Khare, M.M. & Owens, L. (2006). Faculty Work Climate Survey, University of Illinois at Chicago.

In 2004, the campus conducted a study of the working environment for tenured and tenure-track faculty in the Colleges of Engineering and Liberal Arts and Sciences. The survey was designed to capture the perceptions of the faculty members regarding their workplace: what they like, what they dislike, what is important in their daily life, and what enhances or impedes productivity. The goal was to inform how to improve job satisfaction and faculty success at UIC. Faculty members in the two colleges responded with a resounding rate of 67%.

The results are presented in a report, available at: http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/faculty/climatesurvey.html

Zimmermann, K., Hurtig, J., & Small, E. Tools of the Trade: A CWIT Guide to Participatory Evaluation. Chicago: UIC Center for Research on Women and Gender.

Tools of the Trade: A CWIT Guide to Participatory Evaluation is the product of many years of collaboration between CRWG and Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT). While the examples in the guide focus on situations relating to CWIT programs and initiatives, the content of the guide is general enough to be of use to any program, organization or other group interested in participatory evaluation based in feminist principles. This guide is designed to be both a teaching manual for an organization's first evaluation and a resource to return to for future evaluations. The guide takes the user through each step of the evaluation process. In order to support the capacity of women and gender-centered community groups and organizations to document, analyze, and evaluate their own programs and policies, CWIT and CRWG decided to make the guide available on-line at http://www.uic.edu/depts/crwg/cwitguide.htm.

Hoersch, M. & Morrissey, C. (2004). Beyond Parity Workbook for Action: Transforming Academic Medicine Through Women's Leadership. Chicago: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health, Region V.

The CoE has continued the efforts started by the conference, "Beyond Parity: Transforming Academic Medicine through Women's Leadership" by producing and disseminating the Beyond Parity Workbook for Action. The workbook was created to help academic medical centers identify barriers to women's advancement and begin the process of equity transformation. Successful efforts to increase the promotion, recruitment, and retention of women academics at medical institutions across the US are highlighted.

The Beyond Parity Workbook for Action is available online at:
Beyond Parity Workbook for Action (PDF format)
Beyond Parity Workbook Cover (PDF format)

Wenzel, S.A. & Brill E. (1998). Mapping a Path for Evaluation: A Planning Guide, Second Edition. Chicago: Girl's Best Friend Foundation.

Stacy A. Wenzel and Elizabeth Brill, in collaboration with Alice Dan, Cheryl Graves, Cynthia McLachlan, Margaret Strobel, and Luule Vess, have written this use-friendly guide with the goal of helping organizations conduct project evaluations. The result of a collaboration between CRWG and Girl's Best Friend Foundation, this straight forward guide takes the mystery out of research evaluation by remaining sensitive to the complexity of the evaluation process.

To receive a copy of Mapping a Path for Evaluation, please call 312-413-1924.

Geller, S.E., Adams, M.G., & Carnes, M. (2006). Adherence to Federal Guidelines for Reporting of Sex and Race/Ethnicity in Clinical Trials. Journal of Women's Health, 15(10), 21-29.

The National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993 requires that NIH-funded clinical trials include women and minorities as subjects; other federal agencies have adopted similar guidelines. The objective of this study was to determine the current level of compliance with these guidelines in federally-funded randomized controlled trials. The findings from the study illustrate inadequate compliance with the NIH guidelines. Researchers, editors, and journal audiences share the responsibility of ensuring compliance with NIH policies regarding federally-funded research to effect healthcare improvements for all.

Derman, R.J., Kodkany, B.S., Goudar, S.S.,Geller, S.E., Naik, V.A., Bellad, M.B., Patted, S.S., Patel, A., Edlavitch, S.A., Hartwell, T., Chakraborty, H., & Moss, N. (2006). Oral misoprostol in preventing postpartum haemorrhage in resource-poor communities: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet, 368(9543), 1248-1253.

Postpartum haemorrhage is a major cause of maternal mortality in the developing world. Although effective methods for prevention and treatment of such haemorrhage exist, most are not feasible in resource-poor settings where many births occur at home. The researchers aimed to investigate whether oral misoprostol could prevent postpartum haemorrhage in a community home-birth setting. In a placebo-controlled trial, 1620 women in rural India were randomized to receive oral misoprostol or placebo after delivery. The researchers found that oral misoprostol was associated with significant decreases in the rate of acute postpartum haemorrhage and mean blood loss. The drug's low cost, ease of administration, stability, and a positive safety profile make it a good option in resource-poor settings.

Geller, S.E. & Studee, L. (2006). Soy and red clover for mid-life and aging. Climacteric, 9(4), 245-263.

Mid-life is a time when many women begin to experience the signs and symptoms of aging, such as increases in blood pressure, changes in lipid profiles, loss of bone mass density, and diminished memory and cognition. Given the result of the Women's Health Initiative, many women are turning to botanical and dietary supplement products in place of hormone therapy. This paper reviews the evidence available for use of isoflavones from soy and red clover for the treatment or prevention of these health issues. Research suggests that isoflavones found in soy foods and red clover appear to have a small but positive health effect on plasma lipid concentrations, bone mass density, and cognitive abilities. Given the lack of serious safety concerns in the short term, it would appear that including soy and red clover in the diet of postmenopausal women, not withstanding a soy allergy, might be beneficial.

Geller, S.E. & Studee, L. (2006). Contemporary alternatives to plant estrogens for menopause. Maturitas.

Every year, millions of women begin the peri-menopause and may experience a number of symptoms related to this transition. Many women are reluctant to use hormone therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms and are turning to botanical and dietary supplements for relief. This paper reviews the literature on alternatives to plant estrogens for relief of menopausal symptoms. A growing body of evidence suggests that some botanicals and dietary supplements such as black cohosh and St. John's work can result in improved clinical outcomes. Health care providers should discuss these issues with their patients so they can assist them in managing these alternative therapies through an evidence-based approach.

Booth, N.L., Piersen, C.E., Banuvar, S., Geller, S.E., Shulman, L.P., & Farnsworth, N.R. (2006). Clinical studies of red clover (Trifolium pratense) dietary supplements in menopause: a literature review. Menopause, 13(2), 251-264.

Red clover botanical dietary supplements have received much attention recently for their potential use in the treatment of menopause symptoms, maintenance/improvement of bone and cardiovascular health, and reported benign effects on the breast and endometrium. This literature review covers red clover botanical dietary supplement clinical studies having a possible impact on the health care of mature and menopausal women, and provides historical perspective regarding the traditional uses of red clover.

Carnes, M., Geller, S., Fine, E., Sheridan, J., & Handelsman, J. (2005). NIH Director's Pioneer Awards: could the selection process be biased against women? Journal of Women's Health, 14(8), 684-91.

One of the first National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap initiatives to be launched was the Director's Pioneer Award. This award was established to "identify and fund investigators of exceptionally creative abilities and diligence, for five years to allow them to develop and test far-ranging ideas." Nine excellent scientists were chosen as NIH Pioneers, but the selection of all men is at odds with the percentage of women receiving doctoral degrees for the past three decades, serving as principal investigators on NIH research grants, and achieving recognition as scientific innovators in non-NIH award competitions. The absence of women Pioneers provokes the following question: In the context of extant research on the impact of gender-based assumptions on evaluation of men and women in traditionally male fields, such as science, were there aspects about the process of nomination, evaluation, and selection that inadvertently favored men? The authors of this article present evidence to suggest that women scientists would be disadvantaged by several components of the NIH Director's Pioneer Award initiative and offer an analysis of this process to encourage the NIH to embark on self-study and to educate all reviewers regarding an evidence-based approach to gender and evaluation.

Geller, S.E. & Studee, L. (2005). Botanical and dietary supplements for menopausal symptoms: what works, what does not. Journal of Women's Health, 14(7), 634-49.

Approximately two thirds of women who reach menopause develop menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes. Given the results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), many women are reluctant to use hormone therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms, and are turning to botanicals and dietary supplement (BDS) products for relief. Despite the fact that there is limited scientific evidence describing efficacy and long-term safety of such products, many women find these natural treatments appealing. This paper reviews the botanicals and dietary supplements commonly used in menopause (such as black cohosh, red clover, and soy products) as well as the available data on efficacy and safety. The evidence to date suggests that black cohosh is safe and effective for reducing menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes and possibly mood disorders. Phytoestrogen extracts, including soy foods and red clover, appear to have at best only minimal effect on menopausal symptoms but have positive health effects on plasma lipid concentrations and may reduce heart disease. St. John's wort has been shown to improve mild to moderate depression in the general population and appears to show efficacy for mood disorders related to the menopausal transition. Other commonly used botanicals have limited evidence to demonstrate safety and efficacy for relief of symptoms related to menopause.