Episode 117
Women suffer from our broken healthcare system
Learn how to navigate a broken healthcare system.
Susan Salenger is the author and researcher behind SIDELINED: How Women Can Navigate A Broken Healthcare System. Sidelined examines the many ways in which some women manage and sometimes mismanage their healthcare.
Systemic issues plague our healthcare system—less funding for women’s health research and gender biases can put lives at risk. I brought Susan on to dive deep into why this happens and what needs fixing.
These are quotes from some of the women Susan interviewed for her book:
"I told my doctors about my pain for years, but they told me it was all in my head..."
"My doctor said I needed a hysterectomy to relieve my symptoms that I was sure were just normal menopause. Unfortunately, I agreed to the surgery anyway. Why did I agree to that?”
"If men had cramps, they'd have cured this by now..."
These and countless other comments from women who've suffered at the hands of the healthcare industry are frighteningly common, but they don't have to be.
- Healthcare Disparities: Women face longer wait times for emergency treatment like heart attacks and are often misdiagnosed or prescribed antidepressants instead of receiving proper diagnoses.
- Research Funding Inequality: Female researchers receive less funding than their male counterparts, especially when researching diseases prevalent among women. This leads to limited knowledge about female bodies within the medical community.
- Importance of Second Opinions: The critical role second opinions play in diagnosing from different perspectives due to thousands of diseases sharing similar symptoms.
- Doctor-Patient Communication Tips: Writing down symptoms before an appointment helps both patient and doctor stay focused; repeating back what you heard ensures understanding; bringing someone along offers additional support.
- Medication Research & Cautionary Tales: It’s crucial to research any new medication interactions thoroughly – even if there’s only a small risk factor involved.
- Navigating Hospitals & Surgery Prep: Ensuring hospitals specialize in your specific condition/surgery type while also confirming surgeon experience levels can mitigate risks associated with treatments.
Final Thoughts: This conversation sheds light on systemic issues within healthcare affecting women disproportionately. It empowers listeners with strategies for proactive self-care management by advocating assertiveness during medical appointments, thorough research practices, and demanding quality care without compromise.
Remember to tune in next week as we continue breaking barriers and exploring more ways to achieve optimal wellness after 50!
Find Susan on these 3 Social Media platforms: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandma.gains Where she shares her weight lifting tips
