A Lack of Inclusive Policy in Healthcare
Sexism is an issue that extends far and wide within our institutions. While women experience unequal treatment in many areas of their lives, a particularly pertinent aspect is in receiving healthcare. Whether it be in the healthcare system itself or in terms of health determinants, women in Canada are in a worse situation than their male counterparts.
In a 2018 study, it was found that women in Canada are more likely to have multiple chronic diseases than women in Germany, the UK, New Zealand, or Norway. It was also found that 33% of women in Canada aged 18-64 experience emotional distress. The breast cancer screening rate for women aged 50-69 in 2014 was substantially lower than that in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands or the US. In the same commonwealth study, it was found that of the 11 countries surveyed, Canada had the highest percentage of women who reported going to the emergency department between 2016 and 2018. These alarming statistics demonstrate that despite being a relatively rich country, Canada performs considerably worse than its peers when it comes to women’s health. There have also been many patient reports over the past few years detailing the problems women experience when seeking healthcare. Some examples include female patients reporting that doctors attributed mental health issues or pain to their menstrual cycles rather than running tests and investigating alternative diagnoses. As a result, patients are left to deal with their health issues without receiving treatment from their doctor. Others report doctors refusing to discuss treatment plans that are more appropriate for women as opposed to the mainstream ones which have been designed for men.
These statistics and reports are not indicative of a specific policy missing from the healthcare system. It is one that is as old as the system itself: the exclusion of voices that are not those of older, white men. People of colour, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community all face similar issues. People that belong to more than one of these marginalized groups face issues that are compounded: for example, both a white woman and a woman of colour will face more issues in the healthcare system than a white male, but the woman of colour will face the issues associated both with being a woman and being a person of colour. A 2011 report investigated the problems associated with this intersectionality, such as language barriers and the lack of cultural competence, and anti-racism when people of color receive care. That being said, there are experiences that are common to all women. This systemic sexism in healthcare extends well beyond the Canadian borders. However, some countries have taken initiatives aimed at correcting this narrow perspective. For example, inMarch 2021, the UK launched a call for evidence for a Women’s Health Strategy, where the government is gathering information about women’s experiences within the health system to identify and address its weaknesses. The resulting findings can be used to make the necessary changes to health policy in the UK. Australia has also taken steps towards improving women’s health including education campaigns, investing in research on health issues specific to women or on women’s experiences of health issues, and supporting organizations focusing on women’s health. As a result, Australia consistently outperforms Canada in rankings of women’s health. Moreover, it is important to note that while the healthcare system plays a critical role in women’s health, other health determinants are equally if not more important to helping women live healthier lives. Some examples of health determinants are income and social status, employment, and education. In the previously cited study, the same countries that performed better on health statistics performed better on gender equality statistics across the board, such as better salaries, lower unemployment rates, better education rates for women.
Policy is the key to addressing the discrepancy between men's and women’s health and experiences with receiving healthcare. The first step, as is being done in the UK, is to gather information so that policy-makers can find out which areas need improvement within the healthcare system. Once this is done, policy surrounding the healthcare system can be adequately amended or a new policy can be introduced. Similar research had to be done in Australia before the implementation of the aforementioned education campaigns and funding of research and relevant organizations. Beyond this, gender inequality must be addressed in all areas in order for equality to be reflected in women’s health outcomes. For example, equal pay helps improve women’s health because they have higher incomes which enable them to stay healthy through increased access to better quality and healthier food, medication, education, and more. Additionally, knowing they are valued as much as their male colleagues in the workplace helps women maintain their psychological well-being. Denmark is a global leader in women’s health. It also has an equal pay policy that has been in place since 2008, as opposed to Canada’s pay equity regulations which are still in the process of being implemented. This is an example of how any policy addressing gender inequality can potentially have an effect on health statistics as well. Another interesting approach to women’s health that could be used for inspiration in Canada is the case of the diabetes mellitus prevention and control program in Mexico. Research was conducted to analyze the reasons why men and women had differences in access to health services, timely detection of the disease, and other aspects of diabetes mellitus behaviour in Mexico. The information gathered was then used to create healthcare support material targeted to different genders, which was more effective than gender-blind material. A possible policy that would improve women’s health is to require that treatment and prevention plans for diseases must be evaluated for efficacy for both sexes before being adopted as mainstream practice.
In conclusion, Canada’s healthcare system does not perform as well as several other commonwealth countries in its treatment of women. The experiences and statistics detailed above reveal an alarming lack of consideration for marginalized voices in health policy in general. Improvement in healthcare for any of these marginalized groups requires an inclusive approach to policymaking and an ability to question historic institutions, including healthcare. While there is room for improvement in the health system as a whole, one of the most urgent areas where this needs to happen is women’s health. The numbers are alarming and with half the population being women, the stakes are high. Policy needs to be introduced to remediate this dire situation.