Gender issues related to Cancer
Current Situation:
- According to a recent Lancet Commission report titled “Women, Power and Cancer” on gender disparities in cancer care, about 6.9 million cancer deaths among women in India may have been avoided and 4.03 million could have been treated.
- Reducing risk factors, screening, and diagnosis might have prevented 63% of early cancer deaths in Indian women, while 37% could have been avoided with prompt and effective treatment.
- Women are more susceptible to dying from cancer.
- The study showed that, despite the fact that men have a higher chance of developing cancers that afflict both sexes, women nonetheless have a high incidence and mortality rate for the disease.
- Women worldwide make up 48% of all new cancer cases and 44% of all cancer deaths. Even while some malignancies in women, such breast and cervical cancers, are largely preventable and treated, this still occurs.
What causes women to fare worse than men?
- According to the report, women have difficulty getting timely and adequate care because they lack information, decision-making skills, financial resources, and access to primary care closer to home.
- Women are more likely than men to lack the information and capacity to make educated decisions, regardless of where they reside or what social class they are in. They are also far more likely to suffer a financial catastrophe as a result of cancer, it was said.
- Women are underrepresented in leadership positions in the cancer care industry, are more likely to experience gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment, and make up the majority of the unpaid labour.
- According to the report, women’s unpaid cancer caregiving accounts for around 3.66% of India’s total national health spending.
Expert’s view over gender-based vulnerability”
- Of course, there is a gendered component to cancer treatment. Women are much less likely than men to seek healthcare, particularly in the poorer sectors of society.
- Even while men and women may be at similar risk for some cancers, such as those brought on by smoking or tobacco use, treating women is not the top priority. They are likely to perform worse than men because of this.
- Additionally, societal adjustments are required. Breast and cervical cancer are the most prevalent cancers among women. However, women are reluctant to consult male physicians about these issues or even allow a female physician to examine the genitalia, which causes delays in diagnosis and treatment.
- Travelling to larger tertiary hospitals in other states or to state capitals or district hospitals for screening, diagnostic tests, and treatment also causes delays in care and worse outcomes.
The government’s function:
- Educating individuals, especially women, about the need for screening and care is one of the most crucial interventions that can be made.
- People showed up in great numbers to obtain the shot, as was seen during the government’s information campaign to inform the public that Covid-19 vaccinations can prevent deaths due to the virus. For the prevention of cancer, the same is required.
- The HPV vaccination, which prevents cervical cancer, is currently accessible in the nation, and a locally produced version has also been created.
- The vaccine must be a part of the government’s universal immunisation campaign for young girls. Before engaging in sexual activity, women under the age of 25 must receive the vaccination. It stops the virus from getting inside the body.
What are the report’s recommendations?
- According to the paper, frequent data collection on gender and social demographics is necessary to provide accurate statistics on the prevalence of cancer.
- It urged the creation, improvement, and enforcement of rules and regulations that limit exposure to known cancer hazards.
- It demanded equal access to cancer research resources, leadership chances, and financing opportunities for women, claiming that cancer treatment and research are dominated by men who decide what is prioritised, funded, or examined.
