Social view of women's health
A social view of health goes beyond the dominant biomedical model of health and illness or disease, and acknowledges that social, environmental, economic, biological and gender factors all influence health outcomes and quality of life.
While sex is a biological fact that is the same in any culture, gender is expressed through the interplay of biological sex with particular social and cultural expectations about masculine and feminine or male and female behaviours. Gender is a product of 'how' and ‘where’ a person lives – the respective social roles, learned behaviours, relationships, attitudes and expectations that a society ascribes to women and men.
The social arrangements in which people live are one of the strongest influences on a person’s social identity and on their standing in relation to income, occupation and educational attainment, and other significant determinants of health.
Gender is “a social construction of the female and male identity that goes beyond the biological differences between woman and man (known as ’sex’). Gender leads to different social, political and economic opportunities and expectations for men and women. These opportunities and expectations are not always equal."
NSW HEALTH, Gender Equity in Health (2002)
WHO Definition
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”
Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
The Definition has not been amended since 1948.
Principles of Women’s Health Care
Community based feminist women's health services are based on principles of social justice and an understanding of a gendered approach to health or health within a social context, as endorsed by governments throughout Australia. This endorsement was originally expressed in the National Women's Health Policy (1989) Advancing Women’s Health in Australia and subsequently in various State and Territory broader policy frameworks for health priorities that have a gender view of health such as the Women’s Health Outcome Framework developed by NSW Health (2002).
This view recognises that:
- health is determined by a broad range of social, environmental, economic and biological factors
- differences in health status and health objectives are linked to gender, age, socio-economic status, ethnicity, disability, location and environment, racism, sex-role stereotyping, gender inequality and discrimination, ageism, sexuality and sexual preferences
- health promotion, disease prevention, equity of access to appropriate and affordable services and strengthening the primary health care system are necessary, along with high quality illness treatment services
- information, consultation, advocacy and community development are important elements of the health process.
In accordance with these principles, feminist women's health centres provide a service which:
- encompasses all of women's lifespans, and reflects women's various roles in Australian society, not just their reproductive role
- promotes the participation of women in debate and decision making about health issues, their own health care, health service policy, planning, delivery and evaluation
- recognises women's rights, as health care consumers, to be treated with dignity, in an environment which provides for privacy, informed consent, confidentiality and safety
- acknowledges that informed decisions about health and health care require accessible information, which is appropriately targeted for different socio-economic, educational and cultural groups
- uses existing data, research and policy concerning women's health, as well as incorporating women's views about their own health and the best strategies to address their health needs, in service planning and development
- provides appropriate women's health care to women in local communities, within a state-wide, co-ordinated approach
- ensures equity and accessibility of services without financial, cultural, geographic and or other barriers.
- ensures effective community management and operation of women's health centres by women, for women
- provides a broad range of services and strategies within a preventive and holistic framework, which:
- is provided by women, for women
- values women's own knowledge and experience
- facilitates the sharing of women's skills, knowledge and experience
- links women's individual experience and health needs to the social and cultural context of women's lives
- empowers women
- challenges sex-role stereotyping, gender discrimination, racism and homophobia which affect health
- increases the accessibility, sensitivity and acceptability of health services for women
- relates to identified health priorities at the local and state level.
These principles are informed by the National Women's Health Policy and NGO women's health centres.