As Women’s Health Month continues, experts in Minnesota and elsewhere are reminding women to prioritize their well-being. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that women who are caregivers are at greater risk for poor physical and mental health. Melissa Goble is a nurse practitioner who says women often place their health needs on the back burner with many now falling under the “sandwich generation”, where they raise their own children while caring for an older family member.
Dr. Donna O’Shea is an OB/GYN and chief medical officer for Population Health at UnitedHealthcare. She says as younger women begin to navigate adulthood, it’s important to take preventive steps so that chronic health issues don’t begin to take hold.
She and other health experts say it’s important to remember that heart disease is the nation’s number one killer of women, and keeping track of risk factors, such as cholesterol levels, can help with disease prevention. Minnesota News Connection contributed to this report.
