What is the Chicago Women’s Health Initiative?

The Women’s Health in Beauty Salons Initiative is a training program that provides beauty salon owners with the resources and skills to improve the health of the clients they serve by improving women’s sense of well being. Beauty salons provide an excellent opportunity to reach women of all ages in a friendly environment where women congregate. This initiative extends the concept of personal beauty to include overall health and wellness.

The initiative focuses on primarily prevention and screening for conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The initiative also addresses general women’s health concerns including exercise and nutrition.

 

Why was the Chicago Women’s Health Initiative developed?

National and local health data indicate significant inequalities among racial and ethnic minorities for numerous diseases, including cancer (breast, cervical), heart disease, and diabetes. For example, Black women in Cook County are less likely than White women to develop breast cancer, but they are more likely than White women to die from breast cancer. Risk for breast cancer can be affected by a lifestyle factors such as nutrition and exercise. Deaths from breast cancer can be reduced with early detection of the disease, typically through breast self-exam and mammography; deaths from cervical cancer can be prevented through routine Pap smear screening.

Funding for the Chicago Women’s Health Initiative has been provided by the Johnson & Johnson Foundation (2004-present) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health (2004-2005).

 

Our Newsletter:

In December, 2005 we developed our first newsletter. To access the newsletter online, please use the link below.

Volume 1, Issue 4 (June-July 2006) - Oral Health

Volume 1, Issue 3 (April-May 2006) - Diabetes Health

Volume 1, Issue 2 (February 2006) - Heart Health

Volume 1, Issue 1 (December 2005) - Colon Health

 

Links to Resources:

Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion (http://www.cphp.uic.edu): Provides information about nutrition and fitness.

National Women's Health Information Center (http://www.womenshealth.gov): Offers information about a variety of women's health topics.