Women's Health Updates — September 2023

Learn 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.
SWHR WANTS YOU TO READ MY LIPS!

SWHR is kicking off the Read My Lips 👄 campaign in September to emphasize the importance of women knowing their risk factors for heart disease and understanding and the critical role of cholesterol screening – and specifically, lipid panel testing, the most comprehensive way to measure cholesterol – for women’s heart health. Join us and #ReadMyLips!

Here are some posts to share on social media this fall!
We’re partnering with @SWHR this #HealthyAgingMonth to empower women to take charge of their #hearthealth! #ReadMyLips: Your lipids hold key insights about your #cholesterol, which is why it’s crucial to talk to your #doctor about a #lipidpanel.
As of 2021, over 1 in 10 women in the U.S. ages 19 to 64 lack insurance, hindering #cholesterol screening & #hearthealth. We're teaming up with @SWHR to raise awareness of these barriers to screening and share the importance of heart health. #ReadMyLips
HAPPENING THIS SEPTEMBER
ALOPECIA AREATA AWARENESS MONTH
Although an estimated 700,000 people in the United States are affected by alopecia areata, there remain significant gaps in research and challenges when it comes to insurance coverage. Check out SWHR's Alopecia Areata Fact Sheet for more information.
GYNECOLOGIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
The five main types of gynecologic cancer are cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer, and vulvar cancer. Over 233,000 women are living with ovarian cancer in the United States. This September, take time to invest in your gynecologic health by reviewing the latest SWHR Diagnostics Fact Sheet on ovarian cancer.
HEALTHY AGING MONTH
Did you know each year an estimated 1.5 million individuals suffer a fracture due to bone disease? Or that as women age, many experience physical and psychosocial menopause symptoms while at work, reducing their productivity and job satisfaction? SWHR has many resources to promote healthy aging. Explore our resources like the Bone Health Policy Agenda or Menopause Toolkit, all online at swhr.org.
PAIN AWARENESS MONTH
Migraine is the second leading cause of global burden of disability, but less than 50% of people with migraine consult a health care provider. Learn more about managing your migraine pain by downloading SWHR's set of Migraine Toolkits.
SEXUAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
In the United States alone, there are about 20 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases each year, about half of which are in young people ages 15-24, according to the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA). Watch this important SWHR conversation about sexual health and related screenings.
The Research!America 2023 National Health Research Forum is designed to engage audiences on health and research- and development-related issues paramount to the health and safety of the nation and patients across the world. Register for your spot today!
SEPT 21: WORLD ALZHEIMER'S DAY
Approximately two-thirds of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease are women, and more than 60% of their caregivers are women. Read about how improved research and funding could eliminate gaps in Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses and care for women, in SWHR's call to action document, Advancing Care for Women with Alzheimer’s Disease.
SEPT 22: WORLD NARCOLEPSY DAY
Women with narcolepsy are diagnosed, on average, 28 years after symptom onset, 12 years longer than it takes for men to be diagnosed. This month, learn more about the impact of narcolepsy on women across their lifespans in the SWHR Narcolepsy Toolkit.
SEPT 25: WORLD LUNG DAY
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States – for both women and men. Make sure you're taking care of your lung health, and read the SWHR Women's Health Lung Cancer Fact Sheet this September.
This event on September 26, 2023 is part of a series hosted by the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA), aiming to provide research, evidence-based information, and lived experience testimonies related to maternal mental health.
Hear from SWHR Chief Science Officer Dr. Irene O. Aninye during this September 27, 2023 panel discussion on women's health and digital innovations. The event is taking place in New York and virtually.
This in-person panel hosted by 131 & Counting in Washington D.C. on September 27, 2023 will cover patient engagement with technology, health literacy, women-specific health data, and more. SWHR President and CEO Kathryn Schubert will be speaking at this event.
SEPT 29: WORLD HEART DAY
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year, according to Go Red for Women from the American Heart Association. To learn more, listen to the SWHR Heart Health Webinar. And stay tuned for more heart healthy resources from SWHR this fall!
SAVE THE DATE FOR THIS FALL
Join Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) and their partners at the 26th Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference. This year’s theme, Evolve, Expand, Excel, challenges the industry to push beyond the boundaries of our current knowledge and skills to broaden perspectives and strive for excellence in all aspects of patient care. SWHR will be in attendance, so meet us there!
Join the industry’s most powerful leaders spearheading this progression at Reuters Events: Total Health 2023, as they share major success stories and new innovations that when combined, can help form the blueprint for building the innovative, forward-thinking, and ultimately, more prosperous health system of tomorrow! USE CODE SWHR200 FOR 200$ OFF ALL PASSES
Check out SWHR's event calendar for more SWHR and other women's health events.
SWHR is always seeking stories about diagnoses, seeking or providing care, and living with lupus, menopause, autoimmune disease, HPV-associated cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, or other conditions or life stages. Visit swhr.org/shareyourstory or click the button above to learn more.
LATEST RESOURCES
SWHR Shares "All About" Email Series

SWHR released the first in our new All About email series, a topic-specific digest email for subscribes. All About: Immunizations was created in recognition of Immunization Awareness Month this August, and spotlights immunization and vaccine resources including the Vaccine Conversations Roadmap, Maternal Health Immunization Guide, and one of our partner organizations, Vaccinate Your Family.

Stay tuned for more All About emails this fall!
SWHR Releases Ovarian Cancer Fact Sheet

Although it is not the most common, ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer. This September is both Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month and Ovarian Cancer Month – and an important time to assess your cancer risks.

Read the Value of Diagnostics within Women’s Health: Ovarian Cancer Fact Sheet to learn more about your potential risks and screening options for ovarian cancer. There are currently no recommended screening guidelines for ovarian cancer, so speaking with a provider is key. Download a copy of the fact sheet today! 

Do you have a cancer story? Share your story with SWHR by visiting swhr.org/shareyourstory and you could help inform future resources.
Check out Value of Diagnostics within Women’s Health webinar series:
SWHR Hosts Menopause Workplace Webinar

SWHR kept the menopause conversation going at our latest webinar, "The Impact of Menopause on Women at Work: A Fireside Chat." Panelists Omisade Burney-Scott (Black Girl's Guide to Surviving Menopause) and Talia Varley, MD, MPH (Cleveland Clinic Canada) shared tips for menopause wellness at work:
  • One of the best things you can do for the people that work with you or for you is to remember their humanity. – Burney-Scott
  • There is no one-size-fits-all approach to menopause and women in the workplace. Cultural flexibility and tailoring of solutions is helpful, and not just for women. We know that male colleagues can benefit from this education too. – Dr. Varley

Stay tuned for more menopause resources this fall! Want more menopause information right now? Check out these materials.
Do you have a menopause story? Share your story with SWHR by visiting swhr.org/shareyourstory and you could help inform future resources.
POLICY
SWHR Publishes 2023-2024 Federal Legislative Agenda
The 2023-2024 Federal Legislative Agenda outlines how SWHR is engaging in federal policy this year and next year, highlighting the Society’s core leadership activities and other areas of active policy engagement. This agenda complements SWHR’s previously released Women’s Health Policy Agendas, including the 2022 Policy Agenda, Bone Health Agenda, Alzheimer's Disease Agenda, and Autoimmune Disease Agenda. Check it out: SWHR 2023-2024 Federal Legislative Agenda.

SWHR Policy Updates

Coalition to Advance Maternal Therapeutics (CAMT) Updates
ON THE BLOG
SWHR SPOTLIGHT
What's SWHR Reading?

On Cancer: “AI-supported mammogram screening increases breast cancer detection by 20%, study finds” by CNN reviews new research about the use of artificial intelligence to detect cancers.

On Maternal Health: “‘It’s a crisis’: Maternal health care disappears for millions” by Politico explores the limitations of maternal health access across the country.

On Research: “Oppenheimer revealed the human and political sides of science” by Axios features comments from CEO Katie Schubert about how cultural shifts impact research, including in women's health.
Meet up with SWHR this fall!

SWHR is speaking and exhibiting at the Michigan Life Sciences 2023 Showcase in Lansing, MI on September 18, 2023. Will we see you there? Check out our session about autoimmune health.

SWHR will be at the 2023 Science Summit at UN General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York, NY and online, on September 27, 2023. Will you be there too? Meet our staff at the event.
Thank you to our Summer Intern, Ruby!

SWHR had the pleasure of working with Ruby Baxley, as our Communications and Policy Intern this summer.

"My favorite part of my time working with SWHR was being able to write blog posts about women’s health issues such as uterine fibroids and polycystic ovary syndrome. There is so much to learn when it comes to the women’s health space. SWHR allowed me to learn where there are gaps in research and the importance of advocacy and education. SWHR’s work advocating to include women in more clinical trials made me think about so much research that only pertains to men while excluding biological female differences. At the moment, I am learning more about cycle syncing for my own health and wellness and how to adjust your lifestyle to fit your natural rhythm to improve metabolism, stress response and microbiome."
On Women's Health: “The Gender Research Gap” podcast episode by FemTech World features a conversation with CEO Katie Schubert about the history, present gaps, and future opportunities of women's health research.

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