BRUSSELS, 13 JUNE 2006:
Following the informal meeting between health ministers
in all European Member state in Vienna in April this
year, the Council of the European Union has formally
recognised the need that more attention is given to
women's health issues - and endometriosis is again
highlighted as a disease which deserves specific attention.
In their official report,
it is emphasised that although women live longer than
men, they suffer a greater burden of unhealthy life
years. The incidence and prevalence of certain diseases
like osteoporosis are higher in women. Others such
as cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health
problems affect men and women differently. Some
diseases related to birth and reproductive organs
like endometriosis and cervical cancer affect women
exclusively.
The Council of the European Union has formally recognised
that the citizens of the European Union, more than
half of them being women, deserve the highest possible
levels of human health and consider it to be an essential
prerequisite to a high quality of life, and that equality
between women and men shall be ensured in all policy
areas.
They have agreed that gender sensitive prevention
measures, health promotion and treatment contribute
towards reducing morbidity and mortality from major
diseases among women and consequently improve their
quality of life.
The Council also acknowledge that social and health
determinants, clinical manifestations, therapeutical
approaches, effectiveness and side effects of treatment
of disease and disorders may differ between women
and men, and have stressed the importance of raising
awareness amongst the general public but also health
care professionals that gender is a key determinant
of health.
They recognise that any inequalities that may exist
within and between Member States need addressing by
tackling social and economic health determinants.
The Council of the European Union invites
the Member States to:
• Collect gender-specific data on health, and
to break down and analyse statistics by gender;
• Take initiatives to enhance general and health
professionals’ knowledge on the relationship
between gender and health;
• Promote health and prevent disease taking
into account where appropriate gender difference;
• Promote research into the different effects
of medicines on women and men, and gender- specific
health research;
• Encourage gender mainstreaming in healthcare;
• Examine and tackle health inequalities which
may exist accordingly in order to reduce the health
gap and ensure equality of treatment and access to
care.
Simultaneously, the Council invites the European
Commission to:
• Integrate gender aspects in health research;
• Support the exchange of information and experience
on good practice in gender-sensitive health promotion
and prevention;
• Assist Member States in developing effective
strategies to reduce health inequalities with a gender
dimension;
• Promote and strengthen the comparability
and compatibility of gender-specific information on
health across Member States and at Community level
through the development of appropriate data;
• Present a second report on the state of women’s
health in the European Union.
