In too many ways, women's health care falls short

Last week we received news that not a single state in the country is making the grade on women's health.

A 10-year study from the National Women's Law Center and Oregon Health Services University ranks the states based on 26 measures of good health for women, established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Thirty-seven states, including Minnesota and the District of Columbia, got an overall ranking of "unsatisfactory." Two states, Vermont and Massachusetts, got a "satisfactory minus," and twelve states received a "failing" grade.

Among the alarming trends are a rise in the rates of chlamydia infections and a decline in the number of women getting their pap smears. On the latter measure, the most basic of preventive health care tools, Minnesota shamefully receives a failing grade.

Why the focus on women's health? The study points out that compared with men, women are poorer (on average), spend a greater portion of their incomes on health care (mostly because of reproductive health needs), have more difficulty accessing care and are more likely to struggle with medical debt and accessing care.

The report expresses hope that the national Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law in March, will slowly improve these grades.

There are, however, forces at work that appear determined to block any progress whatsoever on women's health. Note, for example, the cries to repeal national health care reform. And note the cries to "defund" Planned Parenthood being issued by U.S. Reps. Mike Pence, R-Ind., and Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. Their bill, which is waiting in the wings for the new Congress, would deny federal funding for family planning services to any organization that offers abortion care.

Last year, Planned Parenthood clinics in Minnesota served 63,865 patients, 95 percent of whom were seeking affordable birth control and gynecological care and 41,963 of whom needed help with payment. Last year, we dispensed 341,026 contraceptive units to prevent unintended pregnancy; conducted 153,656 family planning visits; filled 78,015 requests for emergency contraception, and provided 59,263 tests to stem the epidemic of sexually transmitted infections, 20,089 breast cancer screenings and 16,615 cervical cancer screenings.

We're doing everything in our power to improve the state's ranking on women's health. Shame on those who aren't.

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Sarah Stoesz is president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota.

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