At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equity

Global shifts in health policies have significantly affected access to reproductive healthcare services, with impacts varying greatly across different populations. Recent policy changes in various regions have included defunding reproductive health programs, promoting abstinence-only education, and...

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Main Authors: Zohra S. Lassi, Jeannette M. Wade, Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-07-01
Series:Women's Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057251356890
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author Zohra S. Lassi
Jeannette M. Wade
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
author_facet Zohra S. Lassi
Jeannette M. Wade
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
author_sort Zohra S. Lassi
collection DOAJ
description Global shifts in health policies have significantly affected access to reproductive healthcare services, with impacts varying greatly across different populations. Recent policy changes in various regions have included defunding reproductive health programs, promoting abstinence-only education, and restricting international non-government organizations from providing comprehensive reproductive healthcare services. These policies have led to clinic closures, reduced access to maternal and reproductive healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, and increased health inequities. While all low-income individuals may experience varying impacts, the consequences vary dramatically. In the case of undocumented immigrants, insurance options are already severely limited, while specialized care may be inaccessible for people with disabilities. These intersectional realities demonstrate how seemingly uniform policies produce radically different outcomes based on one’s social position. Using the intersectional framework, this article examines how these impacts are magnified for women who experience multiple forms of marginalization and proposes actions for advocates, policymakers, and scholars to safeguard inclusive healthcare access for all women and birthing people.
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issn 1745-5065
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Women's Health
spelling doaj-art-b1e95a8be37140fe94fa0cf1b6a3abcb2025-08-20T03:28:51ZengSAGE PublishingWomen's Health1745-50652025-07-012110.1177/17455057251356890At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equityZohra S. Lassi0Jeannette M. Wade1Edward Kwabena Ameyaw2School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA, AustraliaHuman Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USAInstitute of Policy Studies and School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SARGlobal shifts in health policies have significantly affected access to reproductive healthcare services, with impacts varying greatly across different populations. Recent policy changes in various regions have included defunding reproductive health programs, promoting abstinence-only education, and restricting international non-government organizations from providing comprehensive reproductive healthcare services. These policies have led to clinic closures, reduced access to maternal and reproductive healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, and increased health inequities. While all low-income individuals may experience varying impacts, the consequences vary dramatically. In the case of undocumented immigrants, insurance options are already severely limited, while specialized care may be inaccessible for people with disabilities. These intersectional realities demonstrate how seemingly uniform policies produce radically different outcomes based on one’s social position. Using the intersectional framework, this article examines how these impacts are magnified for women who experience multiple forms of marginalization and proposes actions for advocates, policymakers, and scholars to safeguard inclusive healthcare access for all women and birthing people.https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057251356890
spellingShingle Zohra S. Lassi
Jeannette M. Wade
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equity
Women's Health
title At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equity
title_full At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equity
title_fullStr At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equity
title_full_unstemmed At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equity
title_short At the crossroads: Intersectional approaches to women’s health equity
title_sort at the crossroads intersectional approaches to women s health equity
url https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057251356890
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AT jeannettemwade atthecrossroadsintersectionalapproachestowomenshealthequity
AT edwardkwabenaameyaw atthecrossroadsintersectionalapproachestowomenshealthequity