We need to increase research into women's health conditions, improve knowledge sharing between healthcare professionals and make information about these conditions more accessible to the public.
These are some of the recommendations that a task force on women's health has just submitted to the regional council of the Capital Region of Denmark. Health conditions that specifically affect women include endometriosis, PCOS and pelvic organ prolapse.
A diverse task force
38-year-old Bushra Hanif is one of the 10 women who participated in the task force. She suffers from polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, which causes her to experience severe menstrual pain, heavy bleeding and increased hair growth – symptoms that first appeared in her teenage years.
"I wanted to join the task force because I’d lived with a women's health condition for many years without really knowing what it was and without ever being given a definitive diagnosis. It was a long journey through the healthcare system, and I struggled to navigate it as specialists often had conflicting views on how to treat me," she says.
Her experiences with the healthcare system have been incorporated into the task force's recommendations.
"Being part of this task force has been an absolutely amazing experience. We were a diverse group united by a common cause, yet each of us brought our own unique background and experiences to the table," she says, adding:
"I hope our work will help break down the taboos surrounding these conditions that so many women struggle with."
Short and long-term solutions
Maria Gudme (Social Democrats), chair of the task force and member of the region council, says having patients and their families help shape the recommendations adds particular credibility to the proposals.
"Working with the task force has been both important and insightful. It’s been incredibly valuable to have these women's experiences as the foundation for our policy proposals. In addition, we've struck a good balance between concrete initiatives that can be implemented immediately and initiatives that require a long-term effort, where not only the region but also municipalities and parliament need to be involved," she says.
Hundreds of people wanted to share their experiences about women’s health conditions.
When the region began looking for participants in autumn 2024, interest in joining the task force was overwhelming. More than 300 people applied to join.
The objective of a task force is to find solutions that benefit both patients and the wider community by creating a more accessible and integrated healthcare system. According to Maria Gudme, task forces are an excellent platform for public involvement.
"I believe we should use task forces even more if we want people to engage with the healthcare system. It's been a long time since I've experienced such a level of engagement in regional council politics," says Maria Gudme, adding that the high level of interest is also because the topic resonates with so many people.
The task force consisted of 10 women affected by women's health conditions, two relatives to such women and four politicians.
The task force presented its recommendations to the regional council on 4 February, and now the health committee and the committee for close and coherent healthcare service will discuss how to implement the proposals.
The task force’s steering committee will also present their recommendations at a public event titled "The future of women's health" at Herlev Hospital on 6 February. This is an independent initiative organised by the group.
Learn more about the event The task force's recommendations:
- Prioritising research in women's health conditions
- Better knowledge sharing and collaboration among medical and healthcare staff
- Increasing awareness among the general population
- Individually customised treatment pathways
- Easy-to-access information and knowledge about women's health conditions
More information
- Public Relations at the Capital Region of Denmark, tel.: +45 7020 9588/ presse@regionh.dk