Women live longer than men but spend roughly 25% more of their lives in poor health. The consequences show up in workforce productivity, family finances, and the long-term sustainability of healthcare systems. When we trace those costs to their source, the brain appears at the center, and therefore should be the entry point to the highest-impact solutions.
Breaking the cycle requires action in three places simultaneously. Research funders need to mandate sex-disaggregated data and fund women-focused trials for brain disease. Employers need to add menopause benefits and cognitive health support to standard benefits packages. And policymakers need to recognize women’s brain health as a core input to labor force productivity and healthcare system solvency.
The evidence for each is substantial.
The Alzheimer’s Burden Falls on Women Twice
Nearly two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer’s are women. More than 60% of Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers are also women, often in their prime working years. Women often take on this caregiving role without pay.
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