Women's Health - from official report to university program

Universitetet i Agder følger opp Kvinnehelseutvalgets NOU 2023:5 – «Den store forskjellen» og regjeringens kvinnehelsestrategi med etablering av en tverrfaglig videreutdanning i kvinnehelse.

Title:
Women's health - from official report to university program

Main message:
The University of Agder follows up the Women's Health Committee's NOU 2023:5 - ‘The Big Difference’ and Norwegian government's Women's Health Strategy with establishment of an interdisciplinary education program in women's health.

Background:
Public health can be defined as the health status of the population and how health is distributed within groups of the population. Improving public health is to strive for a health-promoting society, promoting health for all, or for groups, in the society. Girls and women account for half the population and are therefore considered a large group in this context.
NOU 2023:5 describes how women's health has been systematically down prioritized in both research and services. The report recommended 75 points and a billion NOK for follow-up, and the government has presented a strategy for evidence-based policy making with a gender perspective in health. Both documents highlight the need to increase knowledge of women's health.

Description:
The program has been established across departments at the Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences at UiA. It is participant-financed, takes place over one semester and gives 5 credits. Students relate the content to their own background and work situation. The target group works with public health, gender equality, management/HR and in primary-, specialist- or occupational health services. The program is also relevant for other occupations, such as teachers. Teaching is both digital and physical.

Results:
The program was conducted for the first time in January 2025 with 40 participants. A high interest resulted in waiting list, and students came from all over the country. The evaluation was positive, with feedback that the course should be expanded for the future.

Key message:
There is a great need for knowledge about women's health and women's life stages, and an interdisciplinary university program provides a good arena for sharing knowledge. By highlighting women's health from a societal- and public health perspective, knowledge can be incorporated into different occupations and different types of organizations.

Health promotion:
This study program focuses on health and coping, and on how women's health can be promoted in society at local, regional and national levels. Increased knowledge about women's health and women's life stages forms a basis for better prioritization for good lives, both through development of disciplines, gender-equal services and individual health literacy.