Re-evaluating your health risk this Women’s Health Month

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Women’s Health Month is celebrated yearly, starting on Mother’s Day.  It’s the perfect time to re-evaluate your health risks, reset your intentions, and refocus on preventive care.

Jessica Ballouli is a double board-certified Women’s Health and Family Nurse Practitioner and joined WIS 10 to talk about the steps it takes for women to focus on their health.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order earlier this year committing $200 million to the National Institutes of Health to boost women’s health research and to better understand women’s health issues, including sexual and reproductive conditions.

The latest statistics from the World Economic Forum and the McKinsey Health Institute highlight the gender gap in healthcare by revealing that globally, women live 5 years longer than men on average but spend 25% more of their lives in poor health.

 Experts say closing the women’s health gap represents a $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies.

The way women get care in the U.S. is also changing.  Many experts say the “doctor knows best’ model isn’t enough anymore.  As a clinician, Jessica Ballouli says this shared decision-making checklist helps her better assess and meet the needs of her patients.

  SHARED DECISION-MAKING CHECKLIST

• What are your health concerns?

• What are your goals for treatment?

• What’s your understanding of the risks and benefits of the treatment options?

• What is your current lifestyle?

• Do you have any life milestones (wedding, graduation, vacation, etc) coming up?

Ballouli says because more patients are turning to social media for medical advice, it’s important to make sure you’re connecting with trusted sources.  She recommends verifying their credentials, making sure the information shared is evidence-based & in their field of expertise, and warns, that if they’re trying to sell you something that could be a red flag

.Jessica Ballouli is a Family Nurse  Practitioner at Prisma Health Parkridge.  You can connect with her on Instagram at @Jessica_whnp

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