Women's health


25 April 2007 Introduction
The term women's health does not describe a specialty but can be used to evaluate the adequacy of any approach to the care of women and the education of healthcare providers. The aim of women's health is the preservation of wellness and prevention of illness in women and also to ensure health information is available for all.

The BMA Board of Science has published several reports on issues related to women's health:
Domestic violence: a health care issue?
BMA, 1998
BMA location: BMA 843

Eating disorders: body image & the media
BMA, 2000
BMA location: BMA 1514

The BMJ lists its publications in this field as a collected resource

Print resources
Journals
This library does not stock any journals specifically dealing with women's health. Major journals are:

Journal of Women's Health
Society for the Advancement of Women's Health Research
Mary Ann Liebert ISSN 1540-9996
http://www.liebertpub.com/publication.aspx?pub_id=42

Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health
American College of Nurse-Midwives ISSN 1526-9523
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/620773/description#description

Books and reports
Books on women's health are kept in the reading room at WA 309 although you should use the catalogue to find all books and reports. Some recent books are given below:

Keyes CLM. Women and depression : a handbook for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Cambridge Univ. P., 2006.
BMA location: WM 171

Mazza D. Women's health in general practice. Butterworth-Heinemann 2004
BMA location: WA 309

Momoh C. Female genital mutilation. Radcliffe 2005
BMA location: WP 100

Payne S. Health of men and women. Polity P 2006.
BMA location: WA 309

Waller D, McPherson A. Women's health. Oxford Univ. P. 2003
BMA location: WA 309

Audiovisual resources
The BMA Library has an extensive collection of videos and films, which can be borrowed by members. Some recent videos on this subject include:

Dead mums don't cry. BBC Television, 2005.
Why are so many women in poorer countries dying in pregnancy and childbirth? In one African hospital, Dr Grace Kodindo is running out of medical supplies, but elsewhere on the continent there is reason for hope.
BMA location: TV 967

Hospital that failed women. BBC Television. 2006.
This Panorama programme reveals how a hospital put their patients in danger, by not giving women with breast cancer radiotherapy treatment. The mistakes in treatment were covered up, and the programme investigates how patients can find out about the best care available for their disorders.
BMA location: TV 1009

Suffering in silence. BBC Television Birmingham, 2000. 28 mins
About Asian women who self-harm as a way of releasing feelings. It looks at the reasons these women self-harm and also highlights how statutory services are failing to help them.
BMA location: TV 829

Women's health. BBC Television, 1999. 36 mins
Esther Rantzen considers how seriously women take their health.
BMA location: BMA 2019V

Web resources
Association of College and Research Libraries
Maintained by the Women's Studies Section of the US Association of College and Research Libraries with annotated links:
http://cc.usu.edu/~fshrode/wss_health.htm

Net Doctor
UK directory with information about diseases, health and medicine:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealth/gynaecological/index.shtml

Discovery Health
Contains both general health and specific issues sections:
http://discoveryhealth.co.uk/women/default.asp

Osteoporosis & Women's health
Directory of treatment and prevention sites featuring health topics, therapies and cures:
http://www.learn-about-osteoporosis.com/

Patient UK - Women's health
UK patient information directory with section on common health concerns for women.
http://www.patient.co.uk/womens_health.htm

Women Watch
Joint UN project to create a core internet space on global women's issues.
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/

Breast Cancer Care
National organisation offering extensive information and support to those affected by breast cancer. Includes the latest news and FAQ's.
http://www.bcc-uk.org/

Family Planning Association
UK organisation with information on contraception, sex and relationships, abortion, sexual health, and sexually transmitted diseases.
http://www.fpa.org.uk/

Family Health International (USA)
Works to improve global reproductive and family health through biomedical and social science research, innovative health service delivery interventions, and training and information programmes.
http://www.fhi.org/

Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development (Forward)
Established non-government organisation which serves the health and human rights needs of African women and girls in UK and Africa
http://www.forwarduk.org.uk/

Imaginis : The Breast Cancer Resource
Comprehensive resource for information and news on breast cancer and related women's health topics.
http://www.imaginis.com/

National Osteoporosis Society
Information on prevention and treatment, for both patients and health professionals
.http://www.nos.org.uk/

Mothers 35 Plus
Information and advice related to older motherhood:
http://www.mothers35plus.co.uk/

Surgery Door
A good selection of information with a section dedicated to women's health.
http://www.surgerydoor.co.uk/frame/womenshealth.asp

Well Woman Centre
Provides a comprehensive range of services, encompassing all facets of women's health and social well being.
http://www.wellwomancentre.ie/

Women's health
Information for women and their partners on pregnancy choices, complications and investigations, and common gynaecological conditions.
http://www.womens-health.co.uk/

Women's Cancer Information Project
Useful links produced by the CanCom Partnership of Irish bodies
http://www.eurohealth.ie/cancom/

Women's Institute
Largest women's organisation in UK.
http://www.womens-institute.org.uk/

Other organisations and libraries
British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA)
69 Division Street
Sheffield
S1 4GE
tel. 01342 843880
fax 01663 765285
email: info@bica.net.
http://www.bica.net/

Profesional association for infertility counsellors and counselling in UK.

British Menopause Society (BMS)
4-6 Eton Place
Marlow
Buckinghamshire
SL7 2 QA
tel: 01628 890199
email: britishmenopausesociety@compuserve.com.
http://www.the-bms.org/

Professional society for any professionally qualified person working in the area of menopause.

British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS)
bpas Head Office
4th floor
Amec House
Timothy's Bridge Road
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 9BF
tel: 0870 365 5050
fax: 0870 365 5051
tel:actionline: 08457 30 40 30 (0214 507700)
http://www.bpas.org/

Advocates and provides high quality and affordable services to prevent or end unwanted pregnancy with contraception or with abortion.

Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG)
27 Sussex Place
Regent's Park
London
NW1 4RG
tel: 020 7772 6200
fax: 020 7723 0575
http://www.rcog.org.uk/

Professional society whose principal object is encouragement of study and advancement of science and practice of obstetrics and gynaecology.

United Nations Development Fund for Women (Unifem)
304 East 45th Street, 15th floor
New York
NY 10017
United States
tel: 212 906-6400
fax: 212 906-6705
email: unifem@undp.org
http://www.unifem.org

Unifem is the Women's fund of the UN.

© British Medical Association 2008

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