WOMEN'S
HEALTH
(This information comes from PAR-L)
When the National Forum on Health wrapped up its work in 1997, it left
behind a synthesis report on An
Overview of Women's Health (français)
making recommendations including reduction of power inequalities that
lead to violence against women, and supporting women in decision-making
and gate-keeping roles within the health system.
The Women's Health
Bureau, formed in Health Canada in 1993, has over the last five years
been establishing five Centres
of Excellence in Women's Health (les
Centres d'excellence pour la santé des femmes), in Halifax,
Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Their major priority is to
to inform the policy process and narrow the knowledge gap on gender
and health determinants.
These initiatives
have breathed new life in the Canadian
Women's Health Network (le
Réseau canadien pour la santé des femmes) , whose
vision is as follows: Health is a human right that, because of poverty,
politics and dwindling resouces for health and social services, eludes
many women.
Guided by a woman-centred,
holistic vision of women's health, the CWHN recognizes and respects
the diverse realities of women's lives and takes an active stance in
ending discrimination based on gender, region, race, age, language,
religion, sexual orientation or ability.
Finally, in March
1999, the Minister of Health launched the Canadian
Women's Health Strategy (Stratégie
pour la santé des femmes) , a framework document to guide
the federal government's initiatives with regard to the health of women.
Its four major objectives are:
* Ensure that Health
Canada policies and programs are responsive to sex and gender differences
and to women’s health needs.
* Increase knowledge
and understanding of women’s health and women’s health needs.
* Support the provision
of effective health services to women.
* Promote good health
through preventive measures and the reduction of risk factors that most
imperil the health of women.
Statistics
Pertaining to WOMEN and HEALTH
The following information comes from the PAR-L
site
Annette Jo Browne,
Jo-Anne Fiske & Geraldine Thomas, First Nations Women's Encounters
with Mainstream Health Care Services and Systems, BC Centre of Excellence
for Women's Health, 2000. (Report available for download from Home Page)
Dawn Canada,
A Way Out: Women With Disabilities and Smoking, Health Canada,
February 1997. (Canadian Statistics)
Statistics
Canada, Age-specific fertility rate of women, Health Statistics
at a Glance, 1999
Statistics
Canada, Exercise frequency by sex and age 1996-1997, Health Statistics
at a Glance, 1999
Statistics
Canada, Health improvement measures by women 1996-1997, Health
Statistics at a Glance, 1999
Statistics
Canada, Percentage of smokers by age, sex and province 1996-1997,
Health Statistics at a Glance, 1999
Statistics
Canada, Selected leading causes of death by sex 1996-1997, Health
Statistics Division, 1997.
Statistics
Canada, Therapeutic Abortion rates for Canada 1996-1997, Canadian
Institute for Health Information, April 2000
HEALTH
REFORM in ONTARIO
On
Mental Health Legislative Reform
...
Brian's
Law (Mental Health Legislative Reform), 2000
Read the Government of Ontario's Questions
and Answers page about Brian's Law.
Read the Government of Ontario's "Getting
Ready For Bill 68"
about amendments to the Mental Health Act and the Health Care Consent
Act .
Overview
to the Primary Care Reform
...
The information
page has been removed from the Government of Ontario website. However,
if you wish to obtain a current printed version, please contact the
Registration and Claims Branch of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term
Care at 1-800-262-6524.
Miscellaneous Articles
on Women's Health
About Mammograms: A Woman's Guide
Follow
this link for a comprehensive set of Health
related links from the Canadian Women's Health Network.
REPORTS
& ARTICLES
Perceptions
of Primary Healthcare Services among People with Physical Disabilities:
A 2-part report on the perceived quality of primary care received
by persons with disabilities.
Reprinted with Permission from Dr.
Donna Stewart
Part 1: Access Issues
Part 2: Quality Issues
Article
on Osteoporosis
authored by Don R. Powell, PhD
Apr.1999 © 1999 Don R. Powell, PhD, and
Amer. Inst. for Prevent. Medicine.
America's
War on the Disabled; 1975-1992:
A Personal Account
A History of the Social Security Disability Reviews of the 1980's available
free online, authored by Tennise Broeck Morse, a woman who lives
with MS
Breast
Self-Examination
A Handbook for Women with disAbilities
What this booklet is about
The Facts about Breast Cancer
Why Practice Breast Self Examination
Reasons Why We Don't Do Breast Self-Examination
To Treat Cancer you must First Find
it
Other Alternatives to BSE
For Information or support
About
Mammograms: A Women's Guide
Follow this link for a comprehensive set of Health
related links from the Canadian Women's Health Network.