Six alarming health trends every woman needs to know

Researchers at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research recently crunched nearly two decades worth of national data to gauge female wellness across the country — and uncovered a roster of disturbing health trends.

While certain indicators have generally improved in recent years — national mortality rates from heart disease and breast cancer have dipped, for example — several others show a need for prompt attention, said Cynthia Hess, study director at IWPR.

“Health isn’t something that exists in a vacuum,” said Hess, who used data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. “It’s connected to economic security, access to affordable health care, housing quality, access to healthy food and racism.”