#FitForWomen: Improving Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for women health & care workers
One of the many gender inequities in the health and care workforce, that COVID-19 has exposed, is around the fit and design of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The rapid onset and scale of COVID-19 led to shortages of PPE in most countries, causing preventable infection and mortality among healthcare workers and others on the front lines. Even though most health workers are women, manufacturing specifications for medical PPE are usually drawn up based on the male body and there have been many reports of PPE not designed for women’s bodies. WGH undertook a global research project to document the challenges women health workers have faced.
We thank the Johnson & Johnson Foundation for their sponsorship and support throughout the creation of this report.
Key Findings
Inadequate PPE has increased health risks and causes mental distress for women
PPE is not fit for women
PPE is a gender equity issue
Women on the frontline have had to ‘make do’
Governments and employers are failing in their duty of care
Women health and care workers know what they need and need to be heard
