Women

Women Stroke Survivors Less Likely To Get Emergency Care, But Why?

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Research reveals that women in the United States face a greater aftermath of stroke, whether it’s mortality or disability. With the prevailing female-specific risk factors, they are more likely to suffer from health conditions that require urgent attention. But are they getting the said care?

According to research by Michigan Medicine and Brown University, women who have survived stroke believe they are less likely to receive proper emergency treatment based on their gender and ethnicity.

According to the findings of research published around stroke, women with a history of stroke more than three times are more likely to believe “to a great extent” that they won’t receive adequate treatment in an emergency room based on their gender, ethnicity, or race. 

Survey data from the American Heart Association Research Goes Red Registry was studied to observe how women with or without a medical history perceive emergency care. Results of the study were published revealing a lot about women and their perceptions of receiving emergency attention. 

The first author of the research, Brian Stamm, said that from their study it is clear that women stroke survivors believe they are at a disadvantage and will not be able to obtain the highest quality care in health emergencies. 

The author also added that from the previous findings, it was also clear that the women who experienced cerebrovascular events like stroke were more likely misdiagnosed or less likely to receive thrombolysis (clot-busting medication) and endovascular therapy (surgery to remove blood clots from the brain).

Women Have Greater Risk Of Stroke

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Vital Statistics System, in 2019, the reported number of women dying because of stroke was 57.9 percent.

Black Americans are at greater risk of experiencing a stroke than white Americans, and as per the previous findings, black women are even less likely to receive advanced treatments when experiencing stroke partially because of the delays reaching the emergency room after the symptom onset. 

The study’s findings hint that negative perceptions in healthcare may lead to the predisposition of women to delayed medical care.

Learnings From The Study

These findings are concerning because they suggest that women may be at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving timely and effective treatment for stroke. Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. Early treatment is essential for reducing the risk of death and disability, but women may be less likely to receive the care they need, and this needs to change at all levels.

The study highlights the need to improve post-stroke care for women. Healthcare providers must be educated on the signs and symptoms of stroke in women, so survivors can be taken seriously when they report their symptoms. This will be detrimental to ensuring women have access to the same quality of stroke care as men. 


Suggested Reading: Why Do Women’s Pain Go Unheard? Research Points To Gender Bias

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