Half of women in Spain wait until they have severe symptoms to see a doctor.
Paula Baena
Half of women say this usually wait until they have severe symptoms to see a doctor, despite possible negative consequences for your health. Except, More than 75% of them go to medical consultations alone.. Here are some survey findings Women and healthcommissioned by Organon, a company dedicated to improving women’s holistic health, and implemented by Psyma Ibérica under the leadership Maria Teresa Ruiz Cantero, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Alicante.
Study collects the opinions of 1,504 women in Spain. about their health status, their use of health care, the time it takes to seek it, and the impact of their illnesses, menstruation and menopause on their quality of life. The frequency of demand for medical care and their satisfaction with the system are also analyzed.
According to Dr. Ruiz Cantero, understanding women’s self-perception of health is essential to improving it. “The main goal of the study is understand women’s health in order to improve it and know their self-perceptions of health in general terms. “We are also seeking to determine the extent to which we can support, accompany and change strategies both within the health sector and in those areas in which women work,” indicates that.
Dr. Anjo Blanco: “This survey is a call to action to improve women’s health”
68% of respondents rate their health in the past year as good or very good. Of them, 57% have no diseases or health problems, 35% have already been diagnosed with a health problem, and 8% are awaiting a final diagnosis.
He Dr. Manuel Anxo Blanco, Organon’s Director of Institutional Relations explains that the company is committed to promoting health with a vision and improving holistic health for women. “This survey this is a call to action to improve women’s healthbecause by doing so we improve the health of society as a whole.”It is said.
See a doctor only once a year
The survey shows that More than 75% of women seek medical help alone. This rate is even higher among women aged 36 to 50 years (82%) and 51 to 65 years (83%). Even 69% of women aged 66 to 75 continue to go to doctor appointments alone.
Regarding the frequency of visits to the doctor, 58% of women go once a year and 33% when they need it. In addition, almost half undergo medical examinations and screenings as a secondary prevention measure. More than 80% visit a primary health care center for health problems.
The most common diseases among respondents were allergies, mental health problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and hypercholesterolemia, neurological diseases and problems related to the female reproductive system. Research from the University of Alicante has shown thatFrom 20% to 30% of women seek help for more than a year when the first symptoms appear.
High impact on quality of life
The diseases that have the greatest impact on the quality of life of women are depression (8.2 out of 10), migraine (7.5), allergies (6.46), as well as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and hypercholesterolemia (5.93).
Understand The experience of menstruation and menopause is important as its impact on everyday life is often tacitly accepted. Of women who have periods (52%), more than half report symptoms such as fatigue, mood changes, heavy bleeding and painful periods, and 36% take painkillers, although 74% do not see a doctor about these symptoms.
Menopausal women (43%) often experience hot flashes, night sweats, changes in appearance, poor sleep quality and loss of sexual desire. 72% are not sad that the fertile stage is over.
Ruiz Cantero: “The main goal of the study is to understand women’s health in order to improve it, as well as to find out their self-perception of health in general terms”
Respondents highlight gender issues in healthcare that could help improve their health. 67% believe that women and men respond differently to the same symptoms or illnesses. 57% feel they are not listened to or put the same effort into diagnosis and treatment as men, and 46% feel doctors are not interested in their social and family context.
“The social determinants of health perspective taken in this study provides new insights into sociocultural, family, economic and gender dimensions, and how health structures understand and meet women’s needs. “This information can be useful for developing policies that target women’s holistic health and, therefore, the health of society as a whole.”– concludes Dr. Ruiz Cantero.