Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for women globally, with new research highlighting a significant disparity in cardiovascular care for women in the Asia-Pacific region.
Home to more than 60 per cent of the world’s 8 billion inhabitants, the Asia-Pacific region has a scarcity of data pertaining to women’s health and the burden of gender inequality in the region.
In Australia specifically, over 1 million women are living with CVD, yet it remains underdiagnosed, under-treated and under-researched.
A new report, Cardiovascular Health Inequity for Women in the Asia Pacific region, from Kearney, a leading management consulting firm, is helping to fill this data gap. Grounded in peer-reviewed literature and evidence-based research, the report delves into inequities in research and development, education, access to care, treatment outcomes, and investment, and offers strategic recommendations for addressing these issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
Notably, data shows a staggering 80 per cent of CVD cases could be prevented through the adoption of appropriate lifestyle modifications, underscoring the immense potential for prevention.
There’s also a clear underrepresentation of women in CVD clinical trials, resulting in less evidence-based clinical care compared to men. Gaps in education persist as well, with a review of 19 Australian medical schools showing that while 84 per cent offered a course on women’s health, it was typically limited to obstetrics and gynecology rotations.
Women experiencing heart attacks often don’t present with symptoms seen in men, such as shortness of breath and chest pain. And a study in Australia showed that women have a 30-minute longer delay in getting to the hospital after the onset of symptoms of a heart attack, which corresponds to global research.
Adverse reactions to CVD medications are another concern for women, who have a higher incidence of this.
While digital technologies have potential to address health inequities in the Asia-Pacific region, current digital start-ups that focus on women’s health receive only a fraction (3 per cent) of global digital health funding. CVD-related health start-ups receive even less funding.
Over in the UK, a significant investment of $10 million this week has been put towards research into cardiovascular disease in women.
The U.K.’s British Heart Foundation launched the international fund in collaboration with 11 other major NGOs. It’s the first time this group – the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum — has launched a kind of joint, global research pot of this magnitude, with the $10 million set to be invested over the course of five years.
“Addressing cardiovascular health inequities for women in the Asia-Pacific region means confronting systemic gaps that have been neglected for too long,” said Dr Stephanie Allen, report author and partner at Kearney.
“These include the underrepresentation of women in clinical research, a lack of gender-specific education in medical training, and insufficient investment in women’s health technologies.”
“It is crucial to redesign care pathways for women, which needs collaboration and action from all stakeholders across every stage of healthcare delivery, not only in Australia but globally.”