The 20^th Anniversary of Women's Health Issues

Article Outline

• Copyright

With this issue, Women's Health Issues proudly begins a year-long celebration of its 20th year of publishing. Since its founding in 1990, the journal has endeavored to contribute to the mission of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health to:

It is a testament to the forward-looking perspective of the Jacobs Institute's founders that this mission statement rings as true today as it did 20 years ago. Indeed, as the field of women's health has both broadened and deepened as new topics and new research methods have emerged, the need to contribute to informed dialogue and to facilitate interdisciplinary coordination by way of scholarly research and rigorous policy analyses has taken on heightened urgency.

We begin this issue by reprinting the first Women's Health Issues editorial, “Apologia,” by Founding Editor Warren H. Pearse, MD (who continues to serve as an Associate Editor today) to remind us why he and his colleagues believed that another peer-reviewed journal focused on women's health was needed. In 1990, Dr. Pearse was the Executive Director of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and he provided invaluable collaborative leadership to found both the Jacobs Institute and this journal. We are indebted to Dr. Pearse and to many others who worked to realize the vision of the Institute's late benefactor, J. Bay Jacobs, MD. It was by virtue of a generous bequest from Dr. Jacobs that resources were provided to establish the Institute and this journal. Today, we continue to build on this legacy to ensure better health for women and their families.

We believe it fitting to note that in this issue we feature topics both new and enduring. The commentary by Katz and Mauery and the research article by Harville et al related to women and public health emergency preparedness call attention to a developing field of research into gender issues related to disasters, both natural and man-made. By contrast, the commentary and research article by Weitz et al are focused on abortion, one of the most polarizing issues in health care, policy, and politics for decades. This contrast is emblematic of our commitment to publishing work that reflects the intricate nexus of medicine, health services, and health policy research that is simultaneously thoughtful and responsive to the challenges of changing times and opportunities.

We close with a note of deep gratitude to the many people who have contributed to the success of the Institute and this journal. These include the past and present Institute directors and staff, board members, and advisory committee members who have shaped and facilitated our research and policy agenda and efforts over the years. We greatly appreciate the many authors who have chosen Women's Health Issues to publish their work and the many peer reviewers who have donated their time and expertise to ensure the rigor and quality of our published work. We thank the many highly talented people who have served on our Editorial Board over the years. This year, we feature scholarly commentaries written by current Editorial Board members that reflect the multidisciplinary nature of their expertise. We are also grateful for the staff at Elsevier, Inc., our publisher, for assisting us in producing a high-quality journal across both print and electronic platforms. Finally, thank you to all our readers. To echo Dr. Pearse's words in 1990: “To you all, good reading, good writing, and clear thinking.”