
	New Survey Reveals Steep Knowledge Gap About Gender-Based Medicine Marianne Legato, M.D. to Address Implications of Findings at Women in Health Management Annual Leadership Event NEW YORK -- A national survey commissioned by Women in Health Management, Inc. (WHM) reveals that American women and men are sorely lacking in knowledge of male-female differences in disease symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Half of those polled – 49 percent – admit they are not aware of gender-based differences when it comes to medicine. Men (20 percent) are twice as likely as women (10 percent) to say they are “not at all knowledgeable” about this important area of medicine. Implications of the survey will be discussed at WHM’s Annual Leadership Event in New York City on October 26. ”Our goal is to provide women professionals with the most current knowledge and research in the healthcare field,” said Natalie Silverstein, M.P.H., President of WHM and an independent healthcare consultant. “With the growing evidence about the different effects of medication on men and women, we decided there would be significant value in polling Americans to gauge their awareness and attitudes about gender-specific medicine.” Gender-specific medicine - the science of how normal human function and the experience of the same disease differ between men and women – is a fairly new discipline. Prior to 1990, scientists conducted medical research primarily on males and knowledge garnered from studies of male biology and disease was then applied to treat women. Columbia University. “There are widespread differences between men and women in every system of the body and understanding these distinctions will benefit us all,” stated Dr. Legato. The 10-year Women’s Health Study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) illustrates Dr. Legato’s point on gender differences. The first and largest study ever conducted on women evaluated nearly 40,000 healthy women aged 45 years or older to determine the effect of low-dose aspirin in the primary prevention of heart attacks and strokes. The study’s findings released in March 2005 showed aspirin benefits for women were the exact opposite of those for men; aspirin reduced the risk of stroke in women, but not in men; aspirin reduced the risk of heart attacks in men, but not in women (except for the subset of 65 and older). “Men and women are not interchangeable,” said Dr. Legato. “The general lack of education about gender differences in medicine concerns me. We have a great deal of work to do in educating the public about the importance of gender in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease,” Dr. Legato added. Despite the lack of top-of-mind awareness about gender based medicine, nearly all those polled in the WHM survey – 96 percent – agree that gender-based medical research should be a high priority. Nearly three in four of those polled (74 percent) say it is very important for doctors and researchers to study male-female differences in medicine. More Women Than Men Consider Gender-Specific Research a “Must” The poll also showed that women place a higher priority on gender-based medical research than men do - 80 percent of women agree that such research is very important compared to 67 percent of the men surveyed. In addition, more than four in five Americans – 86 percent – say they are concerned; and 42 percent very concerned - that doctors and health care professionals are unaware of male-female differences in response to disease symptoms, diagnosis and medical treatment. Approximately nine in 10 (91 percent) women tend to be somewhat more concerned about gender differences in medicine than are men (80 percent). Economic Concern is the Driving Force in Choosing a Physician The majority of men and women surveyed reveal that economics not gender is the deciding factor when choosing a doctor. Whether a doctor participates in their medical plan is the driving force behind their choice of a physician. 55 percent say it makes a big difference if the doctor is included in their health plan. This opinion is consistent among men (57 percent) and women (53 percent). Less than one in 10 of those polled (nine percent) think a physician’s gender and education/medical school attended (seven percent) matter in their selection process. Although a doctor’s gender is not relevant to the majority of those polled, women (14 percent) are more than five times as likely as men (three percent) to factor a physician’s gender in their choice. A doctor’s “bedside manner” is also significant when choosing a physician. More than one in three of those polled (39 percent) agree that a “bedside manner” or personal style is important. Women (48 percent) are more likely than men (29 percent) to emphasize “bedside manner.” About the Survey In September, Widmeyer Research and Polling conducted a nationwide survey of 1,011 American adults (495 men and 516 women) for WHM. The statistical margin of error for the sample as a whole is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points (confidence level 95 percent). The margin of error for subgroups is somewhat larger. About Women in Health Management, Inc. (WHM) Women in Health Management, a professional organization established in 1989, provides learning and networking opportunities for women in various health-related fields, including operations, staffing services, quality management, benefits, education, research, policy, and philanthropy. Its mission is to enhance the professional growth and further the success of women in healthcare management through education and networking. Each year, WHM honors an outstanding woman in the health care industry for exceptional contributions to the field. For more information, visit www.whmny.org. About Dr. Legato The 2006 recipient of the WHM President’s Award - is Marianne Legato, MD, one of the most honored leaders in women’s health. Dr. Legato is professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University and adjunct professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In 1997, she founded the Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine at Columbia University, the first collaboration between academic medicine and the private sector focused solely on gender-specific medicine. Dr. Legato is an academic, physician, lecturer and author of numerous publications and books, including The Female Heart: The Truth About Women and Heart Disease, What Women Need to Know, Eve’s Rib, and Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget. Dr Legato will be recognized for her outstanding contributions and accomplishments in the medical field and in gender-specific medicine at WHM’s Annual Leadership Event on Thursday, October 26^th at the Citigroup Conference Center.

New Survey Reveals Steep Knowledge Gap About Gender-Based Medicine

Marianne Legato, M.D. to Address Implications of Findings at Women in Health Management Annual Leadership Event

NEW YORK -- A national survey commissioned by Women in Health Management, Inc. (WHM) reveals that American women and men are sorely lacking in knowledge of male-female differences in disease symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Half of those polled – 49 percent – admit they are not aware of gender-based differences when it comes to medicine. Men (20 percent) are twice as likely as women (10 percent) to say they are “not at all knowledgeable” about this important area of medicine. Implications of the survey will be discussed at WHM’s Annual Leadership Event in New York City on October 26.

”Our goal is to provide women professionals with the most current knowledge and research in the healthcare field,” said Natalie Silverstein, M.P.H., President of WHM and an independent healthcare consultant. “With the growing evidence about the different effects of medication on men and women, we decided there would be significant value in polling Americans to gauge their awareness and attitudes about gender-specific medicine.”

Gender-specific medicine - the science of how normal human function and the experience of the same disease differ between men and women – is a fairly new discipline. Prior to 1990, scientists conducted medical research primarily on males and knowledge garnered from studies of male biology and disease was then applied to treat women.

Columbia University. “There are widespread differences between men and women in every system of the body and understanding these distinctions will benefit us all,” stated Dr. Legato.

The 10-year Women’s Health Study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) illustrates Dr. Legato’s point on gender differences. The first and largest study ever conducted on women evaluated nearly 40,000 healthy women aged 45 years or older to determine the effect of low-dose aspirin in the primary prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

The study’s findings released in March 2005 showed aspirin benefits for women were the exact opposite of those for men; aspirin reduced the risk of stroke in women, but not in men; aspirin reduced the risk of heart attacks in men, but not in women (except for the subset of 65 and older).

“Men and women are not interchangeable,” said Dr. Legato. “The general lack of education about gender differences in medicine concerns me. We have a great deal of work to do in educating the public about the importance of gender in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease,” Dr. Legato added.

Despite the lack of top-of-mind awareness about gender based medicine, nearly all those polled in the WHM survey – 96 percent – agree that gender-based medical research should be a high priority. Nearly three in four of those polled (74 percent) say it is very important for doctors and researchers to study male-female differences in medicine.

More Women Than Men Consider Gender-Specific Research a “Must”

The poll also showed that women place a higher priority on gender-based medical research than men do - 80 percent of women agree that such research is very important compared to 67 percent of the men surveyed. In addition, more than four in five Americans – 86 percent – say they are concerned; and 42 percent very concerned - that doctors and health care professionals are unaware of male-female differences in response to disease symptoms, diagnosis and medical treatment. Approximately nine in 10 (91 percent) women tend to be somewhat more concerned about gender differences in medicine than are men (80 percent).

Economic Concern is the Driving Force in Choosing a Physician

The majority of men and women surveyed reveal that economics not gender is the deciding factor when choosing a doctor. Whether a doctor participates in their medical plan is the driving force behind their choice of a physician.

55 percent say it makes a big difference if the doctor is included in their health plan. This opinion is consistent among men (57 percent) and women (53 percent).
Less than one in 10 of those polled (nine percent) think a physician’s gender and education/medical school attended (seven percent) matter in their selection process.
Although a doctor’s gender is not relevant to the majority of those polled, women (14 percent) are more than five times as likely as men (three percent) to factor a physician’s gender in their choice.
A doctor’s “bedside manner” is also significant when choosing a physician. More than one in three of those polled (39 percent) agree that a “bedside manner” or personal style is important.
Women (48 percent) are more likely than men (29 percent) to emphasize “bedside manner.”

About the Survey

In September, Widmeyer Research and Polling conducted a nationwide survey of 1,011 American adults (495 men and 516 women) for WHM. The statistical margin of error for the sample as a whole is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points (confidence level 95 percent). The margin of error for subgroups is somewhat larger.

About Women in Health Management, Inc. (WHM)

Women in Health Management, a professional organization established in 1989, provides learning and networking opportunities for women in various health-related fields, including operations, staffing services, quality management, benefits, education, research, policy, and philanthropy. Its mission is to enhance the professional growth and further the success of women in healthcare management through education and networking. Each year, WHM honors an outstanding woman in the health care industry for exceptional contributions to the field. For more information, visit www.whmny.org.

About Dr. Legato

The 2006 recipient of the WHM President’s Award - is Marianne Legato, MD, one of the most honored leaders in women’s health. Dr. Legato is professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University and adjunct professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In 1997, she founded the Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine at Columbia University, the first collaboration between academic medicine and the private sector focused solely on gender-specific medicine. Dr. Legato is an academic, physician, lecturer and author of numerous publications and books, including The Female Heart: The Truth About Women and Heart Disease, What Women Need to Know, Eve’s Rib, and Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget. Dr Legato will be recognized for her outstanding contributions and accomplishments in the medical field and in gender-specific medicine at WHM’s Annual Leadership Event on Thursday, October 26^th at the Citigroup Conference Center.