Women's Health

Attitudes to women, and the options open to women, have changed enormously in recent years. On 16-17 October the Royal Society of Medicine and the Royal College of Nursing hold a joint Women's Health conference conference to look at the ways these changes have affected the health of girls and women at every stage of life.
Among the speakers:

Mum is the best role model to get girls to exercise
Professor Neil Armstrong, University of Exeter - Physical activity in childhood
Girls are less active than boys from an early age, claims Professor Armstrong, and as they enter their teens the problem gets worse. He suggests that parents tend to be more protective of female children - among the under 12s, only one in nine girls is allowed to go out during the day on a bike, compared to one in three boys. In addition, girls may get a less inspiring, 'watered down' version of the boys' sports curriculum at school. Exercise in childhood is vital for girls; by increasing bone density, it gives a better chance of avoiding osteoporosis in later life. Professor Armstrong will discuss how families, schools and communities could improve the situation, and suggests that mothers are a very significant influence for young girls. Research shows that if mum has an active lifestyle, her daughter is more likely to follow suit.

It is possible to change teenagers' behaviour
Dr John Tripp University of Exeter - Risk Taking in Teenagers: can we influence it?
People who take serious risks with their health as teenagers are likely to continue with high risk behaviour into adulthood. Dr Tripp will discuss the role played by peers, family, and school environments in affecting adolescent risk-taking, and will also report on a scheme which has had success in altering teenagers' beliefs and behaviours in relationships, via a programme involving 'peer intervention'. In the project, older teenagers are trained to teach children in their early teens, leading discussions and looking at assertiveness skills. Rather than forbidding certain behaviours, the emphasis is more on helping younger teenagers to choose a set of guiding principles and to say 'no' to unwanted pressure.

Women need information about HRT long before they reach the menopause
Ms Gilly Andrews Lister Hospital - The climacteric: causation & management
Most women do not think about the menopause until they get there - and then the amount of available information can be bewildering. Ms Andrews will be calling for health professionals in primary care and specialist clinics to discuss treatment options early, even with patients who are not yet menopausal.
Ms Julia Cole, Pennell Initiative for Women's Health - Positive steps for later life
New research from Bradford seems to back up the idea that 'information overload' at menopause can be confusing, and separating accurate information from scare stories can be difficult. Ms Cole will report on a project in Bradford that asked women in their late forties how they felt about getting older. Early results indicate that there is a need for practical advice and emotional support which is so far not being met.

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