Women's Health Project

How do we ensure quality healthcare is delivered for all women in Australia, across all backgrounds, regions and contexts? An intersectional approach, rather than one that benefits only certain groups?We've seen and heard about some of the gender gaps in healthcare, but the gaps between different communities and groups of women can be far wider. In this episode, we touch on some of these gaps: including the gaps in between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in Australia, as well as the added hurdles and gaps faced by women with disabilities, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as refugee and asylum seeker women. These gaps are often known, but they're rarely addressed sufficiently. So what would a truly inclusive healthcare system look like? We explore all this and more in this episode of the podcast. The Women’s Health Project is an editorially independent special podcast series created by Women’s Agenda and supported by Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman.  Our Women's Agenda podcasts are produced by Agenda Media, the 100% female-owned and run publisher behind Women's Agenda. You can check out our other podcasts, The Leadership Lessons and The Women's Agenda Podcast.

As the Women's Health Project returns this week, we look at the massive push by women to change the business of women's health, including how care is delivered.  We look at how investors, inventors and others have failed to consider women's health for so long, and why the past few years especially have been seing the numbers shifting, the business community racing to catch up. With women contributing to discuss raising capital, inventing, digital health, FemTech, new models of care delivery and more, we look at how determination and grit will further transform the women's health space. The Women’s Health Project is produced by Agenda Media, publisher of Women’s Agenda. This project is editorially independent but made possible thanks to the support of Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman. 

How much exercise should you do? How fit should you be? What type of movements should you be focusing on? That will depend on who you talk to. Or rather who is talking to you, at any point of the day.On TV, in the media, and 24/7 on social media, via the influencers and fitfluencers sharing what’s become an ideal version of arms, legs, abs and buts. Every day, we’re exposed to a version of what it means to be fit as a woman. To some extent, it can be inspiring and motivating. But to another extent, actually harmful and even toxic. In this episode, we look at how pressures on women to achieve certain aesthetics have evolved over time, and have now hit news levels on social media. Especially through Instagram. With special guests including Dr Nikki Stamp, as well as psychologists and researchers, we ask: how did "women's health" become so intrinsically linked with aesthetics? The Women’s Health Project is a special podcast series created by Women’s Agenda and supported by Organon, the recently launched pharmaceutical company dedicated to a better and healthier every day for every woman. 

Pelvic floor! How does this all-important group of muscles remain such a mystery to women and girls, despite the role it serves in supporting everything from exercising to enjoying pleasurable sex, preventing bladder leaks and prolapse? Today, we're talking about it. With the help of some pelvic physios, women who've dedicated their lives and careers to learning everything possible about this aspect of our anatomy and supporting women and girls and anyone experiencing pelvic dysfunction or pain due to injury, childbirth, endometriosis or something else.We look at what women receive internationally to support pelvic health -- including up to 20 free pelvic physio sessions post birth in France. And we ask HOW is it that strengthening these muscles continues to go ignored, despite so many other fitness and exercise pressures placed on women. Particularly when it comes to social and media expectations of the "post baby body". This is the latest installment of The Women's Health Project, examining the areas of women's health that have been sidelined, ignored and underfunded for too long. Alongside the positive developments occurring that are addressing these health issues, and will ultimately support a better story and future for everyone. The Women's Health Project is hosted by Angela Priestley, produced by Allison Ho and published by Agenda Media, also the publisher of Women's Agenda. It's made possible thanks to the support of Organon.

Back in 2017, Health Minister Greg Hunt issued a rare apology to Australian women.He directed it towards the one in ten who suffer from endometriosis, noting that the condition should have been acknowledged at an earlier time. In a much more powerful way.His apology came on behalf of all those in parliament and from the medical system.The apology, during an Endo Active event in Canberra, featuring a number of different advocacy groups and “Endo Warriors" in the room, marked a major turning point for those who suffer from endometriosis in Australia.Because previously, endometriosis had gone largely ignored or overlooked.On this week’s Women’s Health Project, we’re exploring endometriosis in Australia: how far we’ve come, and the very long way we have to go.It takes an average six and a half years for someone to be diagnosed with endometriosis. And even that is an improvement: that figure is down from an average seven to 12 years a decade ago.

There is one area of women's health that's shaped a little different to others. Where significant progress has been made in recent history. That area is cervical cancer. It's the first and only cancer the World Health Organisation has set targets on eliminating, and one where recent developments in the days leading up to recording this podcast could put us on track to make it happen. So why has there been so much success in targeting this area? But then why have some groups of women been left behind? And how can we leverage the leadership needed to now make worldwide elimination possible?This is Episode 4 of the Women's Health Project, where we're investigating how and where women's health has been overlooked, as well as some of the innovations, research, and advocacy occurring that we can feel optimistic about.Today, with the help of one of Australia's pre-eminent women's health experts, Professor Marion Saville AO, we examine how progress has been made on cervical cancer. The Women's Health Project is hosted by Angela Priestley, produced by Allison Ho and the wider team at Agenda Media, the publisher of Women's Agenda. The project is editorially independent but made possible thanks to Organon.