Acknowledging that women’s health remains underserved by the medical research community, and the impacts of sex differences and sociocultural factors on the health and wellbeing of women are rarely considered, the January 2024 issue of the journal Nature Medicine launched a “Series on Women’s Health.” The first installment by Carcel et al presents a Perspective calling for a life-course approach to the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in women. The authors assert that women’s health has been critically underserved by a failure to look beyond their sexual and reproductive systems to consider their broader health needs adequately. In almost every country in the world, NCDs are the leading causes of death for women. Among these conditions, cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke) and cancer are the major causes of mortality. Risks for these diseases exist at each stage of women’s lives, but recognition of the unique needs of women for the prevention and management of NCDs is relatively recent and still emerging.
Once diagnosed, treatments for these maladies often are costly and noncurative. Hence, there is a call for a strategic, innovative life-course approach to identifying disease triggers and instigating cost-effective measures to minimize exposure in a timely manner. Prohibitive barriers to implementing this holistic effort regarding women’s health exist in both the social arena and the medical arena. Recognizing these impediments and implementing practical approaches to surmounting them is a rational way to advancing health equity for women, with ultimate benefits for society. Although the impact of NCDs is greatest in older women, there is increasing evidence that across all life stages, women are susceptible to risk factors that ultimately contribute to those ailments. The authors contend that early education, timely initiation of preventive measures and consistent risk factor management over the course of a woman’s life represent a strategic approach to prevent or delay the progression of many NCDs. When opportunities for such interventions are overlooked in health systems, there can be substantial socioeconomic implications, as preventive interventions over the life course generally are more cost-effective than treating diseases after onset.