The Ministry of Health of the Government of Cantabria, the Cantabrian Health Service, the Marqués de Valdecilla Foundation and the Organon pharmaceutical company brought together different Cantabrian experts in the Health market with an On Live perspective to analyze the challenges facing women’s health. Cantabria must be meditated upon.
In this forum held at the Botín Center, in which the Minister of Health, Raúl Pesquera; director general of equality and women, Consuelo Gutiérrez; director general of public health, Reinhard Wallmann; and the executive director of the Botín Center, Fátima Sánchez, explained the differences between men and women, which cause diseases to develop differently and even, as well as the social and structural factors that relate to the health of both sexes.
Pesquera explained that it is important to report that it is important to fight against the invisibility and lack of gender perspective because they are harmful to women’s health. “The invisibility of gender as a determinant of health also affects health systems, the formulation of priorities in care and financing, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic”, he acknowledged, adding that this directly affects women and negative influences in different areas of life and society. such as science, research or education, “which implies a lack of knowledge about the repercussions on women’s health”.
For his part, the CEO of Organon in Spain and Portugal, Juan Vera, stated that the better health of women is a matter of global importance “because, we seek better things for women, we also increase the health of the whole society”.
In a panel discussion moderated by journalist Teresa Díez, family doctor and director of the Public Health Observatory of Cantabria, Norak Cruz, explained how the participation of women in clinical trials influences the preparation and subsequent treatments. However, as a general rule, the representation of women in early clinical trials related to common diseases is between 21 and 32%, with differences across pathologies, although the results are traditionally applied to train men and women equally.
Also, biological and social factors are important in dealing with health problems with particular women. In this sense, the head of the Gynecology and Obstetrics services of the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Yolanda Jubete, explained the progress made in recent times and those that are still needed in the treatment of breast cancer and in such issues. such as endometriosis or menopause.
For his part, researcher Rosa Ayesa, head of the IDIVALI Mental Research Unit, commented on the influence of sex and gender on psychopathology and the comorbidity of certain mental pathologies and, in addition, highlighted the recent Cantabria Mental Health Plan that she presented, which includes gender as a priority action.
As for the general coordinator of the Cantabria Anti-AIDS Association of Cantabria (ACCAS), Carmen Martin, gave an example of how in this disease women suffer greater discrimination due to what is attributed to the biological and social step in vulnerability. the face of the disease
Finally, the psychologist Natalia Zamanillo, a member of the team of the Director General of Youth and the Isabel Torres Award for Research in Women and Gender Studies, insisted on the importance of awareness through education about these differences in the health of women and men. the main role that public institutions can play in caring for people dependent on workers, a role that usually falls on women.
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