Women's Health Equity Study

Highlighting the leading health concerns for BIPOC and marginalized women in Clark County.

Odyssey World International Education Services is collaborating with Southwest Washington Accountable Communities of Health (SWACH) to conduct a Women’s Health Equity Research Project.

WHAT HEALTH EQUITY MEANS TO US:

Being treated with dignity and compassion by service providers.
Having fair access to optimal treatment and diagnosis services.
Receiving respectful assistance when navigating resources and support that best suits one's needs.

ABOUT PROJECT

OBJECTIVE:

We want to know how the health concerns of BIPOC and marginalized women in Clark County stack up to the health concerns women have identified on a national level.

WHY DO WE DO THIS:

As a Black mother/daughter duo, OWIES executive and deputy directors (Karen and Loveita Morrison) have experienced first hand how women of color are mistreated, disrespected, and go unheard when seeking health care. These experiences are all too common for BIPOC and marginalized women across the nation.

Recent data by the Society for Women’s Health Information highlighted disparities in women’s health across the lifespan, all of which are further exacerbated when accounting for race/ethnicity. In other words, we know that our intersecting identities contribute to diverse experiences in the health, wellness, and healthcare arenas. We want to see how the experiences of women in Clark County compare to the national statistics reported.

FRAMEWORK:

This research project involves compiling existing women’s health data into a comprehensive report to highlight the state of women’s health in Clark County, utilizing The Society for Women’s Health Research’s (SWHR) nationwide women’s health equity initiative as a framework. It includes contextualizing the data with qualitative insights gathered in listening sessions focused on factors influencing health, particularly emphasizing BIPOC and marginalized communities. The project aims to identify primary health areas affecting women across their lifespan, analyzing trends by factors such as race, age, ethnicity, income, and sexual identity.

SWHR 6 MAIN HEALTH AREAS:

Alzheimers

Bone Health

Lupus

Maternal Health

Menopause

Uterine Health

MORE INFO

METHODOLOGY

FINAL REPORT & DISTRIBUTION OF FINDINGS

LISTENING SESSIONS:

We are hosting listening sessions to hear from BIPOC and Marginalized women in Clark County (the lived experiences of underserved communities are often underrepresented in this kind of data collection, and we want to remedy that)

Dates/Times:

Saturday, July 27th, 10:30am -12:30pm at the Battle Ground Community Library
Saturday, July 27th, 3-5pm at the Umpqua Bank Community Room in Downtown Vancouver
Tuesday, July 30th, 5:30-7:30pm at the Camas Public Library

Eligibility:

Our goal is to capture the experiences of women across the lifespan (ages 18-90).
We want to hear from BIPOC and marginalized groups of women
- these women are often excluded from public health and population based research like this, and the goal is to uplift those voices
Participants must be residents of Clark County, WA
Participants must have english-speaking capabilities

Thank you for your interest in our listening session. The sign-up period is now closed. We appreciate your enthusiasm and hope you will join us for our future events. Stay tuned for more opportunities to get involved.

Odyssey World
International Education Services