Juliette Gagliardi
Junior Researcher
Women's health in Italy - Statistics & Facts
Women’s health issues have not been a priority for a long time, and only recently has awareness been raised on the topic. For example, until the 1990s, well-known illnesses, such as heart diseases, AIDS/HIV, and some types of cancer, were not recognized to manifest differently in female bodies. Moreover, even today, there is still a lack of research on diseases that are more prevalent among women, such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, or that affect them closely, such as endometriosis and vulvodynia. As of 2023, 51.21 percent of the Italian population was female, and their life expectancy at birth was 85.2 years, one of the highest worldwide. Women are most affected by chronic diseases with the share of females taking medicines in Italy in 2023 higher than that of males across almost all age groups.
Risky behaviors
Risky behaviors, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, having an unhealthy diet, excess weight, and physical inactivity, are meaningful variables that determine a person’s health. Generally, men have a higher tendency to engage in such unhealthy behaviors, for example, when it comes to smoking and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. However, the number of women who are underweight is considerably higher than men. Women who are underweight are at higher risk of osteoporosis, premature birth, anemia, and may experience irregular periods and skin, hair, or teeth problems.Breast cancer and cancer screening
The most frequent diagnosed cancer in Italy among females is breast cancer, with almost 56 thousand new cases estimated in 2023 and roughly 834 thousand women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Breast cancer is also the type of cancer causing the highest number of deaths among women in Italy, followed by lung and colorectal cancer. Nevertheless, the percentage of Italian women undergoing breast cancer screening decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 75.1 percent in 2019 to 68.8 percent in 2021, with the discontinuation of organized screening programs to manage the new health emergency.Menopause
Menopause is a physiologic moment in a woman’s life that coincides with the end of their fertility. Some women suffer some physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, and headaches, that may lower their quality of life. It usually happens between 45 and 55 years old but cases of precocious or tardive menopause are not rare. In Italy, out-of-pocket costs sustained to cope with menopause symptoms averaged 81.1 euros for doctor visits and consultations, 65.3 euros for laboratory examinations and tests, and 53.4 euros to buy supplements and alternative medicines per treatment. These costs are higher than those in France, Germany, Spain, and the UK, although the average length of menopause symptoms is the lowest in Italy, at 2.8 years.
