A number of diseases can affect anyone regardless of gender. However, there are some diseases that are more susceptible to women.
Several factors such as age, genetics and hormones increase the risk of a disease in women.
Data from the World Health Organisation WHO (2015) shows that 70 per cent of deaths from diseases come from non-communicable diseases.
For this reason, you should be aware of several types of diseases that are prone to attacking women. Here are some of them, according to WebMD:
1. Heart disease
Heart disease affects women more often than men. According to Indonesia's Basic Health Research (2018), the prevalence of coronary heart disease among women is 1.6 per cent.
The incidence rate is higher than the prevalence of coronary heart disease in men, which is 1.3 per cent.
According to Dr Cindy Pearson from the US National Women's Health Network, cases of heart disease in women can be higher than men because many sufferers do not feel the symptoms of the disease.
This is because women often do not experience the typical chest pain symptoms that are a sign of heart disease.
When suffering from heart disease, women can only feel symptoms of jaw pain, shoulder pain, nausea, vomiting, or shortness of breath.
Given that these symptoms are quite common signs of other diseases, some women only find out they have heart disease when the condition is severe or fatal.
Women also need to be aware of heart disease, especially if they have a history of smoking, sedentary behaviour, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
2. Breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer that affects women.
According to Globocan data (2018), the highest cancer incidence rate in women is breast cancer, which is 42.1 cases per 100,000 population.
Some experts say that the excessive fear of breast cancer makes women reluctant to do an initial examination or screening to the doctor.
This condition makes breast cancer treatment in women often late.
Given the advances in cancer treatment technology, women do not need to worry about breast cancer. However, women need to remain vigilant about this disease.
Especially if you have risk factors such as a family history of similar diseases, have abnormal lumps in the breast, have undergone radiation therapy, early menstruation before 12 years or menopause after 55 years.
In addition, women also need to be more vigilant if they do not have children, have a habit of consuming alcohol, and have excess body weight.
3. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis or bone loss is one of the diseases that are prone to attacking women. This condition cannot be separated from hormonal factors.
Launching the official website of the Ministry of Health, women's bones are more porous than men. Because when entering menopause, women's estrogen levels decrease. This affects the ability to form bones.
However, some osteoporosis in women can be prevented by controlling a healthy lifestyle since childhood and adolescence.
A person's body continues to build its bone mass until the age of 30. After 30 years, new bone stops forming and focuses on maintaining the old bone tissue.
By optimising bone growth before the age of 30, one can minimise the risk of developing osteoporosis.
You can do this by fulfilling your daily calcium and vitamin D needs, as well as being physically active.
4. Depression
Mental health problems such as anxiety disorders and depression are also susceptible to women.
Psychologist and author of Getting Sane Without Going Crazy, Dorree Lynn, PhD, said that women need connections with other people.
"If they don't have that, women can get depressed," she told Web MD.
In addition to these factors, hormonal changes can also affect women's mental health. Such as after childbirth and around menopause.
Depression can also arise when people face work pressures, daily problems, illness, and traumatic experiences.
5. Autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders that make the immune system counterattack tissues in the body.
There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, including lupus, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes.
According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, about 75 per cent of autoimmune diseases affect women.
Until now, the cause of women's susceptibility to autoimmune diseases is not known for certain. Some experts say it is related to genetic and hormonal factors.
Content created and supplied by: Olamilekan9612 (via Opera News )
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