NEW YORK — On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams outlined his vision for a “New York City Women’s Health Agenda” aimed at dismantling decades of systemic inequity that have negatively affected the women’s health in all five boroughs.
Along with several health care leaders from his administration, the mayor acknowledged the long-standing and persistent issues affecting women’s health care in a live address, sharing plans and ideas for closing the gaps caused by long-standing structural inequalities. data, including lack of access to care, lack of inclusion, and lack of innovation.
“For too long, health and healthcare have been focused on men, but that changes today,” Mayor Adams said. “We have been on the sidelines of women’s health for far too long and I have personally seen firsthand how the health system is letting our women down. We are long overdue to break taboos and make New York City a model for the future of women’s health care. We are going to build a city that is here for all women and girls.”
Historically, women’s health has been plagued by inequities in many areas, from disease prevention to maternity care to mental health and management.
For example, in New York City, the average maternal mortality rate for black pregnant women is more than nine times the rate for white pregnant women. Unfortunately, many of these black deaths were preventable.
“For too long, our health care system has failed to adequately address women’s health care,” said New York City Council Vice President Diana Ayala. “It is important that we now begin to look at how we can reform our health care system to provide the best care for everyone, regardless of identity.”
Mayor Adams’ vision to create a blueprint for the future of women’s health in New York City includes:
- Relaunch of the Sex Education Working Group
- Convened by the New York City Commission on Gender Equity, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Equity, the task force will educate to younger New Yorkers and create a culture of sexual wellness and inclusion.
- In addition, the task force will work to update and implement 11 recommendations in its 2018 report, including ensuring school staff have core competencies around inclusion and respect and can also link students to health resources. appropriate sexual behavior outside of the school setting, as well as increasing broad community support for sexual health education through public awareness campaigns and information sessions.
- Commit immediately to tracking rates of different diseases
- Diseases tracked would include cancer, mental health conditions, heart disease, and possibly additional conditions, as well as life expectancy and other key indicators differentiated by age, race, and additional key factors.
- The Adams administration will use the findings to shape the work city agencies do on women’s health. The City will also report on these indicators in an effort to ensure progress is tracked regarding the state of women’s health in New York City.
- Convening a variety of thought leaders to create a strong and comprehensive women’s health agenda
- Building on previous successes for the city’s workforce
- Work will include examining how to create more menopause-friendly workplaces and promote access to health services using WorkWell, workplace wellness programs created specifically for city employees, as well as other existing avenues. The committee will also discuss how the city can achieve or develop accreditations to be more health friendly to women. This effort will make New York City the first city in the country to start a framework that focuses on its employees. The recommendations made by this group of experts will also inform future work so that New York City can become even more friendly to women’s health.
- Expanding access to medical abortion at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) clinics
- Starting Wednesday, the Morrisania Sexual Health Clinic in The Bronx, DOHMH, will begin providing abortion pills to people. Several additional DOHMH neighborhood clinics in Crown Heights (Brooklyn), Central Harlem (Manhattan), and Jamaica (Queens) are scheduled to begin dispensing this medication by the end of the year. All 11 New York City Health + Hospitals (H+H) public hospitals across the city already offer medical abortion.
- Launch of an education campaign for providers on maternal health
- Launch of a Family Substance Use Disorder Program at H+H:
- The substance use disorder program will focus on supporting pregnant women and/or women with addiction problems, while also providing their children with mental health support and other services. The program will integrate family medicine, behavioral health and addiction medicine into a continuum of care.
- Commit to exploring expansion and access to pelvic floor physical therapy:
- Pelvic floor dysfunction can be caused by pregnancy, a traumatic physical incident, age, menopause, or obesity, and can lead to a number of problems, including pain and bowel problems. One in three women will experience a pelvic floor disorder in her lifetime.
“I applaud the mayor for highlighting the need for sensitive, compassionate and holistic health care for women,” said H+H Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Machelle Allen, MD. “As a woman of color, I’m not just a provider of women’s health care, I’m also a consumer. Regardless of our race, gender identity, religion, physical or cognitive ability, or body type, we are not invisible and deserve healthcare that meets our needs.”
Many women, both in New York City and around the world, suffer from preventable health problems and face a variety of health challenges.
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death among women, while breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer among women (after skin cancer) and the second leading cause of cancer death among women. women (after lung cancer).
“This week is a bitter anniversary as we mark what should have been 50 years of reproductive rights protection through Roe v. Wade,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Instead of focusing on what has been lost, we will put our energy into advancing women’s health and mobilizing all sectors of our city for this cause. As a husband, father of a daughter, ally, and physician, my hope is that our city will be a beacon for women’s health now and for generations to come. We don’t have another year to wait.”
