Elderly women speak about their interactions with health care providers

INTRODUCTION Women's unique health communication issues traditionally have been underrepresented in the health care literature. In fact, until very recently neither medical research nor national policy has recognized the critical importance of investigating women's health issues (Office of Research, 1992). As a result, we have a dearth of information about how being female affects one's health; only recently have any measures been taken to correct the virtual absence of women subjects in major medical research programs and trials.