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Why are women's health concerns dismissed so often?

Your immune system is probably more prepared than you think.
Your immune system is probably more prepared than you think.

From chronic pain to emergency room visits, women’s medical concerns are often dismissed at higher rates than those of men.

One study shows that middle-aged women with chest pain were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than their male counterparts. Another study found that women and people of color who visited emergency rooms with chest pain waited longer to be seen by a doctor. 

America’s gynecological practice has been traced back to slavery.Today, gender and racial bias still affect the way people are diagnosed and receive care.

We talk about why this still happens and what can be done about it. 

Copyright 2023 WAMU 88.5

Michelle Harven