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Women's Health Updates — March 2024
This newsletter features information about heart health, endometriosis, menopause, and more!
Read about recent developments in women's health as well as SWHR's activities that promote the study of sex and gender influences on health and serve our mission to improve women's health through science, policy, and education.
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SWHR PUBLISHES 2023 ANNUAL REPORT | |
Read about SWHR's Science and Policy Programs, highlights from the 2023 Annual Awards Gala, top blogs, and letters from the SWHR President and Board Chair in the Society's 2023 Annual Report. | |
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SOCIETY APPLAUDS ARPA-H SPRINT FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH | |
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SWHR is thrilled to see how the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research is taking shape across the federal government. The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) hosted a "Sprint for Women's Health Proposers' Day" on March 6, discussing ARPA-H's latest initiative, which will invest $100 million in transformative research and development in women's health. The Society is excited to see what comes from this investment and will continue to look for ways to engage with the Administration on the White House Initiative to ensure that the most salient recommendations of the women’s health, public health, and scientific communities become a reality.
Learn more about the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research during the March 21 event, "Webinar on Women’s Health — Obtain Updates on Funding and more!" SWHR is a co-sponsor of this event.
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SAVE THE DATE FOR THE SWHR ANNUAL AWARDS GALA | |
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Join SWHR for the 2024 Annual Awards Gala on April 25, 2024. The Society will recognize Janine Austin Clayton, MD, FARVO (NIH Office of Research on Women's Health), Maria Shriver (Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic) and Shontelle Dodson, PharmD (Astellas Pharma, Inc.) for their commitment to improving women’s health.
We are excited to host this year's event in the newly renovated National Museum of Women in the Arts. Tickets and sponsorships are now available. Contact Development Director Julie Miller with questions.
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HEALTH AWARENESS IN MARCH | |
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ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH
For every 10 women in your life, at least one of them likely has endometriosis. Endometriosis requires lifelong care, and nearly 95% of women with endometriosis report having at least one other chronic condition. Learn more about how to support those living with endometriosis by exploring SWHR's Endometriosis Toolkit, Endometriosis Teen Toolkit, and the Endometriosis Patient and Provider Video Set, all available at swhr.org
March 1-7 is also Endometriosis Awareness Week!
Join the conversation this month on social media using the hashtag #SWHRtalksEndometriosis.
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SLEEP AWARENESS MONTH
On average, individuals spend 26 years of their lives asleep and seven years trying to fall asleep. Sleep is an essential function for overall health. SWHR began work on sleep health more than a decade ago and has continued efforts in this space since. Check out our recent sleep guide, the Narcolepsy Toolkit!
Read the NEW Supporting Children with Narcolepsy at School Fact Sheet.
March 10-16 is Sleep Awareness Week, marking the beginning of Daylight Savings Time on March 10. March 15 is World Sleep Day!
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MARCH 4: HPV AWARENESS DAY
We can all play a role to prevent HPV! Ensure you and your family are protected from the virus before any virus risk is present, and learn how the HPV vaccine is powerful cancer prevention tool. Watch the #SWHRtalksHPV conversation today!
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MARCH 4: WORLD OBESITY DAY
Obesity is a chronic disease with a particular impact on women. SWHR is proud to be a partner of the new EveryBODY Covered campaign, to empower women to advocate for insurance coverage of comprehensive obesity care. Learn more at everybodycovered.org.
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MARCH 8: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
The NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 mandated that women and minorities be included in all NIH-funded clinical research – nearly 20 years after a 1977 FDA ruling excluded women from research. We are still making up for this research gap today. Investing is women's health research is imperative to improve women's health. Read more about the progress and opportunities in women's health on the SWHR blog.
Hear from SWHR's Chief Science Officer Dr. Irene O. Aninye during the March 8 webinar, "Inspiring Inclusion: Celebrating Women in Health Care and Advocacy," hosted by Expecting Health.
March is also Women's History Month! Learn more about the history of women's health in SWHR's Timeline.
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MARCH 11-17: BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK
As individuals age, the brain changes – but cognitive conditions like Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are not an inevitable part of aging. Learn more about protecting your brain health and supporting Alzheimer's patients and caregivers in the Breaking Down the Burden of Alzheimer’s Disease fact sheet!
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SWHR Publishes Heart Health Policy Agenda
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, resulting in one in every five deaths. Despite decades of progress, the heart health landscape in the United States is fraught with persistent challenges, spanning challenges with public and provider education, to research gaps, to barriers to accessing care.
To close out American Heart Month in Februrary, SWHR created the SWHR Policy Agenda: Improving Women’s Heart Health Outcomes Across the Lifespan to discuss policy needs and opportunities in women’s heart health.
Thank you to the SWHR Heart Health Policy Working Group, who provided insights to inform this work!
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SWHR Creates Endometriosis Video Set for Patients and Providers
Launched this March for Endometriosis Awareness Month, SWHR's latest video series directed at both health care providers and patients impacted by endometriosis, seeks to help improve endometriosis diagnostic and care pathways.
Watch the "Journey to Wellness with Endometriosis" video to learn about the endometriosis patient experience and how women can better navigate their care.
Watch the "Precision in Practice for Endometriosis Care" video to learn how a wide range of health care providers (from those in pediatrics to emergency medicine) can help endometriosis patients better recognize symptoms.
Thank you to the members of the SWHR Endometriosis Education Working Group featured in these videos, including:
- Soyini Hawkins, MD, MPH, FACOG, Endometriosis Patient and Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgeon, Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center of Georgia
- Lauren Kornegay, Endometriosis Patient and Executive Director, Endo Black Incorporated
- Lindsey Peters, Endometriosis Patient and Advocate
- Jessica Shim, MD, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecologist, Boston Children’s Hospital
- Wendaline VanBuren, MD, Radiologist and Associate Professor, Mayo Clinic
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SWHR Shares Set of Menopause Workplace Resource Guides
Half of all individuals employed in the United States between the ages of 40 and 64 are women – the majority of whom have begun or completed the menopause transition.
Yet, according to the SWHR Employee Perspectives and Challenges Concerning the Transition of Menopause (EMPACT Menopause) Study, one-third of employees were unsure if menopause-specific resources were available to them.
The Menopause Workplace Resource Guides were created to support managers and women in the workplace so they can better understand the menopause transition and foster more menopause-friendly workplaces.
Thank you to the members of the SWHR Menopause Working Group and to all who completed the menopause workplace survey last year, helping make these guides possible!
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SWHR Releases Narcolepsy Caregiver Fact Sheet
Ahead of World Sleep Day on March 15, SWHR released the Supporting Children with Narcolepsy at School Fact Sheet, to support narcolepsy caregivers as they navigate reasonable accommodations and care for their families. Narcolepsy can have a significant impact on a child’s academic life, so communication and support from schools are critical.
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Share your health story with SWHR!
Do you have a health story about narcolepsy, sleep health, caregiving, or another health topic to share? Share your story with SWHR at swhr.org/shareyourstory and you could help inform future resources.
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SWHR co-sponsoring "Webinar on Women’s Health — Obtain Updates on Funding and more!" event.
On March 21, hear from ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn, PhD and White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research Director Carolyn Mazure, PhD on the new $100M ARPA-H Sprint for Women’s Health Program and the White House plans. If you are an innovator, founder, funder, researcher and care about driving meaningful change in advancing the health of women, this event is for you! Learn more.
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Additional Updates:
Learn more about SWHR's policy work here.
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MARCH 25-28: On Aging 2024
On Aging is the nation’s largest multidisciplinary conference on aging and the annual conference for members of the American Society on Aging. Meet SWHR at the event! SWHR Chief Science Officer Dr. Irene O. Aninye and SWHR’s Menopause Workplace Education Working Group members Jennifer Fairweather and Dr. Sharon Seibel will be speaking at this confernce. Learn more.
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MARCH 28: Diverse Voices: Endometriosis
NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health presents the March 2024 session of Diverse Voices: Intersectionality and the Health of Women on Endometriosis. Learn more.
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MAY 1-4: 3rd Reproductive Aging Conference
The Reproductive Aging Conference focuses on understanding mechanisms that regulate aging in reproductive tissues and their relationship to overall organismal healthspan and longevity. This event is one of the only international meeting dedicated entirely to the topic of reproductive aging. Learn more and register.
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MAY 6-9: OSSD 2024 Annual Meeting
The Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD) 2024 Annual Meeting is taking place this May in Bergen, Norway. The meeting will feature keynote speakers, symposiums, and awards for trainee members in the fields of sex differences research. Meet SWHR at the event! SWHR Chief Science Officer Dr. Irene O. Aninye will be speaking at this event during the SWHR Emerging Scholars Symposium, featuring research excellence in addressing important knowledge gaps in women's health. Learn more.
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Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)?
Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"
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WOMEN'S HEALTH PERSPECTIVES | |
Do you have a health story to share? SWHR is always seeking stories about diagnoses, seeking or providing care, and living with narcolepsy, menopause, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, or other conditions or life stages. Visit swhr.org/shareyourstory or click the button to share. | |
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Don't forget to check out SWHR's 2023 Annual Report
Read about SWHR's Science and Policy Programs, highlights from the 2023 Annual Awards Gala, top blogs, and letters from the SWHR President and Board Chair in the Society's 2023 Annual Report.
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