Women and health: today’s evidence tomorrow's agenda

13 Nov 2009

Paul Chinnock

Source: World Health Organization (see original article or PDF of full report)

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The new report from the World Health Organization.

A report on the health needs of women across the world emphasises that, while women provide the bulk of health care, their own health needs often go unmet. Both societies and health systems are said to be failing women.

In Women and health: today’s evidence tomorrow’s agenda the World Health Organization reviews what is known on the health issues that particularly affect girls and women throughout their life course. It concludes that, despite considerable progress over the past two decades, societies are still failing women at key moments in their lives. These failures are most acute in poor countries, and among the poorest women in all countries. Not everyone has benefited equally from recent progress and too many girls and women are still unable to reach their full potential because of persistent health, social and gender inequalities and health system inadequacies.

This 108-page report does not offer a comprehensive analysis of the state of women and health in the world. WHO says that the data available are too patchy and incomplete for this to be possible. Indeed, one of the striking findings of the report is the paucity of statistics on key health issues that affect girls and women. But the report does bring together what is currently known and identifies areas where new data need to be generated, available data compiled and analysed, and research undertaken to fill critical gaps in the evidence base.

Women live longer than men but their extra years are not always healthy – HIV, pregnancy-related conditions and tuberculosis continue to be major killers of women aged 15 to 45 globally. However, as women age, noncommunicable diseases become major causes of death and disability, particularly after the age of 45 years. WHO calls for policy change and action within the health sector and beyond so that such “widespread and continuing inequalities” are urgently addressed.

Health inequalities between women in rich and poor countries – and within countries between women in different socioeconomic groups – are highlighted. Sexuality and reproductive health also receive the report’s attention.

WHO says fair start for all girls is critical for the health of women. At present, girls are often more likely, for example, to suffer from malnutrition. However, adopting a life-course approach, health inequalities affecting women must be addressed through to old age.

The report seeks to identify key areas for reform, both within and outside the health sector: identifying mechanisms to build strong leadership with the participation of women’s organizations, strengthening health systems to better meet women’s needs throughout their lives, changing public policy to address how social and economic determinants of health adversely impact women, and building a knowledge base that would allow a better tracking of progress.

The report’s authors conclude that:

“Addressing women’s health is a necessary and effective approach to strengthening health systems overall – action that will benefit everyone. Improving women’s health matters to women, to their families, communities and societies at large. Improve women’s health – improve the world.”

A ten-page executive summary of the report is also available. Key data on women’s health is summarised in a new WHO fact sheet.