Leap forward to health equity

In a recent perspective article published in natural medicineresearchers investigated the potential of self-care interventions to improve the health and well-being of girls and women to promote equity, gender equality, and human rights.

study: Self-care interventions for women's health and well-being. Image credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock.com

background

Everyone has the right to good health, but an estimated half of the world's population lacks access to essential health services.

Women are often disproportionately affected, with many unable to afford health care because they live in poverty or are beyond the reach of public health systems.

people displaced by war or conflict, infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), imprisoned or institutionalized, experiencing homelessness, indigenous communities and other minority groups. Those who belong to it are particularly vulnerable.

The importance of self-care interventions

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has encouraged women to take charge of their health by prioritizing access to self-care interventions, such as non-prescription contraceptive distribution and telehealth services for pregnant women. We have demonstrated the potential for self-management.

Although these interventions were launched during a global crisis, experts believe they should be integrated into daily healthcare to promote women's health and well-being in a supportive and safe environment. I'm looking for it.

To this end, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed an evidence base that emphasizes the importance of self-care interventions alongside facility-based health services across economic settings, with detailed monitoring frameworks and indicators. We have developed global guidelines based on

The components of this system are institutions, organizations, health professionals, and resources that work together to protect financial and social risks, provide responsive services, increase efficiency, and ensure fair and better health outcomes.

Integration into conventional medicine

Long before modern formal health care systems existed, people engaged in various forms of self-care to manage illness and disability, maintain health, and prevent disease. They continue to do so on their own or with the support of family members and health care workers.

Their practices vary across contexts and are influenced by their social environment, agency, health literacy, and the information they have access to.

Improving health literacy can mobilize communities and increase people's ownership of health management.

Effective self-care interventions strengthen health services that support communities across the life course and address determinants of health beyond therapeutic care. This is done through a human-centered approach, whether people care for themselves or others.

The public must have access to relevant information and technology, and interventions must be cheap and effective. Health workers must be trained to promote self-care through capacity building and competency-based training.

Promising interventions include reproductive and sexual health, mental health, chronic diseases, and COVID-19. Non-communicable diseases can be significantly reduced through self-care strategies such as exercise, reducing salt intake, eating a heart-healthy diet, avoiding obesity, and quitting smoking.

Self-injectable contraceptives are a cost-effective strategy in remote and rural areas, as women benefit from increased privacy and agency without having to travel to distant health facilities. Once trained, you will be able to practice this form of self-care with minimal support from your health care provider.

Self-testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections has made it possible for many women to know their status and even seek treatment.

Barriers to effective self-care

Rather than reinforcing existing power structures, it is important that interventions increase access and reduce inequalities among underserved communities.

Different age groups may require different instruction. For example, older women may have interacting conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis, each of which requires individual treatment.

The cost of user intervention must also be considered. Where access to interventions involves out-of-pocket costs, financial protection and subsidy schemes can improve efficiency and equity.

Beyond the healthcare system, affordability is also an issue. For example, mothers with low incomes may not be able to afford healthier diets such as fiber, vegetables, and fruits. Menstrual management also involves costs such as purchasing menstrual cups, tampons, and pads.

Despite their proven effectiveness, female condoms are not widely used due to lack of promotion. Knowledge about emergency contraception is limited in regions such as Senegal, Nigeria, and India, with many respondents believing that they need a prescription to access emergency contraception.

Women's health care decisions continue to be influenced by societal biases, such as the stigmatization and judgment that young women face because they are sexually active and may not have access to pregnancy tests.

Similarly, there is a lack of awareness about the sexual health of older women, including menopause, which can lead to stigma and suboptimal care. Access to abortion is a politically charged issue in the United States.

conclusion

Self-care interventions have the potential to disrupt and strengthen traditional health care systems and improve outcomes for women and other underserved populations.

They are not meant to replace the medical care provided through the facility, but to supplement it. However, care must be taken to ensure that these interventions reduce rather than exacerbate inequalities.