The toll of chronic diseases, injuries and mental ill-health
While the sexual and reproductive health needs of women are generally well known, they also face other important health challenges.
Road traffic injuries are among the five leading causes of death for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age in all WHO regions – except for South-East Asia, where burns
are the third leading cause of death. While many are the result of cooking accidents, some are homicides or suicides, often associated with violence by an intimate partner. More research is needed to better understand the underlying causes of these deaths and to identify effective prevention strategies.
Suicide is among the leading causes of death for women between the ages of 20 and 59 years globally and the second leading cause of death in the low- and middle-income countries of the WHO Western Pacific Region. Suicidal behaviour is a significant public health problem for girls and women worldwide. Mental health problems, particularly depression, are major causes of disability for women of all ages. While the causes of mental ill-health may vary from one individual to another, women’s low status in society, their burden of work and the violence they experience are all contributing factors.
For women over 60 years of age in low-, middle- and high-income countries, cardiovascular disease and stroke are major killers and causes of chronic health problems. Another significant cause of death and disability is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has been linked to women’s exposure to smoke and indoor air pollution largely as a result of their household roles. For many women, ageing is accompanied by loss of vision – every year, more than 2.5 million older women go blind. Much of this burden of disability could be avoided if they had access to the necessary care, particularly surgery for cataracts. In low-income countries, trachoma is a significant, but preventable, cause of blindness that affects women in particular.
While the sexual and reproductive health needs of women are generally well known, they also face other important health challenges.
Road traffic injuries are among the five leading causes of death for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age in all WHO regions – except for South-East Asia, where burns
are the third leading cause of death. While many are the result of cooking accidents, some are homicides or suicides, often associated with violence by an intimate partner. More research is needed to better understand the underlying causes of these deaths and to identify effective prevention strategies.
Suicide is among the leading causes of death for women between the ages of 20 and 59 years globally and the second leading cause of death in the low- and middle-income countries of the WHO Western Pacific Region. Suicidal behaviour is a significant public health problem for girls and women worldwide. Mental health problems, particularly depression, are major causes of disability for women of all ages. While the causes of mental ill-health may vary from one individual to another, women’s low status in society, their burden of work and the violence they experience are all contributing factors.
For women over 60 years of age in low-, middle- and high-income countries, cardiovascular disease and stroke are major killers and causes of chronic health problems. Another significant cause of death and disability is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has been linked to women’s exposure to smoke and indoor air pollution largely as a result of their household roles. For many women, ageing is accompanied by loss of vision – every year, more than 2.5 million older women go blind. Much of this burden of disability could be avoided if they had access to the necessary care, particularly surgery for cataracts. In low-income countries, trachoma is a significant, but preventable, cause of blindness that affects women in particular.
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