A full measure: Towards a comprehensive model for the measurement of women’s health

Currently, the determinants of health perspective conceptualizes women’s health as a complex mix of social, political, economic and biological factors. Measurements of women’s health have typically relied on a biomedical model, viewing health as independent from the social environment. This gap between health determinants conceptualizations and the measurements of health affects research, policy and practice in the early 21st century. When applied to women’s health, standard mea- surements often result in oversights, errors, inconsistencies and simpli- fications. Critical social justice agendas, compatible with determinants discourse, are consequently unable to meet the increasing demand for accountability and evidence-based research, policy and practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine this gap between conceptualizations and measurements of women’s health and suggest ways to advance measurements.
Four questions frame this discussion: (1) How have health researchers conceptualized women’s health? (2) How have health researchers measured women’s health? (3) How can the social determinants of health perspective, specifically focusing on gender, advance both conceptualizations and measurements? (4) What are the implications for research in women’s health? -- From publisher description.