Health Issues for Women (Essay Sample)

Health Issues for Women
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Abstract
The modern world has brought about lifestyle changes; people have changed from the traditional ways of life that included traditional diets and active lives which have now been replace with technology. This shift has led to the increase in health issues among people as our bodies grow weaker and vulnerable to various diseases and health complications. Women have been largely affected by the changing lifestyle dynamics and now more than ever we have several health issues that are affecting women. Urban women face the biggest threats of health issues; women living in the major cities and working north of 60 hours per week. These are well educated women who are knowledgeable in health matters and well accessed to medical facilities in their areas. Their lifestyles are mainly concentrated on work and family leaving them less time to care for themselves; this are women between 20- 60 years of age. Their income levels lie between the lower income bracket and the middle income bracket of which is sufficient to seek appropriate medical care.
Heart diseases and Cancers
There are a vast number of diseases that are affecting our women; some are chronic diseases whereas others are lifestyles disease which is rampant around the world. Heat diseases have been observed to affect women and a majority of them are connected or traced back to weight issues and obesity (Harrison, 2015). There is a current debate on whether to classify obesity as a disease or not. Heart diseases have caused several deaths in the recent years an even though the male deaths are more that the female, heart disease are seen to have more adverse effects on women than men (Mann et.al, 2015). Most women suffer from premature disabilities more than their male counterparts after being diagnosed with heart conditions. Women also face premature deaths which means; that men with heart diseases have been seen to outlive their female counter parts (Gomer, 2015). There are also several cases that have continued to raise an alarm as women have been found to be underdiagnosed at various instances thus putting them in a more threatening position without noticing the intensity of their conditions (Perez & Luquis, 2008). Breast cancer is another health issue that challenges women, breast cancer is a chronic disease that is caused by gene mutation, all women are susceptible to breast cancer but some are more vulnerable (Mann et.al, 2015). Breast cancer can be traced in some families and women from that lineage should be more cautious, lack of birth has also been found to cause breast cancer in women and the elder women who haven’t given birth should stay weary of breast cancer. Breast cancer has also been found to be prevalent in certain races; white women and Asian women have been found to be more susceptible to breast cancer than the black women of African descent (Shetty, 2014). Black women on the contrary have been found to succumb to breast cancer than the whites mainly because of financial ability to seek proper medical care (Leigh, 2014). Cervical cancer also prevalent among women, this is attributed human papillomavirus HPV which is acquired through sexual intercourse with an infected person. The cancer occurs when the cells in the cervix grow out of proportion. The cancer is however becoming less prevalent in the US as there is a routine screening for cervical cancer.
Osteoporosis and Depression
Osteoporosis is another health issue that is prevalent among women, statistics show that 68% of the women in the US have suffered or continue to suffer from osteoporosis (Zhu, 2012). It is characterized by hunched backs, and severe back pains. Osteoporosis has a wide range of causes that explains its huge prevalence, the causes include, low calcium that is attributed to child births where women lose their body calcium to the baby. Excessive use of alcohol also causes osteoporosis; the urban woman is seen to drink more and thus the susceptibility to the complication (Zhu, 2012). Sex hormones like estrogen also cause osteoporosis when lost during menopause. The complications have also been found to be more prevalent on white women and Asian women as compared to the black women (Leigh, 2014). Depression another health issue that affects women; depression has been found to affect more women than men. The causes of depression among women have been attributed to the need for acceptance and a sense of belonging (Kleiman, 2015). Women are more concern about their looks and tend to get depressed if the feel to not look the pact as they would like. The plus size women have been found to have less self-esteem which leads them to depression (Perez & Luquis, 2008). The lack of male partners and a sense of connection and belonging continue to a constant cause for depression. Marital problems have also saw many women suffer from depression more than their male counter parts (Kleiman, 2015). Family history is also a root for depression; members of certain family lineages are more susceptible to depression than others. Substance abuse has led to depression among women the addiction the fight against the addiction becomes tough and some women lose faith in the battle and end up messing their lives and thus consequently falling to depression (Gomer, 2015). Crime and imprisonment have also been a catalyst for depression for women convicts. There are relatively high cases of depression among the female convicts as compared to the male convicts (Perez & Luquis, 2008). Women who have been physically or sexually abused in their youth or as adults are also at higher risk of suffering depression from the trauma experienced (Kleiman, 2015). Women suffering from chronic and serious illness have resulted in depression in many occasions which is attributed to the fear and pain that they have to undergo.
Autoimmune and Gynecological diseases
Autoimmune disease has also been observed to be common among women; this occurs when the immune system attacks the body and alters the body tissues. Some of the most common types of autoimmune diseases include lupus, multiple sclerosis and diabetes type (Farage et.al, 2015). The autoimmune diseases are commonly attributed to lifestyles that lead to lack of certain dietary components as well as rigidity of the body. Women are mainly torn between works and tending to their families and they lack the required time for exercise that coupled with the junk diets leads to various complications like obesity and lack or content of insulin in the body which consequently leads to some complication like diabetes (Lucena et.al, 2015). Other autoimmune disorders include; reactive arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and Addison’s disease; this complications mainly target blood vessels, skin, joints and muscles (Zott, 2015). Gynecological disorders are also prevalent among women, some of the most prevalent gynecological disorders include, urinary tract, irregular menstrual vaginitis, and pelvic floor disorder. Vaginitis can be caused by a common yeast infection leading to a white discharge from the vagina as well as swelling of the vagina, this can however be treated with the readily available over the counter prescriptions that are available (Papadakis et.al, 2015). Bacterial vaginosis is the most prevalent of all and is caused when the bacteria present in the vagina over grow and lead to a thin discharge that is white in color with an odor. The medication for this infection can be prescribed by a doctor but it may vary for different patients and thus not advisable to seek over the counter treatments (Harrison, 2015). Genital herpes also a vast number of women, this disease is only controllable but not curable, it is caused by a virus and causes soreness on the vulva which is painful for the women. Genital herpes can be transmitted through sexual intercourse and coming into contact with the virus and thus making it hard to avoid for some women. Human papillomavirus is also a virus caused disease that is not curable but controllable, this lead to painful swellings on the vulva and the rectum. HPV is also know to lead to some cervical cancers as observed before; there are however efforts in play to come up with a vaccine to protect women from HPV (Papadakis et.al, 2015). Non-infectious vaginitis is also common in women, it’s caused by allergic reactions to some substances, and these substances include soaps, spermicides and certain undergarment materials and sprays. The infections should go away once the victim realizes the allergic substance and stops using it.
Pregnancy and fertility disorders
Pregnancy issues and fertility disorders are also health issues that affect a significant number of women. Some of the pregnancy defects include miscarriages that are caused by several factors such as physical injuries, trauma and lack of proper prenatal care among expectant ladies (Jungheim, 2015). Morning sickness also affects expectant mothers in the early stages of pregnancy and goes away later on. The sickness is characterized by a nauseating effect that is mainly attributed to hormone changes. Increased vaginal discharge during pregnancy may get uncomfortable for women; however the discharges are positive as the vaginal walls let the flow to protect any infections from getting to the womb through the vagina (Zott, 2015). Backaches are also common during pregnancy as the body loosens up to prepare the mother for child birth and thus applying more weight on the pelvis back. Fertility disorders prevalent among women include; endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome and tubal factors (Lucena et.al, 2015). Endometriosis occurs when the uterus tissues grow outside the uterus in the lower abdomen or the pelvis, this causes leads to failed fertilization and can only be ...