Women's health can be greatly improved by early diagnosis; raising awareness is critical

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) for the year 2019-21, Indian female population has increased, with the overall sex ratio rising to 1,020, up from 991 in 2015-16. Despite the fact that the gender gap has narrowed, women's general awareness around various diseases remain low.

Women's and girls' health is of particular concern because they are disadvantaged on numerous aspects of life due to the continuous discrimination based on socio-cultural factors. Women and girls, for example, are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS than men. As a result, it is critical that women's health in the country is not only prioritised, but also that efforts are made to eliminate gender discrimination that prevents women from seeking medical help.

Women's health: The challenges

According to the World Health Organization, many sociocultural factors prevent women and girls from receiving high-quality health care and this subsequently stunts their growth in many aspects of life like education, profession, and sports, to name a few. Uneven power relationships between men and women; social norms that limit education and paid employment opportunities for women; an exclusive focus on women's reproductive roles; and the threat or experience of physical, sexual, or emotional violence act as a barrier to women seeking medical help, even if they are aware of some of the common symptoms of diseases like breast and ">cervical cancer.

While poverty is a significant barrier to good health for both men and women, it has a greater impact on the health of women and girls. In comparison to NFHS4, the NFHS 5 discovered that more than half of women (including pregnant women) are anaemic, despite a significant increase in the composition of iron-folic acid (IFA) tablets taken by pregnant women for 180 days or more.

Women preferably choose to treat their symptoms on their own rather than seeking medical attention. The lack of money, prioritisation of household chores over their need for care, and the absence of a male guardian to accompany them to facilities to seek care, all contributed to these decisions. For the most part, public health facilities are not an early treatment option, but where they are, disease diagnosis and appropriate follow-up plans are frequently overlooked.

Another issue affecting women's health is a lack of knowledge about life-threatening diseases such as cancer. According to the NFHS-5 data, the number of women aged 30-49 who have ever been screened for cervical, breast, or oral cancer is extremely low on a national level. In every state, the percentage of women aged 30-49 who have been screened for cervical cancer is less than 7%. The data also revealed that women in rural areas have undergone screening at a higher rate than women in urban areas.

The Way Forward

The low priority given to women's health must be addressed jointly through messages emphasising the importance of early detection and treatment of diseases such as cancer, which can be managed at a low cost in terms of both time and money when done in public health facilities. Clear messages are needed that project prioritising women's health over household work as a wise decision and the importance of enlisting male support. Additionally, efforts to close critical gaps in the continuum of care by reducing missed opportunities through early case detection and engaging private providers to better counsel women, could help close critical gaps.

For cancer, it is important to diagnose them as soon as possible because patients suffer greatly if treatment is delayed. Early detection increases the chances of complete recovery to around 98 percent. As a result, raising awareness about breast, cervical, and oral cancer, particularly in rural areas, is critical. Patients with advanced breast cancer were frequently found to be aware of the lump but ignored it due to a lack of knowledge. Organizing awareness camps, even in rural and remote areas, is therefore critical.

In conclusion

A healthy woman can raise a healthy family. As a result, government policies should place a greater emphasis on women's health and hygiene. The health budget should identify priority areas and diseases, and more funds should be allocated to women's health. Women should prioritise their wellbeing and avoid delaying diagnosis or treatment at all costs.

Dr Gauri Agarwal, Founder & Director, Seeds of Innocence and Genestrings Diagnostic. The views expressed are the authors own.