INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

TOTO

WOMEN’S HEALTHWOMEN’S HEALTH

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“The medical model is still male in many ways. Women have been ignored far too

much. This has gone on too long. It’s traditionally been that human chemistry and physiology were male until proven

otherwise. Women will make a revolution in health care.”

- Kathryn C. Benjamin, M.D., Past President,

American Medical Women’s Association -

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HISTORICAL DIMENSION: THE WOMEN’S HISTORICAL DIMENSION: THE WOMEN’S HEALTH MOVEMENTHEALTH MOVEMENT

1830s and 1840s: The Popular Health Movement

1861 –1865: The Civil War Period

Elizabeth Blackwell

Dorothea Dix

Clara Barton

1st Women’s Rights Convention

1873 to 1890s: The Women’s Medical Movement

1st training schools for nurses

Women attending medical schools

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1890s to 1920s: The Progressive Era

19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Equal Rights Amendment

Legalization of contraception

1st birth control clinic

Children’s Bureau

1930s to 1950s: World War II and Postwar Years

Employment opportunities

The Kinsey Report

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1960s – 1970s: The Grassroots Movement

FDA approval of birth control pill

Civil Rights Act

Title VII

Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues

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1980s: Changing Public Policy

U.S. Public Health Service’s Tasks Force on Women’s Health

Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)

The Women’s Health Equity Act

$ for health research: contraception, infertility, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, HIV/AIDS, and osteoporosis

Coverage of Pap smear screening and mammography

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1990s: Women’s Health at the Forefront

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Healthcare Institutions

Academia

Government

Advocacy Organizations

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1990s: Women’s Health at the Forefront

NIH Revitalization Act

Family and Medical Leave

Violence Against Women Act

The New Millennium

Human Genome

Women’s Health Initiative findings

Improved HIV/AIDS medications

Public Health Programs

Inclusion of children in clinical trials

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THE POLITICAL DIMENSION OF THE POLITICAL DIMENSION OF

WOMEN’S HEALTH WOMEN’S HEALTH

1. Policy making

2. Financing

3. Protecting the health of the public

4. Collecting and disseminating information about health and healthcare delivery systems

5. Capacity building for population health

6. Managing of health services

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DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS &

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health

(DHHS-OWH)

serves as coordinating agency for…

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC)

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INVESTMENT in BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

Increased life expectancy

Improved health throughout lifespan

Decreased cost of illness

Increased understanding of health factors

Inclusion of woman-specific data into clinical practice

Inclusion minorities as subjects

Increased gender-based research

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CONDITION WOMEN VS. MEN

Heart Disease Kills 50 000 more/yr

Strikes 10 yrs. later

chance of 2nd attack with 1yr

Depression 2-3X more likely to suffer

levels of serotonin

Lung Cancer chance of developing disease

susceptibility to carcinogens

STDs 2X more likely to contract a STD

10X more likely to contract HIV

Anesthesia Wake up more quickly

(7minutes vs. 11)

10 GENDER-RELATED DIFFERENCES

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10 GENDER-RELATED DIFFERENCES…

CONDITION WOMEN VS. MEN

Drug Reactions Different reactions and side effects with antihistamines and antibiotics

Autoimmune Disease 3 out of 4 sufferers are female

Alcohol production gastric enzyme

BAC

Osteoporosis 80% of osteoporosis population

rate of bone mass loss

Pain Effectiveness of kappa-opiates

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REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Legalization of Abortion: January 22, 1973

Roe v. Wade

“Global Gag Rule”: January 22, 2001

Foreign family planning agencies may not receive U.S. assistance

Restrictions = possible consequences

Increase in…unplanned pregnancies, abortions, maternal and infant deaths, transmission of HIV

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ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, SERVICES, AND HEALTH INFORMATION

Low socioeconomic status

Lack of health insurance

Lack of access to healthcare facilities and services

Language barriers and illiteracy

Unfair treatment by medical personnel due to race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation

Inability to pay for costs of treatment medications

Decline of coverage for healthcare costs deemed experimental

Fear of doctors leading to avoidance of healthcare

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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON WOMEN’S GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON WOMEN’S HEALTHHEALTH

5 World Conferences for the Advancement of Women:

1975: World Plan of Action

1980: Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

1985: Birth of Global Feminism

1995: Greatest Obstacles for Women’s Advancement

2000: Women 2000 – Gender Equality, Development, and Peace for the 21st Century

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INFORMED DECISION-MAKING:INFORMED DECISION-MAKING:

TAKE ACTIONTAKE ACTION

INFORMATIVE WEBSITES:

National Organization for Women (NOW)

The National Women’s Health Information Center

The Office on Women’s Health

Office of Research on Women’s Health

Society for Women’s Health Research

Women’s Issues in Congress

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