10.N. Workshop: Women's health reports in Europe - From data to action

Abstract   The great impact of gender on health is well researched and documented. In addition to the different morbidity rates of women and men, there are differences in the perception and communication of symptoms, in health-related behaviour and in the use of care services. The causes are primarily social and societal in nature. They are closely linked to biological gender differences. A close look at women's health is not only important to achieve improvements in health and well-being for 51% of the population. Evidence shows that healthy women are the cornerstone of healthy societies. In recent decades, women's health reports have been published in many European countries, e.g. ‘Austrian Women's Health Report 2010/2011' or ‘Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer 2014 - The Health of the 51%: Women' (UK). As the most recent one, the Report on Women's Health in Germany was published in December 2020. It was prepared by Federal Health Reporting at the Robert Koch Institute with the assistance of many external experts. In addition to the differences and similarities in the health of women and men (‘differences between'), particular attention is paid to differences within the group of women (‘differences within'). Reporting on women's health is an important milestone and at the same time a starting point for further steps to improve women's health. In Austria, an ‘Action Plan on Women's Health' with 40 measures for women's health in Austria was published in 2018 by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection. In the UK, the 2019 report ‘Better for women. Improving the health and wellbeing of girls and women' was published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The authors call for the creation of Women's Health Strategies across the UK. The workshop aims to share experiences and network experts and activists from Europe. The authors of women's health reports will meet colleagues who have prepared action plans and strategies on women's health. They will discuss with participants who want to initiate such reports in their countries. We plan a 60-minute session with 3 presentations (10-15 minutes each) and time for discussion and audience interaction. The following key questions will be addressed in the 3 presentations: What women's health issues are of particular concern in your report? What is the data situation on important women's health topics in your country, are there data gaps? Which groups of women did you focus on in more detail in your report/your strategy? How can the findings be translated into policy? What has happened so far? Key messages The workshop on women's health in Europe is a networking event for authors and activists who have written reports and strategies or are planning to do so. Mutual learning helps putting women's health on the political agenda and achieving improvements.