51% of women believe that their symptoms have been minimized by their doctor. A figure that shows that biases exist and persist in health.
On the occasion of the International Women’s Rights Day, a study was carried out by the Ipsos Institute for the French Hospital Federation, and revealed by Bfmtvin order to show that gender inequalities persist in medical care. According to this study, “sexist biases” persist in health professionals.
51% of women questioned consider that the symptoms described to their caregiver were “at least once minimized or not taken seriously because they are women”. They are also more than a third (34%) to assert having received “inappropriate comments on their physical appearance or their personal life” by a doctor.
A gendered vision of health
It has now been several years that collectives and associations are fighting for better care for women in health. According to the study, gender stereotypes disturb the medical care of women. They are 42% to say that their symptoms have “at least once been attributed to psychological and hormonal causes without in -depth investigation”.
The study deplores that “the health of women remains marked by stigma of medicine thought by and for men”. There is then a “excess mortality” due to cardiovascular disease in women because of “systematic care delays”.