Healthy Living

Whether you're a young mother, a career woman, a housewife or a grandmother, you share specific health needs and concerns. This special section offers information on health issues that are important to you. It also includes numerous resources and on-line links to help you better understand your health, as well as an overview of special services for women at Saint Francis Health System.

Until recently, women's healthcare predominately focused on reproductive issues. It seemed medical research largely ignored other critical healthcare areas. Now, however, much attention is being placed on specific health issues affecting women.

Federally funded research from organizations such as the Office of Women's Health and the Office of Research on Women's Health have helped develop a national agenda for women's health issues. One of the largest, on going women's health studies, the 14-year Women's Health Initiative, focuses on cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Also, federally funded breast cancer research has significantly increased our understanding of the disease and has led to improved methods of early detection and treatment.

Not only have women's health issues become a national priority, women are now taking more responsibility for their own health. Because of heightened awareness of disease prevention and healthy lifestyle choices, women are staying healthy longer. Also, in partnership with their doctors, many women are becoming active managers of their own healthcare.