1. Progress and Priorities in the Health of Women and Girls: A Decade of Advances and Challenges
- Author
-
Geralde V. Gabeau, Hilary F. White, Francisco A.R. Garcia, Rose S. Fife, Karen M. Freund, Jeanette H. Magnus, Kathleen B. Digre, Stacie E. Geller, Justina Trott, Donald J. Dudley, and Michelle Berlin
- Subjects
Adult ,Delphi Technique ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Child Health Services ,Poison control ,Occupational safety and health ,Excellence ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Environmental health ,Health Status Indicators ,Humans ,Medicine ,Child ,Empowerment ,Human services ,media_common ,Medical education ,Health Priorities ,business.industry ,Administrative Personnel ,Health services research ,Community Health Centers ,General Medicine ,Benchmarking ,Leadership ,Needs assessment ,Women's Health ,Female ,Health education ,Health Services Research ,business ,Needs Assessment - Abstract
Following the initial wave of federal support to address women's health, there is a need to assess successes and determine the next priorities to advance the health of women. The objective of this study was to systematically collect expert opinion on the major advances in women's health in the past decade and priorities for women's health research and service in the coming decade.We utilized a Delphi method to query the leadership from academic and community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health, as designated by the Department of Health and Human Services. Leaders from 36 of the 48 centers responded to a series of questions about the major advances and critical indicators to evaluate future needs in women's health. We utilized a social ecology model framework to organize the responses to each question.The experts identified increased health education for women and increased empowerment of women across multiple spheres as the major advances positively impacting the health of women. The experts selected the following areas as the most important indicators to measure the status of the health of women in the future: health education and promotion, rates and impact of interpersonal violence against women, and access to healthcare. The major advances and measures of the health of women did not focus on specific changes to individual women in illness management, clinical care, or individual behavioral change.As we move to address health reform, we must be able to recognize and incorporate a broad perspective on public health and policy initiatives critical to the health and wellness of women and girls and, therefore, central to the well-being of the nation.
- Published
- 2010