[...]... cent of women in British Columbia aged 15 years or older reportedly having a drink in 2007/2008 Particularly troublesome are data indicating the increase in heavy drinking and binge drinking by adolescent girls The consequences of problematic drinking, even if short term, include liver disease, hypertension, brain shrinkage and impairment, and certain cancers Drinking while pregnant may result in having... which included staff from the British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women s Health, the Ministry of Health and BC Women s Hospital & Health Centre, as well as by a review panel of experts in women s health from every region of the province The 2008 report looks at women s health and why it is distinct from men’s health, using a gender and equity lens to frame the presentation and discussion of a... members of the Project Team for their hard work and dedication in bringing this report to its fruition Barb Miles – Managing Editor Manager, Projects, Research and Reporting Initiatives Office of the Provincial Health Officer BC Ministry of Health Barb Callander – Copy Editing, Proofreading and References Manager, Projects and Strategic Initiatives Business Operations and Surveillance BC Ministry of Health. .. to their life and well-being and their ability to participate in all areas of public and private life Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity Women s health involves their emotional, social and physical well-being and is determined by the social, political and economic context of their lives, as well as by biology.2 Sex and. .. range of health topics This report contains nine chapters based on a modified BC Health Goals framework and includes discussions of demographics, general health status— including sexual health, mental illness and substance use—living and working conditions including violence against women, maternal and infant health, individual skills and choices, the physical environment, chronic disease and injury, and. .. modified health goals framework and a gender and equity lens in its presentation of chapters on population health status, living and working conditions, individual skills and choices, physical environment, chronic disease and injury and health services Based on the evidence, the final chapter makes recommendations for improving the health and well-being of women in BC Women s biology, roles and gender-specific... changes in medical education in Canada The focus is on flourishing health, not just an absence of disease.1 Phillips’ work was used to inform the definition created by the World Health Organization at its Beijing conference on women s health in 1995 1 Chapter 1: Why Women' s Health? Women have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health The enjoyment of this... predominantly done by women, can increase stress and also have a significant impact on personal health and well-being and income While more women are entering professions that have been traditionally male-dominated, there has been only a modest increase in their inclusion in decision-making positions in government and in corporate boardrooms The Impacts of Violence Violence affects women and men, but women. .. issues in women s health, including a life stages approach, social determinants, equity and intersectionality This report blends these approaches The chapter headings correspond to the BC health goals, developed in the 1990s by the Provincial Health Officer in consultation with a wide range of provincial organizations, in response to the BC Royal Commission on Health Care and Costs Within the chapters, the. .. gender-specific life experiences interact with and impact their health A wide range of factors influence women s physical and mental health, including their roles and how they are valued in our society, the social and economic conditions in which they live and work, the information and support they have to make healthy lifestyle choices, and their ability to access both preventive and treatment services This . 105 Infant Outcomes and Determinants 106 Breastfeeding 106 Infant Mortality 108 Sudden Infant Death Syndrome 110 iii Injury and Infancy 112 Perinatal. Advisor KMT, Information Management BC Ministry of Health Pam Badams Administrative Assistant Business Operations and Surveillance BC Ministry of Health Kelly