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"Information about women and the whole area of women's health is an intellectual imperative that challenges us to rethink and modify our
essentially male models of normal human function and the way disease is experienced. It is not a political imperative, it is not a
feminist cause and it is not a baseless piece of emotionalism.
In the last third of my medical life, I am very pleased to be involved in what I think represents the way medicine will develop for at least the first half of this century. This is the most exciting time since my career began in medicine. I'd like to convince you that we are embarking on what may be one of the greatest adventures of civilized science." |
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-- Marianne J. Legato, M.D. Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons |
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History of Women and Health Care The quality of women's health care has changed radically in the last 100 years, so much so that women began to outlive men from after World War II. In this section, you will learn: 
three
important changes in women's health that came about because of World
War II
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Status of Women's Health Research Despite healthcare gains for women throughout the 20th century, it was only in the late 1980s that the government recognized women's health issues as such. Even now, the "bikini view"--breast cancer and reproductive concerns--of women's health dominates much of the research and literature on women's health. You'll learn:
how the "bikini view" of women's health limits the full range of potential
research.
why gender-specific medicine can improve medical practice across the board.
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Gender, Biology and Health Research: Men and Women Do Differ! The difference between men and women extends to every system in the body, not just reproductive concerns. Researching these differences provide valuable information on how drugs and disease affect all people, helping scientists find better cures. With the help of a flash animation, you'll learn:
differences in brain chemistry between men and women and their susceptibility to ailments.
how gender studies show great differences in cancer rates, heart problems and intestinal
disorders.
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