Why women's health?

Women's Health West regards health as much more than the absence of illness or injury. We believe that health and wellbeing are determined by a range of environmental, economic, social and cultural factors including gender, ethnicity, class, age and ability.

Despite some advances, women’s specific health needs are still too often played down, under-researched, over-medicalised and under-funded. Women make up the overwhelming majority of adult victims/survivors of family violence. Statistically, women are also more likely to suffer both reproductive and mental health problems, including depression and stress, especially that associated with their role as carers for children and older people.

A range of social issues impact on women’s health and wellbeing, including sexual and family violence, social isolation and poverty. Issues such as racism, dispossession, homophobia and discrimination affect the health of particular groups, such as immigrant and refugee women, Indigenous women, lesbians and women with disabilities.