Why Don't We Take Female Health Seriously?

Why Don't We Take Female Health Seriously?

A few days ago, popular US rapper and up-and-coming star Meg Thee Stallion was shot several times after leaving a friend's party. She suffered from several gunshot wounds, and was immediately rushed to hospital where she had to undergo surgery in order to ensure she was okay. Naturally, the general public was shocked and taken aback. Meg had never spoken of being involved in violence in any way before, and so it was a surprise to hear that she had been involved in such a violent and aggressive attack. 

But, amongst the shock, and the warm wishes, and the questions; also came mockery. Memes, jokes, nasty comments... Meg Thee Stallion became the butt of a cruel joke centred around what any normal person would appreciate is a traumatic event. 

Sadly, this is not the first time the internet has taken a traumatic moment and turned it into a joke. This isn't the first time that the health of a woman has been mocked or not taken seriously, and even more sadly, it probably won't be the last.

But why is this?

It's not uncommon for women's health to not be treated the same as men's, or to not be given the same respect as their male counterparts. Most women you know will probably tell you that they have, at some point in their life, experienced some form of dismissal or disrespect when discussing their health, be it physical or mental. This may manifest in jokes from outsiders, a downplaying of the seriousness of the situation, or even dismissal from health professionals like GPs. It begins from a young age. I myself remember confiding in a teacher in my secondary school (whom I trusted and consider close) that I was suffering from anxiety attacks - only to have him tell me that it's probably related to 'female troubles'. I was 15.

But you may be thinking that isn't that big of a deal. That a little bit of mockery or lack of care isn't cause for concern. You would be wrong.

Whilst it's certainly unkind and unfair for women like Meg to experience such treatment from the public after what happened to her, it's actually indicative of a much larger issue: that we do not take women's health seriously. And, as a result, this can have very serious and very fatal consequences. 

According to an investigation carried out by the BBC, women are more likely to wait longer in A&E when experiencing pain, and are more likely to recieve inadequate treatment compared to men. They are more likely to be dismissed by healthcare professionals and have their concerns downplayed, and as such, are more likely to suffer the consequences of such reckless treatment. 

Women make up 70% of chronic pain patients, and yet 80% of medication is only tested on men. This statistic is indicative of the discriminatory and sexist healthcare environment which alienates women and excludes them from the conversation. Such gender biases can have disasturous consequences, with some women consequently experiencing worsening health, and even fatalities as a result. 

So why is it that the healthcare industry doesn't take women's pain or health seriously?

It's been noted over the past few years, as the conversation about the disparities in healthcare between men and women has increased, that there are implicit biases from healthcare professionals that impacts the treatment we recieve. Healthcare professionals are more likely to tell women that the pain they are experiencing is 'in their head', are less likely to prescribe pain medication, and are more proactive when it comes to treating issues presented to them by male patients. 

As there's not a lot of research on this issue in the medical field or an attempt to rectify these problems, there isn't really a clear answer as to why this happens. Biases may stem from a perception that women are weaker, and therefore the pain they claim to experience isn't actually as bad as they say. It may result from a sexist (and obviously false) belief that women are more likely to complain about things, and so isn't that serious of an issue. Or, it may simply be that we don't value or respect women as much as we do men, and subconciously do not care as much. I believe it's likely a combination of all of these.

But, if you are an ethnic minority as well as a woman, the treatment you recieve is likely to be much worse.

1 in 2,500 Black women are likely to experience fatal complications during pregnancy or delivery, in comparisson to 1 in 12,500 white women. And most of the time it has nothing to do with biology or genetics, but the poor antinatal care POC women recieve. This racial bias, along with the gender bias, can have terrible consequences. And creates an awful cycle which repeats. Women of Colour statistically are more likely to believe that their health and concerns won't be taken seriously, and so don't speak up as much. Moreoever, countless Women of Colour have come forward and claimed to have recieved inequal treatment when delivery their baby in comparisson to other white mothers alongside them, who were listened to more attentively and given more attention and aftercare.

Pregnancy and delivery should not be as dangerous as it is for Women of Colour. It should be a joyous time spent welcoming a new addition to the family, but sadly, this isn't always the case. Only recently influencer and YouTuber Nicole Thea passed away whilst 8 months pregnant with her unborn child. Whilst this did not occur as a result of labour, it is still part of a much larger issue. That women are needlessly suffering. And what this means for Women of Colour, like Meg Thee Stallion, is that their health is less likely to be taken seriously. And it's time this changes. 

Greater steps need to be taken to address these failings in the healthcare system, but not just address them, but fix them. Women are suffering at much higher rates than men unnecessarily, for reasons no other than the healthcare system being designed with them not in mind. From the lack of research on how contraception damages women's mental health, to the higher chances of experiencing pain for longer than men, we need to rapidly and effectively improve the healthcare system and make sure that we treat women's health with the respect and attentiveness it deserves.