Challenges in clinical practice remain

Gaining a better understanding in the biology of the female body, and conditions that specifically affect women as well as those that affect both men and women in different ways will play a crucial role in delivering better care for women at all stages of their lives.

A large body of evidence shows women are at a greater risk of mis and/or late diagnosis and suboptimal care across a range of conditions due to important gaps in knowledge. For example:

• Women are 50% more likely than men to get the wrong diagnosis after a heart attack, a study from the University of Leeds found.⁷ 
• One-third of women are more likely to be misdiagnosed following a stroke.
• Women make up around 80% of those suffering from an autoimmune disease, and it takes an average of around five years to get a diagnosis.^9,10 

The likelihood that women receive painkillers after surgery is 50% lower than for men, while women with dementia have fewer visits to a General Practitioner, receive less monitoring, and take more potentially harmful medication, including antipsychotics or sedatives, according to research conducted by University of College London