Older women may face barriers to accessing appropriate health services. Areas of concern include:
- Financial Challenges: Lower super balances and limited income could make healthcare costs harder to manage, even with Medicare support.
- Distance to Services: In rural and remote areas, limited access to healthcare facilities may mean some women travel long distances for specialist care.
- Digital Divide: For those with limited digital literacy or internet access, using telehealth, online bookings, and digital health info can be more challenging.
- Ageism in Care: There is a risk that some healthcare providers might dismiss symptoms as “just ageing,” which may discourage older women from seeking help.
- Gender-Specific Care: Access to health services that understand women’s specific needs—such as menopause and osteoporosis—could be less readily available.
- Transport Limitations: Scarcity of public transport in rural areas might make it harder for non-drivers to attend appointments.
- Language and Culture: Language barriers and cultural differences may affect the quality of care for women from diverse backgrounds.
- Mental Health Stigma: Mental health care can still carry a stigma, potentially discouraging some women from seeking support.
Addressing these potential barriers require ongoing policy support, tailored programs, and community awareness.
The Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Strategy 2032 aims to address health inequity and improve access to health care for women and girls living in Queensland.
The Strategy is the overarching framework that will drive Queensland reforms to benefit women and girls’ health. It sets out the Government’s aim, principles, system reform goals and priority health action areas to focus on through to 2032.
We welcome this new strategy and hope that its implementation will help improve health outcomes for older women across Queensland.