| May's health
observances: National Stroke Awareness Month
Asthma and Allergy
Awareness Month
Hepatitis Awareness
Month
National Arthritis Month
National Mental Health
Month
National Osteoporosis
Prevention Month
Skin Cancer
Awareness Month |
Announcements. . .
April 30, 2001
The National Centers of
Excellence in Women's Health Program sponsored by the Office on Women's Health has
been selected as a semi-finalist in the Innovations in American Government Awards. These
awards are intended to draw attention to exemplary achievements in government
problem-solving and to amplify the voices of public innovators in communicating their
practices. Click here for more information on the award
program.
April 24, 2001
A new Institute of Medicine report (Exploring
the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter?) discusses how basic
biochemical differences in cells of males and females contribute to health variability
between the sexes. It also encourages the scientific study of the mechanisms and origins
of sex-related differences in human health and illness. Read the summary or full report.
April 24, 2001
Four new topics have been added to NWHIC's Frequently Asked Questions About Women's Health section:
Three of our FAQs have been updated with the most current
health information on their topics:
April 17, 2001
Delivering on a promise he made on his first day
on the job, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today launched a new national initiative to
encourage and enable Americans to "Donate the Gift of Life."
Click here to read the press release.
April 16, 2001
NWHIC has updated its Spanish language
section, Recursos en Español. We have collected links to
hundreds of additional Spanish language publications and organizations, and organized them
by health topic for easy access. Check out this latest update to the NWHIC web site today!
NWHIC ha actualizado la sección en Español, Recursos en Español. Hemos colectado conexiones de cientos
de publicaciones y organizaciones adicionales en Español, y los hemos organizado segun el
tema de salud para un acceso más facil. Chequea esta Nueva actualización en la página
de la red de NWHIC ahora!
April 6, 2001
Four new topics have been added to NWHIC's Frequently Asked Questions About Women's Health section:
April 1, 2001
April is National Sexually Transmitted
Diseases Awareness Month. Click here for more information.
March 30, 2001
NWHIC now offers a monthly e-letter! To subscribe to "Healthy Women
Today," go to:
http://www.4woman.gov/about/listserv.htm
March 27, 2001
The NWHIC is proud to announce the launch of A
Breath of Fresh Air, our new web site section on women and smoking.
We have created this section to help empower women and girls, and the people they love, to
breathe clean! Gain independence from the stale world of smoking by using our information
and resources. Learn about the specific effects of smoking on your health and how to
overcome barriers to quit.
March 23, 2001
Scholarship Opportunity for Women with
Disabilities
The ELA Foundation is announcing their annual scholarship for women with
disabilities who are pursuing a graduate degree at any college or university in the United
States. The application procedure and form can be found on the ELA website at www.ela.org under Grants/Scholarships. All applications must
be received by June 15, 2001. The ELA Foundation will be awarding two scholarships worth
$2000 in August, 2001. The scholarship money is contingent upon the winner's acceptance to
or continuation in an accredited college or university graduate school program and will be
made payable to the educational institution for tuition. Additional information on the ELA
Foundation can be found on the website at www.ela.org.
March 19, 2001
Research Announcement for Women Seeking Info About Breast /
Cervical Cancers or HRT or Women Who Have Recently Experienced Infertility / Pregnancy
Complications.
February 23, 2001
The National Lesbian Health Conference 2001 - Challenges of
the New Millennium announces their call for abstracts. You may register your submissions on
line or read more about the conference on the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association web
site at: http://www.glma.org/conferences/nlhc/2001/nlhc2001flyer.pdf
February 16, 2001
The National Cancer Institute is looking for 150 enthusiastic
and committed individuals to represent the views of cancer survivors and family members in
their programs and activities. NCI needs you to take part in one or more projects
from home and/or in the Washington, DC area. Your role may include: developing and
reviewing cancer education materials; participating in meetings to voice opinions about
cancer research plans and policies; and evaluating patient-oriented research at cancer
research centers. For more information and an application, please visit http://liaison.cancer.gov/CARRA
February 12, 2001
The State Health Statistics by Sex and
Race/Ethnicity, a joint project by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS),
The DHHS Office on Women's Health and Office on Minority Health, is now available on the
NCHS web site. The resource is a data warehouse in which information from many different
data systems is presented in one central location for ease of access. The information
includes many indicators of minority and women's health.
February 7, 2001
"Scientific
Workshop on Lesbian Health 2000: Steps for Implementing the IOM Report," a new
Office on Women's Health publication, is now available. This booklet reports the
proceedings from the March 2000 Scientific Workshop on Lesbian Health held in Washington,
DC. This workshop provided working groups on cancer, cardiovascular disease and obesity,
health promotion and intervention, HIV/AIDS and STDs, life span development, mental health
and substance abuse, research career development, research methodology, resiliency/health
effects of homophobia, and service delivery and access to services.
February 2, 2001
The Women with
DisAbilities section of the NWHIC Web site is newly revised and updated for 2001. It
puts a wealth of useful information together into one place for women with disabilities,
caretakers, health professionals, and researchers. Check out this section for credible,
updated resources on women's health issues related to living with disabilities.
January 26, 2001
The Request for Applications for OWH's National Community
Centers of Excellence in Women's Health (CCOE) Program is now available. The Federal
Register announcement is available as a text
file or a PDF
file.
January 12, 2001
National Cervical Cancer Coalition FREE Pap
Smear Day (January 12th, 2001) for women who have not had a pap smear in
three years. Click here to
read more.
January 11, 2001
NWHIC's Calendar of Events is newly designed and
updated for 2001. Check this list often for updated women's health events listings.
January 8, 2001
"Congratulations to Helen Rodriguez
Trias, a member of the OWH Minority Women's Health Panel of Experts who received the
Presidential Citizen's Medal. She is one of 28 honorees being recognized for their
remarkable service and accomplishments in a variety of areas including civil rights,
medicine and health, human rights, religion, education, sports, disability advocacy,
government service, and the environment."
December 7, 2000
2 new FAQ's have been added to our "Frequently Asked Questions" section.
Click here for Varicose Veins and Spider Veins.
Click here for Douching.
December 4, 2000
The newly redesigned National Centers of
Excellence in Women's Health (CoE) section of NWHIC has been released today. Visit the new CoE section to see how these innovative programs
provide for the special needs of women. In addition, 8 new brochures are available
on the CoE "All About Us" page.
December 1
Today is World AIDS Day. Read about a new two year
World AIDS Campaign - The first year focusing on the role of men in the AIDS epidemic - AIDS: Men Make a Difference
. Other current information about HIV/AIDS can be found at the CDC Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention
November 1
The National Women's Health Information Center
wins the "Best Feds of the Web" award. Click here to view information about
the award.
November 1
Congratulations to Ho'oipo Decambra,
member of the Office on Women's Health Minority Women's Health Panel of Experts. The
Robert Wood Johnson Institute has honored Ho'oipo Decambra as a Community Health Leader
for 2000. She was recognized for incorporation of traditional Hawaiiian healing practices
in her drug treatment programs.
October 30
The Surgeon General releases the first
comprehensive blueprint to increase breastfeeding rates. "Low breastfeeding rates
documented in the Blueprint for Action is a serious public health challenge, particularly
in certain minority communities," said David Satcher. M.D., U.S. Surgeon General and
Assistant Secretary for Health. "With scientific evidence indicating that
breastfeeding can play an important role in an infant's health, the time has come for us
to work together to promote optimal breastfeeding practices." The Blueprint
for Action released today promotes a plan for breastfeeding based on education,
training, awareness, support and research.
Read the Blueprint for
Action
Go to NWHIC's new Breastfeeding section
October 11
The National Women's Health Information Center
is proud to announce our new Violence Against Women section. This new
resource provides abused women and their loved ones with resources and information they
can use to get help. Included is information on general violence, domestic and intimate
partner violence, sexual assault and abuse, dating violence, elder abuse, state-level
resources, and links to additional federal information through the new Nation's
Agenda to End Violence Against Women.
October 7
The Changing Face of Women's Health, a
national exhibition makes its San Francisco Bay Area debut on October 7, 2000, at the
Exploratorium. This exhibition makes a dramatic statement in terms of just how far women's
health has come and allows a woman to identify her individual risk factors. Click here for full details.
September 28
FDA APPROVES MIFEPRISTONE FOR THE TERMINATION OF
EARLY PREGNANCY
The Food and Drug Administration today approved mifepristone (trade name Mifeprex)
for the termination of early pregnancy, defined as 49 days or less, counting from the
beginning of the last menstrual period. Mifepristone is a drug that blocks a hormone
called progesterone that is needed for pregnancy to continue. Mifepristone, when used
together with another medicine called misoprostol, is used to end an early pregnancy.
For more information see FDA's Mifepristone Information Page.
September 19
HHS ESTABLISHES MODEL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
FOR WOMEN HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced today the
creation of the nation's first model community health centers for women designed to
integrate health services with research and public outreach. The National Community
Centers of Excellence in Women's Health (CCOEs) will coordinate all aspects of a woman's
health throughout her life span, including active management of the socioeconomic and
cultural influences that often stand in the way of quality health care for underserved
women.
Read the press
release here.
September 11
International Teleconference on Women's Health
"Healthy Behavior Series". Informative and valuable teaching aid
videos for your students, as well as your personal library. Click here for more information!
September 6
The public transcripts for FDA's "Public
Meeting on the Safety of Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids"
are now available. For these, and other related materials,click here.
August 22
A new Report Card on women's health, Making the Grade on Women's Health: A
National and State-by-State Report Card, by the National Women's Law Center, FOCUS on
Health & Leadership for Women at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and
The Lewin Group is the first report ever to comprehensively assess the overall health of
women at the state and national levels. It explores 32 health status indicators and 32
health policy indicators, giving the nation an overall grade of
"Unsatisfactory." FOCUS on Health & Leadership for Women at the Center for
Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania was launched in
response to the need for a comprehensive approach to women's health concerns and
experiences, and is part of a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health, designated
by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health.
August 17
NWHIC's For Your Heart
section is proud to announce the addition of culturally tailored messages designed to
promote behavior change among African American women. The redesigned site features a new
resource page, a heart and stroke warning signs page, more tips on how to change your
lifestyle behaviors, and a recipe center with heart healthy and diabetic delicious dishes.
The announcement was made at the National Black Nurses Association conference in
Washington, D.C. Tailored messages for Hispanic, Native American, and Asian American and
Pacific Islander women will be added to the For Your Heart site soon.
Click here to read the
press release
Click here to enter the For
Your Heart site!
July 20
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala and Indian
Minister of Health and Family Welfare Chandreshwar Prasad Thakur on June 13, 2000, signed
two joint statements pledging to stimulate new cooperative efforts in the fields of
HIV/AIDS prevention research and maternal and child health research. Additional
information can be found in the NIMH
announcement and the HHS
press release.
July 3
The Office
of Population Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announces the
publication of documents regarding abortion-related services in Family Planning Services
projects in the July 3, 2000 edition of the Federal Register.
Public Meeting on the Safety
of Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids
June 29
The National Women's Health Information Center launches our Healthy Pregnancy section.
This site, created for expectant mothers, provides resources
about each trimester of pregnancy, fertility and contraception, preparing for the new
baby, childbirth, postnatal and postpartum care, and financial assistance. Also included
are some tools to help you determine your ovulation and due dates.
June 27
New Public Health Service Guideline Calls on Health
Professionals to Make Treating Tobacco Dependence a Top Priority. Health care
professionals have new evidence and tools to help patients quit using tobacco, according
to a report issued today by the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS). A private-sector panel
of experts convened by the federal government today challenged all clinicians, insurance
plans, purchasers, and medical school officials to use the evidence in the new guideline
to make treating tobacco dependence a top priority. Click here to read further
information about the Tobacco Cessation Guideline, including press releases and the full
report.
June 19, 2000
10 new pamphlets have been prepared by the
Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. These pamphlets are part of an ongoing series
designed to share and highlight the novel strategies, accomplishments, and lessons learned
so other health centers around the country can benefit and learn from the unique CoE model
program. See the CoE Publications Page for more information
and to read the pamphlets.
June 6, 2000
On June 5-9, 2000, the United Nations Special
Session known as Beijing Plus Five will mark the fifth anniversary of the UN Fourth World
Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. This special session, following the theme
"Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the 21st Century", will
review the progress and achievements made In support of Beijing Plus Five, the Department
of Health and Human Services has released a report highlighting its efforts in supporting
and creating programs and policies that benefit women and their families since 1995. Click here to read the report.
May 30, 2000
NWHIC has been selected as a "hot
site" by OBGYN.net. See our awards page for
other commendations NWHIC has received.
May 30, 2000
The federal government has released the fifth
edition of "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," providing easily understood,
science-based information on how Americans can choose diets that promote good
health. The new guidelines, announced by President Clinton in his weekly radio
address, have been improved to be more consumer-friendly, to contain more specific
scientific recommendations and to address the need for safe food handling to prevent
illness.
Click here to view the
guidelines and related information.
May 25, 2000
The first-ever Surgeon General's report on oral
health is now available. It identifies a "silent epidemic" of dental and
oral diseases that burdens some population groups and calls for a national effort to
improve oral health among all Americans. The report, commissioned by Health and Human
Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala, also focuses on the relationship between oral health
and overall good health throughout life, the mouth as a "mirror for general health
and well-being and the association between oral health problems and other health problems.
View the Press Release or
the Report
May 23, 2000
Cancer Care, Inc. has established a new program
called The AVONcares Program for Medically Underserved Women. This new service can provide
financial assistance and relevant education and support to low income, under- and
uninsured women throughout the country in need of diagnostic and/or related services for
the treatment of breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers. For more information, visit Cancer
Care's web site at www.cancercare.org.
May 18, 2000
The Office on Women's Health will be sponsoring a new program,
in collaboration with the Office of Minority and Women's Health of the Bureau of Primary
Health Care at the Health Resouces and Services Administration. This new program will
focus on community-based efforts for women's health. The title of the program will be National
Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Applications for this new
program will be available on May 19th from Ms. Anna Kindermann, Division
of Program Management, Office on Women's Health, Parklawn Building, Room 16A-55, 5600
Fishers Lane, Rockville MD 20857, email: akindermann@osophs.dhhs.gov.
Applicants must be a public or private, nonprofit community-based hospital, community
health center, or community-based organization serving underserved women. Academic health
centers or organizations that are part of academic health centers are not eligible.
Applications will not be accepted from organizations in states or territories that already
have a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health program. Thus, applications will
not be accepted from organizations in the following states or territories: CA, CT, IL, IN,
LA, MA, MI, NC, PA, PR, WA, WI.
May 15, 2000
The Office on Women's Health is launching a new
nationwide health education campaign designed for women who have multiple demands on their
time. The year-long Pick Your Path to Health campaign,
beginning May 15, 2000, helps women take simple and time-sensitive steps to improve their
health, and will encourage local communities to promote practical, culturally interesting,
and relevant action steps to wellness. -- View the press release.
May 12, 2000
OWH's fact sheet, The Health of Minority Women, has been updated and
expanded. Click here to see other publications from
the Office on Women's Health.
May 2, 2000
The Office on Women's Health is sponsoring a Young
Women's Health Summit this August. Young women are invited to attend this
health leadership forum. Click here
for additional information and application forms.
April 21, 2000
Six of the National Centers of Excellence in
Women's Health have been working on a tool to measure women's satisfaction with primary
care. Their progress was documented in the January/February 2000 edition of the
journal Women's Health Issues. See the Centers of
Excellence page to download the article.
April 21, 2000
The very critical issues of medical errors and
patient safety have received a great deal of attention recently. The Institute of Medicine
in November 1999 released a report estimating that as many as 98,000 patients die as the
result of medical errors in hospitals each year. The Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality (AHRQ) has established a new "Research
on Medical Errors" web page where information about an initiative to reduce
medical errors and improve patient safety can be found.
April 21, 2000
From the beginning of this century to the new millennium, events in women's health helped
to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A new publication, FDA Milestones in Women's Health,
highlights products important to women throughout their lives and for different diseases
and conditions.
April 14, 2000
Applications for the new National Community
Centers of Excellence in Women's Health will be available on May 14, 2000, and due June
30, 2000. More information will be found on the Centers of
Excellence page as it becomes available.
March 21, 2000
NWHIC is chosen as the "web pick of the
day" by HMS Beagle, an online guide for the
biological and medical community. See our awards page
for NWHIC's other achievements. |
New features: Check out our Guest Editor for May:
Patti Shwayder
CEO
National Stroke Association
"STROKE: Not Just Your
Grandparents' Disease"
New sections:
For Your Heart
The facts surrounding women and heart disease can be frightening to think about.
The For Your Heart web site was developed containing the latest information on exercise,
nutrition, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure and other factors that
affect you and your risk for heart disease - all tailored to your needs.
Healthy Pregnancy
This site, created for expectant mothers, provides resources about each trimester
of pregnancy, fertility and contraception, preparing for the new baby, childbirth,
postnatal and postpartum care, and financial assistance. Also included are some tools to
help you determine your ovulation and due dates.
Pick Your Path to Health
We worry so much about everyone else that we rarely take the time to care about
ourselves. Look here for some quick tips for a healthy lifestyle.
Body Image
Feel good about yourself! Learn how you can improve your health on the New
Body Image site!
Media Page
Important information for the media
Health Information for
Special Groups
Redesigned with links and information targeting specific groups
Health Information for Minority
Women
A new section with links to publications and organizations for minorities
Health Professionals
Information for clinicians and researchers |
