Australian women are living longer than ever, with life expectancy reaching 85.5 years. Yet a new national report shows that each stage of life brings its own health challenges – from anxiety and eating disorders in youth, to back pain and menopause in midlife, and finally dementia in older age.
The comprehensive Health of Women in Australia report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare highlights the growing health pressures that demand urgent attention.
It finds that domestic, family and sexual violence remains a significant threat to women’s health, with one in four women experiencing violence since the age of 15, compared with one in eight men.
Women’s health needs shift significantly across the lifespan.
For those aged 15 to 24, mental health dominates, with anxiety, depression and eating disorders together accounting for more than a third of the total disease burden.
By midlife, between the ages of 45 and 6, physical conditions take centre stage, with back pain, osteoarthritis and anxiety together accounting for nearly one in five cases of disease burden.
These challenges are often intensified by menopause, financial strain and the demands of caring for ageing parents.
In older age, from 65 onwards, the burden shifts again. Dementia emerges as the single most significant contributor to ill health, alongside other chronic diseases that reduce independence and quality of life.
While women are living longer, Sally Stevenson, Executive Director of the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre, said too many of those years are marked by preventable illness, violence, and chronic stress.
“Women’s health cannot be treated as one-size-fits-all. At each stage of life, women face very different challenges and health burdens,” she said.
“Services must be tailored to the very different needs women face in youth, midlife, and older age. To do that, we need sustained investment and resources that match the scale of these challenges.”
The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre is working to ensure its services reflect these needs, from providing free access to long-lasting contraceptives through our Nurse Practitioner, to menopause information sessions, free mental health counselling, and specialist support for family and sexual violence.
Contact us to book an appointment on 4255 6800.