Less Money, Worse Health: Older Women at a Disadvantage

Health is significantly determined by biological factors, but it is always also related to lifestyle and social structure, as stated on Monday evening at a panel discussion in Vienna. Old-age poverty - a frequently female phenomenon - plays a crucial role in the question of why women in this country have a significantly higher life expectancy, but the number of healthy years is the same as for men.

"Gender medicine is about the difference between men and women in everything related to health - especially the diagnosis and treatment of diseases," said Alexandra Kautzky-Willer, Professor of Gender Medicine at MedUni Vienna. There is a particular need for catching up for women, as research has primarily been developed by men and for male bodies. Men and women differ in symptoms, disease progression, and response to therapies.

Not only should research on this topic become more socially present: In the coming years, significant steps are to be taken together with the responsible State Secretary Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig (SPÖ) "to see, support, and equally extend life opportunities for men and women in the health system," said Science and Women's Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ), who opened the "Science Talk" on the topic "How Gendering Can Also Save Lives. On the Importance of Gender Equality in Medicine, Research, and Society."

Illness Increases Financial Burden Again

"Poverty makes you sick and illness makes you poor" - this particularly affects older women in this country, said Vera Gallistl-Kassing, a sociologist at the University of Vienna. Because they already earn less money for the same work, and in terms of pensions, the so-called gender pay gap is about 40 percent, which is significantly higher than among the employed. Last year, the average pensions for women were around 1,400 euros, approximately 250 euros below the poverty risk threshold.

"When you are old and have little money, it is very likely that you will suffer from greater health limitations. At the same time, it is a huge cost factor if you have many health limitations or require care," Gallistl-Kassing continued. The Austrian aging study showed, for example, that half of the people in old age take five or more medications simultaneously. Financial burdens due to illness, which particularly affect people in old-age poverty, range from costs for items like creams or medications not covered by health insurance to hearing aids.

Sociologist: Poverty Makes Older Women Particularly Often Sick

A prominent example of how gender medicine can concretely save lives is the heart attack: women often have different symptoms than men. As a result, these are recognized later, the reaction takes longer, and mortality is higher. "But there is also the reverse example that men commit more suicides, while depression is diagnosed much more often in women," said Kautzky-Willer. This is because symptoms of depression can manifest differently in men, such as with aggression or alcohol abuse, and are therefore overlooked.

Knowledge about biological differences in gender medicine is currently growing very quickly. Therefore, it is crucial that this is disseminated in medical studies and afterwards. There is also a data problem. "In the future, we must be able to scientifically use and evaluate the many data that already exist in this country," explained Kautzky-Willer. "Because: The larger the data set, the better precision medicine and prevention in this area can become."

However, good treatment already starts with the anamnesis, and women usually need more time for this than men. For example, aspects such as the cycle or a possible desire for children must be clarified in the case of abdominal pain. This is also why women feel worse treated in the Austrian healthcare system. "As long as time is lacking in health insurance practices, the best therapy is of no use. A political rethinking is needed here," demanded Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied, Vice President of the Vienna Medical Association.

(APA/Red)

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