“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.”
March 8th, 2023, marks International Women’s Day for 2023. The theme for this year is Embrace Equity: an important statement for all aspects of life, but particularly when it comes to health. One of the main missions of IWD2023 is Women’s Health; To assist women to be in a position of power to make informed decisions about their health. This comes through access to information and resources, raising awareness and education, breaking bias, and prioritising health.
The main areas of concern for women and health are:
1. Under-Researched and Under-Diagnosed
• Many conditions impacting women lack research specific to our gender. Women are also commonly under-diagnosed as we can be at risk to some of the most challenging health conditions.
2. Disbelief in Women’s Symptoms
• Gender stereotypes and recent articles show that women are often considered ‘hysterical’ or ‘emotional’ when explaining chronic pain and are not taken as seriously, resulting in misdiagnosing, or dismissing conditions.
3. Gaps in Medical Research
• Most studies up until quite recently have a heavy gender bias resulting in more male participants than female. There is also a lack of evidence for females because females are less likely to participate in studies while pregnant or in early post-partum stages due to high risk and additional stressors.
A consequence of this gender bias in healthcare is that essentially women receive worse care than they should, which increases their health inequity. Here at ProHealth EP and through ProPilates, we are contributing to the gender agenda by providing our expertise and services to women for a range of issues.
If you need assistance with any health condition and would like to see a knowledgeable health care professional, come and see us at ProHealth EP!
