Women’s Health Across the Life Course: Prevention, Early Diagnosis, andthe Construction of Comprehensive and Equitable Care Pathways
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21839536Keywords:
Comprehensive Health Care, Health Equity, Health Promotion, Public Health, Women’s HealthAbstract
Women’s health has progressively evolved from a historically narrow biomedical perspective focused predominantly on reproductive functions toward a comprehensive paradigm that recognizes women as multidimensional subjects whose health trajectories are shaped by biological, social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental determinants. This academic essay critically examines women’s health across the life course, emphasizing prevention, early diagnosis, and the promotion of comprehensive care pathways capable of addressing diverse and changing healthcare needs. The discussion explores the limitations of reproductive reductionism, the relevance of primary healthcare, persistent inequalities in access and health outcomes, and emerging challenges associated with demographic, epidemiological, and technological transformations. A life-course and human rights-based perspective is adopted to analyze strategies for strengthening women-centered healthcare models. The essay argues that effective women’s healthcare requires integrated policies, qualified professionals, equitable access, participatory governance, and sustained commitment to social justice. Comprehensive women’s care represents a fundamental pillar for advancing public health systems committed to dignity, autonomy, and health equity.
References
Bacigalupe, A., Martín, U., & García-Calvente, M. M. (2021). Gender inequalities in health and healthcare access: The role of social determinants and structural factors. International Journal for Equity in Health, 20, 1–11.
Bambra, C., Riordan, R., Ford, J., & Matthews, F. (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic and health inequalities. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 75(10), 964–968.
Braveman, P., Arkin, E., Orleans, T., Proctor, D., & Plough, A. (2022). What is health equity? Behavioral Science & Policy, 9(1), 1–14.
Ginsburg, O., Bray, F., Coleman, M. P., Vanderpuye, V., Eniu, A., Kotha, S. R., et al. (2021). The global burden of women’s cancers: A grand challenge in global health. The Lancet, 398(10295), 1997–2010.
Hankivsky, O., & Springer, K. W. (2021). Gender and health inequalities: Intersectionality perspectives for public health. Social Science & Medicine, 270, 113613.
Koblinsky, M., Moyer, C. A., Calvert, C., Campbell, J., Campbell, O. M. R., Feigl, A. B., et al. (2021). Quality maternity care for every woman, everywhere: A call to action. The Lancet Global Health, 9(5), e635–e636.
Marmot, M., Allen, J., Boyce, T., Goldblatt, P., & Morrison, J. (2020). Health equity in England: The Marmot review 10 years on. Institute of Health Equity.
Murray, C. J. L., Aravkin, A. Y., Zheng, P., Abbafati, C., Abbas, K. M., Abbasi-Kangevari, M., et al. (2020). Global burden of 87 risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019. The Lancet, 396(10258), 1223–1249.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2021). Implementing high-quality primary care: Rebuilding the foundation of health care. The National Academies Press.
Patel, V., Saxena, S., Lund, C., Thornicroft, G., Baingana, F., Bolton, P., et al. (2022). The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development: Progress and future priorities. The Lancet Psychiatry, 9(2), 120–132.
Roncarolo, F., Adam, C., Bisset, S., & Potvin, L. (2021). Traditional and alternative approaches to promoting health equity. Health Promotion International, 36(2), 489–498.
Solar, O., & Irwin, A. (2021). A conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health: Updated perspectives. World Health Organization.
United Nations. (2021). Gender equality and women’s empowerment: Progress and challenges. United Nations.
World Health Organization. (2021). Women’s health: Key facts and strategic priorities. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2021). Global strategy on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (2016–2030). World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2022). WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2022). Guidance on digital interventions for health system strengthening. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2023). Women’s health and well-being in the context of universal health coverage. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2023). Global report on hypertension: The race against a silent killer. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2024). Accelerating the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases among women. World Health Organization.
World Bank. (2022). Women, business and the law 2022. World Bank.
United Nations Population Fund. (2022). State of world population 2022: Seeing the unseen – The case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy. UNFPA.
The Lancet Women and Health Commission. (2021). Women and health: The key priorities for a healthier future. The Lancet.
O’Neil, A., Scovelle, A. J., Milner, A., & Kavanagh, A. (2022). Gender/sex and social determinants of health inequalities: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 301, 114935.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Social Issues and Health Sciences (JSIHS)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
