-NCDs account for 81% deaths in women
THE Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), convened a session on Friday, at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street, with its stakeholders to discuss Gender and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), using national statistics to identify and address gender differences in health.
The objectives of the meeting included responding to regional and national commitments to reduce the burden of NCDs and strengthen health sector response; to introduce core concepts and tools of gender analysis in health; to share preliminary sex and gender analyses of NCD data; to apply gender analysis methods to NCD data and to identify areas for future action for greater analyses in health areas.
Over the years, evidence of a global health transition has emerged, with increasing calls for attention to be placed on the impacts of NCDs which are responsible for over 36 million deaths, globally, yet they are absent from the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In response to this, at a recent United Nations high-level meeting on NCDs, its burden on the world’s population was highlighted.
Now emphasis is being placed on NCDs and gender, since such diseases are referred to as ‘lifestyle diseases’, as the conditions in which men and women live can influence their risk and vulnerability. Gender is a structural determinant of health, meaning that it is part of the fabric of people’s lives with its norms, roles and relations, affecting exposure to risk factors and health outcomes of the four major NCDs – cancer, cardiovascular, chronic respiratory, and diabetes.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, emphasised that when looking at the issue of gender, the family must also be taken into consideration, since it too is affected by gender issues and the fact that NCDs are a growing burden carried by the family.
He acknowledged the need for awareness of the health determinants with regard to diseases that are passed on through heredity, social and physical environments, and the emotional and spiritual aspects of individuals.
Dr. Persaud indicated that there has been a change in the trends of women and men’s health. and as such there should be an improvement in the available fitness spaces, monitoring of obesity among youths, and awareness of peoples’ Body Mass Index (BMI).
While delivering remarks, PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. Beverley Barnett, stressed that for many, the issue of gender remains shrouded in mystery, and that some interpret the word to mean women and feminism, others used gender and sex interchangeably, and still others simply ‘roll their eyes’ when they hear of it.
“Inequities are differences, unfair, unjust and unavoidable, just as public health practitioners seek to reduce and illuminate health inequities that are unfair, unjust and unavoidable… so we seek to illuminate gender inequities which can in turn result in health inequities,” she said.
Dr. Barnett recognised that there are other causes of health inequities, beside those brought on by societal expectations of the sexes, which include socio-economic status, educational level and geographical location.
It is hoped that, following the session, that there would be a greater understanding that gender matters in relation to health, since it affects timely access to health services, effectiveness of health promotion and adherence to treatment.
Dr. Barnett noted that Friday marked the start of the 16 days of activism against gender violence that lead up to Human Rights Day on December 10.
“The observance of these days reminds us that violence against women is one of the widespread human rights abuses in all countries,” she added.
Preliminary NCDs findings
In a presentation by Director of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr. Marcia Paltoo, it was observed that NCDs account for 81 percent of deaths in Guyanese women, as compared to 68.6 percent in men, while asthma, which is also an NDC, but does not get the same attention as other diseases, disproportionately affects women in Guyana as it does in other countries.
Dr. Paltoo stressed that, in general, the statistics demonstrate that diabetes affects women and men of different ages and ethnicities differently, and cancers are the second leading cause of deaths for men and women.
The preliminary findings of the gender-based analysis on NCDS in Guyana indicate that they result in considerable loss of function, disability and suffering.
The presentation highlighted that inter-sectoral actions are needed to address gender disparities in health via health promotion in schools and the communities; better analysis and use of gender health data in programmes and policy; strengthening capacities of health providers; and reviewing public policies which place focus on gender and health. (GINA)