Women Want More Respect From Health Care System
Women want more time and respect from health care services, not more expensive technology. This is the key finding in a new survey of the health care experiences of more than 750 Australian women. The findings are detailed in a report by Equality Rights Alliance: “I want treatment... with respect” (Lien Le).
“What most women said they wanted from the health care system was not more technology, or bigger hospitals. They want better relationships with their health care provider, something that doesn’t have to be expensive but could have a big impact on quality of care,” says Emma Davidson, Project Coordinator at Equality Rights Alliance. “Women want to be treated holistically and with respect. That includes cultural sensitivity, sexual identity awareness, respect for different concepts of health, and understanding of the impact of women’s diverse social circumstances.”
“It is really important to me that they take a holistic approach to health care, have a focus on prevention and wellness, work with allied health professionals such as naturopaths and most importantly that they are patient led, that is respect the fact that I know my body and my health the best,” said one of the survey participants.
Key findings include:
- Cost, time, and lack of available appointments with health care provider are the most common causes for delay in seeking health care services.
- 55.3% of women said they would not recommend their GP to others;
- 70.3% of women turn to the internet for information on their health issues and rights, while only 31.7% turn to their GP or a nurse for this information.
- Attitudes and respect, competence and up to date skills, and system issues such as bulk billing were the three areas in which women said health care most needed improvement.
- Women also identified a need for improvement in physical sites, such as accessibility for women with disabilities or the elderly.
Direct quotes from the women about their experiences and views on health care are included in the report. The report will be distributed to policy makers, community organisations, and media, and is freely available online.
Further Reading
Media Release - Women Want More Respect From Health Care System - 30KB PDF
