Certain health conditions affecting women in a different way than men include breast cancer, UTIs, anxiety and depression, and more…
Although women suffer from the same health conditions as men, women are affected and suffer in different ways and in some cases more severely then men. The main example of this is breast cancer, although men can suffer from breast cancer it affects women in larger numbers and women are at a much higher risk of developing breast cancer.
For example alcohol, even though men are more likely to become addicted the affects of alcoholism are more serious in women.
Alcoholism in women can increase the risk for breast cancer, heart disease and fetal alcohol syndrome whereby babies can suffer brain damage and learning difficulties if their mothers drank during pregnancy.
When in comes to heart disease women are more likely to die from heart attacks then their male counterparts. Women may also experience delays in receiving treatment to control their cholesterol levels.
Depression and anxiety are more common in women and depression is the most common mental health issue experienced by women.
Stress in women is on the rise. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) 50% of women in the survey reported that their stress had increased compared to 39% in men. Stress can have unique effects on women and an NICHD study found that stress may affect a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant.
STDs/STIs can have more serious effects on women and left untreated may cause infertility. Symptoms in women often go untreated and sometimes get confused with less serious conditions like yeast infections.
Women suffer more urinary tract conditions and often experience from urinary incontinence in larger numbers than men.
When it comes to strokes many of the risks are the same for men and women, however there are some risk factors that are specifically unique to women and may include
- Taking birth control pills
- Being pregnant
- Using hormone replacement therapy, a combined hormone therapy of progestin and estrogen designed to relieve menopausal symptoms
- Having frequent migraine headaches
- Having a thick waist (larger than 35.2 inches), particularly if post-menopausal, and high triglyceride (blood fat) levels
Read the full article about health conditions affecting women in a different way than men here.
