Understanding Disparities in Women’s Healthcare

Women’s healthcare is a critical area of focus that faces many unique challenges and inequalities. Despite advancements in medical technology and increased awareness of women’s health issues, there are still significant gaps in healthcare access and outcomes for women.

These challenges contribute to a continuing cycle of inequality and impact access to healthcare services, treatment, and outcomes. Eliminating healthcare disparities is necessary to advance gender equality and to ensure society is healthier and more equitable overall. Read more on the areas in which disparities are common, the reasons for those gaps in care, and how they can be addressed below. 

Top Reasons for Disparities in Women’s Healthcare

Some of the most common reasons women face challenges in healthcare are simply because of a lack of access, poor representation in research, and implicit bias. Women, particularly people of color, often suffer from worse outcomes as a result of these disparities. However, the right education on these issues and an appropriate approach to improve these circumstances can make a difference. 

Common areas in which there are disparities in women’s health include the following:

Bias

A general, systemic bias against women means that women are more likely to run into problems with accessing healthcare and have worse outcomes than men facing the same or similar conditions. 

For example, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 16 percent of women reported they were in fair or poor health. It was shown that when women were divided into groups by ethnicity, the percentages were higher in women of color.

Specifically, the percentage of women reporting fair or poor health included:

• 23 percent of Native American women
• 22 percent of Hispanic women
• 20 percent of Black women
• 14 percent of white women
• 8 percent of Asian women

Systemic bias and implicit bias mean that women are:

• Less likely to be taken seriously by clinicians
• More likely to be excluded in research or policy creation

It is the unfortunate truth that implicit bias does play a role in the way women are treated when they seek out healthcare services. These underlying subconscious biases, attitudes, and stereotypes can have negative effects that lead to worse outcomes for women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Reproductive Health 

In reproductive health, there are several significant disparities including:

• Access to care: Approximately 2.2 million American women of childbearing age live in “maternity care deserts” where there is a lack of high-quality maternal care.
• Maternal healthcare: The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality among all high-income countries. 
• Health education: Women in rural areas are prone to poorer health outcomes. Additionally, attempts to restrict contraception, abortion, sex education, and counseling have a negative impact on women’s reproductive health.

Certain Healthcare and Chronic Conditions

It is a fact that women are disproportionately affected by chronic conditions like autoimmune disorders. They also have a higher death rate and worse prognosis after cardiovascular events. Why is this? 

• Cardiac events: Heart attacks may appear differently in women and may be dismissed, leading to a worse prognosis and higher mortality rate.
• Delayed diagnosis and medical bias: The belief that women are exaggerating or the presentation of diseases or illnesses in atypical ways can lead to delayed or missed diagnoses.
• Biological differences and bias in research: Women are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases than men due to a number of factors, yet for decades, these conditions have been under-researched. Many studies generally leave women completely out of the conversation.

Mental Health

Women experience mental health disorders at higher rates than men. The cause can be linked to:

• Higher rates of exposure to domestic violence and gender-based violence: Exposure to violence often leads to anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 
• Hormonal and biological factors that are poorly understood: Menopause, pregnancy, puberty, and other times when hormonal fluctuations occur can impact women’s mental health, but bias in research and individual clinicians can impact findings, leading to inaccurate or skewed diagnoses. 

Cancer Screening and Prevention

Barriers to accessing care, such as early detection services or diagnostic testing, can impact the outcome of cancers such as cervical or breast cancer. Disparities in cancer screening and prevention arise due to:

• Race: Black women who don’t have mammograms on a regular schedule are at a three-times greater risk of getting diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer (stage 3 or 4). 
• Age: Age bias in women’s cancer screening and prevention can lead to differential treatment that delays diagnosis and worsens outcomes.

How Healthcare Providers Can Help

With all these disparities in healthcare, it may seem challenging to overcome them and improve the care women receive in this country. However, some simple changes can make a world of difference, whether you’re working with patients or in administration. 

Some of the things healthcare providers can do to help close the gap in women’s health include:

• Building awareness: Recognizing the impact of biases and seeking training to address health equity are important steps. Harvard’s Implicit Association Test (IAT) is a good place to start. 
• Establishing systems to improve care: Good monitoring systems that keep tabs on the processes and outcomes of patient care involving women give healthcare systems the data they need to make their providers more effective in women’s healthcare. 
• Promoting women and diversity in women’s health: When diverse groups work in healthcare, there can be stronger discussions about the inequities that affect certain patient groups and better representation for those groups among healthcare providers.
• Reporting discrimination: If active discrimination occurs, reporting that unfair treatment can help reduce bias within the healthcare community.

Responsible Healthcare and Equality for All

Disparities in women’s healthcare continue to be a concern around the world. During Women’s History Month in March, it is necessary to highlight the continued challenges women face in healthcare and the need to address these challenges in our healthcare system. 

Supplemental Health Care stays committed to addressing these disparities and supporting healthcare professionals and patients throughout our communities. It is important for the healthcare industry and individuals to encourage better representation in research, reduce barriers to access, and support improved education in women’s healthcare.