“Gender discrimination is deeply rooted; reproductive health policies are, most of the time, created by men”
The discrimination and inequalities that women face in health result from social, political and economic factors, and manifest themselves both in access to health services and in the quality of care provided. Several studies show that they often receive inadequate treatments and their symptoms are often undervalued by health professionals. Furthermore, there continues to be an underrepresentation of women in clinical research, which has negative consequences for their health, he explains. Cynthia de Las Fuentes, psychologist and president of the American Psychological Association, believes that changes are urgently needed. “I believe that the true political emancipation of women is fundamental. When women’s political participation increases, changes are implemented that benefit the entire society.”
Finish as Discrimination against women in healthcare is one of its priorities. In what situations is this discrimination most evident today?
It’s actually a long story. Discrimination against women dates back to ancient Greek philosophers. Aristotle, for example, believed that women were inferior to men because they had the same external genitals as men, but smaller and turned inward or inverted. And, as these organs were ‘smaller’, women would be inferior in some way. The only thing considered of value at the time, and which was exclusive to women, was the uterus. This view has influenced the way women have been treated in medicine. If we pay attention to politics in the United States, we see how this mentality persists. The Republican Party, for example, has criticized Kamala Harris for not having biological children, suggesting that this makes her inferior.
In terms of access to healthcare, how does this discrimination manifest itself?
Discrimination occurs mainly for economic reasons. In developed countries, healthcare is often seen as a right, but this is not a reality everywhere. In the United States, for example, there is no guaranteed universal access and only those who have a job that meets certain criteria have access to health insurance. This puts women at a disadvantage, as many have part-time jobs that do not entitle them to health insurance. They therefore face a much greater financial burden when it comes to healthcare. Furthermore, in many countries, the poorest people are most often women with children, who are less likely to have access to local doctors or health professionals in their communities.
In Portugal, access to voluntary termination of pregnancy is difficult. The law is not being applied as it should, many public hospitals refuse to carry out the procedure and there is still shame, silence and stigma. How do you see this situation?
Whether in Portugal or in another part of the world, gender discrimination is deeply rooted. Reproductive health laws and policies are most often created by men. If we go back to Aristotle, or even before, we realize that the only thing that men have always sought to control is the survival of their genes, and they have done so through controlling women, their fertility and their reproductive rights. Nowadays, this mentality remains present: suppressing women’s ability to emancipate themselves politically, economically and legally to decide about their bodies is considered a priority. When reproductive rights are restricted, the likelihood of women dying or becoming disabled increases dramatically. Globally, the maternal mortality rate is 190 per 100,000 pregnancies, but in the poorest countries, this number rises to 1 in 45. This is the result of policies, laws and cultural barriers that prevent women from having control over their lives. their lives and their bodies.
Several studies show that women often receive inadequate treatments and that their symptoms are often undervalued by health professionals. Is there discrimination in treatment too?
Yes, there is. For example, healthcare providers often fail to treat pain, especially chronic pain in women. They are more likely to receive over-the-counter painkillers or tranquilizers and are rarely referred for in-depth investigations, unlike men. Women’s pain is often seen as emotional or psychological rather than being treated as physical pain. If a woman suffers from chronic pain, it is common for her doctor to interpret it as a psychological issue and refer her to a mental health professional. If the patient also shares the same prejudices, she may end up receiving cognitive-behavioral strategies to manage the perception of pain, instead of treatment for the real cause.
Additionally, there is a misperception that women, especially women of color, overreact to pain medication such as opioids, leading doctors to believe they are faking symptoms. This prejudice can be fatal. I give my example: I broke my ankle a few years ago and, in the emergency room, despite the intense pain, I was denied pain medication and was only recommended paracetamol, assuming that I was looking for opioids to satisfy an addiction problem. Even after the x-ray confirmed the fracture, the doctor didn’t believe the level of pain I described, probably because I was a woman of color.
