Join us for IWPR’s 2026 Power+ Summit, The Power Grid: Driving Gender Equity Forward, taking place September 28–29 in Detroit, MI.
Together, we will spark bold ideas, share breakthroughs, and shape the future of gender equity.
Researchers at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research recently crunched nearly two decades worth of national data to gauge female wellness across the country — and uncovered a roster of disturbing health trends.
While certain indicators have generally improved in recent years — national mortality rates from heart disease and breast cancer have dipped, for example — several others show a need for prompt attention, said Cynthia Hess, study director at IWPR.
“Health isn’t something that exists in a vacuum,” said Hess, who used data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey . “It’s connected to economic security, access to affordable health care, housing quality, access to healthy food and racism.”