© 2025 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Why are women's health concerns dismissed so often?

Your immune system is probably more prepared than you think.
Your immune system is probably more prepared than you think.

From chronic pain to emergency room visits, women’s medical concerns are often dismissed at higher rates than those of men.

One study shows that middle-aged women with chest pain were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than their male counterparts. Another study found that women and people of color who visited emergency rooms with chest pain waited longer to be seen by a doctor. 

America’s gynecological practice has been traced back to slavery.Today, gender and racial bias still affect the way people are diagnosed and receive care.

We talk about why this still happens and what can be done about it. 

Copyright 2023 WAMU 88.5

Michelle Harven

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.