Women's health

They comprise more than half of humanity. And at every phase of their lives, women are making individual choices about issues such as contraception, cancer screening, preventing osteoporosis—and whether or not to use hormone therapy. They need health care services and information that will empower them to lead long, healthy lives.

Group Health Research Institute (GHRI) investigators conduct research that focuses on conditions such as breast cancer and osteoporosis that affect more women than men, as well as the more "equal-opportunity" conditions such as heart disease that are common in both sexes. In collaboration with colleagues at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Kaiser Permanente, Merck & Co., and other research hubs, the scientists' work influences the development of health care services and preventive care programs available to a wide range of women. In addition to improving care for Group Health patients, GHRI findings are influencing the development of models for women's health services nationwide.

"Our research programs address the major experiences and conditions that affect women's lives, including osteoporosis prevention, alternative therapies for menopause symptoms, strategies to manage urinary incontinence, and support for couples who miscarry," says Katherine M. Newton, PhD, associate investigator at GHRI. "Group Health is an incredibly rich environment, with dedicated members who generously give of their time to help us address these questions."

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Researchers in women's health

GHRI

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Affiliate researchers

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Recent publications on women's health

2008

Rohde P, Ichikawa L, Simon GE, Ludman EJ, Linde JA, Jeffery RW, Operskalski BH. Associations of child sexual and physical abuse with obesity and depression in middle-aged women. Child Abuse Negl. 2008 Oct 20. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Lee KA, Baker FC, Newton KM, Ancoli-Israel S. The influence of reproductive status and age on women's sleep. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2008;17(7):1209-14. PubMed

Melville JL, Wagner LE, Fan MY, Katon WJ, Newton KM. Women's perceptions about the etiology of urinary incontinence. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2008;17(7):1093-8. PubMed

Cauley JA, LaCroix AZ, Wu L, Horwitz M, Danielson ME, Bauer DC, Lee JS, Jackson RD, Robbins JA, Wu C, Stanczyk FZ, LeBoff MS, Wactawski-Wende J, Sarto G, Ockene J, Cummings SR. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and risk for hip fractures. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149(4):242-50. PubMed

Fialkow MF, Newton KM, Weiss NS. Incidence of recurrent pelvic organ prolapse 10 years following primary surgical management: a retrospective cohort study. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2008;19(11):1483-7. Epub 2008 Aug 6. PubMed

Epplein M, Reed SD, Voigt LF, Newton KM, Holt VL, Weiss NS. Risk of complex and atypical endometrial hyperplasia in relation to anthropometric measures and reproductive history. Am J Epidemiol. 2008;168(6):563-70; discussion 571-6. Epub 2008 Aug 5. PubMed

Luo J, Margolis KL, Adami HO, LaCroix A, Ye W. Obesity and risk of pancreatic cancer among postmenopausal women: the Women's Health Initiative (United States). Br J Cancer. 2008;99(3):527-31. Epub 2008 Jul 15. PubMed

Chen Z, Beck T, Cauley JA, Lewis CE, LaCroix A, Bassford T, Wu G, Sherrill D, Going S. Hormone therapy improves femur geometry among ethnically diverse postmenopausal participants in the women's health initiative hormone intervention trials. J Bone Miner Res. 2008 Jul 29. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

LaCroix AZ, Lee JS, Wu L, Cauley JA, Shlipak MG, Ott SM, Robbins J, Curb JD, Leboff M, Bauer DC, Jackson RD, Kooperberg CL, Cummings SR. Cystatin-C, renal function, and incidence of hip fracture in postmenopausal women. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008;56(8):1434-41. Epub 2008 Jul 24. PubMed

Bonomi AE, Cannon EA, Anderson ML, Rivara FP, Thompson RS. Association between self-reported health and physical and/or sexual abuse experienced before age 18. Child Abuse Negl. 2008;32(7):693-701. Epub 2008 Jul 7. PubMed

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Our major research interests

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