JEDDAH, 14 March 2008 — Women are more prone to catching diseases than men due to their multiple responsibilities and status in society, and they experience health complications throughout their lives, said a speaker at the Sixth Annual International Conference on Women’s Health Update here on Wednesday.
Speaking at the four-day event organized by the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) to mark International Women’s Day, Dr. Nuha Dashash, family medicine consultant and assistant director of the Health Affairs for Primary Health Care in Jeddah, said 64 percent of the world’s blind are women. She said that depression is common among women, and many workingwomen live stressful lives as they struggle to maintain their family along with their career.
Around 22 percent of Saudi women are depressed, said Dashash. For divorced women the rate is as high as 40 percent while only 13 percent of men suffer from depression, she said.
According to Dashash, being vulnerable to diseases makes women depressed. “The average age of women is longer than men’s and so women need better health care,” she added.
The speaker said women suffer stress as a result of violence, harassment and social pressure. A United Nations report published on International Women’s Day last year stated that women face various forms of violence each day, including sexual abuse and rape. “This leads to increased cases of depression, psychological diseases and even suicides,” said Dashash.
In spite of the fact that women are less prone to heart diseases compared to men, the number of deaths among women due to heart diseases is higher. “People need to be aware that heart diseases are the No. 1 killer among women in Saudi Arabia. Women should adjust their lifestyle accordingly,” said Dr. Lina Bissar, another speaker.
On Sunday, the KFSHRC held an open day for women to come and learn about heart diseases. Members of the public were screened for diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol and received information on how to control their weight, and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. A lecture on cardiovascular diseases was also delivered.
“Having a big number of people attending the open house was a really good sign showing they are aware and want to learn,” said Bissar. “Cardiovascular diseases are increasing due to people’s lifestyle. Life is just too easy here. Women have their own cars and drivers and they don’t need to walk. They should be aware of the quality of their food,” she added.
Attendees at the conference were also informed of updates to the treatment of breast cancer. “Women should start to examine themselves for breast cancer at the age of 20 or undergo clinical breast examinations. After 40, they must do mammogram tests every two years and every year when they turn 50,” said Bissar.
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Salti, head of the Endocrinology Department at the American University Hospital in Beirut, delivered a lecture on new types of therapy for diabetes that not only controls the illness but also helps sufferers lose weight and decrease the risk of heart attack.
Speaking about two types of treatment, which are soon coming to the market, he said, “They have great potential in the future management of diabetes. Our current treatment for diabetes is imperfect and does not provide excellent results. One of these new forms of treatment is a tablet and the other is an injection.”
