In the previous post, we looked at the potential health repercussions of uncomfortable clothing items for women. But, aside from jokes and ironic comments, you wonder how many illnesses linked with fashion go undetected. Who knows, for example, if the synthetic fibers used in our garments, the dyes or other factors could potentially play a role in the onset of minor health issues that might escalate into more severe conditions. A pressing example is the connection between our clothing choices and cancer. Regrettably, we lack definitive answers. Nevertheless, there is a pressing need for research in this direction, like a proper research into health and fashion.
In the meantime, The Lancet has produced an interesting report focused on women and cancer. The report emphasizes the impact of gender bias and discrimination, compounded by factors such as age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and gender identity, which collectively marginalize women and limit their rights and opportunities related to cancer.
This report examined women and cancer in 185 countries, identifying a series of issues: while cancer ranks among the top causes of premature death in women globally, women's health is often narrowly focused on reproductive and maternal health, leading to disparities in cancer care.
As The Lancet highlights, this focus on reproductive and maternal health is a patriarchal construct aligned with narrow anti-feminist definitions of women's value and roles in society as "women have approximately the same burden of cancer as men, representing 48% of new cases and 44% of deaths worldwide."
Of the 2.3 million women who die prematurely from cancer annually, 1.5 million deaths could be avoided through prevention and early detection, and another 800,000 through equitable access to optimal cancer care.
Other key findings of the report include the fact that primary prevention of cancer in women is challenging, and there is a need for further research into the causes of cancer in women, including occupational and environmental factors. Imagine that even the causes of breast cancer - the most common cancer among women globally - are poorly understood.
Besides, the financial burden of cancer disproportionately affects women, often resulting in severe consequences for their families, even in the presence of quality healthcare services.
A gender analysis conducted across eight Asian countries revealed alarming statistics: nearly three-quarters of newly diagnosed women with cancer faced catastrophic expenditures within a year of diagnosis, where they spent 30% or more of their annual household income on cancer-related costs. This assessment did not even factor in indirect expenses, but it underscores the urgent need for a gender-inclusive approach to cancer investments, which can provide valuable insights for shaping policies related to cancer prevention, care, and control.
Furthermore, the dominance of patriarchal structures looms large in cancer care, research, and policymaking. Decision-makers in positions of power dictate which aspects receive priority, funding, and attention.
Globally, men significantly outnumber women in leadership roles within hospitals, treatment centers, research institutes, as editors-in-chief of cancer research journals, and as lead authors of cancer research papers.
Last but not least, unpaid caregiving for cancer patients is predominantly carried out by women, and a feminist economics approach is required to recognize its value.
By acknowledging these challenges, imbalances of power and forms of discrimination, there is an opportunity to transform how women interact with the cancer healthcare system. These issues warrant contemplation by all stakeholders, from patients and caregivers to professionals involved in the field. Let's hope that, at some point, The Lancet will focus on diseases and disorders that may be triggered by specific materials employed to make garments and accessories.
In the meantime, if you're interested in fashion and cancer research you can check out also past issues of The Lancet and go back to previous essays like the one from 2014 about the gowns designed by Jacqueline Firkins, an interdisciplinary researcher at the University of British Columbia, inspired by micrographs of cancer cells. In collaboration with the biologist Christian Naus, she created "Fashioning Cancer", a series of ten dresses in rich colours and textured fabrics recreating patterns that closely resembled microscope slides of cancerous processes.
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