Purdue has created the Women’s Global Health Institute (WGHI)
to combat inequality that has been prevalent in the history of women’s health
research. According to Connie Weaver, head of the department of nutrition
science and director for the WGHI, stated that for many years research grants
were awarded only when the research focused specifically on men’s health. The
reason why this was is because many researchers didn’t want to factor in
variables involving women’s menstrual cycles and hormones when conducting
health research. The Women’s Health Initiative started in 2002, it is a good
start in changing health research overall hoping to create a health awareness
globally; there was a statement that said “you can’t make up for decades of
research in one trail, we have a lot of inequality to kind of catch up to”.
While I agree that being a woman has shown a lot of
inequality not only socially, but medically as well. What I don’t agree with,
however, is when the spokeswoman for the Women’s Global Health Institute stated
that this initiative will help men as well. It was stated that statistics have
shown that women live longer than men, which requires women to be their
caretakers; with women being healthier now they would be able to assist
themselves and men better and for a longer time. I feel that because of this,
inequality is still very much present. Why can’t this initiative just be for
the good of women, why are the men benefiting as far as women still taking care
of them? I also feel as if the initiative is only trying to find ways of
promoting women’s health, which is fine, but are doing every little to do more.
Maybe they could combine forces with the Global Alliance for Women’s Health
(GAWH) whom are committed in advancing not only women’s health, but enforcing
all policy levels through health promotion, education, advocacy and program
implementation.
1 comment:
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