Study Gives Oklahoma D- on Women's Health Issues

A woman's research group said that Oklahoma has seen the largest increase in poor mental health days for women.

Overall, the group gave Oklahoma a failing grade, D-, for health issues when it comes to women.

The 'Institute for Women's Policy Research' studied different health issues when it comes to women, including heart disease mortality rates, breast cancer mortality rates, and lung cancer mortality rates. Researchers also collected information on how many women had diabetes, chlamydia, and poor mental health days.

In 2015 report, Oklahoma was ranked in the bottom third in most categories, including 49th in heart disease deaths and 47th in breast cancer deaths.

Researchers said Oklahoma has some of the highest lung cancer deaths as well.

One major increase that experts pointed out was a huge increase in poor mental health days. Oklahoma was one of two states who increased drastically since 2000, according to the report.

"We're a high poverty state, we're a high needs state so we know that's a struggle a struggle to make ends meet," said Julie Summers, with the Mental Health Association Oklahoma.

Summers said there are some good care options out there in Oklahoma, but there aren't enough to address the growing problem.

"We know that treatment works but we also know that there is a huge number of people that never access treatment," said Summers.

Summers and the Mental Health association work to provide groups and treatment for people who have mental health issues. Summers said mental health can be closely tied to physical health as well.

"They will miss days of work, develop other kinds of physical problems because their mental illness is weighing down. There's a correlation for people falling into poverty because they're not as productive as they could be," said Summers.

Summers said they are organizing a mental health symposium that will help address both physical and mental health needs. For more information, click here.