Women’s Health Research Wales
Who we are
Women’s Health Research Wales is a pan-Wales research centre funded by Health and Care Research Wales. Our vision is to eliminate inequalities in the health and wellbeing of girls, women, and people assigned female at birth.
Why is it important to invest in women’s health?
Women’s health is persistently under-researched and under-resourced, leading to poorer quality of life and health outcomes for women. Compared with men, women in Wales are more likely to experience severe pain and fewer years of healthy, disability-free life, despite living longer than man. There is large potential for innovation in women’s health that is not realised due to lack of a collusion space for academic-industry partnerships.
How did we get here:
- Persistent under-investment in women’s health research relative to disease burden
- Persistent under-representation of women in clinical trials, evidence syntheses, economic evaluations
- Persistent overlapping systems of inequality for women (e.g., ethnicity, disability, in-work poverty)
- Persistent positioning of women’s health as secondary topics in research centres
- Persistent positioning of women’s health either being only about reproduction or as a secondary, small topic in research centres rather than the central driving force of the research centre
How can this website help you?
When research involves people from many backgrounds it can lead to discoveries that better reflect the realities of all people and their lives. Patient and public involvement in women’s health research can improve understanding of people’s health experiences, needs, challenges, and priorities, and support efforts for better diagnoses, treatment and health resources now and for future generations.
Women’s Health Research Wales is a catalytic research centre, with collaboration opportunities, funding for women’s health research, and access to research networks and data. Our work spans four priority themes (link to “Research” page) that underpin the 10 Year Women’s Health Plan. Learn more about our ongoing and past research and see if there’s an option to get involved.
Research has shown that investment in female-specific health areas like obstetrics and gynaecology pays off – a £1 investment averages a return of £5.58 (citation needed). So, imagine if that investment went across all aspects of health research, including life-long conditions such as autoimmune disorders. Investment in women’s health is an investment in the overall health and wellbeing of your community, and with tangible results.
Women’s Health Research Wales – Our Vision
Eliminate inequalities in the health and wellbeing of girls, women, and people who were assigned female at birth.
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