NC Council for Women & Youth Involvement to Preview 2019 Status of Women Health & Wellness Report | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:


UNC Greensboro to Host Report Pre-Release Event May 1
    RALEIGH: The NC Department of Administration's Council for Women and Youth Involvement will give a preview of the 2019 Status of Women in North Carolina: Health and Wellness Report on May 1 from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. at UNC Greensboro. This report is the second of four to be released by the Council in partnership with the Institute for Women's Policy Research to bring awareness to key issues affecting the lives of women in North Carolina.

    The Department of Administration's (DOA) Secretary Machelle Sanders will join Council Director Mary Williams-Stover and the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) Communications Director Jennifer Clark at the University's Leonard J. Kaplan Center for Wellness to provide a snapshot of data and policy recommendations from the 2019 Health and Wellness report. The full report, which is scheduled to be released later this spring, will offer detailed data analysis on North Carolina women and health issues relating to chronic disease, physical and sexual health, access to health care and sexual assault.

    Preliminary data from the report shows that, while progress has been made in North Carolina since the inaugural release of the 2013 Status of Women in North Carolina report, there is still work to be done.

    "We're seeing improvements in women's health but not for everyone. Many women face health challenges and barriers to health care, especially in our rural counties," said Secretary Machelle Sanders. "Improving the health of women strengthens families, communities and our entire economy, and this report underscores the need to close the health insurance coverage gap."

    Key findings from the report include:

• North Carolina ranks 11th highest in infant mortality and 9th highest in stroke mortality among women - and the problem is even worse in rural counties.
• North Carolina's mortality rates for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and breast cancer, among other diseases, have decreased since the 2013 report.

    Data from the report points out the need to increase access to health insurance and health care by expanding Medicaid, as championed by Governor Roy Cooper. More than 70 percent of North Carolina's counties are rural, and 57 percent of the state's workforce is comprised of women. Closing the health insurance coverage gap would bring $4 billion into the state's economy, create thousands of jobs and expand access to health care for 500,000 people. This will bring tens of thousands of new jobs, help rural hospitals stay open, and ensure that North Carolinians are healthier.

    "Women's health issues impact all of us, no matter our gender, region or race. This report is an important resource for decision makers, grant makers and advocates and can help bring needed attention and action to make North Carolina the best place for women and families," said Council Director Mary Williams-Stover.

    UNC Greensboro will be the first of many stops across the state to discuss the report and its findings. The university was chosen for today's event because of its history of advocating for women, and its current work to promote health and wellness, including through the Kaplan Center for Wellness which offers fitness equipment and on-site classes and activities for students, faculty and the local community.

    "UNC Greensboro was founded as a women's college more than 125 years ago," said UNC Greensboro Provost Dana Dunn, "and today women make up nearly 70 percent of our student population. Health and wellness are areas of excellence for UNC Greensboro; along with the state-of-the-art Kaplan Center for Wellness, our School of Nursing is one of the best in the nation, and our public health and kinesiology programs are second to none. We are thrilled to host this event, and to support a critical initiative for the future of NC, and for women everywhere."

    As follow up to today's event, leaders from the Council and DOA will embark on regional visits this fall to share the report findings and hear local community input on the status of women.

    The Status of Women in NC report on Earnings & Employment was released in 2018. Future reports over the next two years will focus on poverty and opportunity, and political participation. More information is available at ncadmin.nc.gov/statusofwomennc2019.

• Contact: NCDOA Communications Office
•     919-807-4531