From gynecology to GYN-ecology: developing a practice-research agenda for women's health

Women's health as an area of specialization has moved away from a focus on gynecology to a focus on GYN-ecology, meaning a concern for the fit between the woman and her environment. To be concerned about the fit between person and environment demands an understanding of the extent to which individual behavior is constrained or facilitated by contextual factors: Do larger sociopolitical conditions exist in which a woman can perform the activities of daily living in a way that maximizes her sense of well-being? Seven factors are explored to illustrate the many ways in which women's health has been traditionally constrained by contextual factors. Suggestions for a comprehensive practice-research agenda for women's health are then presented.