discuss and petition, until our political equality be fully recognized. Depend upon it, this is the point to attack, the stronghold of the fortress---The one woman will find it most difficult to take ---the one man will most reluctantly give up; therefore, let us encamp right under its shadow----there spend all our time, strength and moral ammunition, year after year, with perseverance courage and decision. Elizabeth Cady Stanton 1850.

It is now 2009, do you see a large difference? NO! What are most of the men in the world so afraid of with a women in a place of equality? Please look hard in the mirror and ask yourself that. Barbara H.

Liz L.

8:55PM PST on Nov 11, 2009

All of you men should read the book "WHEN GOD WAS A WOMAN"...very educational.............

Tom W.

7:52PM PST on Nov 11, 2009

I assumed that any comment would be construed as male chauvinism. Pity any comment other than what is swayed towards the writers opinion is unacceptable.
American women are so obsessed with their importance and nag their counterparts into the grave (giving them peace and rest).
American men are wimps and fatigued and belittled - I now see the need for the Muslim Burqua as a dress code.
I admire the European women who are less butch sexy and respect their men folk (and shave under the arms).
Now for the Pat Prest dangerous when trying to quote the scriptures - read Ephesians 5:22-23 Wives submit to your husbands for the husband is head of the wife. 1-Corth. 14:34 Women should not speak in church. Tut tut.

1:22PM PST on Nov 11, 2009

Well Tommy, pardon me a bit but I have to disagree with how your thoughts are processed.

First, no one who is fortunate enough should just lay back and accept poverty as inevitiable, it is a dire condition that can be corrected if effort is put forth to thwart it.

As far as women go, they are the silent flesh and bone of any society or culture, they just haven't historically been allowed politically and technically to induce their social inclinations, educational prowess, nurturing physical and mental well being into government policy.

Considering worldly states, they've tired overall in waiting to be invited so took the initiative upon themselves to act. That's why you see women clubs, organizations or functions as stated so, because historically it needed not to be listed as a men's org, for that was only what it could have been.

We all hold stress no matter gender, which is not why women live longer, but it is how you handle the stress in which women manage better.

Women overall, no matter gender, nationality, race, creed or social standing have greatly been overlooked.

So, pay attention Tommy and listen to articles as this, for if anyone feels that my mother, wife and daughters and their worldwide sisters have no right to complain on their status and should remain in their dark covey-holed places, rings of jestful fighting words to me...

1:05PM PST on Nov 11, 2009

I think Tom has already given up on society unless it comes in the form of "white and male" and of coarse North American.
With an attitude such as this, you can forget about upping the anti for the under-priviledged and poor "Women".
The old testiment comes into play, "if your eye offends you, pluck it out......way to go Tom, you have set us back 200 years!

8:42AM PST on Nov 11, 2009

Women in America are much better looked after than their counterparts. That's why they live longer. Less stress, better health care.
Women hospitals and groups (ever herd of Men hospitals??)
Busybodies should concentrate on home affairs and leave the African continent to it's own demise.
Their ancient tribal cults calls for large families (never agree to family planning) whatever the outsiders do to help will never change their beliefs. Poverty and disease will reign forever.
As the old saying goes -Nothing good comes out of Africa and that includes all the gold, diamonds and wealth.