How male bias impacts women's health

This article was written by Sheila Sturgeon, senior policy advisor in the UK Department for Education. This article was chosen as one of the finalists in Apolitical’s Women in Public Service Writing Competition.

Caroline Criado-Perez, in her book Invisible Women, makes a convincing case that the world is biased against women in a far more fundamental way than we’ve previously understood.

It runs through every aspect of life, from politics at every level, through education, careers, life stage and tax. The bias is most visible when we consider health — and it’s costing trillions to the international economy.

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In her book, we read that only one in eight women experience pain in their chest and left arm when they have a heart attack. These symptoms — the ones doctors are taught as “typical” and those we all know about — are most common among men. As a result, many women are misdiagnosed.

Women’s chances of surviving a heart attack are significantly lower than that of men, according to Criado-Perez’s research.

Misunderstood and misdiagnosed

The book demonstrates that health issues specific to the female form show an even greater bias.

In 2013 a study discovered that sildenafil citrate would give total pain relief for over four hours with no side-effects for dysmenorrhea (period pain) and recommended that larger studies were needed to confirm their findings.

“Period pain wasn’t important, despite affecting half the population”

Dr Legro, who led the study, was unable to get funding for this work as it was deemed to be of insufficient importance. The funding was refused twice by the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, according to Criado-Perez. Period pain wasn’t important, despite affecting half the population.

Sildenafil citrate was – and is – used in men’s health. When it was created in 1989 as a heart-disease medication – which it wasn’t very good at – a side-effect in men was so consequential that further research immediately commenced and it was patented for this purpose in 1996. Would it surprise you to know that sildenafil citrate is the medical name for Viagra?

Another area of women’s health that causes considerable and often long-lasting negative impacts on everyday life is the menopause. The impact can be massive for many, many women and yet they are widely misunderstood and misdiagnosed, and cultural taboos prevents many from getting the help they need.

When you think about the menopause, your go-to is probably hot flashes. It was certainly mine, and I thought that I was ready for them. I can tell you that I wasn’t! They can be ferocious and debilitating.

And I wasn’t ready – or even aware of – the myriad of additional symptoms caused by hormones draining from my body. My own include cognitive dysfunction (often called brain fog); anxiety; mood swings; insomnia; decreased metabolism (so weight gain!); and palpitations (where you are overly aware of your pulse and heartbeat).

Other women report acne, night sweats, chills, dry skin and thinning hair. I’m sure there are more. Yet I know women who have been told by medics that it’s “all in their head”, rather than being given support to manage the menopause.

Women make the difference

What’s clear is that these symptoms will and do impact upon the overall wellbeing of women. That every single day a huge percentage of the female population of any country will experience significant health-related issues that will negatively affect their ability to be productive. Because they are bleeding, because they are pregnant, because their “female bits” aren’t working properly, or because these “bits” no longer work.

“Every single day a huge percentage of the female population of any country will experience significant health-related issues that will negatively affect their ability to be productive”

In September 2015, the McKinsey Global Institute reported that “advancing women’s equality can add $12 trillion to global growth”. The report argues that if women do not achieve their full economic potential, the global economy will suffer.

They call on the public, private and social sector to act to close the gender gaps. This is because women can and do impact positively upon productivity where they are able to do so, and women who reach their economic potential often make more difference than their male colleagues.

According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, having women in the boardroom significantly increases net margins. Women make a positive difference to the productivity of organisations — and so to the economic wellbeing of nations.

Rejecting the male bias

I do have days where I am almost unable to function.

I am lucky that my employer recognises that, by ensuring I can take care of myself, they are getting a much more productive employee when I am less overwhelmed by my symptoms.

This isn’t always the case and there are a huge number of instances where menopausal women have felt their only option is to give up working. These are experienced and talented women lost to the economy.

This is the tip of the iceberg in terms of lost talent. Women of every age are impacted by the lack of research and focus upon ensuring they can lead their best life – a healthy, productive life – because of an inherent male bias that rejects the need to provide this opportunity.

As Hillary Clinton once said, “Women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are women’s rights.”

It’s time this was extended to the right to have their health be as important as male health, including those areas unique to women.

It’s time that the world listen to women when they talk about the health impacts on their bodies, to fund research into women’s health and to end the taboos around discussing periods and the menopause.

Women who are healthy will be able to contribute more, and when they contribute they make a difference. Focusing upon their health makes economic sense.

— Sheila Sturgeon

Picture credit: Josefin on Unsplash