Women in the UK disproportionally affected by health inequalities, says report

New data has found women in the UK are facing “stark health disparities ” to accessing life-saving care, despite screening uptake increase.

Around 127,000 people worldwide – including 66,000 women and girls – were surveyed during 2021, as part of the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, representing 94 per cent of the world’s women and girls.

The index assigns a women’s health score, from one to 100, to each of 122 countries and territories, and it has found that in 2021, the UK dropped three points, scoring 60 out of 100.

The report has shown that testing among women in areas of preventative health such as blood pressure, cancer and diabetes has improved since last year, with a majority of UK-based women (86 per cent) likely to take up a health screening or vaccination invite. 

However,  the findings have highlighted “stark” healthcare inequalities, particularly among women from ethnic minorities.

A supplementary survey, conducted by OnePoll, has found that women from ethnic minorities reported lower attendance for cervical cancer screening, breast cancer screening and sexual health screening compared to white women. 

The research found that 90 per cent of white women reported an understanding of their personal risk of developing cancer compared to 84 per cent of women from ethnic minorities.

Additionally, younger women aged 18-24 were less likely to take up health screening and vaccination invitations.

Tim Simpson, general manager, Hologic UK & Ireland, said: “We know that inequalities exist within global healthcare systems and as champions of women’s health, we are determined to fill a critical gap in what the world knows about women’s health and wellbeing.   

“While our research shows there has been some positive developments in the UK over the last year when it comes to preventative health, globally, more than one and a half billion women worldwide lack screenings for high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer or sexually transmitted diseases/infections, even though these conditions together affect billions of women. 

“It highlights there is still a long way to go to make testing, screening, access to diagnostic services and treatment a core component of women’s health and to address the barriers and challenges that come with making healthcare more accessible for more women.  

Dr Nighat Arif, a GP specialising in women’s health and family planning, said there is more work to be done to ensure all women can access this life-saving preventative care.  

“As the data shows, there are still stark health disparities across the UK, particularly impacting women from ethnic minorities.

“This is sadly something I see daily through my work, hearing from women who do not feel represented or listened to.

“To tackle this, health information must be made more accessible and there needs to be more done to communicate with women in these communities,” she added.