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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Marian C. McDonald, DrPH, MPH, MA, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop D-62, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-639-7921, mmcdonald@cdc.gov

The purpose of this presentation is to explore the current state of infectious disease prevention for women globally, and to demonstrate how these efforts are essential to the defense of human rights internationally. This overview is based on the work of the International Conference on Women and Infectious Diseases (ICWID), an international conference held in February 2004 and again in March 2006 with the goal of enhancing prevention and control of infectious diseases among women worldwide, ensuring that these efforts address global inequalities. Organized by the National Center for Infectious Diseases at CDC along with WHO, PAHO, and numerous partners, ICWID was designed to enhance prevention and control of infectious diseases that disproportionately impact women across the life span as well as those that affect whole populations but affect women in distinct ways, in addition to infectious diseases that affect pregnancy, birth, and infants. ICWID also identified and explored appropriate sex- and gender-specific interventions for preventing infectious diseases among diverse populations of women, promoted discussion and information-sharing, promoted collaboration among individuals and organizations from developed and developing countries, and promoted the role of women in basic and applied sciences fields. It examined the effects of displacement, immigration, war, and poverty, as well as restrictive gender roles and policies, on infectious diseases in women. Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, ICWID brought together representatives from nongovernmental and community-based organizations around the world, as well as scientists, researchers, and public health professionals.

Learning Objectives: