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Links of Interest:
The Alexander Newsletter
You are invited to preview The Alexander Newsletter (http://www.afwh.org),
an innovative health resource for women over 40 and their clinicians, published
by the Alexander Foundation for Women's Health.
Below you'll find a sampling of columns by eminent international experts on
sexuality, sleep, mood and stress, menopause and perimenopause, nutrition,
recovery from female cancers, and aging. We also cover men's health issues that
impact the women in their lives.
Our bimonthly newsletter brings together insights from a variety of medical
disciplines — gynecology, psychiatry, neurology, oncology, and medical sexology
— and integrates the latest treatments and research.
(Clinicians: The Alexander Foundation will soon offer CE articles on the these
topics for primary care physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician
assistants, psychiatrists, psychologists and gynecologists. You will need to
subscribe to the newsletter to access the site and CE.)
Jeanne L. Alexander, MD, ABPN, FRCPC, FACP
Director, Northern California Permanente Medical Group Psychiatry Women's Health
Program, Partner, PMG of NCal Voluntary positions: President, The Alexander
Foundation for Women's Health Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor of
Psychiatry, Stanford Medical School (The newsletter and the Alexander Foundation
are not activities of the Stanford Medical School or the Permanente Medical
Group)
The Evolution of Desire
Medical sexologist Dr. Alexandra Graziottin tells how our senses change with age
and describes the origin of many sexual complaints.
Getting the Jump on Menopause
Dr. Lorraine Dennerstein of the Melbourne Women's Health Project tells why
stress can make a woman's symptoms worse.
The Age of Anxiety
Find out how an SNRI antidepressant can help restore sleep, reduce hot flashes
and decrease anxiety.
Does Living Better Mean Living Longer?
Dr. David Spiegel of the Stanford University reports on new research into the
role of support groups for breast cancer patients.
Vaginal Changes at Midlife
What happens to the vaginal tissues when hormone levels drop? Dr. Jeanne
Alexander reviews the most common symptoms and some low risk treatments.
Facing Fear Together, a mental health alliance, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is an alliance of national mental health and
primary care groups, whose task it is to more fully integrate mental health services into primary care. The partnership conducted a national poll and found that in the fall of 2003, people are more stressed now than they were after 911—showing the cumulative effects of stress. Almost one quarter, 23%, of the population says that their physical or emotional health has deteriorated since 911; Americans first choice for any type of health care is to go to their own physician or NP provider; Americans feel less safe today than ever before; 72% of the nation believes the government should help them deal with this increased stress. The FFT website (www.facingfeartogether.org) now includes an interactive community message board for health care providers, patients, policy makers, and the public covering the health effects of homeland terrorism and other disasters. Potential discussions include the maintenance of psychological resilience during times of national stress and the exchange of treatment and prevention strategies, best practices, and sources of sound advice. We invite NPs to avail themselves of this important resource.
Visit CDC's DES Update Web site for resources to help identify and counsel DES-exposed individuals. The site features the most current and accurate DES information for health care providers, including essential facts for clinicians and nurses, pharmacology, NCI guidelines, educational tools and resources, and support organizations.
Partnership for Clear Health Communication
The Partnership for Clear Health Communication is a coalition of national organizations that are working together to promote awareness and solutions around the issue of low health literacy and its effect on health outcomes.
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