Just the Facts
* Women are two to eight times more likely than men to develop a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee. Researchers found that these injuries often occur during ovulation--suggesting that estrogen may play a role.
* 66% of sexually transmitted diseases occur in people younger than 25.
* 20 million U.S. women--nearly one in seven--have migraines.
* Half of all women will acquire one or more sexually transmitted infections during their reproductive years.
* 12% of U.S. women--compared with only 6% of U.S. men--have suffered from clinically significant depression at some time in their lives.
* 600,000 women worldwide die each year from complications linked to pregnancies.
* The so-called breast cancer genes account for only 5% of the 180,000 breast cancer cases that occur every year in the U.S.
* One in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
* One in five women older than 65 develop some form of heart disease.
* 44% of women--compared with 27% of men--who have a heart attack die within a year.
* Women who smoke the same amount as men have twice the risk of developing lung cancer.
* Women who smoke have 6% less bone mass by age 80 than nonsmokers.
* African American women with cardiovascular disease are 69% more likely to die than white women.
* 20 million American women are affected by osteoporosis.
* Women around the world live longer than men--sometimes by as much as 10 years. In the U.S., life expectancy at birth is 79 years for women, 72 years for men.
* New research shows that 100-year-old women are four times more likely to have given birth in their 40s than a control group born in the same year, who died at age 73.
Where to Go for Help
Here are some Web sites and toll-free numbers women ought to know:
* American Medical Assn.
https://www.ama-assn.org
* National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/National Cholesterol Education Program
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhlbi/othcomp/opec/ncep/ncepage.htm
* Planned Parenthood (for breast self-exams)
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc-and-wh/womens-health/exam
/default.htm#breastexam
* American Council for Headache Education
(800) 255-ACHE
https://www.achenet.org
* American Social Health Assn.
https://www.ashastd.org
* American Diabetes Assn.
(800) 342-2383
https://www.diabetes.org
* National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
https://www.niddk.nih.gov
* Emergency Contraception Hotline
(888) NOT-2-LATE
* National STD Hotline
(800) 227-8922
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National HIV and AIDS Hotline
(800) 342-2437
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Vaccination Information
(800) CDC-SHOT
* American Autoimmune Related Diseases Assn.
(800) 598-4668; https://www.aarda.org
* National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
https://www.niaid.nih.gov
* National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
https://www.nih.gov/niams/healthinfo
* American Cancer Society
(800) ACS-2345
* National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations
(800) 719-9154
https://www.nabco.org
* National Cancer Institute
(800) 422-6237; https://rex.nci.nih.gov
* BRCA Genetic Testing/Myriad Genetics
(800) 469-7423
https://www.myriad.com
* BRCA Genetic Testing/Oncormed
(800) 662-6763
https://www.oncormed.com
* American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons sponsors this Web site with the Plastic
Surgery Educational Foundation
https://www.plasticsurgery.org
* Women’s Health
Initiative/Hormone Replacement Therapy Study
(800) 54-WOMEN
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhlbi/whi1
* American Speech-Language-Hearing Assn.
(800) 638-8255 or (800) 498-2071
https://www.asha.org
* National Clearinghouse for Alcohol Information
(800) 729-6686
* American Heart Assn.
(888) MY-HEART
* American Heart Assn.’s Site for Women
https://www.women.americanheart.org
* Department of Health and Human Services 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline
(800) 799-SAFE
* Department of Health and Human Services’ Directory Assistance
(800) 677-1116
Eldercare Locator:
https://www.ageinfo.org/elderloc/elderloc.htm1
* SeniorNet
https://www.seniornet.org
* National Osteoporosis Foundation
https://www.nof.org
* National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Official Action Line (800) 464-6700
* National Institute on Aging Information Center (800) 222-2225
https://www.nih.gov/nia
* National Institute of Aging/Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Centerz (800) 438-4380
* Alzheimer’s Assn.
(800) 272-3900
https://www.alz.org
* National Foundation for Depressive Illness
(800) 248-4344
* National Institute of Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov
* National Assn. for Continence
(800) BLADDER
https://www.nafc.org
