How Femtech can help reduce gender health inequality

Gender equality is an important and much-discussed topic today. It is defined as having equal access to opportunities, rights, and resources for all people. However, it is usually spoken of in the context of education or career opportunities, legal rights, freedom to choose, etc. However, health inequality, one of the most severe inequalities that women face, is not being discussed enough.

India, despite being a $3.95 trillion economy, is still grappling with significant health inequalities, especially among women. A complex interplay of a host of sociocultural, economic, infrastructural, and geographic factors contributes to this burden among the roughly 700 million Indian women, both in urban and rural areas. Orthodox societal norms, patriarchal practices, and economic considerations significantly restrict women's access to improved healthcare.

Cultural practices

There is a deep-rooted preference for the male child in Indian society. For example, women and girls are supposed to eat after men and boys, but they often have to eat what's left. They are often relegated to the background. This is true not just in nutrition but also in education and especially in healthcare.

Another major malpractice is child marriage. Parents view marrying off girls as a major duty, with the operating principle being the sooner the better. These early marriages lead to complications such as teen pregnancies and severe health problems, which contribute to the poor health of women and infants.

Human biases

There are several biases among women themselves that prevent better healthcare. The belief that being a woman is about enduring ‘pain’ without a word, and hence for any health issue, women are supposed to ‘bear it’. This keeps most of them away from seeking medical advice and proper care.

There is also mistrust for modern medicine among Indian women, leading them to seek natural or home remedies or traditional medicine even for very severe problems. Modern medicine is considered ‘chemical’ and exorbitant, especially for women, and is often sought as the last resort, by which time things have already become worse.

Taboo topics

Indians are conservative, and hence a lot of topics like women’s menstruation, sexual queries and pleasure, childbirth, contraception, consent, sexually transmitted diseases, gynaecological problems, etc. are never discussed even among women themselves. A lot of Indian women stay at home as homemakers and almost never get exposed to information that can help them understand or seek help in these areas.

Societal norms

Indians have a very reactive mindset towards their health and well-being. And even when a health issue occurs, women tend to put themselves last. The traditional role of a woman being the family’s custodian expects her to 'sacrifice’ in the interest of her family and put others before her own well-being. This primary factor contributes to the early detection of numerous severe health issues and illnesses in Indian women.

Economic dependence

In Indian families, it is usually men who hold financial authority in the household. Women are primarily responsible for the kitchen and groceries, with little say in important decisions. This in turn limits their monetary means and therefore access to healthcare.

What’s Femtech and how can it help reduce gender health inequality

Femtech is essentially technology that is developed with women and their needs in mind. It pervades a wide range of services, tools, devices, and software created to improve women’s health outcomes. From menstrual tracking apps to fertility monitoring devices, Femtech solutions aim to empower women to control their health and well-being. These technologies can provide personalised health insights, facilitate access to healthcare providers, and break down barriers that traditionally hinder women's healthcare experiences, and that too within the privacy of their homes.

The smartphone-Femtech combination to the rescue

Although there is a gender gap in smartphone ownership as well, more and more women, in both rural and urban India, now own a smartphone, and once they have one, their propensity to consume internet content is as high as that of men. This spells an opportunity for Femtech interventions that can aid women in seeking better health outcomes in some domains crucial areas.

Maternal and child health 

Femtech can improve maternal and child health outcomes by providing access to prenatal care, maternal health monitoring, and newborn care information. Femtech-enabled devices can monitor foetal health and detect early signs of complications. Additionally, Femtech can facilitate the dissemination of information on child development, nutrition, and immunisation.

Reproductive health 

Femtech can help enhance access to reproductive health information and services. Period tracking apps can help women understand their menstrual cycles and plan family size. Pregnancy tracking apps can provide essential information on prenatal care and foetal development. Additionally, Femtech-enabled diagnostic tools can improve the accuracy of screening for cancers.

Chronic Disease Management 

Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, are on the rise in India. These are falsely believed to be 'male’ diseases, but increasingly women are also suffering from these problems, which often go unreported. Even after diagnosis, women often do not prioritise managing chronic diseases. Femtech can empower women to manage their chronic conditions through personalised health tracking, medication reminders, and access to health information within the privacy of their homes.

Mental health

Mental health issues are often neglected among women. Also, the stigma around the topic keeps them away from seeking professional help. Femtech can provide support and resources for women experiencing anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges. Mental health apps can offer coping strategies, information on available resources, and connections with other women.

Femtech offers a ready and extremely promising solution to address the health inequalities faced by Indian women. Although behavioural nudges and cultural re-engineering through various initiatives will also be required to completely eradicate gender health inequality from India, by leveraging technology, Femtech can improve access to healthcare, enhance health education, and empower women to take control of their health. As Femtech continues to evolve, it has the potential to transform the landscape of women's health in India and beyond.

(The author, Atin Roy, is the Senior Vice President of Ogilvy Health & Wellness. He works with Ogilvy teams across functions and geographies on brands like P&G Health Asia, Nestle, etc., along with GSK Global, JHPIEGO and Colgate as part of the WPP Health & Wellness Practice.)