Women's Health Expert Panel

The Expert Panel on Women's Health goal educates and disseminates new research associated with women’s health. The Panel explores health issues related to women ranging from topics on health disparities for women of various racial and income groups to reproductive issues and preventable diseases.

Inaugural Year: 1998

Current Co-Chairs:

Dr. Judith Berg, PhD, RNC, WHNP, FAAN
Associate Professor
University of Arizona
800 The Mark Lane #2901
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 795-1800
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ellen Olshansky, DNSc, RNC, FAAN
Professor and Director
Nursing Science Program
College of Health Sciences
University of California, Irvine
233 Irvine Hall
Irvine, CA 92697-3959
949-824-934
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Staff Liaison: Jocleyn Cunic
Board Liaison: Terri Weaver

Previous Chairs: Mary A. Nies (2003)

Frequency of Meetings: Annually in person

Publications: No publications to date.

Charge to the Expert Panel:

To promote the health of women and to promote the role of nurses as leaders in women’s health.

Summary:

The Expert Panel on Women’s Health is working a few goals. The primary focus is on reducing the gaps of health disparities and inequalities and strengthening the nursing and health care delivery system nationally and internationally.

The Women's Health Expert Panel is working on a submission to the American Academy of Nursing's section of Nursing Outlook. This policy brief will expand on the policy brief submitted to AAN on 11/09/08 which was included in AAN's letter to President Barack Obama and his health policy transition teams outlining the Academy's platform for health care reform. Some of the most prevalent public health problems women encounter include:

Almost half (49%) of all pregnancies are unintended
Women lack access to preconception and inter-conception health care
Rising exposure to STIs and HIV/AIDs causes significant disease burden for women
Breast and lung cancer
Cardiovascular diseases are the no. 1 cause of death in women
Aging women suffer excessive morbidity from osteoporosis and Alzheimers Disease
Women assume most of the burden of caregiving of children, aging adults, and individuals with chronic illnesses

The panel hopes to synthesize and disseminate knowledge for the purpose of improving health care practices and establish the Academy as the credible source for translating nursing's beneficial impact on health care.

Resources:

Academy letter to President-Elect Obama

Support for the Women's Health Amendment

The USPSTF recommends against routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years. (Click to read more.)

Return to Expert Panel List