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Davos, Switzerland – New research released at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday reveals that targeting nine key health conditions could significantly improve women’s health and add the equivalent of 2.5 healthy days per woman per year.
The report, published in collaboration with the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI), found that women experience a disproportionate burden of ill health compared to men, living one-fourth of their lives in poor health.
The nine conditions, categorized as lifespan and healthspan conditions, include:
- Lifespan conditions: Maternal hypertensive disorders, postpartum hemorrhage, ischemic heart disease, cervical cancer, and breast cancer
- Healthspan conditions: Endometriosis, menopause, migraine, and premenstrual syndrome
By addressing these conditions, the report estimates a potential reduction in the global disease burden by 27 million disability-adjusted life years.
Economic Opportunity
The report also highlights the significant economic benefits of investing in women’s health. Targeting these nine conditions could unlock $400 billion in global GDP annually by 2040.
“Measuring progress is essential for driving meaningful change,” said Shyam Bishen, Head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare at WEF. “Despite the opportunity to add 2.5 additional healthy days to women’s lives, they are often overlooked due to a lack of sex-specific research.”
WHIT Platform
To address this gap, the Forum, in collaboration with MHI, launched the Women’s Health Impact Tracking (WHIT) platform. This publicly accessible tool aims to measure and address global health gaps and promote equitable, scalable solutions for women’s health.
The WHIT platform will focus on three underfunded conditions: menopause, premenstrual syndrome, and migraine, representing a $315 billion GDP opportunity.
Addressing Disparities
The report emphasizes the critical need to address global disparities in women’s health outcomes. While 54% of the women’s health burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries, only 23% of clinical trials focus on these regions.
Key recommendations include:
- Improving data accuracy
- Increasing research funding for women-specific conditions
- Enhancing sex-based clinical guidelines
“It is time to count women, study women, care for women, invest in women, and include all women,” said Lucy Perez, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company.
The report concludes that addressing these nine conditions can not only improve the lives of millions of women and unlock significant economic benefits but also provide a blueprint for scaling and tracking progress to close the broader women’s health gap.
Note: This is a summary of the key findings. For a more detailed understanding, refer to the original report.
