A survey conducted by Women’s Health Australia shows that women living in regional and remote areas experience poorer health than their city counterparts.

 

The study found that the further women were from major urban areas, the more likely they were to suffer from obesity and obesity-related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

 

“Among the other significant findings, the study showed that women in rural and remote areas turned to alternative medicine more than their city counterparts: and that life satisfaction and neighbourhood connectedness were greatest in remote areas," Professor Annette Dobson of the University of Queensland, director of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH).

 

ALSWH co-director Professor Julie Byles, from the University of Newcastle, said country women had a much lower use of health and medical services.

They also experienced greater difficulty accessing health services than women in major cities.

“The findings point to a need for greater access to health services for women living in rural and regional areas, especially specialist services,” Professor Byles said.

“The study found that specialist hospital procedures such as hip surgery or caesarean sections were less common as remoteness increased.”

 

The full report can be found here