Accessing Untapped Research on

Women’s HealthJonathon Erlen, PhD;Judith Erlen, PhD, RN, FAAN; and Ammon S. Ripple, MLSUniversity of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Location of URL for Database for Women’s Health

http://www.hsls.pitt.edu/guides/histmed/researchresources/dissertations/index_html

Background: Women’s Health

Focal area for multidisciplinary research

Recognizes that women’s health needs– are distinctly different– are not solely the result

of gender differences

Background: Databases

Starting point for scholarly workSubject access to database for

dissertations is very recentUntil 2001 there was no database

yielding comprehensive access to dissertations on women’s health

Purpose

Describe the scope of dissertations harvested from Dissertation Abstracts since 2001 on health issues experienced by women worldwide

Sites of Studies

United States

Canada

Far East

Africa

Latin America

Western Europe

Examples of Dissertations “Unwilling mothers and unwanted babies:

‘Infanticide and medico-legal responsibility in 20th century Canadian legal discourse”

“Cognitive-personality vulnerability and event perception in the prediction of depression in Chinese women of Hong Kong”

“’Mas me pegas, mas te quiero?’: Gender violence, resistance, and poverty in women’s lives in Lima, Peru”

Foci of Dissertations

Primary Prevention

Rape/Intimate Partner Violence

Reproductive Health Issues

Breast Cancer

Mental Health Issues

Self-care Practices

Examples of Dissertations “Community based women’s health

education: A conceptual model and a case study”

“Meaning reconstruction and recovery in rape survivors”

“The holding environment: Considerations for healthy birthing care”

“The efficacy of three interventions for increasing mammography utilization”

Populations Studied

Asians

African Americans

Native Americans

Hispanics

Examples of Dissertations “Married Korean women’s responses to

domestic violence within a framework of socio-cultural context”

“Self-care behaviors in African American women with type 2 diabetes”

“Acculturation, coping style and decision making about genetic testing in Hispanic women at risk for breast and ovarian cancer”

Populations Studied

Lesbians

Homeless

Uninsured

Examples of Dissertations “Older lesbian perspectives on

advance care planning for the end of life”

“Promoting the health needs of homeless women residing in a shelter in an urban community: A participatory action research study”

Discipline of Investigator

Nursing

Psychology

Social Work

Women’s Studies

Anthropology

History

Public Health

Examples of Dissertations “Narratives of facing personal mortality in the breast

cancer experience of Mexican-American women” (nursing)

“Mujeres inegniosas [resourceful women]: HIV+ Puerto Rican women and the urban health care system” (anthropology)

“Fit to be tied? Sterilization and reproductive rights in America, 1960-1984” (history)

“Treating women as mothers: The policy and practice of prenatal HIV testing” (public health)

Conclusions

This database provides an efficient means of accessing subject content of Dissertation Abstracts.

This database provides a means by which to build the science related to global women’s health issues.

Implications

Increase use of the HSLS homepage that includes women’s health dissertations

Facilitate expansion of research demonstrating – the importance of the discipline of women’s

health– causes and consequences of women’s health

issues– basis for improved quality of care

Procedure

Harvesting– Monthly review of Dissertation Abstracts

Assigning “subject” Entering into database

– http://www.hsls.pitt.edu/guides/histmed/ researchresources/dissertations/index_html

Sample

Representative dissertations on women’s health from institutions of higher learning around the world

Compiled since 2001