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A life-course approach to tackling noncommunicable diseases in women

Nature Medicine volume 30, pages 51–60 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Women’s health has been critically underserved by a failure to look beyond women’s sexual and reproductive systems to adequately consider their broader health needs. In almost every country in the world, noncommunicable diseases are the leading causes of death for women. Among these, cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke) and cancer are the major causes of mortality. Risks for these conditions exist at each stage of women’s lives, but recognition of the unique needs of women for the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases is relatively recent and still emerging. Once they are diagnosed, treatments for these diseases are often costly and noncurative. Therefore, we call for a strategic, innovative life-course approach to identifying disease triggers and instigating cost-effective measures to minimize exposure in a timely manner. Prohibitive barriers to implementing this holistic approach to women’s health exist in both the social arena and the medical arena. Recognizing these impediments and implementing practical approaches to surmounting them is a rational approach to advancing health equity for women, with ultimate benefits for society as a whole.

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Fig. 1: Causes of death and disability for women globally in 2019.
Fig. 2: A life-course approach to preventing and treating NCDs in women.

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Acknowledgements

C.C. is supported by the Australian Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (102741) and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant, Emerging Leadership 1 (APP2009726). C.A. is supported by the Medical Research Future Fund Investigator Grant and the New South Wales (NSW) Health EMCR Grant. M.L.Y. is supported by the NHMRC Investigator Grant (APP 2018108). A.H. is supported by the NSW Health Early Mid-Career Cardiovascular Fellowship. J.H. is supported by the UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship. M.W. is supported by the NHMRC Investigator Grant (APP1174120) and a Program Grant (APP1149987).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Cheryl Carcel, Sue Haupt.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The George Institute for Global Health, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Cheryl Carcel, Sue Haupt, Clare Arnott, Mei Ling Yap, Amanda Henry, Mark Woodward & Robyn Norton

  2. Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Cheryl Carcel

  3. Department of Cardiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Clare Arnott

  4. Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres, South-West Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Mei Ling Yap

  5. Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (CCORE), South-Western Sydney Clinical School, Ingham Institute, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Mei Ling Yap

  6. School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia

    Mei Ling Yap

  7. Discipline of Women’s Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Amanda Henry

  8. Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Amanda Henry

  9. The George Institute for Global Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK

    Jane E. Hirst, Mark Woodward & Robyn Norton

  10. Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Jane E. Hirst

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Correspondence to Cheryl Carcel.

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Competing interests

C.C. receives research support from Bayer. C.A. has received honoraria or sat on Advisory Boards for Astra Zeneca, Amgen and Novo Nordisk. M.W. has previously been a consultant to Amgen and Freeline.

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Carcel, C., Haupt, S., Arnott, C. et al. A life-course approach to tackling noncommunicable diseases in women. Nat Med 30, 51–60 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02738-1

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