We all know that the bodies of men and women are different, but until recently, little attention has been paid to what this could mean for women's health. Since the late 1900s, a growing body of research has shown that men and women may produce different symptoms, different manifestations, and different treatment needs for the same diseases. This important new way of thinking is called gender-specific medicine.

In addition to studying gender differences, there are several other exciting new ways of thinking about women's health. Twenty-first century women's health focuses on the whole woman in the diverse contexts of her life and grounded in an interdisciplinary sex and gender-informed science. Women's health includes mental and physical health and considers the effects of women's roles in society on their health. The way women communicate with their healthcare providers is being studied in order to enhance the quality of communication, improve how health information is interpreted, and increase appropriate preventative behaviors. Studies show that women raise more questions and need more emotional connections with their providers than men. It is also recognized that women play a powerful role in medical care. They are frequently responsible for the care of themselves, their children, and often their spouses, parents, other dependents and friends. This new science can empower women to get the healthcare they really need-healthcare that takes their concerns and realities into consideration-healthcare that is tailored specifically to them.