Barriers to Women’s Mental Health Care

Women today face incredibly unique challenges when it comes to their mental health. And while mental health issues can affect anyone, certain barriers can make it especially difficult for women to access the care and support they need.

Understanding these barriers to health care is the very first step in addressing the mental health issues that women face. By shining a light on these barriers, we can work towards building a more fair and accessible mental health system for women across the world.

Let’s explore some of the more key challenges women encounter, like stigma and a lack of services, to provide a more holistic view of women’s mental health needs, gender disparities in mental health, and the experiences of women so we can find better ways to support them.

Do Women Face Gender-Specific Mental Health Issues?

Women often have unique mental health challenges that men don’t face as often. Some of the most common mental health issues affecting women more than men include depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

Let’s look at each of these in a bit more detail:

Depression

Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression, with statistics showing that women have a higher share of 50% of accessing mental health services between 2020 and 2022.

There are a few reasons for this:

• Stress and Trauma: Women are more likely to go through certain traumatic events, like domestic violence and sexual assault, which can lead to depression. They also typically take on more of the caregiving responsibilities, which can be mentally draining.
• Hormones: Changes in a woman’s hormone levels during their monthly cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can contribute to mood changes and depression.
• Social Pressures: Women face unrealistic expectations about how they should look, act in their relationships, and balance work and family. When they don’t meet these expectations, it can make them feel inadequate and often lead to depression. ^[1]

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are also more common in women than men. And this could be for a number of reasons:

• Brain Chemistry: Women’s brains are wired in a way that makes them more prone to worry and anxiety.
• Gender Roles: Traditional female roles, like being the primary caregiver, create a lot of pressure and anxiety.
• Life Experience: Women are more likely to go through anxiety-provoking events, like sexual assault and domestic abuse, than men are.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are much more common in women than men, making them gender-specific mental health issues. Here’s why:

• Cultural Pressures: Women face intense societal pressure to have a specific body type, fueling eating disorders.
• Biology and Puberty: The hormonal changes during puberty make women more likely to develop eating disorders.
• Trauma and Abuse: Women who experience trauma, especially sexual abuse, are at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder.

Mental health issues can affect anyone, but the unique biological, psychological, and social factors women face put them at a higher risk.

What Barriers Do Women Face when Accessing Mental Health Care?

Women’s access to health care, in general, is not what it should be. And access to mental health services is so heavily influenced by socioeconomic factors and cultural background. Factors like income, education, and employment create major obstacles to getting the care they need.

Women with lower incomes often can’t afford mental health treatment, even if they have insurance. Copays and deductibles also make therapy and medication unaffordable, and many women – especially those working low-wage jobs – don’t have insurance at all.

These financial barriers affect certain groups of women more, like women of color and single mothers. They often have to choose between paying for mental or general health care and basic needs like food and housing. Sadly, this means that too many women go without the support they need.

A woman’s level of education and job status also affect her access to mental health services. And women with more education and stable, well-paying jobs have better insurance coverage and more flexibility to attend appointments. On the other hand, women with less education, who are unemployed, or who work low-wage jobs face extra challenges. They often have trouble taking time off work, finding childcare, or navigating the healthcare system to find affordable providers.

But, beyond money and jobs, cultural beliefs and societal stigma about mental health also play a role and can prevent women from seeking help. In some communities, women and mental health issues are seen as a personal weakness or something to be ashamed of. Women fear being judged or discriminated against if they admit they’re struggling.

Gender roles and family responsibilities also make it hard for women to focus on their mental health as they’re expected to be the primary caregivers, managing their households and supporting loved ones. This leaves very little time or energy for them to take care of themselves.

Additional Barriers to Mental Health Care

Women already face a lot of challenges in accessing health care. But, for certain groups of women, those challenges are even more significant. Let’s look at why these challenges exist:

Race and Ethnicity

Women of color often have a more challenging time getting quality mental health care. This is because of a mix of factors, including:

• Limited access to health insurance and affordable health care providers in their communities.
• Language and cultural barriers that make it harder to communicate with their healthcare professionals.
• A lack of trust in the medical system due to a history of discrimination and unethical practices.

These issues typically affect women of color who avoid seeking health care because they’re worried about being judged or even misunderstood.

Sexual Orientation

LGBTQ+ women have a harder time getting good quality mental health care. This stems from a fear of seeing a provider who isn’t supportive of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Transgender and non-binary people, too, struggle to find mental health care providers or professionals who understand gender identity and offer gender-affirming care and advice. The stress of dealing with social stigma and discrimination also takes a significant toll on their mental wellbeing.

Disability

For women with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, getting mental health support can be quite a challenge. Accessibility issues, like a wheelchair ramp or American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, make it harder to even get in the door.

Women with disabilities also face higher rates of abuse and trauma, which contributes to mental health problems. But, they often have a hard time finding healthcare professionals who understand their unique experiences and mental healthcare needs. ^[2]

The reality is that many women face multiple intersecting barriers because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other aspects of their identities. This creates an overwhelming number of obstacles to accessing the care they so desperately need.
With the right resources and understanding, all women can get the mental health care they need to live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Is There a Lack of Gender-Sensitive Mental Health Services?

Finding mental health services that meet unique needs is a challenge that women across the world face. And there are a few key areas where this support is often lacking:

Trauma-Informed Care

Women are far more likely than men to experience traumatic events like sexual assault, domestic abuse, and childhood violence. These experiences have a significant impact on mental health, and not all healthcare providers and professionals are trained in trauma-informed care. It is crucial to find a professional who understands how trauma affects the mind and body and who will provide sensitive and empathetic treatment.

Perinatal Mental Health

The period before and after childbirth is a very vulnerable time for a woman’s mental health. And perinatal mental health services, like support for postpartum depression, are hard to come by for many women. New mothers do not get the care they need to cope with the significant physical and emotional changes they’re going through. ^[3]

Beyond a lack of specialized services, there are also problems within the health care system that make it harder for women to get good mental health care. Mental health care is often separate from regular doctor’s visits, making it harder for women to access it because they have to go to different places and see different providers.

Another issue is that healthcare providers don’t always check for mental health issues, even during essential checkups like annual exams or prenatal visits. This means that a lot of women’s mental health needs go unnoticed. Fixing the gaps in services and problems in the health care system is so essential for making sure that all women get the mental health support they need. With the proper care and resources, women can improve their mental and physical health.

What Impact Does Violence and Abuse Have on Mental Health?

Gender-based violence, like domestic abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking, is a major problem that has an enormous impact on women’s mental health. Sadly, this kind of violence is all too common, leaving deep emotional scars.

Women who experience gender-based violence are more likely to develop mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And the trauma of these events is overwhelming, leading to feelings of fear, shame, and hopelessness. Some women often turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

The effects of this trauma last for years, making it hard for survivors to feel safe, trust others, and take care of themselves. Their mental wellbeing and ability to function in daily life are severely compromised. Despite the serious mental health outcomes, many women face obstacles when trying to get support and treatment. These include:

• Feeling ashamed or embarrassed about what happened to them and worrying about being judged by others.
• Not being able to afford therapy or find providers who specialize in trauma-informed care.
• Worrying that seeking help could put them in more danger from an abusive partner or their attacker.

These barriers mean that too many women don’t get the care they need to heal from their trauma and rebuild their lives.

How Can Women Overcome Barriers to Mental Health Care?

Improving women’s access to quality mental health care is so important, and some promising solutions and initiatives can make it happen and support women and mental health issues.
Here are a few:

Policy Changes

One of the key areas that need to be improved is policy reform. Lawmakers are pushing for things like:

• Requiring insurance and health care providers to cover mental health services at the same level as physical health.
• Increasing the funding for community-based mental health programs, especially in the poorer or disadvantaged areas.
• Implementing universal screening for postpartum depression and other perinatal mental health issues women face today.

Community Initiatives

At a local level, many communities are launching programs to support women’s mental health and wellbeing. Here’s what can help:

• Support groups and peer counseling for survivors and victims of gender-based violence.
• Culturally inclusive mental health services for minority groups.
• Integrating mental health care into primary care settings to reduce the barriers.

Ultimately, empowering women to advocate for their own mental health is crucial. Improving mental health literacy, destigmatizing treatment, and giving women the tools to navigate the health care system can make a big difference. With the right policies, community resources, and empowerment, it is possible to build a mental healthcare system that meets the needs of women.