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  • 16 hours ago
Women in Liverpool are developing illness earlier and spending more of their lives in poor health compared with women elsewhere in the country. Health leaders say long-standing inequalities are driving the gap, with concerns raised over access to services, prevention and support across the city.
Transcript
00:00Across Liverpool, women are facing significantly poorer health outcomes than women nationally with illnesses developing earlier and more time spent
00:08in poor health.
00:09Analysis shared through NHS Cheshire and Merseyside engagement highlights that many women are experiencing ill health around 10 years earlier
00:18than elsewhere and spending around 30% of their lives in poor health.
00:23They are also more likely to die early from preventable causes with an inequality gap wider than seen for men.
00:30These patterns are being driven by long-standing social and economic inequalities, including poverty, low-paid or insecure work and
00:38unpaid caring responsibilities.
00:40Officials say these factors are having a cumulative impact on both physical and mental health across a woman's life course.
00:47Mental ill health is also a growing concern in the city, with depression affecting around 17% of women in
00:54Liverpool and nearly 30% of women in midlife.
00:59Preventable risk factors such as smoking, obesity, alcohol and drug use continue to contribute to avoidable illnesses, with drug-related
01:06deaths among women more than three times the England average.
01:10Through engagement with women across the city, a consistent message emerges that many do not feel listened to, believed or
01:17supported when seeking help.
01:20Dr Fiona Lemons of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside says services must respond differently to reduce inequalities further.
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