There are a limitless number of topics and issues related to women's health that could be addressed in a variety of formats. The following, not intended to be comprehensive, is organized into four major categories: transitions through childhood and adolescence, transitions through adulthood, common problems for women, and the physician role.
Some of the items listed would be best addressed didacticly by individuals with expertise in the area; others are more suited to informal discussion, perhaps after the completion of assigned readings on the topic, or viewing of a film. It is anticipated that many of these issues could form the basis for some of the rounds at the Family Medicine Centre, and thus include all the residents in the family medicine program. In addition, the third year residents may choose to organize a talk or conference for a larger audience (including faculty and medical students).
Finally, some of the issues may be addressed in small groups discussions among the third year residents with supervising therapists and/or mentors.
Note that women have a variety of perspectives on each issue: it is crucial that the views of women of different race, class, sexual orientation, ability, and age be taken into account. It is also hoped that some of the existing topics that are addressed at teaching rounds be broadened to include women's views.
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- Transitions through Childhood and Adolescence
- Normal Physical and Emotional Development
- Sex Role Socialization
- Implications of puberty, menarche
- Sex Education and Contraception
- Physician's responsibility
- Sexuality and Sexual identity
- - Physician sensitivity and awareness
- Counselling Implications
- Sexual behaviours and health risks
- Cultural Expectations Teenage Pregnancy - Issues
- Community Resources Childhood Sexual, Physical, and Emotional Abuse Prevalence and Theoretical Understanding of why it occurs
- - Physician's Response, Examination of the child
- Ethical/ Legal Responsibilities (reporting, working with Children's Aid Society)
- Needs of child/ parents, etc.
- Community resources
- Adult Survivors and their presentation to physician
Transitions through Adulthood
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- Relationships/ Marriage - Normal range of sexuality for women
- Counselling around Stresses and Conflicts in relationship
- Separation/ Divorce
- Illness of partner or Widowhood Domestic violence
- Emotional and Financial abuse
- Choice of remaining Single or having Lesbian Relationships
- Counselling around stresses of family and societal expectations
- Pregnancy and Childbirth - Implications of changing body image
- Appropriate perinatal care
- Stresses of motherhood
- Post-partum depression
- Maternal and Infant Nutrition
- Breast feeding education
- Parenting - Common problems in parenting that present to physicians
- Parenting theory
- Stresses of single motherhood
- Stresses of Role Conflict/ Overload for Women
- Empty nest syndromeC
- Counselling around miscarriages, illness or death of child
- Lesbian parents
- Work
- occupational health (incl. sexual harassment, stressors of work and means to relieve, etc.)
- Aging
- - Stresses of normal aging (e.g. losses: job, friends, control over body)
- Menopause and use of hormone replacement
- Diseases of aging and their implications for individual and family
- Institutionalization and alternatives to it
Common Problems for Women
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- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS
- Prevention
- Appropriate Screening
- Treatment
- Counselling
- Therapeutic Abortion
- Options Counselling and Physician Sensitivity
- Sexual Assault
- Physician attitudesow to use sexual assault kit
- Legal responsibilities (e.g. writing report, subpoenas, testifying)
- Violence against Women
- Presentation and Identification (incl. sexual)
- Crisis management
- Accessing community resources
- Addictive Behaviours (e.g. drugs, alcohol, smoking, work, self-injury)
- Detecting and treating
- Community resources
- Underlying problems resulting in this behaviour (e.g. link with childhood sexual abuse)
- Financial Stresses
- - Community resources
- Unemployment/ Underemployment
- Access to work/ education
- Illiteracy
- Depression
- Reasons for prevalence among women (including feminist analysis, issues of self esteem)
- Factors contributing to depression Treatment (including non-medical)
- Eating Disorders
- Understanding of theoretical reasons for women's relationship to food
- Diagnosis and causes (including link with childhood sexual abuse)
- Treatment
- Community Resources
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Diagnosis and causes (including psycho-social, e.g. history of abuse/rape)
- Treatment, appropriate referral
- Infertility
- Investigations and approach
- Theory and implications of Reproductive Technologies
- Breast Cancer
- Screening and self-examination
- Breast screening clinics
- Referral and treatment options
- Osteoporosis
- Prevention and education
- Early diagnosis and treatment
The Physician Role
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- History of the Medical Profession's Treatment of Women
- Mental Health
- Reproductive Health
- Assumptions/ Beliefs/ Values about Women
- Power of the Physician - Expectations of Patients
- How to avoid abuse of power
- Sharing power with other health care personnel, community workers, and patients (empowering) Physicians as Healers
- Implications
- Historical development and Cultural differences
- Prescription Drugs
- Understanding the problem and causes of over-prescribing tranquilizers and other medications for women patients
- Sexual Abuse of Patients by Physicians
- Recognizing the problem
- Dealing with attraction to one's patients
- Reporting on colleagues
- Stresses of being a Physician
- Role overload (e.g. combining motherhood with medical career)
- The "Wounded Healer": Depression, substance abuse, relationship difficulties in the medical profession
- Risks of being a physician (incl. sexual harrassment from other physicians, health care personnel, and patients.)
- Setting limits
- Learning to take care of ourselves and each other (e.g. support groups)
- Continuing Education
- Strategies for keeping current
- How to organize talks and conferences (particularly around Women's Health)Involvement in public education