Bridging the gender health gap: 9 key takeaways from Thrive’s webinar on tech and women’s health
February 25, 2022 | digital health, gender health gap, women's health
Unequal health outcomes have been a reality for women throughout the world for far too long. But change is finally happening.
Digital technology – apps, websites, online tools, mobile messaging – has the potential to bridge the gender health gap, to empower women with health information that’s tailored to their individual needs and lifestyles.
Early in February 2022, Thrive brought together some of the brightest global talent in femtech to discuss all things women’s health and the empowering potential of tech.
With a truly diverse range of voices and perspectives, the webinar offered unique insights from femtech industry leaders, explored the link between technology and health equity, looked at the topic of personalised health interventions.
Our speakers were:
- Shirley Sylvester, Johnson & Johnson
- Aditi Hazra-Ganju, Saathhealth
- Rachel Misra, MSI Reproductive Choices
- Kathrin Folkendt, Femtech Insider
- Sandra Wirström, LEIA
- Caitlin Dalton and Daphne Metland, Thrive
But don’t worry if you missed it, you can watch the webinar until the end of April. Here’s a quick summary too of the key takeaways.
Improving medical care alone cannot ensure better health outcomes for women
Women’s health outcomes are affected by a broad spectrum of factors, including their social and economic status and physical environment. For example, in some parts of the world women are nearly twice as likely as men to have low literacy levels and significantly less likely to use the internet. So it follows that the gender health gap can only be bridged by wider societal and cultural changes.
The inequalities women face are not equal
The gender gap is wider for some. The barriers faced by women in lower income countries, and by particular groups in higher income countries, including older women, women from minority ethnic groups, those from LGBTQ+ communities, and women living with disabilities, are complex and deep. In the UK black women are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. In the US they are two to three times more likely to die in pregnancy or due to a childbirth-related cause, regardless of education status.
The growth of women in tech is fuelling change
Historically, it was a field dominated by men, but it’s increasingly opening up to female entrepreneurs and digital specialists. This means products are being created that women really want and need.
Innovation also offers opportunities to women delivering healthcare
Women stand to benefit from digital solutions not just in terms of receiving but by delivering essential healthcare too. They are the backbone of the global health workforce. In India alone, they make up half of the total workforce.
There’s more to femtech than fertility
Digital solutions focused on reproductive health are common but there are a broader range of female-specific concerns and life stages that are relatively uncovered, including postpartum mental wellbeing and conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis.
To achieve success, it’s vital to get users involved
The co-creation process is vital to producing effective digital solutions. For example, the PM3 (Prevent Maternal Mortality Mobile) app was designed for and with Black women to help mothers manage their health after having a baby.
Effective digital solutions need to be engaging as well as advanced
Good design and original content bring depth to digital solutions. This means using videos, graphics and interactive quizzes in local languages, and giving women opportunities to adapt content according to their life stage and health history.
Digital platforms break barriers
Tech can empower women to get the information they need about taboo topics. In 2021, MSI Reproductive Choices had 2.7 million conversations about sexual and reproductive health, 42% of which came through social media. More than 3,000 users per month also engage with its digital contraception counsellor Choice.
Human interaction is part of the digital journey
Real-life touchpoints are essential. Digital tools can encourage and push women towards essential social support and community resources – and help women feel more confident in these interactions.
Thrive’s Digital opportunities for women’s wellbeing white paper further explores the barriers to truly closing the health gap and potential solutions in overcoming them. You can download it here.
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This content was provided by Thrive Agency