Utah State University—A statewide study by researchers from the Utah State University Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) conducted in the fall of 2023 shows “women are experiencing substantial health challenges which impacts all other domains in their lives.” The research summary, “The Health Across the Lifespan” was recently released by UWLP and data collected will be used by leaders of A Bolder Way Forward (BWF), an initiative that “invites Utahns to break down barriers keeping women and girls from thriving.”

“Utah is 49th out of 50 for women getting health care,” said Professor Susan Madsen, Director, Utah Women & Leadership Project Jon M. Huntsman School of Business Utah State University. “We asked questions specifically on preventative health care and most were not getting it.”

Women’s scores were pretty high saying they will do it, she said. “But we wanted to see if they feel like they will. There’s a disconnect there. That’s what we wrestle with in the state.”

When push comes to shove, they say they’re too busy, said Madsen. “No we’re not. I can go to the Bountiful Clinic for a mammogram and start to finish be done in 35 minutes from my house. It’s important to take care of ourselves as well as our children. On an airplane they tell you to put your mask on first.”

There’s no follow through, she said. “People are saying yes but not doing it.”

Most people have heard of menopause but a lot of people don’t understand it or perimenopause, Madsen said. “It can really affect your body. I didn’t know how much I didn’t know until I was in it.”

Another study area was screening for domestic violence, she said. “It came in really low but there is a high instance of domestic violence. Are doctors screening and asking questions?”

One in three women – and men struggle too but more women – experience domestic violence, said Madsen. “It’s a hush, hush thing. That patient-doctor relationship can open up dialogue if it’s a place they feel safe. The key thing is getting resources around the state.”

Women also need information on reproductive health, she said. “We should raise awareness of the impact it has on our bodies. Maybe women need to know more.”

The Health Across the Lifespan summary found:

• Most Utahns agree on some level that they can schedule and complete a preventative healthcare visit in the next 12 months.
• Women agreed at higher levels than men that they could make informed decisions regarding reproductive health.
• 45% of respondents do not feel knowledgeable about perimenopause (this was especially true for men).
• One-quarter of respondents were either unsure or did not feel safe at some level in a doctor’s office or medical setting.
• 47.1% disagreed it is likely that one of their healthcare providers will screen them for intimate partner violence in the next year and connect them with necessary resources.

“This sets the stage for what people know and what they think,” said Madsen. “The average person doesn’t know. We have to shift that in terms of moving forward. Women should think, ‘I need to take care of myself.’ We need to highlight that and have women think about what the importance is for our health.”