Women’s health coming to light in N.S. election

In Nova Scotia, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, but despite being the second most common cancer worldwide and the most common amongst females, women’s health is often pushed to the back burner.

Between 2019 and 2021, there were 166 deaths per 100,000 females in Nova Scotia that were potentially avoidable with better prevention or care, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. While that number has been steadily decreasing over the past two decades, it is still well above the national average.

While the province struggles with a crippling health care system overall, with a shortage of primary care physicians and emergency room closures, those vying for the premier’s seat are committing to advancing women’s healthcare.

Incumbent PC Leader Tim Houston has dedicated himself to creating Canada’s first Menopause Centre of Excellence. The centre would be dedicated to managing symptoms related to perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause in the nearly 350,000 women over 40 across the province. The clinic would provide a variety of health services including primary care, obstetrician and gynecologist, urogynecologist, dietician, psychologist and physiotherapist.

“We’re ensuring these women have the attention they deserve from our healthcare system by providing improved access to specialized care,” Houston said in a statement.

Zach Churchill, leader of the Nova Scotia Liberals is also campaigning on a wealth of women’s health services including increasing access to menstrual products.

Canadian studies have shown that the average women spends approximately $6,000 on menstrual products in their life, averaging about $150 per year. With the cost of food and other necessities on the rise, menstrual products often become a last choice.

“To reduce barriers and ensure equal access to these much-needed products, especially for low-income Nova Scotians, it is important to have them available in easily-accessible spaces,” the Liberals state in its party platform, committing itself to providing free menstrual products in all provincial buildings.

The Liberals are also committed to closing the research gap on women’s health. Women are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed or to fail to receive a diagnosis altogether. According to the World Economic Forum, doctors are 10 times less likely to assess the pain of a woman than a man. This results in female conditions, like endometriosis and PCOS, and conditions that often present differently in women, like cardiovascular disease, autism and ADHD, flying under the radar.

The Liberals platform commits itself to dedicating 50 per cent of all research funding to study women’s health. The party has also pledged to create the position of a Minister of Women’s Health.

The Nova Scotia NDP has yet to release its platform.