E D I T O R I A L

Women’s Health: Nurses Pave the Way

h e health o f women :ind girls will be the focus o f l nurses around the globe on May 12, 1995, Interna- tional Nurses’ Day. Because women’s health too often is associated only with childbearing, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is calling for integrated health services for women that address their health problems from childhood through old age and consider both their physical and psychosocial needs. The ICN is suggesting an approach to women’s health that covers mother/child care, family planning, cancer control, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted and chronic diseases, and programs for adolescents and menopausal women.

Women’s health takes a lifelong perspective and rec- ognizes that health conditions in o n e phase o f a woman‘s life affect not only subsequent phases but also future gen - erations (ICN, 1995). Women’s health reflects the varied dimensions of women’s lives, including the reproductive roles; the biological realities; and the social context in which they live, work, a n d a g e (ICN, 1995). This concept of women’s health has implications for practitioners, re- searchers, and educators.

For practitioners, o n e o f the stickiest questions is how to translate the concept o f women’s health into ser- vices. Women’s health centers have developed with a va- riety o f structural models; however, the name “women’s center” o n the front door does not guarantee that services provided inside are woman-centered (Schaps, Linn, Wil. banks, CG Wilbanks, 1993). Woman-centered health ser- vices meet certain criteria. First, services are comprehen- sive, ranging from general health information to acute medical care. This means one-s top shopping for sore throats, fevers, and regular pelvic examinations. Second, the emphasis is on prevention and wellness care. There- fore, patient education is an integral part o f woman-cen- tered care. Third, the providers are respectful o f women’s autonomy, indiviclual rights, and knowledge. This re- spect is demonstrated through convenient communica- t ion systems, office hours, and service sites. Fourth, a mul- tidisciplinary team is used because 110 single type o f p ro- vider is knowledgeable and competent in a11 aspects o f women’s health. Optimal teams have internists, nurses, nutrition is t s , obstetrician - g yn eco 1 o g is ts , psyc h o t hera - pists, and others.

For researchers, the challenge is t o abandon the as-

sumption that tindings from clinical tri:ils with men are transferable t o women. The diagnosis and treatment of common diseases often are based on research done only with men . For example, although cardiovascular disease is the leading cause o f death in women, the initial study affirming that aspirin could be used as preventive therapy for coronary disease included 22,000 men and n o women (Johnson, 1992).

For educators, the need is t o rethink curricula and in- corporate more information on issues affecting women. Meeting this need has been less o f a problem in nursing schools than in medical schools, where turf wars have bro- ken out over how t o teach women’s health. O n e side calls for a new interdisciplinary specialty that focuses on women, such as pediatrics focuses on children. The other side calls for the traditional medical specialists-internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology-to become more knowledgeable about women and more “user frienclly” to them (Harrison, 1992). However medicine re- solves its dilemma, physicians can look t o nursing for lead- ership: “Nursing, a female-dominated profession, has had training programs in women’s health for over a decade,” notes Karen Johnson, MD (1992, p. 97).

Nurses take leadership when they form multidisciplin- ary teams t o render care t o women; ask for the research- base beneath diagnosis and treatment plans for women; and learn the distinctive physiologic, psychologic, and social features o f women’s health. By these means, individual iiurses will join the International Council of Nurses, paving the way t o improved women’s health.

K a r e n B. Haller, RN, PbD Editor

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