Abstract
The announcement for a call of articles for the first Special Edition of Women's Health was so well-received that we had enough material for a second Special Edition. We are very gratified that we have the interest and excitement from our readers. Dr. Arnyce R. Pock was very gracious to accept the role of Guest Editor again. Under her scrutiny, we have assembled another informative issue.
While we concern ourselves with the special clinical challenges for women, we must not forget that, besides individual health concerns, it is important to remember that we owe a responsibility to families. This is not a new idea, but it is often forgotten. I would like to discuss what I mean.
When I was a practicing radiation oncologist, I noted that women or men who had malignancies—and most often cycled through radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery—were naturally the prime center of attention in their families (because of these illnesses). As a consequence of the oncology ordeal, other family members were both neglected or ignored from a health point of view. It happened on many occasions that one or more family member(s) developed preventable illness, but had not sought medical attention because of concern regarding the family member who had the malignancy. My solution when acquiring a new patient with cancer was to arrange health care for the rest of the immediate family members (e.g., spouses/partners or significant others); namely, history, physical examination, and appropriate laboratory testing. I often performed this care to expedite the matter and not let anyone “fall through the cracks.” It was more work—yes—but I had professional satisfaction that better health status of the family was ensured.
As acupuncturists, it takes just a few minutes to inquire about a family's health status. Yes, it is true that we may ask about family histories, but to inquire in-depth about an entire family situation is a different matter. We may learn that we have a family member who has diabetes and has not been followed-up for more than a year, or a patient with hypertension who has not had medication renewed or potassium checked, etc. A devastating illness affecting a loved one can be a distraction that takes away attention to one's own health. So what can we do?
I recommend that we consider opening the door to the family and not just offering family members seats in the waiting room.