Oct. 2, 2009

VCU hosts women’s health event at Science Museum of Virginia

Internationally known women’s health activist shares perspectives on emerging health issues, challenges facing women

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By Malorie Burkett

From left: Wendy Klein, M.D., associate professor emeritus of medicine, obstetrics and gynecology; Janett Forte, assistant professor of and program director for the VCU Institute for Women’s Health; Judy Norsigian, executive director and a co-founder of Our Bodies, Ourselves, Boston Women's Health Book Collective; Susan Kornstein, M.D., professor of psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology and co-founder and executive director of the VCU Institute for Women's Health; and Judith B. Collins, associate professor emeritus, Schools of Nursing and Medicine and chair of professional advisory board, Institute for Women’s Health. Photo by Jeanne B. Schlesinger, VCU School of Medicine
From left: Wendy Klein, M.D., associate professor emeritus of medicine, obstetrics and gynecology; Janett Forte, assistant professor of and program director for the VCU Institute for Women’s Health; Judy Norsigian, executive director and a co-founder of Our Bodies, Ourselves, Boston Women's Health Book Collective; Susan Kornstein, M.D., professor of psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology and co-founder and executive director of the VCU Institute for Women's Health; and Judith B. Collins, associate professor emeritus, Schools of Nursing and Medicine and chair of professional advisory board, Institute for Women’s Health. Photo by Jeanne B. Schlesinger, VCU School of Medicine

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Institute for Women’s Health recently hosted “Our Bodies, Ourselves” at the Science Museum of Virginia.

The event was designed to inspire women to take charge of their health and learn about health services and resources available at VCU.

“Things that have been happening at VCU are really exciting,” said Judy Norsigian, an internationally known women’s health activist, writer and the event’s keynote speaker. “You are one of the flagship institutions. Let’s hope people will follow suit.”

Norsigian, co-founder and executive director of Our Bodies, Ourselves, also known as the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, a nonprofit, public interest women’s health education, advocacy and consulting organization, led a discussion on the movement that has shaped women’s health.

She shared perspectives on emerging health issues and talked about how women can play a central role in making decisions about their health.

Norsigian also addressed key challenges facing women’s health advocates today such as media coverage of medical research, the increasing influence of the pharmaceutical industry over how physicians prescribe medicine, and educational and advertising materials aimed at patients or consumers.

“Media portrayals of new medical research are often inaccurate or incomplete,” said Norsigian. “The media often endorse or reinforce our societal tendency to embrace the ‘quick fix’ or ‘pill for every ill’ approach.”

Norsigian acknowledged that it may be difficult for patients to be able to find trustworthy information among the numerous ads, Web sites and other sources. As a result, she suggests using non-commercial Web sites, using more than one source, knowing the source of information and looking out for conflicts of interest.

Following her talk, Norsigian also answered questions from the audience. The event also featured health screenings, a showcase of VCU’s health services and resources for women, information about current research in women’s health and a book signing with Norsigian.

The VCU Institute for Women’s Health is one of 21 National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health designated by the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The National Centers of Excellence serve as demonstration models for the nation providing innovative, multidisciplinary and integrated health care systems for women.