Women are more likely than men to experience mood disorders, certain types of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, arthritis, lupus, and celiac disease. In addition, women face significantly more barriers to health care than men due to a variety of social, economic, political, and environmental factors, including inequality, poverty, legislation, and pollution. Despite this, the field of women's and girls' health remains both understudied and underfunded.
Women's Health: Understanding Issues and Influences explores important topics in the field of women's health in the early 21st century, offering readers a comprehensive and informative yet accessible introduction to women's health in the United States. While some topics are unique to women's health, others illustrate how women's health and women's experiences within the U.S. health care system are different from men's, as well as how certain health issues impact women differently than men. Entries have been crafted by a diverse team of contributors with wide-ranging expertise, and each entry features a collection of further readings and cross references to other relevant entries.