HRSA News Room - HHS Issues New Statistical Look at Women's Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 31, 2002

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HRSA Press Office
(301) 443-3376

HHS ISSUES NEW STATISTICAL LOOK AT WOMEN'S HEALTH

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today released Women’s Health USA 2002, a new statistical report on the health status of America’s women that shows the disproportionate impact that certain health conditions such as osteoporosis, asthma, diabetes and lupus have on women.

“For the first time, we’re giving people a single place to go to get a comprehensive look at the health status of women across the nation,” Secretary Thompson said. “It reflects our ongoing commitment not only to identifying trends in women’s health but also to taking the right steps to improve their health in the future.”

Compiled by HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the new report highlights current and historical data on some of the most pressing health challenges facing women and their families. Data are provided on health and health-related indicators in three categories: population characteristics, health status and health services utilization. The report includes the most recent federal data available from HHS and the departments of Justice and Agriculture.

The report includes data showing that most U.S. women 40 years of age and older in 1998 had received a mammogram in the previous two years and a Pap smear in the previous three years. Black non-Hispanic women (83 percent) were most likely to have reported receiving a Pap smear during that three-year period.

HHS and its agencies are working to promote better health among women nationally. President Bush’s fiscal year 2003 budget plan would increase funding for HHS’ Office on Women’s Health by $2.1 million to $29.1 million to coordinate women's health activities, programs and outreach throughout the federal government and through public-private partnerships. Under the plan, HHS’ National Institutes of Health would spend an estimated $4 billion on women’s health research.

The budget plan also would provide a total of $203 million to support the breast and cervical cancer screening programs run by HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HHS also is working with states to expand Medicaid coverage to uninsured women diagnosed with cancer through the screening program.

Other highlights from the report are:

Women’s life expectancy reached a new record in 2000 -- 79.5 years. While black females had the greatest life-expectancy gain (12.3 years) between 1950 and 2000, there was still a five-year difference in life expectancy between white (80 years) and black (75 years) females.

More U.S. women than ever before are getting prenatal care in their first trimester of pregnancy. In 2000, 83 percent received early prenatal care, up from 75 percent in 1989.

Nearly 87 percent of women had health insurance coverage in 2000. About a quarter of women between 18 and 24 were without insurance in 2000.

Women’s enrollment in medical school increased by 66 percent from 1980-81 to 1999-2000, while dental school enrollment rose 122 percent during the same period. Women in 1999-2000 were 67 percent of public health students and 65 percent of pharmacy students.

In 2000, 10,459 AIDS cases were diagnosed in females 13 and older; 38 percent were exposed through heterosexual contact. Almost half of U.S. women under 45 have been tested for HIV.

The publication is available online at http://mchb.hrsa.gov/data/women.htm. Free hard copies are available from the HRSA Information Center (call 1-888-ASK-HRSA or visit the center’s Web site at http://www.ask.hrsa.gov).

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at
http://www.hhs.gov/news