Women’s Health Week is a nation-wide campaign of events and online activities coordinated by Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. It runs from 5-11 September 2022 and is the biggest health week in Australia dedicated to the good health and wellbeing of women, girls and gender diverse people.

What can you do or support women, girls and gender diverse people with, during Women’s Health Week?

Women’s Health Week 2022 could be a great opportunity to focus on the following:

1. Encouraging women to make their health a priority
2. Screening women, girls and gender diverse people for diabetes or, for those already living with diabetes, ensuring their annual cycle of care is up to date
3. Encourage other health checks for women or screenings

Making health a priority

Maintaining good health across the lifespan is essential to reduce the risk of illness, including chronic health conditions like diabetes, maintaining independence, having good self-esteem and longevity.

For many women, finding the time to focus on their health and making it a priority can be difficult as they juggle the many demands often put on them – family, friends, community and work to name a few.

So this could be a good time for you and, or your clinic to put some emphasis on women’s health and consider some activities or programs to highlight this important issue for both women living with diabetes and all women in your communities.

Below are some websites that provide both resources and, or information on women’s health in general and women’s health week you might like to visit to gain some ideas or inspiration.

Download the WOMEN’S HEALTH WEEK 2022; Indigenous promotional toolkit.

Jean Hailes FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH.

#WomensHealthWeek

Screening for diabetes or complications

As a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce you will be aware of the increased incidence and risk of diabetes in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

Women’s health week could be a good time to consider screening for diabetes and for those already living with diabetes, reviewing their annual cycle of care screenings and completing those that are outstanding. Information on the annual cycle of care can be found here in print and in a podcast series here.

Other health checks

Women’s health week could be a time to promote overall health checks or to target a specific health issue or issues each day or for the week. Other health conditions or sicknesses can  make diabetes much harder to manage.

Other health checks to consider could include;

• Bowel health
• Bone health
• Breast health
• Cardiovascular health
• Cervical screening
• Fertility & reproductive health
• Immunisation status
• Mental and emotional health
• Sexual health
• Skin health

Living with diabetes has the potential to impact a number of the above body systems and functions recommended for screening. So why not use women’s health week to encourage them to focus on their health, be screened for diabetes, review their annual cycle of care screenings but to also consider all their other health screenings.

Encouraging women and girls to be healthy individuals, can lead to healthier and stronger families and communities.

Further information

For more information on diabetes please head to the Diabetes Australia website here OR call the NDSS Helpline on 1800 637 700 to speak with a health professional.

By Kerri Rankin, Registered Nurse and Credentialled Diabetes Educator