Combat Gender Bias on National Women's Health Week

This week is National Women's Health Week. It is a time, according to President Obama, to "recommit to breaking existing barriers and improving the health of American women for generations to come." Personally, I am particularly interested in the first part of that statement, especially when those barriers come in the form of gender bias.

I'm no stranger to the American healthcare system, so I have experienced gender bias on a first-hand basis. It is a very real and potentially dangerous problem. Take, for example, heart disease. Hopefully, we all know by now that it is the leading cause of death for American women. Yet, women suffering with heart health problems, even those currently experiencing a heart attack, receive less comprehensive health care than their male counterparts. The care they do receive tends to be delayed.

Gender bias extends to the field of mental health as well. Being a woman is "a significant predictor of being prescribed mood altering psychotropic drugs." Female combat veterans have difficulty getting their PTSD claims approved. Mental health programs worldwide targeting women predominately focus on issues stemming from reproductive health problems, despite the fact that women cite other mental health concerns as being of more importance.

As part of National Women's Health Week, I encourage everyone to educate themselves about their own health and empower yourself to be your own health advocate. Clearly, you can't always trust that the medical professional will always do it for you. Too often, they see you as your gender first and as a patient second. Don't let gender bias get in between you and the most effective medical care possible.

Photo credit: ProgressOhio