We’re combating these socio-economic problems that these women have, but we’re also battling the mistrust that they have with providers, which is kind of longstanding. And this is not something that started with a pandemic, it’s just being brought up a lot more with the pandemic. — Dr. Shontreal Cooper
For many women, there’s no shortage of potential obstacles to preventive care. It could be simple things like a tendency to put their own needs on hold for the sake of their family or career. Or it could be socio-economic barriers, with the pandemic exacerbating the challenges associated with employment, child care, living conditions, or even overall faith in modern medicine.
On the latest UConn Health Pulse podcast, Dr. Shontreal Cooper, a maternal-fetal medicine physician in UConn Health’s Women’s Center, shares her observations from the last two years, what she tells her patients, and a creative way she tries to break down barriers.
