Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Women’s Health is an emergent issue in our society. Traditionally, health research and issues focused on men with results being generalized to women. Increased recognition exists that women’s health has unique aspects that require distinct exploration, discussion and understanding.

Specifically, Women’s Health will meet the needs of PCC student’s who:

a)      have asked for a course to continue their exploration of personal health and well-being begun in HE 250—Personal Health and/or   HPE 295 Health and Fitness for Life;

b)      desire to explore women’s health and well-being issues using in-depth focus groups and;

c)      want to increase their diversity knowledge.

1. Identify significant women’s health issues in the United States and abroad and analyze how these issues impact women’s health status.
2. Articulate the impact of medical research bias, androcentricity, overgeneralization and double standards on women’s health,
3. Demonstrate knowledge of gender specific health care needs for chronic, infectious and societal conditions which influence women’s health, and
4. Evaluate the relative efficacies of public health and medical model approaches in disease treatment and health promotion.

• Written examination

• Critical analysis of material

• Journaling and self assessment

• Group problem solving

• Class room activities and discussion

• Oral presentation

PROCESS SKILLS

Critical thinking

• compare

• predict

• hypothesize

• problem solving

• decision making

Communication skills

• oral and written communication
• computer literacy
• calibration skills
• cooperative group work

Intrapersonal skills

• values clarification

• reflective journal writing

Information Access Skills

• collect qualitative and quantitative data

• access current information

• evaluate validity

THEMES, CONCEPTS, IDEAS

• Analyze how social, cultural and historical perspectives influence a woman’s self perception of her personal health.

• Increase health knowledge of current women’s health issues

• Analyze how behaviors, beliefs, values and attitudes influence a woman’s current health status.