May is Women’s Health Month and we wish to pause to appreciate the many women in our lives who are caregivers, CEO’s, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, homemakers, athletes, volunteers and superwomen! While women comprise roughly half of the US workforce, according to Gallup, they bear a larger load of the core household responsibilities. That said, Gallup notes that the distribution of household tasks has become more equitable since 1996. Some research indicates that the impact of gender roles should be weaker in same-sex relationships as social expectations (norms) and expected sanctions do not provide a (natural) starting point for the establishment of a gendered division of labor. Bauer, G. (2016). Gender Roles, Comparative Advantages and the Life Course: The Division of Domestic Labor in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples. European Journal of Population = Revue Européenne de Démographie, 32(1), 99-128.
The responsibilities of women, nonetheless, are myriad, complex, and multifaceted. Stress impacts health, and as we celebrate Women’s Health, it is important to note how preventative screening for various health issues changes throughout each decade of life. Also consider that certain populations and communities are at greater risk for certain disease states, which means increased vigilance and specific preventative health measures are important as you assess your own risks. Check-in with this checklist through the decades:
Teens
- OB- GYN visit/Contraceptive Counseling
- HPV Vaccine
- Blood Pressure Screening
- Lipid Screening
20’s and 30’s
- Primary Care Annual Wellness Check/OB-GYN
- Pap Test and Pelvic Exam
- Clinical Breast exam
- STI Screening
- Family Planning
- Blood Pressure Screening
- Genetic Testing
40’s and 50’s
- Primary Care Annual Wellness Check/OB-GYN
- Pap Test and Pelvic Exam
- Routine Bloodwork and Lipid Screenings
- Blood Pressure Screening
- Annual Mammograms (most women start between age 40-45)
- Colonoscopy (ACS recommends starting at age 45)
- Lung Cancer Screening (age 55 and up if past history of smoking)
60’s and Older
- Primary Care Annual Wellness Check
- Pap Test and Pelvic Exam (typically cease at age 65)
- Routine Bloodwork and Lipid Screenings
- Osteoporosis Screening
- Skin Cancer Screening
- Cardiology Screening
- Cognitive Screening (may be conducted by a primary care provider)
Be sure to schedule your well-checks and vaccinations with your primary care provider at RMG.
