Healthcare: Challenges for Women

Awhile back, I was sitting in my OBGYN’s office, anxious to hear what could be done about the night sweats that were significantly impacting my sleep. (One night with interrupted sleep is enough to make me grumpy. A few nights in a row, I may be found growling in the corner with a box of Nutterbutter cookies held protectively in my lap). I will never forget HER words…. “Welcome to your forties.” There were no blood tests conducted, nor an exploration of nutrition or behavioral changes that could be contributing factors. If she had dug a little deeper, she would have been able to identify side effects from a medication that could easily be addressed with a few tweaks. Instead, my plea for help was simply brushed off, told this is the inevitable suffering women must endure in their midlife. In utter shock, I realized I had just been given a cold blast of reality- women’s health is notoriously not taken seriously and it only gets worse with age.

For some reason, science and medicine have largely ignored half of the human population. According to an article in Women’s Health, they found a pattern of women feeling their symptoms are minimized, they feel judged by staff, language is used by providers that does not ensure understanding, and they are given recommendations without discussing the full range of options and the pros/cons involved. How does a woman advocate for herself when there is so much working against her?

Behind the scenes, this experience is the outcome of many factors and attitudes. Here are a few examples:

Women have been excluded in higher education and research, removing the very voices who would speak to this gap and have a vested interest in learning how to address and care for women’s needs. **If you are interested in reading a fictional story highlighting roadblocks female researchers experience, read, “Lessens in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus.

Researchers have shared concerns about impacts on fertility or the possibility that hormones could impact the results. The latter is particularly confusing because these elements need to be included in data if we want to understand women. For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) excluded females of “child-bearing potential” from clinical trials from 1977 through 1993. This even extended to mice.

Contradictorily, researchers have also assumed that women basically share the same anatomy as men. Never mind major differences in bone structure, center of gravity, sex organs, distributions of weight and strength, etc. This has major implications. When studying for car safety, for example, crash dummies have largely had a male physique. This has been seen as a major contributor to the statistic that women are 73% more likely to be injured and 17% more likely to die in vehicular crashes. (See link below)

Women’s experience has been pathologized. In mental health, Freud labeled the distress his female clients described as “hysteria”. This comes from the Greek word meaning “uterus” and refers to ungovernable emotional excess. Despite repeatedly hearing about traumatic experiences, he chose not to trust their reports. Instead, he developed theoretical ideas like “penis envy” to explain what he was seeing.

We have some major challenges ahead of us, so let’s face them head on!!!! Let’s claim a major role in our health, seeing ourselves as part of a team and not just the passive recipients of care. For women and people with uteri, the stats show this is especially true. You are your greatest advocate! Here are a few ways you can do this:

If you have any hunches about what is going on, do your research. Find out about the diagnoses, what symptoms and severities exist, and treatment options are available. Include holistic treatments (ex: acupuncture, exercise, diet, lifestyle) and services (ex: case management, support groups). Pay special attention to recent developments to ensure you know all you can. I love this quote, “An educated patient is an empowered patient.” (Source unknown)

Compile a list of questions before your visit. Don’t be afraid to have articles at the ready or at least sources to reference when you bring up something from #1.

Consider an online or in-person support group. They may have suggestions or experiences with insider intel that may be invaluable.

When you talk with your provider, consider the quality of the interaction and relationship. Do they ask questions to get a good understanding of your experience? Do they invite collaboration? Do you feel heard? Do you feel your knowledge and boundaries are respected? Do they talk to you in a way you can understand? If you have concerns, take this seriously. Even if they are experts in the field, a problematic relationship will impact the care you receive.

When you leave, there should be “next steps” outlined. Sometimes providers rule things out but do not state how to move forward. Other times, the provider may have done all they can and feel their work is done. Push for direction so you do not have constant dead ends to contend with.

Do not be afraid to ask for a second opinion. Doctors are human and can make mistakes. When you are uncertain, it is better to be safe than sorry.

We are blessed to have so much knowledge and treatments available like never before. Yet it is so important to not forget that human beings are a major part of the equation. To ensure you get the care you need, advocate! We are still dealing with inequalities, so let’s use our spunk, fortitude, and voices to make sure we are always taken seriously!

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” -Maya Angelou

Resources

https://www.northwell.edu/katz-institute-for-womens-health/articles/women-overlooked-in-medical-research