Flo Health Inc.’s Post

Looking forward to supporting Bridgette René McCullough, PhD, MSL, Northwestern IRB and these other amazing presenters at this event tomorrow. Women’s health has garnered significant attention over the past year due to founders, investors, researchers, clinicians, patients and advocates all working to contribute to and amplify the opportunities and challenges in this space. Yet many persistent gaps exist spanning from maternal health where Black women are 3X more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women and the U.S. ranks among the worst internationally with growing OB-GYN deserts across the country to autoimmune conditions where women make up 80% of patients and Alzheimer’s where women are 66% of patients yet little is known as to why these sex differences exist. Menopause impacts 100% of women reaching those mid-life years yet stigma and lack of research funding have forced most women to suffer in silence from symptoms and the sudden increased prevalence of many conditions (from heart disease to cardiometabolic syndrome to autoimmune conditions) that impact their work, families and communities. We need to change the landscape in women’s health!

A conversation with Stephen Porges, developer of Polyvagal Theory. In this conversation we dove deep into the science of Polyvagal Theory and how it applies to women's health across the lifespan.

I am inspired by Joel Bervell's tireless work to close the treatment gap in raced based healthcare. He is to be admired for his commitment to complex ideas and his advocacy for equitable healthcare. ✨ I am inspired to contribute to this cause. Racial bias in healthcare can lead to negative outcomes, under-diagnosis, and disparities in treatment. When doctors rely on ethnicity as a determinant of diagnosis, they run the risk of creating negative emotions and ignoring patients' individual needs. This can result in delayed or misdiagnosed conditions, ultimately impacting patient outcomes and exacerbating existing healthcare inequalities. One of the negative effects of race-based assumptions is the potential for misinterpretation of symptoms. Different ethnicities may present symptoms differently, leading to misdiagnoses if healthcare providers rely solely on racial categorizations rather than considering individual patient experiences. Additionally, race-based medicine can contribute to implicit bias in treatment decisions, affecting the quality and timeliness of care received by patients from marginalized communities. Furthermore, race-based assumptions can hinder medical research and innovation. By focusing on race rather than underlying biological processes, researchers may miss important factors that contribute to disease progression and effective treatment. This limits our understanding of complex health problems and impedes progress towards more effective and inclusive health solutions. 📌 As a top rated medical content writer, I write to raise awareness of the negative effects of ethnically based medicine and to promote evidence-based patient care in healthcare. Through my writing, I want to educate medical professionals and the public about the importance of addressing disparities in health care and advocating for equal treatment for all patients. #HealthEquality #MedicalResearch #DiversityinMedicine #PatientCare #HealthJustice #racialbiasinmedicine #healthcareonlinkedin

As we close out Fibroid Awareness Month, I spoke with BlackDoctor.org about how too many of us suffer in silence. Most women have uterine fibroids, and while we don’t fully understand why, we know that Black women tend to have them more frequently and with more severe symptoms. There’s a lack of high-quality research on this, which is partly why we have Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month—to raise awareness and push for more understanding and better care. Heavy periods and debilitating cramps are not just part of being a woman. Talk to your provider and let your representatives know that research into uterine fibroids and women’s health should be a priority. Let’s advocate for ourselves and ensure we receive the best care possible.

What’s happening the month of June? Well, it's Men’s Health Month! 🌟🩺 Did you know that men are significantly less likely than women to see a doctor or report their symptoms to a provider? An estimated 60% of men go to the doctor for an annual routine check-up, and 40% won’t go until something is seriously wrong. Let’s change this men, discover tips and resources to keep you at your best. Read more from IU School of Medicine: https://lnkd.in/gUUiJ6zw

What a powerful example of structural racism and epistemic injustice (power dynamics impacting who does and doesn’t get heard) in action within health and care services. If it wasn’t for that young girls mother acting as her advocate, she may have had a very different outcome. The adultification of Black children must be paid closer attention to and tackled. This may be an example from America but we are not safe from race-based assumptions in the U.K either. Stereotypes that Black women have different shaped pelvises, or don’t feel pain still persist in the NHS leading to harm, unequal outcomes and in some cases death. Not to mention medical staff being more likely to dismiss concerns over symptoms, for example relating to jaundice or eczema, on Black people as staff do not recognise them on darker skin. In the words of Birthrights U.K., we are dealing with systemic racism, not broken bodies.

Health inequity is not always a matter of lack of access for historically marginalized communities. Sometimes, health inequity is due to racial bias in medicine. Racial bias in medicine can often either be attributed to unconscious bias on the part of the individual or to the education individual HCPs received in medical institutions that exist in societies built on a foundation of systemic racism. Meaning that, in the latter situation, HCPs were carefully taught to practice racial bias in medicine. Racial bias in medicine often leads to medical gaslighting, requiring the patient or caregiver to passionately advocate and seek second opinions for themselves or their loved ones. Fighting institutional racism one case at a time, like Joel Bervell expertly does, is one valiant way of addressing the issue. This approach helps to raise awareness among patients, caregivers, HCPs, and healthcare institutions alike. However, if HCPs were also taught to offer a differential diagnosis - regardless of the race of their patient - instead of being taught to factor in race, medical institutions could be change agents. #healthinequity #healthequity #racialbiasinmedicine #medicalgaslighting #dei #equity #healthcare #racialbiasinmedicine #differentialdiagnosis #systemracisim #institutionalracism #racialbias #biasinmedicine #bethechange

Ever heard of a pre-screening questionnaire for cervical screening? It can be difficult to disclose sensitive information, a disability or reason why you might find cervical screening difficult. It can be really beneficial to write these things down in advance and easier than verbalising at the appointment, where you may already be feeling nervous. Asking for support, understanding or a reasonable adjustment to give you the appointment you require, is so important. Communication is key & we really are there to support. You do not need to prove or justify anything. We want you to feel supported, safe and listened too. The pre screening questionnaire can be a good way to document what you may have difficulty with and support you may need. You can discuss anything in advance of the appointment with a nurse either face to face or on the phone. If you live in Suffolk or North East Essex & need any support or would like a pre-screening questionnaire please get in touch. 💛 #reasonableadjustments #neurodiversity #traumasurvivor #disabilityinclusion

On #WorldPreeclampsiaDay, we recognize the pioneering research being conducted by physicians and scientists, including Sarosh Rana, MD, MPH, and her colleagues at The Rana Preeclampsia Laboratory at University of Chicago, to better understand and treat #preeclampsia to improve outcomes for pregnant women and their babies in the US and globally. Read more about the Rana Preeclampsia Laboratory's mission and work here: https://bit.ly/4dSuJZV

So worth a watch!!! If you don’t know what weathering is, in short, it’s a body that experiences the symptomatic nervous response, passed the level of tolerance, and without enough of a period of “repair”/support. And the impact on the biomedical outcomes of the physical health (health outcomes). This video briefly explains an example of PREVENTABLE #healthcaretrauma, which racism (and potentially gender bias) caused. Experiencing racism can cause weathering, as well as other circumstances (not to mention intersectionalities). Here’s an article that explains it a bit more: https://lnkd.in/ec5MzvST