KUALA LUMPUR: Hologic Inc, a leader in women's health innovation, has released its latest Global Women's Health Index in partnership with Gallup, revealing a troubling decline in women's cancer testing globally.

For the first time, fewer women reported undergoing cancer screening, with only 10 per cent of those surveyed worldwide having been tested for any type of cancer in the past year, a drop of two percentage points since the Index's inception.

The index, now in its fourth year, is one of the largest collections of data on women's health and well-being that raises new concerns about declining trends in women's health.

In a statement, Hologic Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen P. MacMillan emphasised that the decline in cancer testing is a wake-up call for the need for innovative strategies and collaborative efforts to improve women's health globally.

The index also revealed other alarming findings, such as increased food insecurity, with a staggering 38 per cent of women unable to afford food in the past year, while 32 per cent of women said they could not afford adequate shelter.

There are also increased levels of worry and sadness among women, as more women report feeling worried (42 per cent) and sad (30 per cent), and one-third (35 per cent) said they felt unsafe in their communities.

Additionally, many women face physical pain and health issues, with 34 per cent reporting significant pain in the previous day, while 26 per cent indicated that health problems impacted their ability to engage in daily activities.

The index assigns a women's health score to each country or territory based on survey responses on five dimensions of health. Overall, the world scored 53 out of 100 on the index, with Taiwan topping the list at 68, and the United States ranked 37th, reflecting a decline from its previous position.

Based on surveys from over 146,000 people across 142 countries, the index fills a critical gap in knowledge about the health, safety, and well-being of women worldwide.

The index was unveiled during an event convened by Goals House, a community focused on driving progress toward the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) alongside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

-- BERNAMA