Women's health and difficult conversations across the life course: CABS Online Seminar

Join us for the third seminar in this year's series hosted by the Centre for Ageing and Biographical Studies (CABS), The Open University.

Women’s health across the lifecourse still remains a neglected issue and area of practice and research. In the context of barriers to their health and wellbeing, this seminar will focus on the challenges to open conversations about women’s health among women themselves and with partners, families, health/care practitioners and in the workplace.  Join us on the 24th March 2025 to hear from Dr Jenny Douglas (Senior Lecturer, The Open University) and Dr Holly Essex (Research Fellow, University of York).

Register via Eventbrite

Windrush women getting older in Britain 

Speaker: Dr Jenny Douglas

I will explore the migration of African-Caribbean women to the UK in the 1950s (the Windrush generation) and their employment in the newly established NHS. Employed in public health work as nurses, health visitors, midwives and community health workers, the majority of these women experienced racism and discrimination which impacted on their ability to progress into senior managers roles in the NHS. I will then examine the experience of Black Caribbean women ageing in the UK, outlining increasing co-morbidities, and the social, economic and historical factors shaping their experiences.

Women's Health Priorities: A Focus Group Study

Speaker: Dr Holly Essex

I will present the findings of a large focus group study examining women’s health priorities, conducted to inform the 'Call for Evidence' for the Government’s Women’s Health Strategy. Our analysis identified key health priorities, with varying emphases across age groups, yet common concerns shared among participants. Many expressed feeling their voices were overlooked by healthcare professionals, recounting experiences of being "brushed off" or having symptoms dismissed. Older women, in particular, reported feeling "invisible".

If you have any questions, please contact Manik Deepak-Gopinath and Verina Waights (CABS Co-Chairs)