By
Dr. Mirfat Mohamed Labib El-Kashif
Assistance professor of Maternity/ Obstetric and Gynecological Nursing
Women are considered the key in maintaining healthy families. Across the woman lifespan, a woman’s health status matters to herself, her family and to state budgets. Moreover, Women experience exceptional healthcare challenges and are most likely to be diagnosed with chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes which are the leading causes of death for women. About thirty-eight percent of women suffer from one or more chronic diseases. Besides, depression affects one in five women at some point in their lives, most commonly between ages 40 and 59. Also, osteoporosis affects 8 million women over age 50 and causes 2 million fractures at the cost of $19 billion annually, and costs will rise as the population ages. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease remarkably affects women about two-thirds of adults age 65 or older with the disease are women. So, raising awareness about symptoms and risk factors for the disease is an essential component of prevention and early diagnosis. The standard component of promoting the health and well-being of women consist of; family planning guidance, the nutritional status including nutrient intake and weight control, infection disease assessment, treatment and immunization status, chronic disease assessment and management. Moreover that, medication exposures, substance use including legal, illegal and illicit drugs, previous reproductive history, family/genetic history and risks, mental health history, status and risks during and beyond pregnancy and interpersonal violence. Improving access to healthcare facilities, preventing and reducing chronic health conditions, and promoting wellness significantly affect the lives of women of all ages. Because women represent the cornerstone of a family’s overall health, communities, and societies at large. The responsibility for health promotion in health services is shared among individuals, community groups, health professionals, health service institutions and governments. They must work together towards a health care system which contributes to the pursuit of health.
