A new Cleveland Clinic survey found that many women are not aware of how certain health conditions can impact them differently.
For example, despite nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses being in women, 31% believe it affects both sexes equally.
“Medicines impact us differently. Disease conditions impact us differently. We have more autoimmune disorders that impact how we’re going to experience post-menopausal life. And all of these conditions impact our brain health,” explained Dr. Pelin Batur, a physician who specializes in women’s health at Cleveland Clinic. “So, we need more studies for sure and more awareness for how women are at higher impact for many conditions.”
Another notable finding from the survey was what barriers prevent women from prioritizing their health.
Of those surveyed, 47% cited the cost of health care, while others reported the cost of healthy food or exercise.
The survey also showed that when it comes to menopause, women are divided on the use of menopausal hormone therapy to treat symptoms.
Batur said that’s a trend she has noticed in her own practice.
“The issue is that hormone therapy is not the right option for everybody, but for some people it’s a very safe option and it makes a big difference for their quality of life. And so, it really is very individualized decision making,” she said. “I think that the problem is for too long we’ve been so scared of risks that we never want to talk about benefits. That’s fine, patients must be aware of their risks, but they have to understand the benefits too.”
While women have been historically underrepresented in clinical trials, the survey revealed that 53% of women would be interested in joining a trial, especially those focused on women’s health.