Women face unique health concerns, and Women’s Health Month gives us an opportunity to bring more awareness to the challenges they face each day. Here in the United States, women have more interactions with and connections to the healthcare system than men. A higher percentage of women than men report having a usual source of care and have visited a healthcare provider in the past two years. Today we’re going to look at a few surprising statistics surrounding women’s health and provide some recommendations for preventive care, healthy habits to develop, and more.
BRMS recommends:
• Maintaining healthy behaviors including regular exercise and good sleep habits
• Paying attention to the kinds of foods you’re eating
• Seeing your primary care physician if you’re not feeling right
BRMS recommends:
• Seeing your physician for a physical at least once per year
• Getting a pap smear once every three years to screen for cervical cancer
• Annual mammogram beginning at age 40 to screen for breast cancer
BRMS recommends:
• Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk of heart disease
• Regular physical activity each day
• Make time to relax. Anger or stress can damage your heart, too
One of the biggest advancements for women’s health in this century was the passing of the Affordable Care Act. The ACA is crucial to women everywhere because it guarantees access to many of the preventive services mentioned above such as birth control, cervical cancer screenings and other necessary female care with no out-of-pocket costs.
These comprehensive services are vital for women who have a family history of certain diseases and would like to monitor their care. We’re proud to support the education and advancement of women’s healthcare this month and every other month throughout the year.