Issues in Women's Health

Volume 22, Number 2 Spring 2005

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GOING DEEPER

Personal or group study ideas.
Read the articles, choose your questions!

Discernment About CAMs:
Read the editorial, p. 1 and Eliopoulos, pp. 6-13.
a. To help someone inquireing about a CAM make an informed decision, what would you tell them about: Acupunture? Yoga? Homeopathy? Herbs for menopause? Morning skickness?
b. How are the beliefs underlying: 1) Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2) Exercies, 3) Therapeutic Touch, 4) Herbal Therapy consistent or inconsistent with the Bible and Christian faith?

Women and Aging:
Read Koehn, pp. 20-24 and Lyndaker and Hulton, pp. 25-28
a. A 51-year-old female complains of difficulty sleeping, constipation, shortness of breath and decreased libido. How would you respond?
b. How would you counsel women who are frustrated about growing older? What specific health or spiritual information would you offer?

Developing a Ministry-Oriented Mindset:
a. Read Brewer-Smyth, pp. 30-33. How do you feel about ministering to women in prison? What objections or fears do you have?
b. Read Farrell and Rigney7, pp. 34-37. If you were to start a parish nurse program, what would you do first? How would the 5 phases of program development guide you?
c. Read Rae, pp. 38-40. Identify 3 things you learn from nurses working in a poor, resitrcted country that help you in your practice.

(Select the article title to view a summary.)

3 Thinking About Therapies - Editorial

6 CAM in Women's Health: Safely Navigate the Waters
Charlotte Eliopoulos

The use of Complementary Alternative Medicine by women keeps rising. How should nurses address CAM safety and efficacy -- physical and spiritual, with clients?

15 It's Not About Food: Getting to the Heart of Eating Disorders
Marian C. Eberly

One-half to 3% of women will develop anorexia while 1 to 4.5% will develop bulimia. Discover why the most effective eating disorder treatment involved God.

20 Embracing the Aging Process
Mary Koehn

The culture around us values youth and vitality; the Bible offers an dalternative perspective. How should women promote healthy aging?

25 Perimenopause: Helping Women Be Heard
Carolyn Z. Lyndaker and Linda J. Hulton

The woman with hemorrhaging in the Gospels was likely suffering perimenopausal complications. We can learn much from Jesus' response to her.

30 Women Behind Bars: The Challenge to Care
Kathleen Brewer-Smyth

Female inmates typically have suffered serious abuse and are beset by numerous mental, physical and spiritual problems. What can help them?
For information about prision ministry go to www.prisonfellowship.org

Parish Nursing

34 From Dream to Reality: How a Parish Nurse Program Is Born
Sarah P. Farrell and Dawn B. Rigney

Thinking about a parish nurse ministry? Eleven parish nurses share the ups and downs of getting started, revelaing five phases of program development.

Missions

38 When God Calls You to a Hard Place
Kimberly Rae

Missionaries in restircted countries must meet physical or academic needs as an avenue toward the spiritual. Can health care ministry make a difference?

Departments

5 Letters
Tools for Spiritual Care, Tsunami Disaster

41 Practicing

The Cost of a Little Kindness
Judith Sessler

42 FAQs in Spritiual Care

How Does Spiritual Care Begin?
Mary T. Sweat

43 Advertising

46 Resources

Alternative Medicine, Women's Issues, Parish Nursing, Leadership

48 PulseBeats

Women's Health After Abortion, New Alzheimer's Research