It’s Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week this week and it is dedicated to all women across Australia to make good health a priority. It started on Monday the 3rd of September and will finish on the 7th of September but it doesn’t mean that you stop taking good care of yourself.
This week is an opportunity for all women to put ourselves first (for a change) and start positive changes to our mental and physical selves that we can stick with for a long time. I do a lot of work from home and even though I have always a lot that needs to be done I make sure that I do something for myself be it a short mediation or a walk or I cook delicious and healthy lunch.
Jean Hailes team conducted a survey this year with more than 15000 women to find out what their greatest concerns are.
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Jean Hailes for Women’s Health surveyed more than 15,000 women across Australia this year to find out their greatest health concerns, habits and needs. The result is a deep insight into the wellbeing of women across the country as they juggle busy lives with work, home and family demands and the increasing pressures of the digital world.
The Jean Hailes Women’s Health Survey 2018, launched today, reveals that almost half of women surveyed had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety by a doctor or psychologist. And two-thirds of women reported feeling nervous, anxious or on edge nearly every day or on more than seven days in the last four weeks.
“Anecdotally we hear more and more about the ‘sandwich generation’ of women, who are trying to juggle busy careers with kids and ageing parents,” says Chris Enright, Head of Education & Knowledge Exchange, at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. “Our survey reflects that women worry about their health, particularly their weight, and getting enough time to themselves just to unwind, and 9.5% of women drink alcohol every day.”
“These findings help us to understand the behaviours of women in relation to their health, and importantly, how we can help them to lead healthy lifestyles,” says Ms. Enright.
“What we also found interesting is that half of survey respondents describe themselves as overweight or obese yet 70% of women say they do at least two hours of moderate physical activity every week,” she says. “Many women are trying to stay strong and healthy but almost a third of women who responded to our survey said they wanted to know more about healthy eating and nutrition.”
There is also good news in the results. “Hardly any of the 15,000 women that we surveyed are regular smokers—90% hadn’t smoked in the past year. And half of women describe their health as very good or excellent,” says Ms Enright.
“At Jean Hailes, we are big believers in being proactive to maintain optimal health,” she says. “Get to know your own body and what’s ‘normal’ for you. Talk to your GP about any abnormal changes and ensure you get regular check-ups.”
The survey launch: The results of the survey will be launched in Melbourne in tandem with the launch of Women’s Health Week. This is the fourth annual Women’s Health Survey 2018. With more than 15,000 respondents this year, it’s the largest to date. Hard and soft copies of the Optus-sponsored report are available.
Launch date: Saturday, 1 September, 9am (approx. one hour)
Address: The Rotunda, Catani Gardens, St Kilda VIC (see map below for details)
Women’s Health Week: Running 3-7 September, more than 100,000 people across the country have registered to attend a Women’s Health Week event or subscribed to receive free daily videos, podcasts, stories, recipes and much more. Landmarks across Australia will be turning pink during the campaign in celebration, including Flinders Street Station and the Sound Tube in Melbourne, Sydney Town Hall, Canberra’s Royal Mint and SkyCity Adelaide.
Footage/Interviews: Women’s Health Week major partner Step into Life, an outdoor group personal training organisation, will be running a group training session to celebrate the launch of the week. Participants in purple ‘Step into Women’s Health Week’ t-shirts will be doing a range of exercises including kick-boxing and circuit training. There will be women prepared to talk about their own health concerns and needs and Jean Hailes experts on hand to put it all into perspective.
For further information on Women’s Health Week, and for campaign images, please visit www.womenshealthweek.com.au.
About Jean Hailes
Jean Hailes for Women’s Health is a national not-for-profit organisation committed to improving women’s knowledge and understanding of complex women’s health issues. Jean Hailes has a unique model, combining medical centres, research and a department that translates the latest health findings into practical, accessible information on our website, through resources, educational programs and health professional events. Jean Hailes only produces trusted evidence-based information reviewed by our in-house team of clinicians. In 2016, Jean Hailes was officially recognised as the Federal Government’s national digital gateway for women’s health.
For media
The report will be available from 6am Saturday at https://jeanhailes.org.au/womens-health-survey-2018. For other requests, please contact Janelle Carrigan on 0409 939 920 or email media@jeanhailes.org.au
https://jeanhailes.org.au/news/launch-of-womens-health-survey-and-womens-health-week