For too long, women’s health concerns have been overlooked, dismissed, or misdiagnosed. While global life expectancy has risen dramatically for both men and women, a significant disparity remains in women’s “health span.”
According to McKinsey & Company, women, on average, spend 25% more of their lives in poor health with degrees of disability compared to men. This amounts to nine years spent with a reduced ability to be present and productive in their homes, communities, and workplaces.
This disparity not only impacts the lives of millions of women but also comes at a significant economic cost. Closing this gap could increase the global economy by over $1 trillion per year by 2040. It’s time for a change. Women must start speaking up, and the healthcare system must start listening.
This article explores why it is so crucial for women to advocate for themselves and for these often-overlooked health challenges to be taken seriously.
The Diagnosis Gap in Women’s Overlooked Health Challenges
Many health conditions affecting women remain underrecognized, leading to prolonged suffering and delayed care. Endometriosis, for example, often goes undiagnosed for years. According to the NIH, diagnosis delays can range from 0.3 to 12 years, depending on geographical location, study population, and diagnostic methods.
Despite growing awareness and improved guidelines, research remains limited, with most evidence coming from observational studies rather than randomized controlled trials.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is another frequently overlooked condition. It is often dismissed as “normal period issues,” which can delay interventions for hormonal imbalance, fertility concerns, or metabolic complications.
Menopause and perimenopause, though universal for women, are rarely discussed openly in workplaces or healthcare settings. Symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and cognitive shifts often go unaddressed, impacting quality of life and professional performance.
Recognizing these conditions and encouraging open dialogue ensures timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and better awareness of women’s health impacts.
When Medical Interventions Fail
A key reason women need to advocate for their health is the serious harm that can result when their concerns are dismissed. Medical history contains numerous instances of treatments and devices being widely used without fully understanding their impact on female physiology. Among the most striking examples is the transvaginal mesh crisis.
The surgical implant, intended to treat pelvic organ prolapse, led to severe complications for thousands of women, ranging from chronic pain to mesh erosion. Even with widespread reports of these side effects, meaningful regulatory action only came after years of persistent advocacy from affected women.
The FDA effectively discontinued the procedure in 2019, but only after widespread harm had already occurred.
This crisis highlights a profound problem: medical devices can enter the market without adequate testing on women’s bodies. The lawsuits that followed, as noted by TruLaw, focus on patients who experienced serious complications and are suing manufacturers for design defects.
The lack of research into women’s experiences with these complications further exemplifies how their voices are often silenced. The ongoing transvaginal mesh lawsuit update underscores the power of women’s collective action and the tragic consequences when their concerns are ignored.
When Women’s Suffering is Dismissed
Women experience higher rates of chronic and high-impact pain, yet medical bias often leaves them undertreated or misdiagnosed. Too often, their symptoms are dismissed as psychological rather than physical. This reflects deep-rooted historical misconceptions that framed women’s pain as hysteria, emotional instability, or attention-seeking behavior.
According to USA Today, Amber Meade’s story illustrates this bias. After breaking an extra bone in her foot, she underwent surgery where an anchor screw pressed on a nerve, leaving her in excruciating pain. Despite debilitating symptoms, swelling, discoloration, and immobility, doctors offered explanations such as “pushing through the pain” or “getting older.”
Meade’s struggle mirrors the broader problem. Chronic pain research still skews male, even though nearly three-quarters of Americans affected by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) are women. Too often, women with CRPS are misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety, reinforcing systemic disparities in pain care.
The Power of Female Representation in Healthcare
Female representation in healthcare is not just about diversity; it’s about improving patient outcomes. Research consistently shows that women treated by female doctors have better health outcomes, including lower mortality and readmission rates. This finding underscores the importance of having healthcare providers who can genuinely understand and advocate for women’s unique health needs.
However, true representation also means empowering women as patients. They must feel confident enough to question treatments, seek second opinions, and demand answers when their concerns are dismissed. Creating healthcare environments where women’s experiences are valued and their voices are heard is essential.
This shift will ensure that medical decisions are made with a complete understanding of women’s health, ultimately leading to better diagnoses and treatments.
The Power of Advocacy and Shared Voices
Women speaking up and sharing their stories is a powerful catalyst for change. Their collective voices can drive patient advocacy, leading to more research and stricter regulations.
Unfortunately, many women are still reluctant to seek care. Research from Deloitte reveals that women are 35% more likely than men to skip or delay medical care, which can worsen conditions. According to the 2024 Deloitte Health Care Consumer Survey, this disparity stems from systemic “design flaws” in the healthcare system.
By sharing their experiences, women can raise awareness of these barriers and push for a healthcare system that better serves them. Building a community where women can openly discuss their struggles with conditions like endometriosis, PCOS, and chronic pain validates their experiences.
This shared advocacy is essential to create systemic change, ensuring that healthcare is not only accessible but also equitable for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is women’s mental health overlooked?
Women’s mental health is often overlooked due to historical biases that dismiss their symptoms as emotional or exaggerated. Medical research has traditionally focused on men, leading to gaps in understanding. Social stigma, gender norms, and underrepresentation in clinical studies further contribute to inadequate recognition and treatment of women’s mental health needs.
What is a major challenge faced by women in accessing healthcare?
A major challenge women face in accessing healthcare is systemic bias, including underrepresentation in medical research and clinical trials. This leads to misdiagnoses, delayed treatment, and ineffective care. Additionally, social, economic, and cultural barriers can limit access to timely, appropriate, and gender-sensitive healthcare services for women.
How can women support each other in advocating for better healthcare?
Women can support each other by sharing experiences, raising awareness of overlooked health issues, and encouraging peers to speak up during medical consultations. Mentorship, participation in advocacy groups, and amplifying voices in policy discussions help create a collective force that pushes for research and better treatments.
Empowering women to speak up about their health is crucial for better outcomes and safer care. Representation, research inclusion, and attentive healthcare practices can reduce disparities and improve the quality of life. By valuing women’s voices, the medical community can address overlooked challenges and foster a more equitable healthcare system.
