We jump at any chance to celebrate women and their importance in our lives, which is why we love National Women’s Checkup Day, held every year on the second Monday in May, on May 11 this year. To continue a bit of a theme, this day comes up right after the world celebrates Mother’s Day. In fact, it is celebrated on the Monday directly after Mother’s Day. Held to focus on the importance of regular checkups and doctor’s visits, this day encourages all women to take more steps and maintain better health.
The history of women’s health has been different from that of men for multiple reasons including social-, biological-, and behavioral factors. Traditionally, women have been at a disadvantage in terms of economic and social status, and this has affected their access to health care. Multiple experts expound on the need to change ‘women’s health’ to the term ‘the health of women,’ to broaden the focus around the health issues women face, which historically only put an emphasis on reproductive health.
The health of women has also been impacted by the fact that women are underrepresented in most major research studies. However, countries like the U.S. and other Western nations are addressing this by setting up organizations and trials like the Women’s Health Initiative. The turning point in this moment ran parallel to other international women’s movements across the world. With the labor movements during the 20th century in North America and across Europe, more and more women began demanding equality and parity, culminating in equal access to healthcare.
A key moment in women’s health came with the Women’s Health Movement, which took place around 40 years ago with a goal to improve healthcare for all women. 20 years later, this movement has turned into a powerful political force with significant contributions. Issues of women’s health have been taken up by many feminists and the improvement in the overall situation can be attributed to international women’s movements.
In 2015, the World Health Organisation identified the top ten women’s health issues as being cancer, reproductive health, maternal health, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), sexually transmitted infections, violence, mental health, non-communicable diseases, youth, and aging.
