{"id":27,"date":"2025-12-16T00:24:53","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T00:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/?page_id=27"},"modified":"2025-12-16T19:13:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T19:13:01","slug":"the-tragic-story-that-never-ends","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tragic Story that Never Ends"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Women aren&#8217;t heard in healthcare, and that&#8217;s just the beginning&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><br>By Sophia Ketterer <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/New-Recording-64.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Listen to hear my story, and why I decided to dive deeper into the tragic story that never ends.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Mia Elias\u2019s father is welcome at the hospital. She is not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was in that moment where I really realized they don\u2019t give a fuck about women\u2019s health,\u201d said Mia Elias, a woman who has repeatedly had negative health care experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elias is a 21-year-old who was diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome at 14, and later with endometriosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThey don&#8217;t want to explore it and they don\u2019t want to understand it and they dismiss it. It\u2019s not even just doctors. So many people just don\u2019t take women\u2019s health seriously,\u201d she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the root causes of this issue is the lack of research done on women\u2019s health.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aamc.org\/news\/why-we-know-so-little-about-women-s-health\">Before 1993, women were largely excluded from clinical trials<\/a>. Women are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2020\/08\/200812161318.htm\">twice as likely<\/a> as men to experience adverse drug reactions, in part because many drug dosages and trials were conducted primarily on men. Even in studies on mice, many medical researchers <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC6294461\/\">avoid using female mice<\/a> due to perceived higher costs and concerns that fluctuating hormones and reproductive systems might \u201cconfound\u201d results-&nbsp; a belief that has been <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC6294461\/\">scientifically proven<\/a> to be incorrect.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DSIhOBigFW4\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DSIhOBigFW4\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Emily Clarkson (@em_clarkson)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n<p>Many women, like Elias, have received unfair treatment from doctors. Because of their experiences, many have taken to social media to find a community or get the advice their doctors don\u2019t provide to them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are filled with creators giving out \u201chealth and wellness\u201d and medical advice. This causes users to be inundated with information they might not want or need. Much of the information is false, but it can be hard to tell what\u2019s accurate and what\u2019s not. There are no regulations on who can share health information online, and the lack of transparency and strict guidelines make it even more confusing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, many creators claim to be nutritionists without any official education. Anyone can legally call themselves a nutritionist, as there are no requirements or certifications for the title. Health and nutrition information could be coming from a nutritionist who\u2019s never taken a single nutrition class or one who holds a PhD, and social media users often can\u2019t tell the difference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are non-dietitians telling people what to eat, non-personal trainers giving out workout plans, and non-doctors telling women how to \u201cheal their hormones naturally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DNQ9DxuIaVG\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DNQ9DxuIaVG\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DNQ9DxuIaVG\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by MAJA ~ Hormone Health Coach &amp; Pilates Instructor (@majamilicevic_)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n<p>Kailee Bryant is a 21-year-old who has experienced the detrimental effects that social media health information can have.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor me, the basis wasn&#8217;t, \u2018oh, I need to lose weight.\u2019 It was, \u2018I need to eat the healthiest and cleanest, whatever clean means,\u2019 that I can and be the healthiest version of myself. And that&#8217;s where TikTok came in,\u201d said Bryant.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI feel like young girls especially are so susceptible to that kind of information. And it&#8217;s not like they&#8217;re looking to see, \u2018oh, is she a certified dietitian? Is she a nutritionist?\u2019 They see one video saying that to balance your hormones you need to eat no carbs, and then they think, oh, wait, I&#8217;m not supposed to eat any carbs. And then it can completely destroy their health,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also a lot of men giving female health care advice on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DQLKefTEk1B\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DQLKefTEk1B\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DQLKefTEk1B\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Drew Baird | the PCOS mentor (@thepcosmentor)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;ll see men [on social media], who are like, \u2018How to get your period back as a woman.\u2019 And, what do you know? Sure, you can do the research and stuff like that. But what connection do you have to womanhood? None,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s always men telling the story and not incorporating the needs of women,\u201d said Bryant.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy doctor was also POC, so I feel like that was supposed to gain this trust and transparency between people and the medical system, but I would go to the doctor and explain my symptoms to her and I feel like she wouldn&#8217;t even listen to me. She would tell me \u2018I think it&#8217;s all in your head. I think it&#8217;s anxiety,\u2019 things like that. As a kid, that kind of just makes your trust go down in the system, because it feels like you&#8217;re not being heard,\u201d said Bryant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What her doctor told her was anxiety, was in fact not anxiety. She ended up being diagnosed with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While she\u2019s experienced the negative effects of social media for health information, Bryant has also experienced the positive effects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs someone who&#8217;s in Generation Z, I did use TikTok to search up my symptoms, and I found that a lot of my symptoms were aligned with SIBO. I told my doctor, did a test and I did have SIBO. It was kind of dismissive, because again, my doctor was telling me that basically all my symptoms weren\u2019t true, and then I did actually end up having something,\u201d she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What her doctor told her was anxiety, was in fact not anxiety. She ended up being diagnosed with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While she\u2019s experienced the negative effects of social media for health information, Bryant has also experienced the positive effects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:31% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4894-2-700x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4894-2-700x1024.jpeg 700w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4894-2-205x300.jpeg 205w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4894-2-768x1124.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4894-2-1049x1536.jpeg 1049w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4894-2.jpeg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cAs someone who&#8217;s in Generation Z, I did use TikTok to search up my symptoms, and I found that a lot of my symptoms were aligned with SIBO. I told my doctor, did a test and I did have SIBO. It was kind of dismissive, because again, my doctor was telling me that basically all my symptoms weren\u2019t true, and then I did actually end up having something,\u201d she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy doctor was a woman as well, but I feel like maybe this is just an education issue itself. They&#8217;re not really prioritizing women&#8217;s health,\u201d she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Kailee Bryant. Photo Credit: Kailee Bryant<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This lack of proper listening and care is happening at the same time that women\u2019s health, both in medicine and in culture, continues to be misunderstood and undervalued. Women have historically been silenced and dismissed in healthcare. They are not taken as seriously as men and frequently do not receive the same quality of care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cI went to so many doctors and they didn\u2019t know what was going on,\u201d said Elias.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would literally fall to the floor from the pain. I went to the hospital once, and the male doctor said, \u2018these just sound like normal pains.\u2019 I told him, \u2018this isn\u2019t normal.\u2019 After scans came back clear \u2014 because endometriosis can\u2019t be detected on scans \u2014 he said, \u2018hospitals are for emergencies, not for women\u2019s issues.\u2019 Then he gave me Tylenol and told me not to come back unless it was a real emergency because it wastes their resources,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elias was left in her hospital bed crying because she didn\u2019t know what was wrong with her and she was being dismissed by numerous doctors and no one was helping her. Her primary care physician told her that it was just her anxiety.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 22%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Just a few months later, Elias witnessed firsthand the disparity between how men and women are treated in health care. Her father had really bad acid reflux along with really bad chest and arm pain. Concerned he was having a heart attack, she drove him to the hospital.The doctor came out and it was the same doctor she had when she was there a few months prior.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe doesn\u2019t recognize me, obviously. They rule out a heart attack, do a chest x-ray and some other things. He looks at my dad with full sincerity and says, \u2018sir this is what we are here for. You come any time; it\u2019s why we\u2019re here. This stuff happens all the time. I&#8217;m just glad you\u2019re okay,\u2019\u201d said Elias.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elias had to miss 171 classes during her senior year due to pain from endometriosis. When she met with her dean about it, he brushed her off, saying, \u201cWe all get a little stomach ache sometimes.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"513\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0047-513x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-40 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0047-513x1024.jpeg 513w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0047-150x300.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0047-768x1533.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0047-770x1536.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0047-1026x2048.jpeg 1026w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_0047.jpeg 1178w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 513px) 100vw, 513px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong><em>Mia Elias. Photo Credit: Mia Elias <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Marcia Ciccone is an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and the fellowship program director for gynecological oncology at USC Keck School of Medicine. She said that we have significantly less scientific data on conditions that affect women versus conditions that affect men.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:27% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"656\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.05.00-PM-656x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.05.00-PM-656x1024.png 656w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.05.00-PM-192x300.png 192w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.05.00-PM.png 756w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cThings like PCOS and endometriosis and menopause. These are all things that I think doctors tend to overlook and not treat as much. Treatments for women\u2019s health issues are not coming out as fast and there isn\u2019t as much money on a societal level that&#8217;s being invested on those types of projects,\u201d said Ciccone.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Dr. Marcia Ciccone. Photo Credit: USC Keck School of Medicine<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0738399123001891\">study<\/a> done on gynecological patients and their use of social media for women\u2019s health information, the survey found that 57% of the women use social media to learn about women\u2019s health. It also found that 92% of women believe that women\u2019s health information should be available on social media, and 59% find it helpful in making health decisions. These women also used social media more for health information specifically around doctors visits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s common for people to start digging into the internet and self-diagnose when their doctor\u2019s not giving them the answers,\u201d said Cicone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cTheres definitely a lot of medical gaslighting that goes on\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Thirty-year-old Danielle Majewski experienced that gas-lighting for six years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She started having symptoms in her vagina that were really painful and uncomfortable and affecting her daily life. She had only had sex with one person at that point and it was a woman. She has never had sex with a man. She decided to go see a gynecologist. She saw a male gynecologist, who she said had no bedside manner at all.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 34%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cHe looked and examined me. He did not make me feel comfortable, didn&#8217;t talk me through anything. He asked, \u2018When was the last time you had sex?\u2019 I said, \u2018Well, this week, but, it was with a woman,\u2019 and he responded with, \u2018no, when was the last time you had sex with a man?\u2019 And I said, \u2018well, I haven&#8217;t. I&#8217;ve only had sex with women.\u2019 He then looked at me and his direct quote was, \u2018I&#8217;m your doctor. You don&#8217;t have to lie to me,\u2019\u201d said Majewski. \u201cHe couldn\u2019t conceptualize that a penis has never been inside me.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe told me, \u2018you have an STD.\u2019 And I was like, \u2018okay. well, how? Is this something that could be transferred from a woman?\u2019 And he goes, \u2018no, from a man, that&#8217;s how I know you&#8217;re lying to me.\u2019 He was being so aggressive, literally telling me that I was lying to him about having sex with men when I wasn&#8217;t,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"828\" height=\"979\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DE91C542-0829-4E67-9B07-F81FB8AF77AF.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DE91C542-0829-4E67-9B07-F81FB8AF77AF.jpeg 828w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DE91C542-0829-4E67-9B07-F81FB8AF77AF-254x300.jpeg 254w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DE91C542-0829-4E67-9B07-F81FB8AF77AF-768x908.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong><em>Danielle Majewski. Photo Credit: Danielle Majewski<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He then proceeded to diagnose her with an STD called Trichomoniasis. He then told her he had to biopsy one of the cuts to test for it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She was terrified and was hysterically crying. He biopsied the cut, which she said as the most traumatizing experience of her life. The test then came back negative because she did not have the STD her doctor claimed she did.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She decided to never go back to that gynecologist, and saw a different one next. He was also a man. He also told her it was most likely an STD or a bacterial infection from a man. So, she went to another. He was also a man.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was gaslighted by three separate male gynecologists, board-certified male gynecologists, telling me that I was lying about having sex with men. Because obviously my issue was an STD, and it never was,\u201d she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSo that was from 2017 to right before COVID. I think January 2020 was when I saw the last male gynecologist, because the cuts never went away. No one ever gave me an answer. And the only answer I ever got was that I was this from a penis, which was literally impossible,\u201d she said. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Majewski saw her first female gynecologist in 2021 and was asked the same question, if she was having sex with men. The doctor thought it might be bacterial so she prescribed Majewski numerous creams, gels and suppositories. She used them for the next three years and nothing helped. In fact, her symptoms actually got worse. She had trouble walking and was bleeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She then saw a gynecologist in Pennsylvania, where she lives, who Majewski said took 20 seconds to diagnose her with a skin condition called lichen sclerosus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI told her all of my stories, and she cried with me because she was like, \u2018I can&#8217;t believe that you were treated that way.\u2019 And I was like, \u2018nobody listened to me. Nobody believed me.\u2019 I wasn&#8217;t having sex like crazy, and I was just gaslit and mistreated,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201c<\/strong>The craziest part about it was all of the male doctors accused me of lying about having sex with men, and I thought that was the weirdest thing to say. Even when I said, \u2018no, my partners are women.\u2019 They&#8217;re like, \u2018have they always been women?\u2019 They wouldn&#8217;t just take it for what it is,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another major topic in women&#8217;s health is birth control. It is often prescribed by doctors as the only solution for a range of women\u2019s health issues, without offering or discussing alternative treatment options.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-8.57.20-PM-1-1024x579.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-8.57.20-PM-1-1024x579.png 1024w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-8.57.20-PM-1-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-8.57.20-PM-1-768x434.png 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-8.57.20-PM-1-1536x868.png 1536w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-8.57.20-PM-1-2048x1157.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Birth control pills <br>Photo Credit: Sophia Ketterer <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know that that\u2019s a normal understood thing from most doctors,\u201d said Ciccone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI try to advocate for this a lot. Patients need to understand what&#8217;s going on with them. You can\u2019t just tell them \u2018oh, you have this,\u2019 and then let them go out into the world and deal with it. You need to explain to them why that happens, what their different options are and then people can make their own decisions. Part of avoiding people having misconceptions from the internet and social media is having a conversation with your patient and making sure they understand what\u2019s going on with them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elias dealt with this concept of her pain not being easily seen or fixable. Even when she was falling to the floor, crying in pain, doctors tried to write her off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cPeople with chronic pain tend to be annoying to their doctors because they have a problem that they can\u2019t really fix. Especially when it&#8217;s something the doctor is unfamiliar with, especially if it&#8217;s a male doctor or an older doctor,\u201d said Ciccone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Alexandra Donovan is a 23-year-old who considers herself to be one of the healthiest people she knows. She eats well, exercises regularly and tries to go to bed by 10 p.m. She had already been diagnosed with SIBO when, the year before college, she began getting severe acne. After trying everything, she went to a gynecologist. The solution? Birth control. She was diagnosed with PCOS and was told it was her only option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:30% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"602\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_7306-min-602x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_7306-min-602x1024.jpg 602w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_7306-min-176x300.jpg 176w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_7306-min-768x1306.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_7306-min-904x1536.jpg 904w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_7306-min-1205x2048.jpg 1205w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_7306-min.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 602px) 100vw, 602px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s disheartening because women in our medical system just aren\u2019t taken care of the way they need to be and aren\u2019t researched properly,\u201d said Donovan. \u201cA lot of times I was just told to eat less and work out more, and that doesn\u2019t work for people with hormone disorders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That advice is also simply dangerous.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt took me probably five years to get a diagnosis and they\u2019re now pushing me in the direction of autoimmune disease,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt\u2019s been a really long journey of me chasing my tail, and I\u2019ve used a lot of social media to figure out what I had based on what I\u2019ve seen online. I get a lot of my hormone advice from people on TikTok. I\u2019m cautious about what advice I take, but I think social media has been really helpful for me.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Alexandra Donovan. Photo Credit: Alexandra Donovan<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from the gender bias that has been ever present in healthcare, there is also systemic racism in the system.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/racial-equity-and-health-policy\/five-facts-about-black-womens-experiences-in-health-care\/\"> According to the Kaiser Family Foundation<\/a>,&nbsp; \u201cBlack women who are younger and with self-reported darker skin tones are more likely than their counterparts to report preparing for possible insults and being careful about their appearance during health care visits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-4.30.10-PM-700x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.6836021594409301;width:500px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-4.30.10-PM-700x1024.png 700w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-4.30.10-PM-205x300.png 205w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-4.30.10-PM-768x1124.png 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-4.30.10-PM.png 820w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Maternal mortality is an epidemic. In 2023 alone,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/maternal-mortality\"> about 260,000 women died<\/a> during and following childbirth, according to the World Health Organization. The same report also found that over 700 women died from preventable causes relating to pregnancy and childbirth every single day. Nearly every two minutes in 2023, a maternal death occurred. About<a href=\"https:\/\/www.yalemedicine.org\/news\/maternal-mortality-on-the-rise\"> 84% of these deaths<\/a> are considered preventable.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The statistics for Black women are even worse. Pregnancy-related mortality is about <a href=\"https:\/\/mcpress.mayoclinic.org\/pregnancy\/black-maternal-mortality-rate\/\">four times higher<\/a> for Black women than it is for white women, according to the Mayo Clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This bias partially stems from some health care providers who hold false beliefs about biological differences between Black and White individuals. These misconceptions suggest that Black people have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/10.1089\/jwh.2020.8874\">less sensitive nerve endings, thicker skin, and stronger bones.<\/a> Such false beliefs lead many health care providers to underestimate Black patients\u2019 pain and provide less appropriate treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere was a lot of discussion in more recent past years about gender bias, racial bias, all this stuff that goes with microaggressions. Whether it&#8217;s bias against women, bias against somebody&#8217;s ethnicity, whatever it is [one has] to be aware of this. So you won&#8217;t be giving people bullshit ass advice because you&#8217;re angry and you&#8217;re racist or whatever it is.\u201d said&nbsp; Dr. Gregory Taylor is a clinical associate professor of medicine and medical director of the Keck Signature Care Program, which is a concierge medicine program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 35%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Unlike many females, Dr. Talyor can\u2019t remember a time women were treated differently in his own experiences. Perhaps, because he is a man. He is aware the bias exists, however.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cObviously I&#8217;m not a woman, and I don&#8217;t go to the doctor&#8217;s office with my wife. I have a daughter and on occasion, I go to the doctor&#8217;s office with her\u2026. I don&#8217;t remember at least off the top of my head to give you any examples of women being, I guess, neglected or dismissed as a medical student. I just don&#8217;t recall that right now. But all that being said, I do hear stories or I&#8217;ve heard instances that women are often unheard and have not been given the proper amount of respect in the healthcare setting. So I don&#8217;t disagree with that. And I think that&#8217;s a bad thing overall,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"984\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-1.43.09-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-1.43.09-PM.png 780w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-1.43.09-PM-238x300.png 238w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-1.43.09-PM-768x969.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong><em>Dr. Gregory Taylor. Photo Credit: USK Keck School of Medicine <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the United States, most high schools only require <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wrvo.org\/health\/2018-12-22\/is-health-education-in-america-comprehensive\">one semester<\/a> of a general health class in middle or high school. Criteria is not nation-wide and varies by state. Classes like anatomy and physiology are not required, so people are often left unaware of their own bodies. Only<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2025\/only-37-of-us-states-require-sexual-education-in-schools-to-be-medically-accurate\/\">37% of U.S. states<\/a> require sexual education in schools to actually be medically accurate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These issues that women and other minority groups face stem from early on in life and education and are engrained in society from the start. Similarly, only<a href=\"https:\/\/siecus.org\/siecus-state-profiles\/\"> four states<\/a> require sex education to instruct on menstrual health beyond teaching about puberty. Young girls are set up to be uninformed or misinformed about their bodies, leading to health disparity issues in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Jerry Abraham is the President of the Los Angeles County Medical Association and currently serves as the Director of Integration &amp; Public Health at Kedren Community Health Center. Dr. Abraham also serves on the faculty of the USC Keck School of Medicine Public Health Program and the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Urban Health Equity Pathway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8\" style=\"width:584px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image.png 400w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-300x197.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">USC Keck School of Medicine <br>Photo Credit: USC Keck School of Medicine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of health disparities. Period,\u201d said Abraham.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat makes a bigger impact on our health? Is it our zip code? Does our gender, sex, orientation, whatever other persuasions are, race, ethnicity, age, these are all things that we can slice and dice and really drill down into understanding why we see different groups faring differently,\u201d he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regarding social media for medical advice, Abraham says it&#8217;s an educational issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;At the bottom of a lot of this is, why are we not learning more about our bodies and who we are in middle school and high school? We shouldn&#8217;t wait to go to medical school to take anatomy and physiology and know how our bodies function,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He is also concerned with how and where people are getting their medical information from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"814\" height=\"736\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.22.27-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.22.27-PM.png 814w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.22.27-PM-300x271.png 300w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-7.22.27-PM-768x694.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 814px) 100vw, 814px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cThe misinformation, disinformation is rampant\u2026 we\u2019re seeing it from the highest levels, from the president\u2019s office all the way down\u2026 it\u2019s so sad that right now we can\u2019t go to our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which should be the trusted voice\u2026 it\u2019s definitely getting harder to figure out who to trust and what\u2019s accurate\u2026 even as a physician, I\u2019m getting nervous about the types of things I\u2019m finding when we search for the way AI is being used\u2026 we\u2019re dealing with a runaway train, and we are not ready for it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Dr. Jerry Abraham. Photo Credit: National Medical Fellowship <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe point of the story is poor folks are not doing well in this country\u2026 I\u2019m going to really focus in right now on Black and brown patients and women\u2026 This administration has been devastating for women\u2019s health,\u201d said Abraham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Abraham feels like we are moving back in time as a society when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;On top of all the insurance challenges that we&#8217;re seeing, of course, all of the attacks on DEI are devastating and damaging. We are trying to navigate how to continue to train doctors in medical schools here at UCLA, USC, and Charles Drew Kaiser Permanente. How do we do these things if we&#8217;re banning the words like \u2018DEI\u2019 and \u2018health equity?\u2019 So we need to understand why there are disparities and why black women suffer higher complications during pregnancy, including death,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"758\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-11.02.00-PM-min-758x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7402359860847111;width:483px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-11.02.00-PM-min-758x1024.png 758w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-11.02.00-PM-min-222x300.png 222w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-11.02.00-PM-min-768x1037.png 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-11.02.00-PM-min-1137x1536.png 1137w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-11.02.00-PM-min.png 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 758px) 100vw, 758px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These issues that women and other minority groups face begin with what we\u2019re not taught and continue in what the healthcare system still refuses to learn, leaving generations of women to navigate care that was never built with them in mind.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elias\u2019s father was told the hospital was there for him. Women, both explicitly and implicitly, are continuing to be told that healthcare is not there for them. Until this changes, this will remain a tragic story that never ends, with no ending in sight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>**art by Sophia Ketterer <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Women aren&#8217;t heard in healthcare, and that&#8217;s just the beginning&nbsp;&nbsp;By Sophia Ketterer Mia Elias\u2019s father is welcome at the hospital. She is not.&nbsp; \u201cIt was in that moment where I really realized they don\u2019t give a fuck about women\u2019s health,\u201d said Mia Elias, a woman who has repeatedly had negative health care experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp; Elias is &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The Tragic Story that Never Ends&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-27","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/27","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/27\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/27\/revisions\/78"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/srketter\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}