The Gender Gap: Health Care Disparities between Men and Women By Maria Psilis

A little bit of history…..

Discrimination in Medical Research Women were continuously not included in medical research Women were continuously not included in medical research Researchers assumed what was true for men in medicine was also true for women Researchers assumed what was true for men in medicine was also true for women Even when included, researchers payed little attention to differences in how men and women responded to drugs and treatments Even when included, researchers payed little attention to differences in how men and women responded to drugs and treatments

Reasons? Possibility of pregnancy Possibility of pregnancy Female hormone levels associated with menstruation created difficulties Female hormone levels associated with menstruation created difficulties Researchers were predominantly male Researchers were predominantly male

Results Didn’t truly know the effects and benefits of drugs specific to women Didn’t truly know the effects and benefits of drugs specific to women Didn’t know how drugs affected pregnancy Didn’t know how drugs affected pregnancy Very little knowledge on health problems exclusive to women Very little knowledge on health problems exclusive to women Difficult to assess women’s health needs Difficult to assess women’s health needs

Positive Changes 1990, National Institute of Health established Office of Research on Women’s health 1990, National Institute of Health established Office of Research on Women’s health Funding for program’s affecting women’s health significantly increased in 1990’s Funding for program’s affecting women’s health significantly increased in 1990’s Breast cancer research funding went from $90 billion in 1990, to $600 billion in 1997 Breast cancer research funding went from $90 billion in 1990, to $600 billion in 1997 More professional journals devoted to women’s health More professional journals devoted to women’s health

Is this really a good thing?

Medical Statistics Women live 5.5 years longer than men Women live 5.5 years longer than men Many Federal offices on women’s health, but none for men’s health Many Federal offices on women’s health, but none for men’s health Men die younger from leading causes of death, like lung cancer, heart disease, and diabetes Men die younger from leading causes of death, like lung cancer, heart disease, and diabetes 182,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in U.S. each year, while there are 142,000 new cases of breast cancer each year 182,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in U.S. each year, while there are 142,000 new cases of breast cancer each year $313 million in federal funding for breast cancer research, with only $59 million in prostate cancer research $313 million in federal funding for breast cancer research, with only $59 million in prostate cancer research

Critics Today a bias against men’s health Today a bias against men’s health Research from , projects only on men are equal to those only on women Research from , projects only on men are equal to those only on women Politics of health care manipulated to favor women Politics of health care manipulated to favor women Today a disproportionate amount of research money is spent on women Today a disproportionate amount of research money is spent on women Women receive better health care than men Women receive better health care than men

What should be done? Issues on health is given the same emphasis for both men and women Issues on health is given the same emphasis for both men and women Disadvantaged groups must get just allocation of health-care resources Disadvantaged groups must get just allocation of health-care resources Men should seek more preventive care and take care of bodies Men should seek more preventive care and take care of bodies Research must focus on how diseases develop in both genders, and why men don’t take better care of themselves Research must focus on how diseases develop in both genders, and why men don’t take better care of themselves

The End