MSMU RSWG 2023 final - Flipbook - Page 30
⊲ Promoting Personal Health: What the research suggests
Preventive care
One approach to preventive care is getting regular health screenings when recommended, such as the
cancer screenings discussed earlier in this chapter. Another vital step requires staying up to date on
vaccinations, including for COVID-19. As of November 2022, unvaccinated Californians were nearly three
(2.9) times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who were vaccinated.82
As of January 2023, 73% of California’s population is vaccinated against COVID-19; 61% have been
vaccinated and received a booster. Of those vaccinated, 53% are women.83
Older, more “routine” vaccines remain extremely important, too. For instance, influenza and
pneumonia were among the top ten causes of death for California women in 2020, killing 2,800.84
These deaths can often be prevented by immunization. More than 65% of older Californians, who are
predominantly women, are immunized against these diseases. That means, however, that 30–35% of
women are not currently immunized against these viral diseases.85
Source: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention,
Behavioral Risk Factor
Surveillance Survey
FIGURE 19
CALIFORNIA WOMEN WHO RECEIVED A PNEUMONIA OR INFLUENZA SHOT
2019
71%
71%
66%
PNEUMONIA
65+years/ever had a vaccination
2021
65%
INFLUENZA
65+years/within the past year
Timely medical care
More women than men tend to delay getting medical care when needed. When the pandemic began,
the number of Californians delaying (or foregoing) medical care increased significantly.86
Source: 2017–2019
California Health
Interview Surveys
FIGURE 20
CALIFORNIANS WHO DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE
WOMEN
MEN
23%
19%
19%
15%
15%
10%
2017
2019
2021
Women who delayed getting needed medical care cited cost or lack of insurance (27%), healthcare
system issues (23%), personal reasons (23%), and COVID-19 (27%).87 But the cost of delayed medical care
is often a big price to pay in terms of outcomes. Cancers need to be discovered and treated in early
stages for best outcomes, and good maintenance of chronic conditions can prolong a productive life.
30 THE REPORT ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CALIFORNIA | 2023
