Survey Reveals Critical Gaps in Women's Healthcare Access and Understanding

Revealing Insights from the Global Physicians Survey

The recent Global Physicians Survey conducted by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) and FemTechnology has shed light on concerning deficiencies in women's healthcare, emphasizing the urgent need for improved education and resources.

Key Findings

According to the survey, involving 200 physicians from countries including the United States, Germany, Brazil, Thailand, Egypt, and Morocco, over 80% of healthcare professionals have observed distinct sex differences in disease progression and treatment responses. Alarmingly, less than 30% feel they possess the necessary tools to adequately address these differences in clinical practice.

In addition, more than half of the participating physicians (53%) pointed out that a lack of sex and gender-specific research and treatment guidelines critically hampers their ability to deliver quality clinical care. This lack of resources is compounded by nearly 47% acknowledging that systemic biases, including ingrained gender stereotypes, directly undermine the quality of care administered to female patients.

The survey's findings further highlighted that cultural stigma and a general lack of awareness contribute significantly to patient barriers, particularly in low- and middle-income nations, delaying timely recognition of symptoms and access to treatment.

Even when patients do seek care, inadequate knowledge of sex-specific symptoms leads to missed referrals. Almost half (45%) of the survey respondents identified limited access to specialists as a major critical gap hindering effective healthcare delivery.

Call for Transformation

Mary Stutts, CEO of the HBA, expressed bold concerns regarding the current healthcare approach stating, “There is a huge gap in terms of the resources clinicians feel equipped to care for more than half of their patient population.” She emphasizes the importance of the healthcare system evolving to adequately support women.

Similarly, Oriana Kraft, CEO of FemTechnology, views these findings as a chance for companies, whether in pharmaceuticals, med tech, or insurance, to prioritize women’s healthcare needs.