Violence cited as main women's health issue

THE main health issues facing women in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow are violence in the home, lack of support for mothers and other carers, teenage pregnancies and family planning.

The Eastern Health Board's report, Consultative Process on Women's Health, published yesterday was compiled from a series of questionnaires, meetings and workshops.

The EHB was asked by the Department of Health, which is drawing up the State's first women's health policy, to conduct the research between 1995 and this February.

The report concludes that treatment of women's mental illness should shift from prescribed drugs and psychiatry towards counselling, holistic medicine or similar alternatives.

It advocates that health care professionals and staff volunteers in women's refuges should be trained in the needs of victims of family violence. There should be increased education on contraception and improved access to family planning services with free access to non directive pregnancy counselling.

Breast feeding should be promoted and the principles of the Irish Association for Improvements in Maternity Services should be adopted. Also recommended is information on hormone replacement therapy and side effects.

Women were concerned that the biggest barriers to a healthy life were cost, time and lack of facilities.

They felt doctors did not listen to them or used technical or medical language which created a barrier to understanding. Public health nurses, however, were singled out for their "positive approach and attitude."

It was also felt that the Community Mothers Scheme, where experienced mothers volunteer to help first time mothers, should be developed.

The women also believed that the specific health needs of lesbian women should be identified. In addition, the Departments of Health and Finance should liaise to examine how best to relieve the financial burden on carers. Sensitive counselling and choice of service should be provided for Hepatitis C women. Additional projects for the rehabilitation of stable women drug users should be established as should self help support groups for HIV positive women.