With events and proclamations scheduled in cities across the nation, this week is being recognized as the 9th Annual National Women's Health Week.
Organizers say such an observance is what women need, because it empowers them to get healthy by taking action.
The initiative, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Women's Health, encourages women to make their health a top priority. They recommend:
• Engaging in physical activity most days of the week
• Making healthy food choices
• Avoiding risky behaviors, like smoking and not wearing a seat belt
• Visiting a healthcare provider to receive regular check-ups and preventative screenings
That last one is of particular significance today, says Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, because today is the first National Women's Check-Up Day.
More than 600 community health centers, hospitals, and other health care providers are encouraging women to visit a health care professional today, and are emphasizing that getting a regular check-up and asking a doctor about screening for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and sexually transmitted diseases are keys to improving women's health.
To help women and health care professionals track these issues, HHS is issuing a pocket brochure, "Important Tests for a Woman's Good Health," which will be distributed by health care providers in conjunction with National Women's Health Week.
HHS is also issuing a new women's health tool, "A Checklist for Your Next Checkup," developed by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The checklist shows at a glance what screening tests the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends for women and when they should be given.
"While medical research and treatment are enabling women to live longer and healthier lives than ever before, far too many women die each year of diseases that could be treated if detected early on," said Surgeon General Richard Carmona. "By getting regular check-ups, women can get the care and medical advice that can help them enjoy more tomorrows with the people they love."
In other words, screening tests can find diseases early when they are easier to treat.
Health experts from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend, based on scientific evidence, that women talk to their health care providers about which of the following applies to them and when and how often they should be tested.
Obesity
