Page 10 - Scene Magazine 46-04 April 2021

CHANGING TRENDS IN
The impact on women’s health over this past year will be seen for years to come from physical health, such as what we eat, how we move, and even abuse, to the mental and spiritual impact, includ- ing fear, isolation, and loss in so many ways... finances, job loss, family and friends, school, and frankly just living.
To review where we are today it is im- portant to take a look at where we have come from. In 2010 the primary health concerns according to Dulce Zamora at WebMD for American women included heart disease, breast cancer, osteo- porosis, depression, and autoimmune diseases.
1. Heart disease: Was the leading killer of both men and women; nearly 29% of deaths for women according to
the CDC. Often heart disease went unnoticed and underdiagnosed and led to additional debilitating conditions including being out of breath, disability, stoke, and premature death.
2. Breast Cancer: It was the most common cancer in women, second was lung cancer. Sadly, mastectomy was often the most common treat- ment option. But the good news was that it was no longer a death sentence but rather a definite wake up call for changing future risk factors.
3. Osteoporosis: The National Osteo- porosis Foundation indicated that 44 million Americans, of which women made up 68%, were threatened by osteoporosis at that time. Even then, osteoporosis was largely preventable by developing good health behaviors in youth. At that time it was under- stood that most bone mass was built up through age 30. After that point, it was more about maintaining old bone.
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The emphasis was on keeping bones strong and avoiding fracture through weight-bearing physical activity.
4. Depression: It was affecting more women than men according to the National Institute of Mental Health – 12 million women versus six million men. Even then women needed a connection to others and without it they could experience degrees of depression. Hormonal changes after pregnancy and menopause were also thought to be a trigger.
5. Autoimmune diseases: With an autoimmune disease the immune system attacks the body and destroys or alters tissues. In 2010 the result
was more than 80 serious chronic conditions including lupus, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disease, and type 1 diabetes. According to the American Autoimmune Related Disease Associ- ation (AARDA), about 75% of autoim- mune diseases occurred in women at that time and as a group made up the fourth largest cause of disability among American women.
Now in 2021, has the situation for women changed since 2010? A significant change I see is experienced in education and prevention. We continue to learn much about health and how our actions can impact the direction of chronic conditions, including the realization that we do have some level of control over our health.
Through research and evaluation, con- ditions impacting women can be more generalized in 2021 by age category, and consequently prevention tactics. To learn more about health concerns for women in 2021 visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www.cdc.gov.
For women in their 20’s, primary concerns include major hormonal shifts and maternal and reproductive health.
As a result, regular health check-ups to help prevent concerns from becoming the beginning of a chronic condition later on is important. Specific concerns heard by physicians during this decade relate to
a variety of autoimmune diseases, acne, and maternal and reproductive health. Furthermore, more substance abuse and mental health issues have surfaced with the stresses of COVID-related issues over the last year.
Women in their 30s should prioritize taking good care of their health in order to avoid major struggles with chronic conditions later in life. Top health warn- ings that women entering their 30s should be aware of include breast cancer symptoms such as lumps or changing skin texture; endometriosis; significant hair loss exceeding 100 strands of hair daily; high blood pressure, stress, fatigue, and weight gain and underlying causes of each; reduced vision, primarily due to nutritional deficiency; difficulty in conceiv- ing, and COVID-related issues impacting activities of daily life.
Women in their 40s and above enter
a new time capsule of health risks as compared to their younger counterparts. Heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and dementia, as well as adult-onset asthma along with complica- tions from COVID now top the charts for concerns in this age group in 2021. When compared to the concerns of women
in 2010 including heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and autoimmune diseases, not enough has changed. Statistics following are based on 2017 data from the CDC.
SCENE 4604 I WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Women’
BY SHERII SHERBAN
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