The facts about chronic disease and women
Did you know that because women have a longer life expectancy than men, their chances of being diagnosed with certain chronic diseases is higher? In Canada, the average life expectancy for women is 83 years, while Canadian men have a life expectancy of 79 years. This also means women are more likely to be diagnosed with certain chronic diseases associated with old age.
More importantly, did you also know that that many aspects of women’s health have been under-researched leading to underdiagnosis of certain diseases? Let’s get into these.
The connection between life expectancy and chronic disease
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), living longer isn’t the only factor that makes certain chronic diseases more common in women.
Other health factors like biological factors, multimorbidity, socio-economic factors and lifestyle behaviours. Women are also impacted by social factors, like caregiving responsibilities. This can impact their access to health care and ability to manage chronic diseases.
Research by PHAC also shows women aged 65 and above are more likely to be diagnosed with:
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Dementia
- Asthma
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Other chronic diseases commonly diagnosed in women include:
- Cardiovascular disease — According to the National Library of Medicine, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature death in Canadian women. Risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity are commonly found in women who are 55 or older.
- Type 2 diabetes — In Canada, the rate of diabetes is increasing, especially in middle-aged adults. Lifestyle factors like diet, physical activity and obesity can add to the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
- Cancer — According to the Canadian Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian women and the risk of developing it increases with age. However, regular screening and early detection can improve the outlook for many women.
- Autoimmune diseases — A Stanford Medicine-led study shows rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis are more common in women. These diseases are either present and undiagnosed or are diagnosed when women are in their reproductive years, generally between their late teens and mid to late 40s.
- Mental health conditions — The results from the 2022 Mental Health and Access to Care Survey, increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety were more pronounced among women and younger people.
Chronic disease and the gender health gap
Because most medical research has been done on men, there’s a gender gap in women’s health and treatment.
For example, while 70% of people affected by chronic pain are women, 80% of pain research is conducted on men.
Heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of premature death in Canadian women, but most the of clinical research into these diseases has also focused on men.
Medical professionals are still learning about why some common conditions present differently in women. Research still needs to be done into how factors such as childbirth, menstruation and menopause may affect how women respond to medical treatments or their likelihood to develop chronic diseases.
Tips for living with and managing chronic disease
While it isn’t possible to eliminate all risks of developing a chronic disease, women can take steps to lower their risks, encourage early detection or manage existing conditions. These include:
- Learning about their family’s medical history and discussing with their family doctor.
- Educating themselves on the early warning signs of the most common chronic diseases and how these may differ in women.
- Learning how they can support their health through actions like physical activity, pain management and food choices.
- Making time for their own health, including support with childcare, using programs offered by their employer and doing their best to get enough sleep and nutrition.
- Women with group benefits plans can also look into their coverage to see what well-being and chronic disease support their plan sponsors have made available.
How plan sponsors can support women with chronic disease
While plan members don’t have to disclose their health conditions, plan sponsors can help them live better.
You can:
- Create an environment for members to feel comfortable disclosing their health conditions.
- Make sure they understand the availability of and coverage provided under their group benefits plan.
Most group benefit plans provide paramedical services and drug coverage for several chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, stroke and others. They also provide coverage for some medical devices like breathing equipment, orthopedic equipment, mobility aids, hearing aids, diabetic supplies and other medical supplies.
We have many resources to help women living with chronic disease. Speak to your Canada Life group representative about how you can enhance your group benefits plan and help your members understand what’s available to them.
Some of the products that specifically support prevention, management and treatment of chronic disease to consider are:
- Consult+ gives members access to a virtual walk-in clinic. Consult+ also has an employee assistance program (EAP) and can provide counselling and support to women on topics including: family, relationships, childcare, careers, legal, finance and mental health.
- Mental Health Services by Consult+: This is a comprehensive mental health program plan sponsors can choose to add to their plan. It provides members who are women with access to medical professionals specializing in several areas including sleep, anxiety, depression, conflict and relationship management, time management, mourning and loss, burnout and more. Members also get access to unlimited basic mental health consultations and medical professional who can diagnose and prescribe for new mental health conditions.
- Teladoc gives women access to find Canadian specialists based on specific criteria. They can get answers to basic questions about their health conditions and treatment options from experts.
- Contact and CoreContact by Telus Health is for members to access mental health, financial and legal support. This is a great resource for members who are going through family-related challenges and need support in balancing family obligations.
- Wealthgoal provide members with financial support and offers tools, calculators and strategies for financial saving and planning.
- Health Connected is a hub of information to help members stay healthy. It includes content for women on healthy eating and physical activity.
- Pillcheck allows members can get the genetic information they need to find medications that help them manage their pain or their chronic disease.