Tjasa Zajc’s Post

[NEWSLETTER] 😣 Migraines are three to four times more common in women than in men. 😔 Women have historically been diagnosed with depression twice as much as men, and have a higher risk of dementia. 😵 Approximately 80% of all patients diagnosed with autoimmune diseases are women. If you think you have an idea about the impact of gender differences on health, think again. The latest Faces of Digital Health podcast newsletter combines insights from several episodes in 2023 related to women's health, and discusses insights around fertility, research and development, investment in women's health, and what we need to change to increase knowledge, awareness about women's health and how to improve it. Read more ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ Anna Dé Mariatheresa Samson Kadushi Antonella Santuccione Chadha European Women in VC Women's Brain Project Shamala Hinrichsen Marija Butkovic https://lnkd.in/dwnDczie

Women’s health is public health. Yet, research in this critical area is chronically underfunded. In 2020, only 10.7% of the basic scientific research funding provided by the United States government went towards women’s health research. This gap in knowledge is a major barrier to improving women's health outcomes and overall #publichealth progress. For too long, women's health has been overlooked. Many scientists mistakenly assumed men and women were fundamentally the same, except for #reproduction and #hormones. Women were often excluded from #clinicaltrials, and data from male-only studies were applied to women. This resulted in a significant lack of information about conditions and diseases unique to or more prevalent in women. Conditions like #PCOS, affecting an estimated 8-13% of reproductive-aged women, remain largely misunderstood. Up to 70% of cases go undiagnosed. Diseases like #migraine, #headaches, #endometriosis, and #anxiety disorders, which primarily impact women, attract less funding relative to their prevalence in the population. In contrast, conditions like #HIV/AIDS and #substance misuse, which affect men more, receive more funding than their burden suggests. Meanwhile, millions are invested in cosmetic procedures targeting women's bodies. While body fat removal methods, #breastimplant techniques, and #laser hair removal may have their place, it's time to prioritize research that truly matters to women's well-being. Investing in women's health research isn't just a moral imperative, it's a practical one. addressing the inequities related to endometriosis and menopause—which only affect women and have long been considered under-studied—could contribute $130 billion to global GDP by 2040, it estimated. The benefits are evident in everyday life: women’s life expectancy has increased significantly, breast cancer mortality rates have declined, and advancements in maternal and infant health have saved countless lives. More than half of participants in NIH-funded clinical trials are now women, and researchers are increasingly accounting for sex in their studies, benefiting everyone. Let's demand increased funding for women's health research and work towards a future where every woman has access to the care she deserves. We need to focus on research that addresses the needs of the whole woman, not just the aspects dictated by the "male gaze." #WomensHealth #PublicHealth #ResearchFunding #Equality #Healthcare #GenderHealthGap #InvestInWomen #WomensHealthMatters #HealthcareEquality #Endometriosis #PCOS #Migraine #Anxiety #ResearchGap

THE GENDER HEALTH GAP  💡Fast Facts No.1: underrepresentation in clinical studies Did you know that women entered clinical trials only in 1993❓ McKinsey Health Institute released a new report in January https://lnkd.in/giQtP46g Among other topics, it highlighted the role of science in addressing health disparities and the impact of data gaps in women's health burden. 🔶 Research in women’s health primarily focuses on diseases with high mortality, overlooking diseases leading to disability in particular, menopause, premenstrual syndrome, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome 🔶 Gaps exist in understanding the effectiveness of health interventions, for example in the US: 🔶 a) Women remain underrepresented in surgical trials for bladder, head and neck, stomach, and oesophagus cancers 🔶 b) Women's clinical trial ratio participation in diseases where they experience a greater share of health burden (like neurology) is not reflected 🔶 c) Equitable representation of women (and men) of various ethnicities continues to lag behind ****** Stay tuned for our upcoming podcast series focusing on women's health♀️and patient experiences 🏥 We will talk to female founders striving for health equity, who created solutions with proactive and inclusive approaches to improve the healthcare system⚕️ 🎧 To get notified when the trailer drops on March 1st, follow us: - Apple podcast https://lnkd.in/eBDC-Ydm - Spotify https://lnkd.in/gh9j_7N - Our website https://lnkd.in/dbyhQUi #womenshealth #patientexperience #femalefounders #investinwomen 

How do we ensure better care for women? What biases and lacunae have led to poorer outcomes in women? Why focus on this ? Important to acknowledge, understand and get things corrected . Lucy Pérez: I love that you bring up cardiovascular disease because it is the number-one killer of women. And it is a condition we know can manifest differently in men and women. For example, heart attacks. There’s the typical understanding and representation even in the media that you feel this pressure on your left side during a heart attack. But the reality is, for many women who suffer from a heart attack, it may manifest as a general feeling of discomfort, nausea, or the feeling that something is off. As a result of this, women show up to the emergency room, and many times, physicians have not been trained to understand that heart attacks manifest differently for women compared with men. ————————- Lucy Pérez: What has surprised me the most in doing this research is that the average time to diagnosis for endometriosis is a scary number. I was having a conversation with a group of women to see how long it took them to get diagnosed—it ranged from ten to 35 years. That is just unacceptable. There are young girls who are being told, “You’re making this up to not go to school.” No, they are suffering. This is happening in the high school years, and it’s happening in the workplace. So endometriosis is the one that’s very near and dear to my heart because there is a long tale of suffering and lack of acknowledgment. ————————————————— Lucy Pérez: This is not just about those who are in the healthcare space. Everyone has a role to play. For example, employers should ask themselves, “What business policies are we putting in place to support women’s health?” and “How do we think about the benefits we’re deploying to support women going through menopause?” That’s just one way employers can think about their own role in closing the women’s health gap. https://lnkd.in/eKgiwAsY

Communities, countries and ultimately the world are only as strong as the health of their women. To celebrate Women’s Health Day 2024 we’re shining a spotlight on the history of women’s health, how far we’ve come and what more can be done. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4dKacH5 #IWD2024 #WomensHealthDay #WomensHealth

Did you know cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the US? The Critical State of Women's Heart Health in the US: A Path to Improved Outcomes 💔👩⚕️ Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the US, affecting over 60 million women today. This gap in heart health between men and women not only impacts individual lives but also has significant economic implications. Closing this gap could regain 1.6 million years of life lost due to poor health and early death and boost the US economy by $28 billion annually by 2040. 📈💪 Here are some key takeaways from the latest McKinsey Health Institute report: 1️⃣ Disparities in Care: 🚑 Women are more likely than men to die from a heart attack and to develop heart failure within five years post-discharge. ⚖️ CVD accounts for over a third of the health gap between US men and women. 2️⃣ Unique Challenges for Women of Colour: 🏥 Black women have a higher prevalence of and morbidity from CVD compared to non-Black women. 📊 The incidence of preeclampsia is 60% higher in Black women than in White women. 3️⃣ Impact of Life Stages: 🤰 Pregnancy and menopause significantly impact cardiovascular health, with pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders increasing long-term CVD risk. 🌸 Oestrogen levels during menopause play a critical role in cardiovascular health. 4️⃣ Research Gaps: 🔬 Women are underrepresented in clinical trials, leading to less optimised treatment protocols. 🧬 There is a need for sex-specific research to develop better diagnostic and treatment methods. 5️⃣ Economic Impact: 🏢 Addressing women’s heart health can reduce employer costs related to absenteeism. 💵 Investing in women’s health can also drive significant economic benefits. Improving women’s heart health requires a multi-faceted approach including better research, tailored healthcare delivery and increased public awareness. By addressing these gaps, we can not only save lives but also create a healthier, more productive society. 🌍❤️ 👉 Let's work together to improve women's heart health and create a healthier future for all. PS: Repost this to raise awareness about the critical state of women’s heart health. Thank you! ♻️ #WomensHealth #HeartHealth #CardiovascularDisease  #HealthEquity #HealthcareAdvocacy McKinsey report on ‘The state of US women’s heart health: A path to improved health and financial outcomes’ is available here:  https://lnkd.in/eCdKTAFx

🌟 Let's Talk PCOS: A Call to Action for Women's Health 🌟 Happy Sunday! Firstly, I am not a scientist, I am just a black man reading and thinking. Let's have a heart-to-heart about a health issue that affects women worldwide: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS. This condition is a real challenge for so many women, and it's time we shine a light on it and find real solutions. This is an issue for our women, and as we just celebrated International Women's Day, it's crucial that we step up and provide support for our mothers. After all, women are the backbone of our societies, and it's only right that we prioritize their health and well-being. PCOS affects an estimated 8–13% of women of reproductive age, and shockingly, up to 70% of cases go undiagnosed. That's a staggering number, and it's clear that we need to do better. Now, let's break it down a bit further. PCOS can manifest in four different types: - Insulin-resistant PCOS: This is one of the most common types and often occurs due to high insulin levels in the body. - Inflammatory PCOS: Inflammation can also play a role in PCOS, making it even more challenging to manage. - Post-pill PCOS: Some women may develop PCOS after discontinuing birth control pills, adding another layer of complexity. - Adrenal PCOS: Hormonal imbalances involving the adrenal glands can contribute to PCOS symptoms as well. Now, here's the thing – I refuse to accept that we can't find a solution to this. Why should any woman have to live with the uncertainty and frustration of PCOS? Why should anyone have to put their dreams of love and family on hold because of a health condition that we haven't fully tackled? I should not have to decide not to marry a woman that I love merely because she can't give me children. The truth is, we still don't fully understand the exact cause of PCOS. Many women with PCOS also have insulin resistance, which complicates matters further. But that doesn't mean we should throw in the towel. It means we need to double down on our efforts to find answers and provide real solutions. All I am saying is, if we can't cure it, let's fully detect it and maybe have yearly operations and screenings for women for Free! So here's my call to action: let's come together as a community and demand more research, more resources, and more support for women with PCOS. Let's challenge our scientists and healthcare professionals to step up their game and find a cure. And let's never give up hope that we can make a difference, because every woman deserves to live a life free from the burden of PCOS. 💪💖 #PCOSAwareness #WomenEmpowerment #HealthEquality

“Inspire Inclusion” This is the theme of international women’s day this year. And a relevant theme for women’s health. Although improvements have been made in recent years, women are being underdiagnosed and funding for many conditions that exclusively or disproportionately affect women is lower than for those affecting men. Diseases like endometriosis often have a long diagnosis delay, even though symptoms can have a severe impact on the health and quality of life. Menopause and perimenopause can have far-reaching consequences and cost burden to society—but there are huge gaps in menopause care—and it is still considered taboo in many contexts. Another example would be Alzheimer’s, which disproportionally affects women, yet the research on why is sparse. The list of healthcare gaps for women is long and shocking. It is a topic close to our hearts. We have had the pleasure of working in women’s health over the last year, from reproductive health to breast cancer. Last year we also visited MedFemTech—a congress dedicated to new medical technologies for women where barriers to funding were obvious. If you are looking for an economic or clinical value story to support your venture in improving women’s healthcare, we would love to work with you! https://lnkd.in/dZT68PhV   Additional reading: Women’s health is chronically underfunded: https://lnkd.in/eMT6fQFt Women’s health gap: https://lnkd.in/erpQFuSF Endometriosis: https://lnkd.in/dkrp28fv Menopasuse: https://lnkd.in/dyPi_D5A Alzheimer’s disease: https://lnkd.in/e64xMBq7

I misssed Endometriosis Awareness Month and Women’s History Month by a few days. The intersection of women and their health has been a primary social issue for centuries, across every nation and tribe. No one can argue that women deal with complex and challenging healthcare experiences over their lives. And their access to the care they need has never been as simple as creating more access. Somehow we’re still making it hard on women to get the care they deserve without extreme frustration, guilt, stress, penalties, lawsuits, and costs. 👆This is the stuff that gets in the way of women progressing in their personal and professional lives. Or just living their lives. And frankly sometimes it feels like it’s by design. It’s why I’m passionate about making changes to our healthcare system and championing women’s health innovation every chance I get. The operational brokenness that surrounds getting to diagnosis and treatment faster is inexcusable. And something we can fix now. Women’s lives literally hang in the balance. Our maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are increasing year over year. 32.9/100,000 live births end in death for moms in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The compounded effects over decades and centuries of women not getting the care they need and deserve will keep our society running at a deficit. Let’s lift women every chance we get. Steffany Benton, DNP, MNSc Robin Mangieri April Roy Elizabeth Prenger Jennifer "Jaki" Johnson Meghan Doyle Erika Lucas Martine Downs Pollard Kristen Davidson, PT, DPT Canem Arkan Jeannette Collins Jacqueline Blocker, JD Anna Daily, PhD Sheereen Brown #internationalwomensday #endometriosis #womenshealth #women

New #therapies for common #women's #cancers are advancing tenfold more than those for debilitating #gynecological conditions, possibly due to higher #mortalityrates in #oncologic cases. Instead of reducing #cancer #funding, we should identify #opportunities for progress in #women's #healthresearch, specifically targeting #menopause, #premenstrualsyndrome, #endometriosis, and #polycysticovary syndrome. #Women are most vulnerable to #sexspecific conditions between ages 15 and 50, impacting their #working years, #earning potential, and #familysupport. #Maternal conditions, despite contributing significantly to #women's suffering, lack attention in #therapydevelopment, exemplified by the #underexplored area of #postpartum #hemorrhage, a leading cause of #maternalmortality in low-income countries(#LIC). Although #global #lifeexpectancy increased from 30 to 73 years by 2018, #women endure a longer "#healthspan" marked by #disability! Addressing the 25% additional time #women spend in "#poorhealth" compared to #men could not only enhance millions of #lives but also potentially boost the #globaleconomy by $1 trillion USD annually by 2040. Empowering #women's #health is crucial, and it's our moral #responsibility to contribute to this paradigm shift. Let's be the driving force for positive change and support. The world awaits our commitment and action! #Women's #Health #Empowerment Source: https://lnkd.in/gMqi2B2b