Why doctors and researchers say Canada needs to change course on women’s health studies
The underfunding of women’s health research in Canada is a serious issue that has significant implications for patients, according to a recent study. Despite a rule mandating the consideration of sex and gender in medical research funding, the number of grants for women’s health studies has not increased in five years. This lack of funding has led to a narrow focus on areas like pregnancy and breast and gynecological cancers, while other conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as migraine headaches, chronic pelvic pain, and fibromyalgia, receive less attention.
Dr. Tania Di Renna, a medical director at the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute, emphasizes the importance of studying conditions like chronic pelvic pain to better understand the sources of women’s pain. Historically, women have been excluded from clinical trials, leading to a lack of understanding of how medications may affect female patients. This lack of research has serious implications for prescribing medications to women, as they may experience adverse side effects that are not well understood.
One area of women’s health that has been particularly neglected is migraines. Despite the fact that migraines affect women three times more frequently than men, there has been minimal research funding dedicated to studying how migraines impact women. The lack of research into conditions like migraines highlights the broader issue of underfunding and a narrow focus in women’s health research.
Researchers like Liisa Galea have been advocating for a broader approach to women’s health research that encompasses a wider range of conditions beyond cancer and pregnancy. Galea’s work has faced pushback from funding agencies, highlighting the challenges faced by researchers seeking to study women’s health issues.
The lack of research into women’s health conditions like migraines is concerning, as it reflects a broader lack of understanding of how these conditions affect women differently than men. Without adequate funding and research, women may continue to face challenges in accessing effective treatments for conditions that disproportionately affect them.
Overall, there is a clear need for increased funding and a broader focus in women’s health research to address the unique health care needs of women. By prioritizing research into conditions that affect women, we can improve outcomes for female patients and advance our understanding of women’s health overall.
