Women and health: in search of a paradigm

The growing interest in women and health is resulting in an expanding number of important issues and invested disciplines. In this article, we propose a framework to serve as a guide for organizing themes and integrating competing approaches to the field of women's health. Our framework is illustrated through a multilevel circular model that graphically represents the evolving nature of the field. We first describe key content areas in women's health, including topics that have traditionally been considered, as well as those that have only more recently received attention. We then discuss research processes and methods that are important in the field and call for the use of approaches often excluded from traditional scientific procedures. Finally, we address the conceptual models that various disciplines provide and the advantage of a multidisciplinary perspective to advancing the field of women's health.