Women make up half the world’s population yet are the focus of relatively little research, leading to deficits in their mental health care. A Perspective shares key takeaways from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop, “Essential Health Care Services Related to Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Women,” which was organized to provide recommendations to the United States Health Resources and Services Administration. The Perspective describes the challenge facing women and offers several evidence-based solutions.
George Slavich and colleagues note that women experience anxiety and depression at much higher rates than men. Women also face disproportionately high rates of autoimmune conditions, osteoporosis, heart disease, and stroke. Women are also more likely to experience violence and discrimination than men, which increases the risk of developing both mental and physical health problems.
The authors call for additional research into women’s hormones and health, additional training for clinicians in women’s mental health, and changes to insurance to better reimburse clinicians for treating and preventing mental health issues. The authors also call for workforce investments to widen the pipeline for mental health care services and treatments. Scalable solutions, including group therapy, telehealth, and online support services, can help relieve the burden on the health care system. More broadly, the authors advocate for policies that reduce the stress women must cope with. According to the authors, such policies include paid maternal leave, restrictions on social media use by adolescents, and financial support for caregiving and home health services.
PNAS Nexus
Advancing women’s mental health: Recommendations from a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop
2-Jun-2026