#HealthInequality

A new wave of research is challenging long-held beliefs about marriage vows, especially the pledge to stay together “in sickness and in health.” Findings published in the Journal of Marriage and Family and summarized by Psychology Today in May 2025 reveal a troubling pattern: women who fall ill in their 50s and early 60s face a significantly higher risk of divorce than men. For Thailand—with its rapidly aging population and evolving social norms—these insights touch at the heart of family resilience and gender equity.

A wave of new research is challenging long-held beliefs about the vows that bind couples—especially the promise to remain united “in sickness and in health.” Recent findings, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family and reported by Psychology Today in May 2025, reveal a surprising and deeply concerning trend: women who fall ill in their 50s and early 60s face a far greater risk of divorce than their male counterparts (psychologytoday.com). For Thailand—a country with a rapidly aging population and shifting social values—this revelation strikes at the heart of family resilience and gender equity.

New research highlights a troubling pattern known as medical gaslighting—when clinicians dismiss or misattribute patients’ pain. The conversation around this issue is growing, especially for women with chronic gynecological pain. Experts say gender bias, gaps in medical training, and underfunding of women’s health research contribute to the problem, a concern echoed in studies summarized by The Conversation.

In Thailand, social taboos around sexual and reproductive health can silence discussion and delay care. Conditions such as endometriosis and vulvodynia affect about one in ten women worldwide, yet many patients report skepticism from healthcare providers. Phrases like “just relax” or “it’s all in your head” are still heard by some patients seeking help.

A growing body of research is shining an uncomfortable spotlight on the phenomenon of medical gaslighting—where healthcare professionals downplay, misattribute, or dismiss their patients’ pain—bringing renewed attention to a pervasive problem especially faced by women suffering from chronic gynecological pain conditions. This latest wave of studies, as described by experts in a recently published analysis on The Conversation, suggests that medical gaslighting is not only distressingly common but also deeply rooted in systemic gender bias, knowledge gaps in medical training, and persistent underfunding of women’s health research (The Conversation).

A new World Health Organization assessment reveals a startling 33-year gap between the world’s highest and lowest life expectancies. The finding underscores persistent health disparities that persist across nations and within societies. The report, released in May 2025, stresses that where people are born, the opportunities they inherit, and social and economic structures largely shape health outcomes, not biology alone.

For Thai audiences, the implications are clear. Thailand must scrutinize its own health inequities—between urban and rural areas, and among ethnic and migrant communities—while pursuing inclusive growth and sustainable development. The global pattern reinforces the urgency of policy reforms that reach the most vulnerable and ensure fair access to health services.

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed a staggering 33-year difference between the highest and lowest life expectancies globally, underscoring persistent and widening health inequities across nations and within societies. The findings, released on 6 May 2025, highlight that one’s health and longevity are shaped less by biology than by where one is born and raised, the opportunities available, and the degree to which social and economic structures expose individuals to disadvantage and discrimination (UN News).

A sweeping funding freeze by the U.S. federal Title X family planning program has left key healthcare providers, including three Planned Parenthood clinics in Virginia, without critical support. The sudden move, announced in late March, raises concerns about access to affordable reproductive health services for low-income Americans. The policy shift could affect millions who rely on the half-century-old program for contraception, cancer screenings, STI testing, and pregnancy care.

Title X, established by Congress in 1970 and administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, funds a nationwide network of clinics that serve low-income and uninsured individuals with free or sliding-scale reproductive health care. Nationally, 297 Planned Parenthood clinics participate in Title X, with the freeze affecting clinics in multiple states and knocking out access in some communities altogether. Data from public health researchers show that in states where Title X providers form a backbone of care, people face longer wait times and reduced access to essential services.

For 16-year-old Molly from Weymouth, every day presents a battle—one that began four years ago when she first developed long Covid. From severe fatigue and heart palpitations to fainting spells, seizures, and even allergic reactions, Molly describes her experience as “horrible”, with basic activities now requiring a wheelchair and “two good days a week, maybe three”. With dedicated NHS long Covid support for young people in Dorset shuttered, Molly is preparing to journey 300 miles to Liverpool for private treatment, illuminating a broader crisis faced by young long Covid patients and raising urgent questions about national and global responses to this lingering pandemic (BBC).

Molly, a 16-year-old from Weymouth, wakes each day to fatigue, heart palpitations, and episodes that include fainting and seizures. Once she could walk through a school day, now basic activities require a wheelchair on many days, with “two good days a week, maybe three.” With local NHS long Covid support for young people shuttered, Molly’s family plans a 300-mile journey to Liverpool for private treatment. Her story reflects a broader crisis: young patients navigating a blurred landscape of limited services and uncertain futures.

Genetics has delivered a powerful verdict in the ongoing discussion about “race”: there is no meaningful biological basis for racial categories, even as their social significance continues to impact lives worldwide. This scientific clarity comes at a time when political and cultural debates, such as recent US presidential orders attacking museum exhibitions that deny race is a biological reality, reignite age-old controversies. For Thai readers navigating conversations on ethnicity, heritage, and health, understanding what genetics truly reveals about human difference is more important than ever.