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What is womenmind?

Dr. Liisa Galea, Senior Scientist, and Treliving Family Chair in Women’s Mental Health, CAMH

Women’s Mental Health Matters.

1

Lack of Studies

Globally, only 3% of studies explicitly examine questions specific to women’s health. Many mental health disorders disproportionately affect girls, women and gender diverse individuals but yet these disorders are consistently underfunded.

2

Higher Rates of Depression and Anxiety

Women are twice more likely to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders. Often, these disorders emerge during hormonal transitions such as during puberty, pregnancy or the postpartum, or perimenopause.

3

Higher Rates of Distress

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how disparities in mental health and wellness are particularly striking. Women and gender-diverse people are often subjected to discrimination and stress in the workplace, as well as the disproportionate mental load at home.

4

Left Behind by Research

Medical knowledge has stemmed largely from research conducted solely on men, which has permeated throughout the medical systems from design of medical equipment to diagnoses of patients. This was based on the false assumption that biology and experiences would not affect the health of women and gender-diverse people differently than that in men.

5

Male-Dominated Health Care

Women and gender-diverse individuals report that their symptoms are often dismissed and are more likely to be misdiagnosed and diagnosed years later than men across a variety of mental health disorders. Systems that exclude and minimize women in science lead to worse outcomes for all.

6

Experiences of Trauma

Women and gender-diverse individuals experience higher levels of intimate partner violence but many of the repercussions are largely ignored. Did you know that the largest population that experiences concussions are women, through intimate partner violence? Estimates suggest concussions resulting from intimate partner violence are thousands of times higher than in professional sports.

7

Unfair Sexist Beliefs

Women’s distress can often be minimized by gendered language like ‘overemotional’, ‘dramatic’ and ‘hysterical’. Did you know that the word ‘hysteria comes from the Latin word for ‘uterus’ and was used to explain “behavioural abnormalities”?

8

Why Does This Matter?

Women’s mental health is undervalued and underfunded. Women’s symptoms are classified as ‘atypical’ and their symptoms are often dismissed by health care practitioners when seeking help. When research is conducted with sex and gender in mind, studies show distinct differences across sex and gender in results, for diagnosis and treatment. Without this critical lens in research, scientists won’t find the crucial evidence needed to support women’s mental health. Join us today to make a difference for tomorrow.

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