Healthcare for women and equity-deserving communities has long been deeply and negatively affected by major gaps in research and investment. These gaps directly threaten well-being and survival; causing real and dangerous consequences on the health of women and our communities.
In the same way we know that children are not just small adults, but rather they require, and are deserving of, specialized research, healthcare, and treatment, we also know that women do not share the same genetic and physiological makeup as men and should demand the same considerations we give to children’s research and healthcare.
In fact, women were not required to be included in medical research studies in Canada until the 1990s, and continue to be overlooked by a healthcare system that does not prioritize disaggregated data, choosing instead to focus primarily on the physiologies of men.
The result of this practice is far reaching. For example, we are challenged by prescription drug therapies and treatment protocols that have not been studied in women, standardized doses that are often too high for most women and poor health outcomes stemming from inappropriate treatments.
This gap within healthcare research is not unique to patients. The gap also exists in the diversity and representation of the individuals doing the research. For example, although women now earn nearly half of all STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) undergraduate degrees in Canada, more and more women leave the field because of gender bias, harassment, hostility, and lack of institutional support within the system. This disappointing trend is true for all stages of women’s careers, from graduate studies to entry level roles, and throughout their careers to the most senior of levels.
This amounts to a crisis of underrepresentation. When health research is dominated by men, there remains a critical lack of knowledge about how different health conditions – such as heart health, diabetes, and mental health – uniquely impact women and equity-deserving communities.
“The problem is that there is no equitable investment in research, which is critical to inform safe and effective healthcare,” said Dr. Rulan Parekh, VP of Academics at Women’s College Hospital. “In fact, under seven per cent of medical research funding in Canada has been allocated to women’s health since 2014. There is not enough funding put towards women’s health research, access to healthcare or addressing gaps in health system innovation.”
This is why Women’s College Hospital Foundation established the Equitable Research Fund. The Fund allows our researchers, doctors, and staff to access when needs are urgent.
The Fund helps to further WCH’s work as one of only a few hospital-based research institutes in the world focused on advancing healthcare for women. We are changing practice, policy, and lives by closing the research gap in both data collection and representation.
For example, “WCH Academics addresses key gaps in healthcare, providing evidence to catalyze policy change and innovation in the healthcare system while always challenging the status quo for women’s health and diverse communities,” said Dr. Parekh.
At WCH Academics, over half of our scientists are women. Without comparison, we stand out as an exception to the rule: Canada wide, women make up 51 per cent of Canada’s population and represent over half of health science graduates in the country, yet only 28 per cent of Canada’s scientists are women, and even fewer are women of colour.
Our Department of Academics is leading the way in women and equity-led representation and in care and practice for our patients.
More than 60 per cent of our researchers are also active WCH clinicians. It typically takes about 17 years for research findings to be implemented into clinical practice, but history has shown us that healthcare can, and needs to, move quickly to execute new ways of care.
The hospital’s Learning Health System (LHS) utilizes feedback and data to make constant improvements to patient care in real-time, instead of years from now. By integrating and sharing data between research, clinical care, operations, and the community, everyone engages in research and quality enhancement with a shared mission of continual improvement and learning. The outcome creates positive changes for the best possible patient care.
With generous funding from TD Bank, WCH is one of the first hospitals in Canada to adopt a comprehensive approach, cementing us as leaders in patient-centered care and a model for the healthcare system. Closing the gender gap in health representation and data collection dramatically magnifies the power, impact, and possibilities of the healthcare system.
TD Bank’s support is enhancing equity in healthcare.
The Equitable Research Fund empowers us to continue to overcome healthcare barriers that make a positive impact on diverst communities.
