As the nation's prevention agency, CDC strives to accomplish its vision of
"Healthy People in a Healthy World...Through Prevention." For women, this involves working
to better understand the health issues that have an adverse impact on women,
disproportionately affect women, occur only in women, or have an impact on infant outcomes
as a direct result of a pregnancy-related event. Women's health once focused primarily
on puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Now, women's health is recognized as being
broad in focus and warranting additional attention and study and involves not only
chronic conditions but individual lifestyle choices and environmental and organizational
factors.
This publication focuses on some of the specific issues affecting women's
health: falls and resulting hip fractures, sports injuries, breast and cervical cancer, and
congenital toxoplasmosis. For each report, prevention recommendations and specific
research recommendations are provided. Much still needs to be done. The
publication addresses diverse and seemingly unconnected women's health issues; however,
these issues are very much connected, and several themes run throughout each of the
reports. For example:
Prevention -- whether primary or secondary -- continues to reduce or
prevent injury, disease, death, and disability. Prevention is an essential component
to maintaining health.
Science continues to strengthen and support public health action on the
individual, local, and national level.
Although much progress has been made in the area of women's health to
reduce morbidity and mortality, more prevention research needs to be done.
Public health affects every phase of our lives: how we live, work, and play.
Whether the topic is falls in the home, injuries associated with leisure or work-
related activities, screening for toxoplasmosis, or implementation of an early
detection program, prevention plays a vital role. Our partners in prevention (e.g., other
health agencies, business, education, communities, and individuals) also play a vital role
by developing and implementing prevention strategies and policies and by
promoting healthy behaviors and environments.
After reviewing each of these reports, examine current practices that have an
impact on women's health where you live, work, and play. Are there opportunities
for improvement? As costs related to disease, disability, and injury continue to
increase, the role of prevention to maintain health becomes more critical. Prevention is
about staying healthy and living well -- and prevention works for women.
Yvonne Green
Associate Director
Office on Women's Health
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