Barbara Ward’s Post

Happy Women's Health Week! As we celebrate Women’s Health Week (4-8 September) we’re encouraging women to be health conscious and wise, however as reported by the ABC it seems females are at a disadvantage when it comes to health care costs and affordability versus men. Research and data shows women spend more on out-of-pocket medical costs versus men, with experts describing a systemic underinvestment in women’s health. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g4heYV6A ‘Nutrition NSW takes women health very seriously, and to read such articles is a concern. A 2022 Grattan Institute report found women spend more on out-of-pocket healthcare costs than men, and younger women spend more than men their age, with maternity care and a higher prevalence of chronic illness to blame. We know that whilst we are living longer, we are not necessarily living healthier. With an estimated 1 in 10 Australians living with a chronic condition (ABS 2002), and women aged 18 years and over more likely than men to have one or more chronic conditions (56.5% compared to 49.5%), I welcome the response of the National Women’s Health Advisory Council and how we approach to reducing inequalities and improving the health of women and girls in Australia. Join me in voicing your concerns and sharing your experiences during Women’s Health Week, and remember to keep your regular health checks up to date and seek out help if you need it.’ Cr Barbara Ward Nutrition NSW President. #nutritionnsw #womenshealth #advocacy #womenshealthweek2023

The spotlight on women’s health is growing brighter within the health care industry and among employers. Learn what 5 women health care executives think is driving this trend and why they believe the increased focus on women’s health is here to stay.

The spotlight on women’s health is growing brighter within the health care industry and among employers. Learn what 5 women health care executives think is driving this trend and why they believe the increased focus on women’s health is here to stay.

The spotlight on women’s health is growing brighter within the health care industry and among employers. Learn what 5 women health care executives think is driving this trend and why they believe the increased focus on women’s health is here to stay.

Last week, I was privileged to be invited to attend the 2024 Women's Health Summit at Parliament House. It was an incredible honour to be in a room filled with leaders, experts, advocates with lived or living experience, and other stakeholders. We share one common goal: to kickstart a women's health revolution to end gender bias in healthcare. The women's health summit, which aims to achieve better outcomes for women and girls, gave us the opportunity to hear about the Women's Health Advisory Council's initiatives while engaging in meaningful discussions around identifying and addressing emerging issues. Listening to honourable Minister Gerardine (Ged) Kearney’s opening address gave me goosebumps because alongside birth trauma being acknowledged, we heard her say, 'Today begins the work to end medical misogyny'. It really does feel like we are being heard. The next step is getting Birth Trauma added to the women's health strategy. The following day, I attended a forum hosted by the Queensland Mental Health Commission - Shaping a trauma-informed Queensland: reform challenges and opportunities. It was wonderful to hear from thought leaders and experts who will share their vision and evidence-based approaches to creating a trauma-informed system. Listening to Prof. James Scott present his work on the Australian Child Maltreatment study, a paper that I have been referring to in presentations for the last year. Further highlighted how much we need to recognise the link between the impacts of ACEs and how they influence the labour and birth experience. It was also wonderful to be involved in roundtable discussions designed to foster collaboration, share knowledge, and encourage innovative thinking across disciplines. To sum it all up, I have to quote my wonderful colleague Viv - OAM—OAM from Peach Tree Wellness: 'Trauma-informed care needs to be at the heart of any system reform in the mental health, alcohol and other drug, and suicide prevention sector. This needs to be one part of an all-encompassing, overarching policy protecting and promoting human rights for all.' The website is now live, including copies of position statements. There are 16 more consultations planned. Now is the time for you to have your say (link in comments). #WHS24 #RANZCOG

4-8 Sept 2023 #WomensHealthWeek 2023's theme is "Grow your knowledge". It's all about supporting women to make #informeddecisions about their health with information that's easy to understand. Arguably, the best way to learn about anything, is from experts in the field. A patient's health care team are their experts. #ACCESS to them is vital if we are to be serious about supporting women to make informed decisions about their own health. Disparities in rural health outcomes are largely driven by #ACCESS issues. This is only amplified in areas specific to women. Women living in #rural Australia experience poorer health outcomes than those living in major cities. Women in regional and rural locations encounter additional #barriers to escaping #familyviolence, including; geographic and social isolation, challenges with maintaining anonymity and privacy, limited #crisisaccommodation and transport, and LESS ACCESS to support and health services than is available in metropolitan areas. Adolescent rural women have a higher incidence of #depression compared to women in urban areas which can be attributed to #mentalhealth risk factors such as isolation, hardship, and LACK OF ACCESS to mental health services. Rural women also face BARRIERS TO ACCESSING #reproductivehealth services including limited choice in health care providers, transport and distance to services, and lack of privacy. It seems the knowledge we need to grow as a healthcare industry is that if we don't look at innovative ways to deliver healthcare in the bush, the #ACCESS #CRISIS continues, the disparity in outcomes widens and this disproportionately affects priority populations, #women being one of them. Pharmaceutical Society of Australia The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia SARRAH - Services for Australian Rural & Remote Allied Health Emma McBride Anne Webster Jade Benham

“It is 2023, and women—who make up half of the human population—still do not receive equitable health care. Women’s health has historically been viewed through the narrow lens of reproductive health. As a result, there are large gaps in general health, wellbeing, and health policy that should be addressed to attain true equity in health, access, and care delivery. The concept of women’s holistic health appears to be emerging as a central aspect of health care delivery. By prioritizing and investing in women and health, life sciences and health care leaders have the opportunity to reverse the long-standing under-representation of women and help advance health equity.”

Women’s contribution to healthcare constitutes nearly 5% of global GDP, but nearly half is unpaid and unrecognized. A major new Commission on women and health has found that women are contributing around $3 trillion to global health care, but nearly half of this (2.35% of global GDP) is unpaid and unrecognized. “Too often, women’s health is essentially equated to maternal and reproductive health. However, the evidence outlined by this Commission overturns this conventional interpretation, and we urge the global health community and policymakers worldwide to embrace a more holistic — and realistic — understanding of women and health. It’s time to acknowledge women’s comprehensive health needs throughout their lives, and their productive contributions to health care and society as a whole, as well as their similarly important roles as mothers and homemakers.” - Professor Ana Langer, head of the Women and Health Initiative at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. Rachna Chhachhi RachnaRestores®️ Kindness Practice Foundation To read the complete article, click on the link below. https://lnkd.in/d4uHxYTH For more such articles on mental health and well-being, don’t forget to follow us. #unhurry #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #health #woman #women #womenshealth #womensmentalhealth #womenempowerment #globalhealth #healthcare #womensday #womensday2024 #womensdayspecial

Dr. Younglove will be speaking for Midwest Business Group on Health at their upcoming Women's Health Forum! This event will be discussing the unique health care needs of women in the workforce and how to remedy disparities. Dr. Younglove will be weaving obesity into the conversation, as it has a significant impact on women's health issues (fertility, pelvic pain, abnormal bleeding, mammogram call-backs, etc.) and therefore further widens the gap in out-of-pocket and overall healthcare costs for women.  Across all industries, women are over 40% of the workforce. In some sectors such as health care, women make up 75% or more of an organization’s employees. Despite this representation, women’s health care and health care benefits are more expensive and often more restrictive. Attend this ½-day educational forum to hear about the disparity in health care cost and access, and what you as an employer can do about it. This program is available both in-person and virtually. Find out more here: https://conta.cc/49HIc4l #womenshealth #healthandwellness #womenswellness #obesity #healthcare #womenshealthcare #employeehealth #employeehealthandwellness Courtney Younglove, M.D., FOMA, FACOG, DABOM

🌟 Women's health is finally in the spotlight, but let's stay vigilant! 🌟 After centuries of neglect, women's health is gaining the attention it deserves. From the media highlighting the gender pain gap to the inclusion of women in scientific studies, progress is being made. However, not all attention is positive. Research led by Dr. Tessa Copp from the University of Sydney exposes how some companies exploit the women’s health advocacy movement for profit, promoting treatments that aren't always backed by evidence. From misleading marketing of egg-freezing and weight loss drugs to over-hyped menopause treatments, the risk of harm through overdiagnosis and inappropriate medicalisation is real. It's crucial to stay informed and cautious. Empowerment should come from evidence-based care, not from corporations' profit-driven motives. Let's advocate for genuine, effective healthcare solutions for women. 💪❤️ Read the full article from Tatler Asia here: https://lnkd.in/d6rf4z7s #WomensHealth #Healthcare #EvidenceBasedMedicine #MedicalEthics #WomensEmpowerment #HealthAdvocacy #Femvertising