WebMD published the top 5 women’s health concerns in the nation. While many of these are definitely concerns of 719Moms, do you think we have other concerns? Colorado is consistently ranked among the highest in healthy living magazines and articles. Boulder, CO is a mecca for outdoor living and healthy lifestyles. Compare your own list with the one they published, and let us know what you think.
Here is what WebMD said:
1. Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women. In women, the condition is responsible for about 29% of deaths, reports the CDC. Yet death in itself isn’t the biggest problem for women with heart disease. The real trouble is in premature death and disability, says Cindy Pearson, executive director of the National Women’s Health Network.
2. Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. It is second to lung cancer as the leading cause of death for women. Experts say the fear of breast cancer can sometimes be exaggerated, stopping women from going to their doctors for screening, or pushing women to make rash decisions about mastectomy, when it may it may not be necessary.
“There’s a lot of treatment for breast cancer,” assures Diane Helentjaris, MD, immediate past president of the American Medical Women’s Association. “It’s not a death sentence.”
3. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis threatens 44 million Americans, of which 68% are women, reports the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Hunched backs, back pain, and frailty used to be things older women had to accept before doctors knew anything more about osteoporosis.
“Osteoporosis is largely preventable,” says Mark. “The behaviors that women develop in their childhood, in their adolescence, and in their early adult years really play a significant role in the development of the disease.”
4. Depression
Depression appears to affect more women than men. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 12 million women are affected by a depressive disorder each year compared to about 6 million men.
Dorree Lynn, PhD, a psychologist and author of Getting Sane Without Going Crazy, says women need a connection with others in their lives. “They need that sustenance,” says Lynn. “If they don’t have it, they tend to get depressed.”
5. Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders in which the immune system attacks the body and destroys or alters tissues. There are more than 80 serious chronic illnesses in this category, including lupus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.
According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), about 75% of autoimmune diseases occur in women. By themselves, each disease appears to be uncommon — except for diabetes, thyroid disease, and lupus — but as a group, the disorders make up the fourth-largest cause of disability among American women.
Is there anything missing from this list? What do Colorado Women think are our Top 5 Health Concerns? Do you agree with this list? Is there anything you would add or remove? Do you talk to your doctor/OBGYN about your health concerns?
