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It is a fact that more women than men die of stroke. In
fact, women account for 3 out of every 5 deaths associated with stroke.
This month is National Stroke Awareness Month and we’re featuring
the article “Stroke
Prevention” from the National Stroke Association. Read more
about how you can reduce your risk for stroke. Hot Topics of the Month: The "Date Rape"
| From the NWHIC Project Director U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services It's easy to look around a room and see the many wonderful differences in one another. I see women of all shapes and sizes, ages, races and ethnicities. They are beautiful, well spoken, caring, and multi-talented. They are singers, wives, pilots, CEOs, politicians, and social workers to name a few. Yet, among these differences, we all have one thing in common. Our mothers, alive or deceased, old or young, gave us life. Some of us know our mothers; some of us have not yet met. There are those of us who were raised by aunts, grandmothers, sisters, and female cousins. All of these women hold special places in our hearts. In honor of all women in our country this month, the Office on Women’s Health is celebrating National Women’s Health Week (May 9- 15) and National Women’s Check Up Day (May 10), which begins with Mother’s Day. This week is dedicated to the education and promotion of women’s health. Organizations across the country will join together to educate women about their health and encourage them to be the healthiest they can be—at any age. Take some time before May 9th to visit the official National Women’s Health Week web site to find the events in your area and learn how you can get involved. This month also celebrates DOZENS and DOZENS of other health observances. From National Stroke Awareness to National Osteoporosis Awareness Month—there are many events to get you motivated for your health! Remember that even if it seems like a struggle to keep up with your health and fitness goals, these steps you take along the way will make a big difference in your life. So make those doctor’s appointments on May 10th in honor of National Women’s Check Up Day and keep doing the best things for your health! Valerie Scardino, M.P.A. NATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH WEEK 2004! Let us know how you will be participating in National Women’s Health Week 2004! Your comments may be printed in an upcoming newsletter. Send your comments through this page: http://www.4woman.gov/search/contact.cfm or email us at: 4.woman@psgs.com Check Out our NEW Mental Health Section! Please visit our new page at www.4woman.gov/mh/ Updated FAQs on Anemia, Date Rape Drugs, Anorexia & Bulimia Nervosa
BREASTFEEDING HELPLINE! NWHIC CAN ANSWER YOUR BASIC BREASTFEEDING
QUESTIONS
ATTRACTIVENESS AND HEALTH STUDY 2004 MINORITY WOMEN'S HEALTH SUMMIT –SAVE THE DATE! Objectives for the 2004 Minority Women's Health Summit This conference will build on the outcomes of the 1997 National Conference "Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Partnerships to Improve Minority Women's Health." Key areas in women's health including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS will be highlighted. The goals of the conference include:
For more information please contact: Elizabeth David
at (202) 205-0571, Adrienne Smith at (202) 690-5884, or Frances Ashe-Goins
at (202) 690-6373. HHS Launches New Web Site in Effort to Fight Overweight Epidemic As part of the Healthy Lifestyles & Disease Prevention initiative, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson unveiled a new interactive Web site -- www.smallstep.gov, which encourages Americans to make small activity and dietary changes, such as using stairs instead of an elevator, or taking a walk instead of watching television. This public awareness and education campaign encourages American families to take small, manageable steps within their current lifestyle -- versus drastic changes -- to ensure effective, long-term weight control. With poor diet and physical inactivity poised to become the leading preventable cause of death in America, Secretary Tommy Thompson renewed efforts against obesity, announcing a new national education campaign and research strategy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information, please visit the Department of Health and Human Services News Page: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040309.html 
2004 MEN’S HEALTH CONFERENCE The 2004 National Conference on Men's Health will bring together a host of experts covering a variety of topics related to men's health in the United States. 2004 Men's Health Conference Web site 10TH ANNUAL RURAL MINORITY AND MULTICULTURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE
AND 27TH ANNUAL RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE The educational goal of this meeting is to provide information and instruction on a variety of subjects to enable rural health practitioners, hospital administrators, state and federal rural health workers, academia, and others a chance to gain new perspectives on old issues and valuable information on new challenges. An exhibits program will also be available to help attendees stay abreast of the latest products and programs available in the rural health market. 10th Annual Rural Minority and Multicultural Health Conference Web site BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON METHODIST CONFERENCE The Baltimore-Washington Methodist Conference would like to extend this notice of meeting and invitation to attend the 220th Annual Session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, May 27-30, 2004. The Commission has selected the theme, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: Relay the Faith, to guide their worship, business, study and fellowship. One of the highlights of Annual Conference 2004 will be a dinner/worship event to celebrate Bishop May’s ministry among us and to mark his retirement. Baltimore-Washinton Methodist
Conference Web site Attendees of the annual conference will have exposure to a wide variety of topics and speakers. At the completion of this conference, participants will be able to describe the clinical relevance of at least five new sources of evidence affecting the provision of women’s healthcare services; identify and discuss a variety of political and legislative actions that are currently impacting access to quality health care services for women and newborns; critique the current guidelines for midwifery practice based on new knowledge; identify five medico-legal implications of perinatal asphyxia; and finally, discuss the profession of midwifery from an international perspective. 49th Annual Meeting and Exhibit of American College of Nurse Midwives Web site
Whether you’re cooking for your mother, sister, aunts or grandmothers (or you want to give your kids some ideas for your special day), here are some fabulous ways to add a healthy dish to your Mother’s Day lunch. Visit the Stay Young At Heart campaign from the National Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute to find out other ways to make other healthy meals.
National Observances
May is filled with numerous month, week, and day health observances. You can find all of May's health observances at:
Featured Organizations
Office on Women's Health Digestive Disease National Coalition National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Health Information
Center Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health Lyme Disease Foundation 
Who is Using NWHIC's Services?
New York brought in the most calls this month. Our most frequent health topic requests for March were for information on these topics: pregnancy, breast cancer, HPV, menstruation, and disability. 
User Support
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This month's special publications for your health: NEW English Prevention Guide now available! A Guide to the Clinical Care of Women with HIV High Blood Pressure: A Woman’s Guide Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fact Sheet The Secret of Good
Posture Guest Editor Feature for May 2004: WOMEN AND SMOKING My interest in smoking prevention is a very personal one. Both my parents were heavy smokers, and both died prematurely of heart disease. My father, John, had a series of heart attacks in his fifties, which he attributed to smoking. Before he died at 62, he warned me not to smoke, or if I was going to, to at least wait until I was an adult and my lungs were fully developed. I heeded his warning and never became a regular smoker. Twelve years after my fathers death, my mother, Dorothy, died suddenly at the age of 62, without warning. Her risk factors? A past history of smoking, and having lived with a heavy smoker for over 20 years. Many women by now realize that heart disease is the number one killer of women, and that cancer is number two. What they probably don't realize is that more women die each year from lung cancer than from breast cancer, the cancer most feared by women. The sad truth is that heart disease and lung cancer are both smoking related and potentially preventable. Indeed smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US. Read the rest of this month's article, "Women and Smoking."
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