Please note: This archive was last updated in 2005.
RHO archives : Topics : Older Women
Links
Updated November 30, 2004
The annotated links on this page are organized under the following categories:
For general reproductive health links, go to the RH Resources page.
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If you know of a resource to be included in this list, please send the URL (web address) and a description to: rho@path.org.
Population aging
AARP:
AgeSource Worldwide
http://research.aarp.org/general/agesource_home.html
This database describes information resources on aging from around the world.
It includes clearinghouses, databases, libraries, directories, statistical
resources, bibliographies and reading lists, texts, and Web "metasites”
focusing on aging or closely allied subjects. Topics covered range from
Alzheimer disease to wills and estate planning. More than 25 countries are
represented, including some developing countries. The database can be searched
in English, French, or Spanish; by subject, country or region of the world;
or type and language of the information resource.
Eldis Ageing Populations
Resource Guide
www.eldis.org/ageing/index.htm
Based at the Institute of Development Studies, ELDIS is a gateway to information
on a variety of development issues. Its Resource Guide on ageing populations
provides summaries and links to online documents, a directory of relevant
websites, a news service, training opportunities, and conferences.
HelpAge International
www.helpage.org
A global network of members and partner organizations, HelpAge International
works in over 70 countries to improve the lives of disadvantaged older people.
HelpAge is engaged in policy, research, advocacy, and program activities
and addresses a variety of issues, including discrimination, poverty, health,
and abuse. Available at this site are two newsletters (Ageing and Development
and Ageways), a package of ageing and gender briefs, and other
useful publications.
Second World Assembly on
Ageing
www.un.org/ageing/coverage
Held in August 2002 in Madrid, the Second World Assembly on Ageing produced
an International Plan of Action with three priorities: integrating older
persons into development efforts; advancing health and well-being into old
age; and ensuring enabling and supportive environments. Press releases,
speeches, and other documents from the Madrid conference are available at
this site, along with the plan of action.
United Nations Programme
on Ageing
www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/
This UN program describes demographic changes underway around the world
and explores their implications for society. From this website, users can
access the plan of action created by the Second World Assembly on Ageing
in Madrid 2002, a research agenda, and policy documents on ageing. There
is also a database on national and international policies and programs on
ageing, which is intended to stimulate action on policy development.
University of Michigan: Population
Studies Center
www.psc.isr.umich.edu/
and Center on the Demography
of Aging
http://micda.psc.isr.umich.edu/
While based in the United States, these two programs conduct considerable
international as well as domestic population research. Of special interest
are studies on the impact of
AIDS on older persons in Thailand (http://aidseld.psc.isr.umich.edu/)
and on aging and health in Asia
(http://aha.psc.isr.umich.edu/). Also available is a searchable database
of publications (http://micda.psc.isr.umich.edu/pubs/search.html) that
includes many abstracts and complete papers online.
Valencia Forum on
Research and Ageing
www.valenciaforum.com/index.html
The Valencia Forum, held in April 2002, provided a voice for researchers,
educators and providers at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in Madrid.
This site includes the full text of the Valencia Forum Report and keynote
papers, a research agenda on aging for the 21st century, a searchable database
of abstracts from hundreds of presentations, and post-forum discussion boards.
World Health Organization
(WHO): Ageing & Life Course Programme
www.who.int/hpr/ageing/index.htm
On World Health Day in 1999, WHO launched a global movement for active aging,
with the goal of maximizing opportunities for mental, physical, and social
well-being throughout the life span. A WHO
pamphlet (www.who.int/archives/whday/en/whday1999.html), which is available
in English, French, and Spanish, explores common myths about older people
and outlines the policy and individual actions that need to be taken to
promote quality of life at older ages. WHO also has issued a fact
sheet on women, aging, and health (www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs252/en/),
which explores the economic, social, political, and cultural determinants
of women's health as they age and suggests a gender-sensitive life course
approach to older women's health.
WHO Kobe Centre: Ageing
and Health
www.who.or.jp/ageing/index.html
One of the major focuses of the WHO Kobe Centre is aging and health. The
Centre brings together researchers and decision-makers to share information
and stimulate evidence-based policy making; it sponsors publications based
on the results of these meetings.
Menopause
Australasian Menopause Society
(AMS)
www.menopause.org.au
AMS brings together doctors, nurses, and other health workers for communication
and scientific discussion in order to advance knowledge about menopause.
AMS sponsors an annual conference. The website provides a host of educational
materials both for health workers and for women. WHAM ("What Happens at
Menopause") materials include a questionnaire and scorecard for women to
assess their symptoms as well as a booklet answering common questions about
menopause. Two extremely useful pamphlets designed for general practitioners
provide practical advice on how to manage menopausal patients. More online
educational resources, including training tutorial and presentation set,
are available to members for a fee.
European Menopause and Andropause Society
(EMAS)
http://emas.obgyn.net
The EMAS website is divided into sections for healthcare professionals,
consumers, and the media. It contains a wealth of information on perimenopause,
early menopause, menopause symptoms, long-term health effects of estrogen
loss, and a wide variety of therapies to enhance health. Healthcare professionals
can find news, articles, educational materials, conference listings, and
web resources.
International Menopause Society
(IMS)
www.imsociety.org
This nonprofit medical association organizes conferences, symposia, and
workshops and publishes a quarterly newsletter and the journal Climacteric.
It also provides a voice for physicians and other health workers around
the world through the Council of Affiliated Menopause Societies (CAMS).
CAMS currently is sponsoring projects to develop best practice guidelines
for the management of menopausal women and to promote academic education
in menopause medicine. The site includes links to CAMS members and other
websites, conference listings, and a recently produced glossary of terms.
Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
www.jiwh.org
The Institute was established by the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists to promote the study and reporting of women's health issues
at the interface of medicine and the social sciences. In 2000, the Institute
published Guidelines
for Counseling Women on the Management of Menopause (www.jiwh.org/Resources/Guidelines%20for%20Menopause%2Epdf),
which were developed by a panel of health experts. The guidelines are designed
to help health workers provide comprehensive counseling to women about managing
menopause, so that women can make informed choices. In addition to reviewing
the facts about menopause, the guidelines include suggestions for counseling,
resources for women and clinicians, and references.
Medscape Resource Center on Menopause
www.medscape.com/pages/editorial/resourcecenters/public/menopause/rc-menopause.ov
This resource center gathers together medical news, conference summaries,
articles, treatment updates, clinical management modules, practice guidelines,
and links to professional organizations.
Menopause Online
www.menopause-online.com
A commercial site maintained by obstetricians and gynecologists, Menopause
Online helps women choose appropriate therapies and treatments to get them
through menopause. The site covers both traditional and alternative therapies,
describes breaking news and relevant scientific studies, includes a glossary
and links to other organizations, hosts an interactive bulletin board and
chat room, and sells books.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
A research arm of the U.S. Public Health Service, the NIH hosts several
websites related to aging and menopause. The National Institute on Aging
has established 11 centers on the Demography
of Aging to provide policy-relevant research on health, social factors,
economics, and other factors affected older people (http://agingmeta.psc.isr.umich.edu/index.html).
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse has
posted an article on Menopause
and Bladder Control (http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/menopause_ez/),
which connects to other information about bladder control for women. The
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is sponsoring the Women's
Health Initiative (www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/index.html), an ongoing clinical
trial to test the impact of hormone replacement therapy, dietary patterns,
and calcium and Vitamin D supplements on the prevention of heart disease,
cancer, and osteoporosis. An ancillary study, the Women’s
Health Initiative Memory Study (www.wfubmc.edu/whims/), is examining
the impact of hormone replacement therapy on dementia and cognitive function.
Other women's resources can be accessed through the Office
of Research on Women's Health (www4.od.nih.gov/orwh/overview.html),
which helps establish the NIH research agenda and ensures that women are
represented in clinical trials and other studies.
North American Menopause Society
(NAMS)
www.menopause.org
Both health care professionals and social scientists are members of this
multidisciplinary, nonprofit professional organization. NAMS produces educational
materials for patients, hosts an annual scientific meeting to review current
research findings, publishes a journal and newsletter, and sponsors surveys.
Posted at its site are current news stories, basic facts about menopause,
FAQs for women, and a list of links to other websites.
Planned
Parenthood Federation of America
www.plannedparenthood.org/WOMENSHEALTH/menopause.htm
A non-profit reproductive health organization in the United States, Planned
Parenthood has posted background information on the signs and symptoms of
menopause, osteoporosis, sex and mid-life changes, traditional and alternative
therapies, and building a support system. The site also includes a reading
list.
Chronic Illnesses associated with aging
The Breast Health
Global Initiative (BHGI) for Countries with Limited Resources
www.fhcrc.org/phs/global_summit/
BHGI is an international collaboration of leading organizations in the field
of breast cancer. Its goal is to improve and standardize breast health care
in countries with limited health care resources and infrastructure. BHGI
has produced breast
health guidelines (www.fhcrc.org/phs/global_summit/guidelines.html)
on the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer oriented
to countries with limited resources, and it plans to update the guidelines
at a biennial conference. BHGI also works to motivate research, cultivate
advocacy, and track the implementation of its guidelines in developing countries.
Endometriosis Association
www.endo-online.org
This non-profit self-help organization offers support and help to those
affected by endometriosis, educates the public and medical community about
the disease, and funds and promotes research related to endometriosis. The
Endometriosis Association has groups and members in 66 countries, offers
brochures in 28 languages, and posts information online in Spanish as well
as English.
International Osteoporosis Foundation
(IOF)
www.osteofound.org
This international, nongovernmental organization seeks to advance the prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis worldwide. IOF sponsors research
and conferences and advocates for policy change. Their site includes background
information and current news on the disease, links to member organizations
around the world, and the results of international surveys of women's and
physicians' attitudes toward the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Mayo Clinic Women's
Health Resource Center
www.mayohealth.org/home?id=4.1.7
A team of physicians, scientists, and educators from the Mayo Clinic, a
nonprofit U.S. medical institution, maintains this site, which offers accurate
and up-to-date health information to the general public. The Women's Health
Resource Center supplies information on a wide array of health issues pertinent
to women, including menopause, osteoporosis, and breast and cervical cancer.
It is especially strong on information relating to therapies and treatments.
Medscape Resource Center on Osteoporosis
www.medscape.com/pages/editorial/resourcecenters/public/osteoporosis/rc-osteoporosis.ov
This resource center gathers together medical news, conference summaries,
articles, treatment updates, clinical management modules, practice guidelines,
and links to professional organizations.
National Breast Cancer Coalition
(NBCC)
www.stopbreastcancer.org
A U.S.-based grassroots advocacy organization, NBCC works to implement new
models of research on breast cancer, improve access to high quality health
services and breast cancer clinical trials, and expand the influence of
breast cancer advocates. As part of its international initiative, NBCC has
hosted two world conferences on breast cancer advocacy and trains breast
cancer advocates around the globe.
National
Cancer Institute (NCI)
www.nci.nih.gov/cancer_information/cancer_type/breast/
A U.S. government cancer research institute, NCI sponsors a comprehensive
cancer information site that serves both physicians and patients. Of special
interest are: the Physicians
Data Query (PDQ®) (www.nci.nih.gov/cancer_information/doc.aspx?viewid=9D617786-179B-4DB7-8664-885DD33E7D51),
which contains peer-reviewed summaries on cancer treatment, screening, prevention,
genetics, and supportive care; a registry of clinical trials from around
the world; and directories of physicians and organizations that provide
cancer care. PDQ® cancer information summaries are peer reviewed
and updated monthly by six editorial boards comprised of specialists in
adult treatment, pediatric treatment, complementary and alternative medicine,
supportive care, screening and prevention, and genetics. The editorial boards
review current literature from more than 70 biomedical journals, evaluate
its relevance, and synthesize it into clear summaries. Many of the summaries
are also available in Spanish. Also available from NCI is a breast
cancer risk assessment tool (http://bcra.nci.nih.gov/brc) that allows
a health professional to calculate a womans individual risk from invasive
breast cancer.
OBGYN.net
www.obgyn.net
This physician-reviewed site is divided into three sections, for women and
patients, medical professionals, and the medical industry. OBGYN.net offers
up-to-date information on a wide variety of women's health topics, including
many issues of interest for older women, such as menopause, osteoporosis,
depression, and Alzheimer's disease. It also sponsors forums and chat rooms
and lists links to a wide variety of relevant directories, organizations,
and publications.
Reach to Recovery: The Breast
Cancer Support Network
www.uicc.org/index.php?id=571&L=0
Reach to Recovery is an umbrella organization for support groups worldwide
that seek to improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients and
their families. Posted online is a set of updates for health professionals
on the psycho-social impact of breast cancer and a newsletter describing
the activities of affiliates in various countries. Its newsletter, which
is posted online, describes the activities of affiliates in various countries.
United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA): Campaign to End Fistula
www.unfpa.org/fistula/
Preventing fistula is one part of UNFPA’s wider effort to ensure that
all women have access to skilled attendance during childbirth and that those
who develop complications have access to emergency obstetric care. UNFPA
is involved in a wide range of interventions to end fistula, including an
awareness-raising campaign directed to individual men and women, communities,
policy makers, and health professionals; a working group to collect data
and develop strategies; studies to catalog services and needs in high-prevalence
countries of Africa and Asia; and technical assistance to improve emergency
obstetric care. Publications available online include a series of fact sheets
on obstetric fistula, a needs assessment of nine sub-Saharan African countries,
and reports on the meetings of the international working group on fistula.
