Making Family Health Care Choices (NAPSA)—When it comes to a family’s health, women are more likely to be the decision makers. Studies show women make most of the health care choices in a home, including nutritional decisions and when to see a health care professional. Howeversuch choices can often be difficult. People’s health care needs change throughout the years—especially the needs of young children and older people, whose needs can alter on a monthly or even daily basis. “Women are the health care decision makers in American fam- ilies. They also lead incredibly busy lives,” says Amy Niles, executive director of the National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC). “That can makeit dif- ficult to stay as informed as they may like to be on certain health matters.” The NWHRC and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) recently released a free book meant to help women better handle their families’ health. “We used easy-to-follow checklists and bullet points and we have included a list of highly reli- able sources for more information,” says Niles about the handbook. Organized by life stages, the publication has age-appropriate information on safety, nutrition and exercise and wellness. “Growing Fast, Growing Strong” covers birth to age 12. The teen years of 13 to 19 are in “Changing Bodies, Changing Needs.” Men and women ages 20 to 45 will find special material for them in “Woman to Woman” and “Man to Man.” A Healthy Choice—Many women makethe health care decisions for their families. The section “Wise and Wonderful” is for the mature woman while “Staying Healthy, Staying Strong” gives tips for healthy aging. The handbook explains the new non-prescription drug labels, how to be prepared for emergencies, and drug interactions. In addition, it includes material from the highly popular “Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy,” published earlier this year by NWHRC and CHPA. While the handbook should not take the place of professional advice, it’s thought it does give women a healthy dose of impor- tant information. The handbook can be ordered by calling the NWHRCat 1-877986-9472, by writing them at 120 Albany Street, Suite 820, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 or through the Web site, www. healthywomen.org. Copies are also available at the CHPA Web site, www.chpa-info.org.
