Ageing and weight gain are amongst the highest health concerns of women
Women are more concerned about gaining weight and ageing over other health issues a national survey by not-for-profit health organisation, Jean Halies for Women’s Health, has revealed.
The comprehensive survey of 3,300 women and health professionals found one in five women is concerned about healthy living, including diet, weight, exercise and ageing. But just one in 10 women worry about cancer and mental health, and only one in 20 women fears heart disease. This is despite the fact that cardiovascular disease is the cause of half of female deaths in Australia, and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
The research was undertaken to raise awareness about the health concerns facing women, particularly those women are not as attentive to.
Dr Mandy Deeks, head of communication at Jean Hailes, said women were “made to believe that cardiovascular disease is a male disease when this is definitely not the case”.
“We are aiming to identify the gaps in women’s health knowledge and assist professionals help women to be as healthy as they can possibly be,” she continued.
“In particular, this means raising awareness of the symptoms of heart disease.
“Women are living much longer, so the longer we live the more at risk we are of heart disease and I think the risk perception of women is more focused on cancer,” Dr Deeks says.
The survey also revealed a number of gaps in women’s health knowledge. While respondents were knowledgeable around menstruation, contraception, depression and anxiety, there was a worrying sign that almost 70 per cent of women surveyed said they knew little of the signs and symptoms of heart attack and heart disease or managing blood pressure.
“Unless women recognise this is an issue that affects them they’re actually not going to ask their doctor or anyone about the risks and warning signs,” says the Heart Foundation’s Kerry Doyle.
Find more about the health survey at Jean Hailes website.