Research Symposium Highlights Gaps in Women's Health Studies

The Cottage Health Research Institute recently hosted a research symposium at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara. The event brought together academic and medical professionals to discuss aspects of women's health that receive insufficient research attention.

Key Discussion Topics

The Postpartum Period

Amy Boddy, an anthropology professor at UC Santa Barbara, stated that the postpartum period is under-researched. Boddy noted that women typically receive one check-up six weeks after giving birth, but physiological changes can take months to return to baseline. She added that there is limited data on the variation in recovery timelines among women.

"The postpartum period is under-researched."

Chronic Inflammatory Conditions

Dr. Stephanie Handler, a urogynecologist at Cottage Surgical Clinics, said more research attention is needed for chronic inflammatory conditions in women, specifically endometriosis and bladder pain syndrome.

Autonomic Nervous System Disorders

Dr. Courtney Stull, a rheumatologist at Cottage Rheumatology Clinic, reported an increase in women being diagnosed with autonomic nervous system disorders like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Stull noted increased recognition of these conditions since the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting a possible link.

Women's Brain Health

Dr. Emily Jacobs, a neuroscience professor at UCSB, spoke about research gaps in women's brain health. Jacobs stated that data is lacking to predict postpartum depression before it occurs and to understand the long-term effects of preeclampsia on brain health.

"80% of women experience neurological symptoms during menopause."

Jacobs noted that 80% of women experience neurological symptoms during menopause. She is involved in the Longitudinal Menopause Project, part of the Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative at UCSB, which is a multi-site study examining brain health and menopause. Jacobs said only about 30% of medical programs include menopause in their basic science curriculum.

Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence

• Amy Boddy expressed concerns about AI, citing potential environmental impact and information bias, noting that most research used to train models is conducted on men.
• Dr. Courtney Stull described how some clinicians use AI for note-taking during patient encounters to improve documentation.

Future Goals

Dr. Emily Jacobs stated a goal for the Women’s Brain Health Initiative is for the University of California system to become a global center for women's brain health research, policy, and training.