Whether the health profession wants to admit it or not, diagnosis and even care are frequently ruled by bias...against women. This bias appears to be ingrained in medical care and, for the most part, probably unintentional.
Most E.R. standards are tailored to men. For decades, women were excluded from research studies partly because scientists didn't want to endanger either a pregnancy or the reproductive ability of women during testing for new drugs. Or, so says Marianne Legato, MD, director of the Foundation for Gender Specific Medicine in NYC. It wasn't until the establishment of The NIH's Office of Women's Health that scientists began to include women in their studies in 1990. I wonder if that's because the 'don't-want-to-expose-women-to-drugs' excuse was just that, an excuse.
Here's what women need to protect themselves against and advocate for:
1. Not being taken seriously for heart attack symptoms that differ from men's (women usually complain of nausea, back pain and "not feeling right")
2. The, "It's only stress," off-handed remarks by doctors when women are showing signs of stroke (women waited some 15% longer for brain scans than men even when showing the same signs)
3. Being taken seriously when complaining of pain (The, "Oh, it's not that bad," reaction of doctors because we women are "emotional") Research shows women get less pain medication than men.
Women need to be their own advocates. Bring another person along to doctor's visits, if necessary. Ask if this particular treatment works well for women. Trust yourself and your own instincts, especially if you think you are being ignored. Insist on another opinion...the more arrogant the attitude of the doctor, the more you need a second opinion.
Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com
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