Women's health. Changing definitions; changing times.

The implications of the above observations and questions are far from prescriptive. During this time of rapid social change and economic retrenchment, there is a need for both individual and professional clarification of values. An awareness of one's philosophy of life and philosophy of nursing requires constant re-evaluation and may reflect personal developmental changes, changes within nursing, and changes in social demands. Woods' schema for evaluating health phenomena by considering variables in context and with an awareness of developmental dimensions might well be used as a model for such personal and professional self-evaluation. It is only following such efforts that it will be possible to make knowledgeable decisions about the relationship between philosophy and public policy, personal/private behavior, and public/social consequences. Social change is invariably accompanied by a disquieting ambivalence. Whether one agrees with the philosophies of the women's health movement, one fact is clear. Change has occurred and it is no longer possible to ignore the paternalistic tendencies within the health care field. When lay magazines proclaim that the women's health movement is in the forefront of the consumer movement, it behooves all health care professionals to be aware that consumers will be seeking more information, more power in decision making, and will expect professionals to share responsibility for the development of treatment plans and for the evaluation of such treatments. Consumers and nurses can be expected to continue to demand that their experiences and perspectives be valued and taken into consideration.