Women’s health issues and the absence of health awareness || Newspapers (Arabic)

Al-Nahar newspaper published an article about the health issues women continue to suffer from, according to the Lebanese Association for Obstetrics and Gynecology, especially in the absence of health awareness amongst women in Lebanon.  The association also noted that this situation is further exacerbated by the fact that associations and professionals are not able to reach out to women and provide them with key information on health issues.  The President of the association further noted to “Al-Nahar”, that women’s health cannot be dissociated from political, legal and social considerations as well as their ability to access preventive and tertiary services.
The president of the association also talked about key health problems facing women notably breast cancer which is recording an age of diagnosis (49 years) that is lower than Western countries.  He also talked about the increased prevalence of cervical cancer  which is a preventable disease should women be able to carry out annual pap smears.  This is challenged by the fact that early detection and access to health services are difficult.  Other causes of increasing incidence of cancer is the increased incidence of smoking amongst women notably Narguileh smoking which has increased by 27% amongst pregnant women and 70% amongst women at large.  Heart related problems amongst women also appear to be related to smoking habits in addition to family history, nutrition patters, poor medical follow up during and after menopause.  Reference was also made to the continuing trend of maternal mortality as reports indicate that 20 women die every year due to preventable birth related complications.  The association’s president indicated that it was collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health to address such issues.

Another health problems affecting women is osteoporosis as a local study indicated that a high incidence of women suffer from the diseases which points out to the need to stress the importance of healthy lifestyles and diets as well as exposure to sun rays.  Mental health problems were also discussed especially since a study noted a 26% prevalence with 50% of the women sampled noting that they think that they may have mental health problems whilst 20% suffer from post partum blues 17% from anxiety.  The association’s president concluded that violence against women is prevalent and affects reproductive health and causes an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, abortions and decreased fertility rates.

Source: Al-Nahar 2 February 2013