Being a man or a woman has a significant impact on physical and mental health because of both gender related and biological factors. Women’s health has been neglected in many countries due to the social and cultural discrimination of women and therefore picking it up from here has become very vital before the things go out of hands. 

Social and health factors relating to gender differences

Social Factors

• Gender differences between men and women, which lead to unequal power relationships
• An exclusive focus on women’s reproductive roles
• Social norms that decrease education and paid employment opportunities for a women
• Experience of a potential or actual physical and mental violence

 Health Factors

• Life expectancy data where women may live up to 80 years of age and men may live approximately 74 years.
• Women are unaware that they can react different to medicines and certain chronic diseases from men
• Women visit the doctors more than men and the health care expenditure on women because of reproductive problems (menopause, pregnancy and cervical problems) are more.
• Women’s mental health is affected more than men are as they are the ones to manage the family and children health and care.

Effects of women’s physical illness on mental health 

• Menopause can lead to depression, memory loss, sleep disorders, and affect the normal mental functioning.
• Breast cancer is women’s number one worry and affects women’s mental health disproportionately. It decreases her self-confidence and self-image. It increases emotional burden and stress and other mental discomforts. Therapies relating to breast cancer have adverse side effects thus leading to more stress and depression. The emotional aspects of this disease are unavoidable.
• Pregnancy and post pregnancy also impacts a women’s mental health as she feel the stress of the new one and causes lot of anxiety and fear to cope up with the additional work resulting in mood changes which affects her mental health.
• Heart diseases, osteoporosis, other reproductive diseases, hypertension all have a significant role in affecting women’s mental health as they disrupt their day to day functioning’s giving them more stress. 
• Women undergo tremendous hormonal changes with age resulting from menstrual cycle, which has an adverse effect on their mental health and their body.

 Adverse effects of Stress and depression on women health

 Women are more prone to stress and depression than men and it affects their mental health adversely. Stress arises due to many reasons. It can be financial crisis trauma illness or personal and work atmosphere. A woman has many roles to play. A mother, wife, employer, employee, and dealing with this stress are almost inevitable. Thus, it affects the e mental health of the women. Stress and depression have long-term effects and can cause coronary disease. Therefore dealing with them at the right time helps in overcoming the problems.

 Women’s tips maintaining good physical and mental health 

Women’s mental and physical health needs change and is influenced by diet and lifestyle changes that can be controlled.

• Women can stay healthier longer by eating a well nourished diet of fruits and vegetables
• Maintaining good body weight by avoiding high calorie foods and saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol intake
• Exercise regularly
• Routine screening tests are recommended for women to avoid physical and mental health complications some of which are:

ü       Cancer screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer

ü       Chlamyda and HIV screening test for sexually active women

ü       The routine physical examination should be done which includes the assessment of body weight, High blood pressure, mental health problems like depression and anxiety

ü       Diabetes, cholesterol and thyroid check

ü       Bone scan for osteoporosis

Routine medication and visits to a health care professional evaluates healthy lifestyle. Addressing physical changes and mental health problems help in receiving proper medication and treatment under close monitoring.

Facts about Women’s Health is a post from: Mental Health