FACTS AND STATS ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH

Below is a compilation of basic stats and facts about the status of women's health in the United States. The data represented here are from a variety of studies and surveys conducted over the past few years by different organizations. Methodologies and populations might vary slightly, which is why not all numbers match up perfectly. Nonetheless, the big picture remains unequivocal: While women earn less than men, they have higher healthcare costs and not always the best access to the treatments they need.

Gender Pay Gap:

Working women only earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men.
Taking into account motherhood penalty and fatherhood bonus, mothers only earn 73 cents for every dollar earned by fathers.
Retired women only receive 70 cents in retirement benefits for every dollar received by men.

Effects of COVID on Employment Equality:

At the outset of the Covid crisis, about 13% of women lost their jobs, and only about 10% of men.
Amongst parents of young children, about 12% of mothers lost their job at the outset of the Covid crisis, and only about 4% of fathers.

AAUW, The Simple Truth - 2020 Update

Gender Disparities in Healthcare Expenses, Per Capita:

On average, women spend about 21% more on healthcare annually than men.
Working women age 19-64 spend about 26% more on healthcare annually than men of the same age group.
Women age 19-44 spend about 62% more on healthcare than men of the same age group because of pregnancy and childbirth related healthcare services.

CMS, National Health Expenditure Fact Sheet,

US Personal Health Care Spending By Age and Gender, 2014

Gender Disparities in Healthcare Access:

24% of women have reported problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, compared to only 17% of men.
27% of women with children have reported problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, compared to only 19% of men with children.
21% of women report that their concerns were dismissed by a provider, compared to only 13% of men.
38% of women with poor health and 38% of young women has had a negative healthcare experience with a providers.

KFF, Women's Health Survey - Women’s Health Care Utilization and Costs, 2020

20% of women has reported skipping recommended medical tests or treatment due to healthcare costs, compared to only 15% of men.

KFF, Barriers to Care Experienced by Women in the United States, JAMA 2019

Women's Health in the US Compared to Other Countries:

26% of women age 18-64 in the US have to pay out-of-pocket costs in excess of $2,000 every year, compared to only about 7% on average in other developed countries (this is including Switzerland, where out-of-pocket costs in excess of $2,000 per year are at 28%).
44% of women age 18-64 in the US report having problems paying their medical bills, compared to only about 17% on average in other developed countries.
38% of women age 18-64 in the US report skipping necessary treatments because of cost, compared to only about 15.5% on average in other developed countries.
20% of women age 18-64 in the US has suffered from at least 2 chronic illnesses, compared to only about 12% on average in other developed countries.
Among every 100,000 women ages 15-49 who give live birth in the US, 14 die. This is compared to other developed countries, where only 7 out of 100,000 women in the same age bracket suffer from maternal mortality during life birth.

FACTS AND STATS ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH

Gender Pay Gap:

Working women only earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Taking into account motherhood penalty and fatherhood bonus, mothers only earn 73 cents for every dollar earned by fathers.

Retired women only receive 70 cents in retirement benefits for every dollar received by men.

Effects of COVID on Employment Equality:

At the outset of the Covid crisis, about 13% of women lost their jobs, and only about 10% of men.

Amongst parents of young children, about 12% of mothers lost their job at the outset of the Covid crisis, and only about 4% of fathers.

AAUW, The Simple Truth - 2020 Update

Gender Disparities in Healthcare Expenses, Per Capita:

On average, women spend about 21% more on healthcare annually than men.

Working women age 19-64 spend about 26% more on healthcare annually than men of the same age group.

Women age 19-44 spend about 62% more on healthcare than men of the same age group because of pregnancy and childbirth related healthcare services.

CMS, National Health Expenditure Fact Sheet,

US Personal Health Care Spending By Age and Gender, 2014

Gender Disparities in Healthcare Access:

24% of women have reported problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, compared to only 17% of men.

27% of women with children have reported problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, compared to only 19% of men with children.

21% of women report that their concerns were dismissed by a provider, compared to only 13% of men.

38% of women with poor health and 38% of young women has had a negative healthcare experience with a providers.

KFF, Women's Health Survey - Women’s Health Care Utilization and Costs, 2020

20% of women has reported skipping recommended medical tests or treatment due to healthcare costs, compared to only 15% of men.

KFF, Barriers to Care Experienced by Women in the United States, JAMA 2019

Women's Health in the US Compared to Other Countries:

26% of women age 18-64 in the US have to pay out-of-pocket costs in excess of $2,000 every year, compared to only about 7% on average in other developed countries (this is including Switzerland, where out-of-pocket costs in excess of $2,000 per year are at 28%).

44% of women age 18-64 in the US report having problems paying their medical bills, compared to only about 17% on average in other developed countries.

38% of women age 18-64 in the US report skipping necessary treatments because of cost, compared to only about 15.5% on average in other developed countries.

20% of women age 18-64 in the US has suffered from at least 2 chronic illnesses, compared to only about 12% on average in other developed countries.

Among every 100,000 women ages 15-49 who give live birth in the US, 14 die. This is compared to other developed countries, where only 7 out of 100,000 women in the same age bracket suffer from maternal mortality during life birth.

The Commonwealth Fund, International Health Policy Survey, 2016

The publication also used data from the OECD and UNICEF.

Participating Countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands,

New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom

FACTS AND STATS ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH

​Gender Pay Gap:

Working women only earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Taking into account motherhood penalty and fatherhood bonus, mothers only earn 73 cents for every dollar earned by fathers.

Retired women only receive 70 cents in retirement benefits for every dollar received by men.

​

Effects of COVID on Employment Equality:

At the outset of the Covid crisis, about 13% of women lost their jobs, and only about 10% of men.

Amongst parents of young children, about 12% of mothers lost their job at the outset of the Covid crisis, and only about 4% of fathers.

​

AAUW, The Simple Truth - 2020 Update

​Gender Disparities in Healthcare Expenses, Per Capita:

On average, women spend about 21% more on healthcare annually than men.

Working women age 19-64 spend about 26% more on healthcare annually than men of the same age group.

Women age 19-44 spend about 62% more on healthcare than men of the same age group because of pregnancy and childbirth related healthcare services.

​

CMS, National Health Expenditure Fact Sheet,

US Personal Health Care Spending By Age and Gender, 2014

​Gender Disparities in Healthcare Access:

24% of women have reported problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, compared to only 17% of men.

27% of women with children have reported problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, compared to only 19% of men with children.

21% of women report that their concerns were dismissed by a provider, compared to only 13% of men.

38% of women with poor health and 38% of young women has had a negative healthcare experience with a providers.

​

KFF, Women's Health Survey - Women’s Health Care Utilization and Costs, 2020

​

20% of women has reported skipping recommended medical tests or treatment due to healthcare costs, compared to only 15% of men.

​

KFF, Barriers to Care Experienced by Women in the United States, JAMA 2019

​Women's Health in the US Compared to Other Countries:

26% of women age 18-64 in the US have to pay out-of-pocket costs in excess of $2,000 every year, compared to only about 7% on average in other developed countries (this is including Switzerland, where out-of-pocket costs in excess of $2,000 per year are at 28%).

44% of women age 18-64 in the US report having problems paying their medical bills, compared to only about 17% on average in other developed countries.

38% of women age 18-64 in the US report skipping necessary treatments because of cost, compared to only about 15.5% on average in other developed countries.

20% of women age 18-64 in the US has suffered from at least 2 chronic illnesses, compared to only about 12% on average in other developed countries.

Among every 100,000 women ages 15-49 who give live birth in the US, 14 die. This is compared to other developed countries, where only 7 out of 100,000 women in the same age bracket suffer from maternal mortality during life birth.

​

The Commonwealth Fund, International Health Policy Survey, 2016

The publication also used data from the OECD and UNICEF.

Participating Countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands,

New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom

Gender Pay Gap:

Gender Disparities in Healthcare Expenses, Per Capita:

Gender Disparities in Healthcare Access:

Women's Health in the US Compared to Other Countries: