In 2017, I was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. As a mother of three and a long-time business owner, this was a shock that turned my life upside down. But the diagnosis also marked the beginning of a journey during which I learned a lot about the healthcare system and the treatment of people with dementia – especially women. What struck me time and again, however, was how often the healthcare system fails to address the specific needs of women. Caroline Criado-Perez calls for a radical transformation of medical research and care. She argues that gender differences should be systematically investigated and considered. Data must be collected in such a way that women no longer remain invisible. Only in this way can a healthcare system be created that works for everyone. (Source: Caroline Criado-Perez, “Invisible Women”) About 50% of the world's population are women. But for years, if not centuries, medical research has been based on the “male standard body”.
Studies were mainly conducted with male subjects, and many medications and treatment protocols are based on male body norms. In my experience, research still pays far too little attention to the specific differences between the sexes. Yet women and men react differently to medication, show different symptoms for the same disease, and have different risks. A specific example is heart disease, in which women often show symptoms that are not immediately recognised by doctors because they do not correspond to the “classic” signs. This leads to a delay in treatment, which is problematic for everyone involved. As a person affected, I experience every day how neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia affect and challenge me and many other women in a particular way. In fact, women are more likely to suffer from dementia than men.
There is evidence that hormonal changes, such as the drop in oestrogen levels after menopause, could have an influence on the development of dementia. But lifestyle and social roles also play a part, and it is even more important to consider the living environments and aspects of women and men equally. This is not an attack on the healthcare system, but rather an appeal for more consideration of gender differences in medicine, research and care to enable fairer and more effective treatments for all. In my view, fair healthcare for all would mean, among other things, adapting research and clinical studies by including both sexes in equal numbers, conducting more research on gender-specific differences, providing more education and awareness in the healthcare system, and designing drugs, health products and technologies to be barrier-free and gender-specific.
No one should be disadvantaged based on their gender when it comes to health. I am a woman, and I want to be perceived as equal in my humanity, including in the healthcare system. My personal conclusion about gender: Two people can have the same diagnosis, but their symptoms, their diagnoses, their medications, the non-drug treatment options, their quality of life and opportunities are nevertheless completely different. Only through an inclusive, equitable and science-based approach can we create a healthcare system that does not overlook or discriminate against anyone - male or female.