U.S. women face barriers to healthcare that men don't, including higher costs, according to a new infographic released June 11.
The infographic — produced as part of a partnership between the Kaiser Family Foundation and Journal of the American Medical Association — presents data from an analysis the foundation did in 2017 using federal and private claims data as well as the 2017 Kaiser Women's Health Survey.
It showed that women, on average, spend more on healthcare than men, especially while they are of reproductive age.
Researchers found that average annual per capita spending among U.S. women ages 19-34 was $3,402 in 2015 compared to $1,891 among men. For women ages 35-44, the spending amount was $4,717 compared to $2,518 among men.
Researchers also found that women are more likely than men to skip a recommended medical test or treatment due to cost. In a 2017 survey, 20 percent of women said they did so in the last year, compared to 15 percent of men.
Additionally, 17 percent of women surveyed said they did not fill a medication prescription or cut or skipped medication doses in the last year, while 12 percent of men said they had done the same.
Access the full infographic here.
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