World Health Day 2024: Closing the gender health gap by addressing disparities in women's healthcare

In India, a significant gender health gap persists, with women facing greater barriers to accessing healthcare services compared to men. Factors such as cultural norms, socioeconomic disparities, and limited autonomy contribute to disparities in health outcomes. Women often experience delays in seeking care, inadequate prenatal and maternal healthcare, and higher rates of malnutrition and anemia. Addressing the gender health gap requires comprehensive strategies that prioritize women's empowerment, education, and access to healthcare services, ensuring equitable health outcomes for all genders.

On World Health Day 2024, Dr Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals shared valuable insights on addressing the gender health gap.

Why is women's healthcare globally so often overlooked?
While strides have been made in various aspects of medicine, the healthcare needs of women have been sidelined or misunderstood for generations. Socioeconomic factors and the stigma or taboo surrounding women’s health issues have played a significant role in delaying medical advancements for women. However, the conversations and actions being taken in today’s time are promising and it's high time we confronted this issue head-on and recognized the profound implications of neglecting women's health.

What are the challenges in women's healthcare?
The main challenge has been our lack of understanding of women’s health requirements. Historically, there has been a persistent gender gap in medical research. Typically, clinical trials have mainly focused on male subjects, leading to a lack of understanding of how diseases manifest and respond to treatment in women. A Harvard Health study revealed that while 70% of people affected by chronic pain conditions are women, yet 80% of pain research is conducted on males. Despite cardiovascular diseases being the no.1 killer of women in the US, only 1/3rd participants in clinical trials have been females. This oversight has serious consequences, as it means that many medical interventions that are based on data may not accurately reflect women's physiology.

Socioeconomic factors magnify the challenges faced by many women when accessing healthcare. Factors such as unequal pay, limited decision-making powers and limited access to healthcare facilities, disproportionately affect women, particularly those from marginalized communities. Add to this the stigma surrounding women's health issues. Topics such as menstruation, menopause, and reproductive health are often considered taboo, making it difficult to address existing disparities.

Third and very important is the concentration of women’s health on reproductive health. While reproductive health is undeniably crucial, it's just one aspect of a woman's overall well-being. Women face unique health challenges throughout their lives, from puberty to pregnancy, menopause, and beyond. Women are twice as likely as men to die from heart attacks. Twice as likely to die of lung cancer, and women suffer more than men from Alzheimer’s and autoimmune disease. Research and advancements in women’s health need to extend beyond reproduction alone.

How far have we come in finding a solution to close this gender gap?
While there is significant progress that has been made in women’s healthcare over the past few decades across research, advocacy, expanded services, policy changes, and technological innovation, there is still a lot that needs to happen. Efforts to promote gender equity in healthcare, take health services closer to them, and drive education and awareness are crucial for improving women's health outcomes worldwide.

How to target gender inequities in healthcare?
Let’s start by encouraging more women to join the medical field. Increasing their representation at this significant position will trickle much-needed change in the way treatment is delivered. A significant gender disparity exists today within the healthcare system. Of all healthcare workers in India, nearly two-thirds are men and in rural areas only 6% of all doctors are women. As a result, there is a mere 0.5 female allopathic physicians per 10,000 individuals in rural areas, underscoring the adverse effects of this geographical bias on women's access to healthcare. What’s promising is that today female students have started to outnumber male students in medical colleges, a healthy sign for the future.

Promote inclusivity in medical research & clinical trials through continuous monitoring of gendered analyses of healthcare statistics. For gender-neutral conditions, determine whether these pathways differ for men and women. We also need to ensure clinical trial sites are easily accessible and have a gender-diverse workforce.

Access to health insurance will also be a game-changer. It requires a focused strategy to educate and encourage women to purchase insurance policies with a sense of priority. We should also have tailored policies specifically to cater to women's needs that make health insurance more affordable for them.

Finally, putting the spotlight on preventive care for women will aid quality health span and longevity. Women’s health focus needs to be broadened to include non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Preventing it with timely or early detection and primary care will reduce their long-term health burden.

How to harness digital innovation and technology?
Technology can be transformative in healthcare and the ecosystem must leverage it to improve women’s access to healthcare. Telemedicine platforms are enabling women to consult with doctors remotely, overcoming barriers such as distance, transportation issues, or time constraints. For instance, remote monitoring devices today are helping pregnant women and new mothers to monitor their health and the health of their babies from home. Today technology-enabled telemedicine infrastructure, can detect potential complications early, reducing the need for frequent hospital visits and improving access to prenatal and postnatal care, especially in remote or underserved areas. Electronic health records (EHRs) are ensuring continuity of care across different healthcare settings. In addition to all the above, at Apollo, we have found technology, specifically AI, to be a game-changer in early detection and treatment of NCDs. Our algorithm, based on 40 years of data & legacy, can predict potential issues in individuals and personalize their diagnosis and treatment plans in a very short time. This data is extremely holistic and can curate these preventive health tests accounting for the gender, lifestyle and family history of every individual; ensuring they get the most unbiased and accurate healthcare journey.