Ontario’s First Provincial Framework Addresses Women’s Health Needs and Inequities
~ WOMEN’S STORIES SHOW STRAIGHTFORWARD PRIORITIES LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN WOMEN’S HEALTH ~
NEWS
June 15, 2011 – Ontario’s health system can do better in addressing women’s health needs, and the Ontario Women’s Health Framework released today provides practical action steps for improvement. The Framework, sponsored by Echo: Improving Women’s Health in Ontario and supported by leading health academic and community stakeholders, establishes priority actions – some of which can be implemented immediately and at minimal cost.According to the Framework, one area that Ontario can move forward on tomorrow across the system is to begin analyzing health data by sex to benefit both women and men.
Studies show that women and men experience health in unique and different ways. Pregnancy and cervical cancer screening, for example, are unique to women and require specific action and care. Conditions like eating disorders and depression affect women more than men and some diseases like HIV and heart disease present differently in women.
The vision of the Framework is improved health and well-being for Ontario women, particularly those who are disadvantaged, through targeted approaches and system change. Ontario’s health care system needs to address both women’s and men’s needs equitably.
A steering committee of Ontario women’s health experts helped shape the Framework. Echo also asked more than 300 women and stakeholders from Ontario’s rural and urban communities to provide input by sharing their diverse perspectives and personal testimonials. Low-income women, newcomers to Canada, women with disabilities, working mothers, Aboriginal and Francophone women and health care providers had a voice in drafting the Framework.
There are patterns of care that are different for women. For example, women are less likely to be referred and/or to go for cardiac rehabilitation after having a cardiac event. Additionally, women define excellent health care as being client-centred and responsive to their needs as well as being clinically excellent. The more Ontario understands these differences and needs, the better the health system can support and respond to women like Liz Woodburn.
Liz Woodburn – Shedding light on the need for women-centred health care
“I have a family history of cardiovascular disease and have always been extremely active and lived a healthy lifestyle. When I developed a rapid heart rate and chest pains during exercise, I became fearful that I had a fatal disorder. I was extremely frustrated following months of appointments, tests and waiting for results to still not have a definitive diagnosis and therefore definitive treatment. I eventually asked for a referral to a cardiac rehabilitation program after a lengthy period of inactivity. This program helped me to get back my life.”
The Framework builds on the results of the POWER Study (Project for an Ontario Women’s Health Evidence-Based Report), a multi-year research study that provides a comprehensive overview of women’s health in relation to income, education, ethnicity and geography.
Establishing Three Strategic Priorities to Improve Women’s Health
(1) Reducing gendered health inequities resulting from women’s social roles and status. Women know that securing decent income, safe housing, education, and freedom from violence, stigma and racism will support health.
(2) Designing and implementing care delivery systems that strengthen the reliability and quality of care. Service planning must consider the unique needs of different groups of women. For example, women coping with poverty, stigma, geographic barriers, or cultural factors are often prevented from seeking out needed services.
(3) Mandating planning and accountability requirements that reflect the priorities of women. When data are examined to show how gender (social roles) and sex (biology) affect health, and when these data are considered with respect to ethnicity, geography, income and other factors, Ontario can see where to focus efforts to improve health and health service outcomes.
Echo, the Ontario Women’s Health Framework Steering Committee, and partners, say action is required at all levels including health professionals, policy-makers, researchers and community-based practitioners. The priorities in the Framework work in concert with system changes already underway in Ontario.
Partners in the Ontario Women’s Health Framework include: Women’s College Hospital Research Institute, the Ontario Women’s Health Network, the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, the Echo Chair in Rural Women’s Health at the University of Western Ontario, the Lillian Love Chair in Women’s Health at the University of Toronto/University Health Network, the Eli Lilly Canada/May Cohen Chair in Women’s Health at McMaster University, the Echo/Ontario Women’s Health Council (OWHC) Chair at the University of Toronto, the Echo/OWHC Chair at York University, the Social Planning Network of Ontario, and the Provincial Council of Women of Ontario.
QUOTES
“It’s important that we address the unique needs of women’s health in Ontario by taking actions that support women to live healthy lives and to get effective care when needed,” says Pat Campbell, CEO, Echo. “Keeping women healthy strengthens the overall health of Ontarians.”
“The launch of the Ontario Women’s Health Framework calls gender and sex discrepancies in healthcare to the forefront,” says Julie Maher, Provincial Director, Ontario Women’s Health Network. “Using targeted approaches and system change to improve the health and wellbeing for Ontario women, particularly those who are among the disadvantaged and diverse communities will help improve their health and overall quality of life, relationships, families, and communities.”
“The POWER Study took a comprehensive look at differences in health and health care associated with gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and where one lives in Ontario. In doing so, we found inequities and identified many opportunities for improvement,” says Dr. Arlene Bierman, Principal Investigator for the POWER Study. “Our findings underscore the need to routinely address and monitor sex and gender differences as part of ongoing provincial quality improvement efforts. The Women’s Health Framework leverages these findings and provides a road map for improving the health of all Ontario women.”
QUICK FACTS
• Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality in women and men; women tend to have a different risk profile than men, reporting more hypertension and diabetes;
• Women are more likely to have multiple chronic conditions, and report worse health status, lower employment rates, and more disability and mobility limitations than men as a result of their health issues.
• Aboriginal women are at high-risk for serious health problems such as diabetes, teenage pregnancies, domestic violence and sexually-transmitted diseases;
• Aging is a women’s health issue; the fastest growing demographic groups in Ontario are those aged 55 to 64 years, and those over 85 years, of whom the majority are women;
• Across all age groups, Canadian women are more likely to live in lower-income households than men.
LEARN MORE
The Ontario Women’s Health Framework. 2011. Toronto, ON: Echo: Improving Women’s Health in Ontario.http://www.echo-ontario.ca./news
The Current Situation: What is known about Ontario women? 2011. Toronto, ON: Echo: Improving Women’s Health in Ontario. http://www.echo-ontario.ca./news
About Echo – Echo is an agency of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Echo works through strategic partnerships to ensure sex and gender-based analysis supports decisions that affect women. Echo collaborates with diverse stakeholders and acts as the provincial advisor on women’s health to the Government of Ontario. Echo is committed to improving women’s health and reducing health inequities for Ontario women by working in collaborative partnerships with the health system, communities, researchers and policy-makers.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Julie McFayden, Echo
416-597-9687 ext. 232
JMcFayden@echo-ontario.ca
Lisa Cancian, GCI Group
416-486-5906
lisa.cancian@gcicanada.com
