With Women’s Health Month upon us, one could ask, what’s women’s health? What drives a woman to feel healthy or whole? We often hear about many physical events that may affect or worry women, especially the most common health conditions. Are the most prevalent conditions really top of mind? Is an acquired condition the only event that rattles a woman’s wellbeing? We think not.
Can we all agree the feeling of being well changes, sometimes on a dime and is multifaceted. Why might you ask? The answer is because the health of the woman is intrinsically connected to her sphere of existence. Her life, career and family are most of the time connected to a greater ecosystem. Can we all agree that the most common physical conditions aren’t important unless we’re in the middle of them? We think yes.
A woman’s wellbeing isn’t static; it’s unique and it changes. While the conditions enter at different points in the life cycle, one thing remains the same: the determination to preserve herself and all those around her, despite the presence of support or lack thereof. We know the most common conditions in women are important, but let’s dive into some that fit into the four pillars of wellbeing.
Most women report good to excellent health, though 20% rate their health as fair or poor. Fifty percent have a chronic condition that requires regular care or medication. As the U.S. population ages, women, who generally live longer than men, bear a heavier burden from these conditions.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women, with traditional risk factors like high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and obesity being common. These factors are often poorly controlled. Women are more likely to get heart disease because of conditions that affect them more than men, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, depression and anxiety. The good news is that the American Heart Association says that almost 75% of heart disease cases in women could be avoided by living a healthier lifestyle. This includes not smoking, being active and eating a healthy diet. Managing these risk factors can also lower stroke risk.
Cancer is another leading cause of death, with breast, lung and colorectal cancers being the most common. These three cancers are expected to account for 51% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2025. Screening rates improved in 2021; 75.9% of women aged 50–74 had a mammogram within the last two years and 72.7% of women aged 50–75 received colorectal cancer screening. However, there are still opportunities to improve cancer screenings, especially for lung cancer among women at risk due to smoking. Early detection through screening improves the likelihood of successful treatment.
Emotional wellbeing affects almost everything on the lifecycle continuum. It isn’t a static state; it changes over time and is impacted by life in general and predisposing or diagnosed mental health conditions. General population data shows mental health remains a significant issue, with over one in five U.S. adults experiencing some form of mental illness, with a higher prevalence in women (26.4%) compared to men (19.7%). In 2022, 56.9% of U.S. women with any mental illness sought mental health services. Certain mental health conditions are more prevalent in women, such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
Additionally, there are disorders that are unique to women. For example, some women experience depression during hormonal changes, including peripartum depression (during or after pregnancy), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (around their menstrual cycle) and perimenopausal depression (during the menopause transition). The good news is most mental health issues and symptoms are treatable. However, it may be wise to consider treatment with a full view of the woman’s lifecycle phase and not only in diagnostic isolation. This treatment pattern can impact a woman’s journey to return to work or stay at work status.
Emotional wellbeing is a critical element in keeping women of any age in the workplace. Employers are also starting to see the value of supporting women through their life stages. Twenty-five percent of employers already offer menopause support, and 32% are planning or considering doing so in 2025 and 2026, according to our 2024 Best Practices in Healthcare Survey.
Maternal mental health is another area that employers are poised to address. Many employers see the impact in their claims experience and recognize the need to support women and their families. These claims come in the form of maternity and NICU spend, often at high costs. The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of industrialized countries, with more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths being preventable. Today, maternal mental health conditions are in focus. One in five women experience maternal mental health issues, and 75% of those affected are untreated. This can have long term negative impacts on mothers, babies and families.
This highlights the need for continued attention on maternal health and to find more effective solutions for the care of the physical, mental and emotional health needs of women before, during and post-pregnancy.
Our research shows that half of employees report moderate or major issues with financial wellbeing. But only 16% of employers report having effective financial wellbeing programs.
Women also face higher healthcare expenses than men. A Deloitte study found that women working in the U.S. pay $15 billion more each year on healthcare costs than men. Disparity in average out of pocket healthcare costs persists even when excluding maternity claims. Disproportionately higher healthcare expenses, along with gender pay inequities, negatively affect financial wellbeing, and in turn, overall health, for employed women.
While women’s participation in the workforce has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, gender disparities in the labor market persist due to pay inequities, insufficient and unaffordable childcare support and a lack of workplace flexibility. Women are also leaving the workforce at high rates due to unmanageable symptoms related to conditions like menopause. Twenty percent of those going through menopause have quit or considered quitting due to their symptoms.
Focusing on financial wellbeing and programs and policies that support family wellbeing, is critical to attracting and retaining women in the workforce and promoting their overall health.
While new ways of working can allow for flexibility and work-life balance, it has also increased loneliness, disconnectedness and a lack of belonging. Our 2024 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey revealed a significant decline over time in employee social wellbeing globally. A KPMG study also found that women are more likely to report feeling lonely and isolated at work compared to men (19%).
Women are more likely than men to be unpaid caregivers. As family caregivers, they tend to experience increased mental health issues, social isolation and adverse health effects. Nearly half of employers are focused on caregiving support, and an additional 20% are planning or considering it for 2025 and 2026, according to our research.
Social wellbeing is also deeply intertwined with physical and emotional wellbeing. Social isolation and loneliness can increase a person’s risk for other conditions including heart disease and stroke, diabetes, depression and anxiety, suicidality and self-harm and dementia.
Employers are increasingly focusing on social wellbeing. Common tactics include fostering social connections through digital tools and events and sponsoring volunteer activities. Most employers offer employee resource groups or other support groups that focus on specific interests like identity-based, career-focused, volunteer, physical, emotional and financial wellbeing groups. These groups are important in helping women with the challenges they face, according to our 2024 Wellbeing Diagnostic Survey.
Focus on incorporating a holistic wellbeing strategy with a foundation of emotional support that runs in tandem with a woman’s life cycle. This type of wellbeing plan embraces women’s diverse needs by tailoring benefits to fit their needs. These benefits include things like pre-conception, fertility, maternity, menopause, caregiving and return to work support.
Providing pay equity models and career development opportunities can enhance female talent and improve workplace morale. You can also consider policies and benefits to support the family. These include financial assistance, travel support and access to coaching, counseling and flexible work options.
Women’s health is far more complex than ever before. It’s essential to view women’s health and wellbeing as a universal state that moves with each stage of a woman’s life.
Plan redesign outweighs cost-shifting to reduce the cost of care, WTW survey finds
