The Future Research Agenda The Future Research Agenda for Women’s Healthfor Women’s Health

Stacie E. Geller, Ph.D.Stacie E. Geller, Ph.D.Director, UIC Center for Research on Director, UIC Center for Research on

Women and Gender and Women and Gender and The National Center of Excellence in The National Center of Excellence in

Women’s Health Women’s Health

What is Women’s Health?What is Women’s Health?

It’s more than maternal healthIt’s more than maternal healthIt’s even more than reproductive healthIt’s even more than reproductive healthPreservation of health and wellness Preservation of health and wellness across the lifespan/prevention of illnessacross the lifespan/prevention of illnessThinking about women’s health in the Thinking about women’s health in the broadest termsbroadest terms– Life-course perspectiveLife-course perspective

Broadly defined women’s health research Broadly defined women’s health research agendaagenda

Building Upon the PastBuilding Upon the Past

Establishment of ORWH of NIHEstablishment of ORWH of NIH– Women in clinical trials (WHI)Women in clinical trials (WHI)

Increasing allocation of $$ to disorders that Increasing allocation of $$ to disorders that affect women (NIH, CDC, FDA, DHHS)affect women (NIH, CDC, FDA, DHHS)

Medical journals devoted to women’s health Medical journals devoted to women’s health (JAMWA)(JAMWA)

National Centers of Excellence in Women’s National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health (OWH/DHHS)Health (OWH/DHHS)

National Centers of Excellence in National Centers of Excellence in Women’s HealthWomen’s Health

Models of health care at 21 academic Models of health care at 21 academic health centers to improve the health of all health centers to improve the health of all women across the lifespan.women across the lifespan.

Overall goal is to transform the institutional Overall goal is to transform the institutional culture of academic health centers culture of academic health centers – To become agents of change in improving To become agents of change in improving

the health and health care of girls and women the health and health care of girls and women from diverse communities from diverse communities

The CoEs Integrate:The CoEs Integrate:

State-of-the-art comprehensive & integrated health care State-of-the-art comprehensive & integrated health care servicesservices

Multidisciplinary research to promote an extensive Multidisciplinary research to promote an extensive

women’s health research agendawomen’s health research agenda

Professional education, training & materials to educate Professional education, training & materials to educate

tomorrow’s health care providerstomorrow’s health care providers

Community partnerships & linkages for health services & Community partnerships & linkages for health services & educational programseducational programs

Key leadership positions in academic medicineKey leadership positions in academic medicine

Much Work yet to be Done…Much Work yet to be Done…Different profile of morbidity and mortalityDifferent profile of morbidity and mortality– Chronic health conditionsChronic health conditions

50,000 more women than men die of CVD each year50,000 more women than men die of CVD each yearLupusLupusDepressionDepression

– Domestic batteringDomestic battering

Women’s Health Report CardWomen’s Health Report Card– In 2004, the status of women’s health in the In 2004, the status of women’s health in the

nation still falls short of meeting national goalsnation still falls short of meeting national goalsMet 2 benchmarks and missed 25Met 2 benchmarks and missed 25

– The greatest decline has been in federal The greatest decline has been in federal programsprograms

Much Work yet to be Done…Much Work yet to be Done…

Proportion of resources spent on Proportion of resources spent on women’s health is lowwomen’s health is low– In 2004, NIH spends $28 billion on In 2004, NIH spends $28 billion on

researchresearch– $41million is allocated to ORWH (0.14%) $41million is allocated to ORWH (0.14%)

compared to $118 million to NCCAMcompared to $118 million to NCCAM– $29 million to OWH of DHHS$29 million to OWH of DHHS– $3.6 million to OWH/FDA$3.6 million to OWH/FDA

Much Work yet to be Done…Much Work yet to be Done…

Politics over sciencePolitics over science– David Hager to chair the FDA David Hager to chair the FDA

Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory committee committee

– Amendment to the House to restrict Amendment to the House to restrict federal funding to the NIH for sexuality federal funding to the NIH for sexuality researchresearch

– FDA refusal to approve EC (Plan B) to FDA refusal to approve EC (Plan B) to be OTCbe OTC

– Abortion-breast cancer link debunked!!!!Abortion-breast cancer link debunked!!!!

Much Work yet to be Done…Much Work yet to be Done…

Question the biomedical model of health, Question the biomedical model of health, disease & researchdisease & researchMedicalization of women’s health Medicalization of women’s health – Menstruation, Pregnancy and Menopause as Menstruation, Pregnancy and Menopause as

diseasedisease

Challenge current medical & cultural Challenge current medical & cultural assumptions about WH in the media, in assumptions about WH in the media, in policy debates and in medical professional policy debates and in medical professional educationeducation– Menopause as an estrogen deficiency disease or as a Menopause as an estrogen deficiency disease or as a

normal life transition that encompasses the normal life transition that encompasses the physiological, social, psychological…..physiological, social, psychological…..

How Do We Move Forward?How Do We Move Forward?

We have to ask the right questions to get We have to ask the right questions to get the right answersthe right answers– Does estrogen make women healthy or do Does estrogen make women healthy or do

healthy women take estrogen????? healthy women take estrogen?????

New indicators that expand our view of New indicators that expand our view of women's health must be incorporated into women's health must be incorporated into any research agenda. any research agenda. – Maternal mortality and morbidity surveillanceMaternal mortality and morbidity surveillance

Validate the Role of Women as Validate the Role of Women as Researchers/ScientistsResearchers/Scientists

Pioneer awardsPioneer awards– An NIH program designed “to support An NIH program designed “to support

individual scientists and thinkers with highly individual scientists and thinkers with highly innovative ideas and approaches to innovative ideas and approaches to contemporary challenges in biomedical contemporary challenges in biomedical research." research."

– NIH will provide $500,000 in direct costs per NIH will provide $500,000 in direct costs per year for five years to each Pioneer Award year for five years to each Pioneer Award recipient, "allowing them the time and recipient, "allowing them the time and resources to test far-ranging ideas with the resources to test far-ranging ideas with the potential to make extraordinary contributions potential to make extraordinary contributions to medical research." to medical research."

Pioneer awardsPioneer awards

All awardees this year are men!All awardees this year are men!!!