Women's health
The (1946) World Health Organisation’s definition of health is a “complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
Many factors—biological, social, cultural, environmental and economic—influence women’s health status, their need for health services and their ability to access appropriate services.
In particular, women’s health needs stem from the fact that:
- Women are more socially disadvantaged than men in terms of poverty, education and power. Socially disadvantaged people are more likely to become ill.
- Women are more likely to use health services because of their role as carers of children, older people, disabled people and the extra strain this places on their own health.
- Women have particular sexual and reproductive health needs in pregnancy, childbirth and menopause.
- Due to gender inequality women are treated differently than men both in society generally resulting, for example, in violence against women and sexual assault . And within the health system, where women complain that their health problems are not treated seriously by health professionals, or that they are inappropriately prescribed tranquillisers.
Link to WHO’s definition, and principles of women’s health