Each year, millions of dollars are spent studying absurd and ridiculous issues about women, yet the life and death research is left unstudied and for some like heart disease, skews more toward men. FACT: Heart disease kills more women each year than all cancers combined, 500,000 women! According to Dr. Norma Keller, chief of clinical cardiology at Bellevue Hospital in New York, “Cardiac disease has always been thought of as a male disease, even in the medical community. Most of the research has been in men with the results extrapolated to women.”
In January, the University of California San Francisco announced a first-of-its-kind study with findings published in Environmental Health News analyzing the chemicals in pregnant women and finding that 99-100% are likely to have “PBDEs – compounds used as flame retardants and now banned in many states, including California – and DDT – an organochlorine pesticide banned in the United States in 1972.”
PROGNOSIS? “The authors recommend that future work should focus on understanding sources of exposure and the health impacts from exposures to multiple chemicals.”
Really?
Where are millions going to fund studies on women? Here’s a few of the ridiculous:
Severely obese women may need to cut back on weight gain during pregnancy
“Women who are extremely obese may not need to gain that much weight during pregnancy, and those who don’t add too many pounds may find themselves and their babies healthier.” [DOES THIS REALLY NEED A STUDY]
Women, Cancer & Sex seem to get quite a lot of funding. Perhaps more than a cure?
Sexual Problems May Arise After Breast Cancer
“Monash University Medical School in Prahran, Australia, found that women diagnosed with breast cancer have little desire for sex.” [JUST DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HAVING SEX?!]
Sexual Issues Often Unaddressed in Women Who Survive Cancer
“Few doctors have the expertise to discuss women’s concerns about the effect of cancer on their sexuality, although doctors routinely bring up such questions among men treated for prostate cancer.” [FEW DOCTORS HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO DISCUSS WOMEN’S CONCERNS?]
And my favorite:
Alcohol and Sleep: Women Get the Short End of the (Stir) Stick
“On average, women who drank alcohol got about 20 minutes less sleep than those who did not, which is the equivalent of about 4 percent of a total sleep time of eight hours.” [THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE…]
Can you imagine getting a grant to get women and men drunk in order to determine how it affects their sleep!
These ridiculous studies affect both men and women, since research on and for women mean life and death for mothers, wives, sisters, grandmothers, daughters and granddaughters. I think it’s time to publish a yearly list of the stupidest studies for and about women and point fingers at the funders and the people in research and academia that are partners in this. Women deserve better!
Do you know of any studies to add? Comment below and I’ll add them or email me at Kathy@meandmy1000Girlfriends.com.
