Nursing Care and Women’s Health What is Women’s Health
The concept of “Women’s Health” has evolved significantly from a narrow focus on gynecological issues to encompass a broader biopsychosocial perspective. This expansion reflects an understanding that women’s well-being is profoundly influenced by the interplay between genetic, physiological, psychosocial, economic, cultural, generational, developmental, and lifestyle factors. This comprehensive view aligns closely with nursing’s long-standing emphasis on the holistic health of individuals, recognizing the complex interactions that influence health outcomes.
Research on Women’s Health
Historically, women’s health research emerged as a critique of previous practices that inadequately addressed or completely overlooked women’s specific health needs. Notably, in 1985, the Public Health Service Task Force on Women’s Health Issues highlighted significant gaps in research, particularly the exclusion of women and even female animals from early stages of drug testing due to hormonal fluctuations. This exclusion extended to conditions disproportionately affecting women, such as osteoporosis, certain cancers, and autoimmune diseases, which received minimal study and attention.
Women’s Health and Male Behavior
Traditionally, health research and standards were based on male behavior and physiology, which were erroneously considered normative for all humans. This approach often led to inadequate care for women, who might not respond to treatments in the same way as men. Early theoretical models, from Freud to Kohlberg, even positioned women as less developed when their responses did not mirror those of men. This bias extended to ignoring sociocultural factors that uniquely impact women, such as the links between societal expectations, mental health, and eating disorders.
Role of Social Health Systems
Social and health systems have historically exhibited biases that affected women adversely, such as insurance policies not covering women-specific health issues like breast prostheses post-mastectomy. Moreover, women were underrepresented in research and policymaking roles relative to their numbers, responsibilities, and capabilities. The burden of family caregiving, predominantly shouldered by women, was often invisibilized in economic measures like the Gross National Product.
The establishment of the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) in 1990 within the National Institutes of Health aimed to address these deficiencies, leading to a significant increase in the inclusion of women in clinical trials by the decade’s end.
Nursing Research on Women’s Health
Nursing research has been at the forefront of integrating women’s health into mainstream studies. For instance, the Center for Women’s Health Research at the University of Washington has made significant strides in understanding menstrual and menopausal transitions and has been instrumental in translational research, such as developing resources to help women make informed decisions about hormone replacement therapy.
Concerns of Centers of Geriatric Nursing
The Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence have focused extensively on the experiences of family caregivers, who are primarily women. This research has broadened understanding of women’s roles across different life stages, including as mothers and grandmothers, and has highlighted how puberty can affect girls differently from boys.
Health Behaviors and Women’s Health
Nursing has long emphasized the importance of understanding the person-environment fit in health behaviors. This perspective is evident in approaches like nurse-midwifery, which emphasizes the preferences of the mother during labor and delivery over traditional medical interventions. Nursing research has championed using diaries and health journals to capture the complex realities of women’s lives, leading to research that respects and reflects women’s lived experiences.
ORWH Agenda on Women’s Health
The ORWH has outlined a comprehensive agenda for women’s health research into the 21st century, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to studying chronic diseases, caregiving, and quality of life issues. These priorities align closely with the goals of nursing research, which seeks to develop effective management strategies for chronic conditions, emphasizing a holistic approach to health and well-being.
Nursing Research and Women’s Health
The next frontier in women’s health research is to move beyond treating women as a homogeneous group and to focus on the diverse experiences of different subgroups, including women of diverse cultures, ages, socioeconomic statuses, and sexual orientations. This approach will help tailor interventions more effectively and inclusively.
Future Directions
Looking forward, women’s health research needs to balance the exploration of physiological responses with the investigation of psychosocial factors, integrating behavioral and biomedical sciences to better understand the nuances of sex and gender differences in health.
As the field of women’s health continues to evolve, nursing will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping research and practice, ensuring that women’s health concerns are addressed comprehensively and compassionately in all aspects of healthcare.