| **HEALTHY WOMEN 2000**Unlocking the Mysteries: Autoimmune Disease and Women

**INTRODUCTION**
**June Halper, MSN, RN.CS    President    Consortium of MS Centers****Nancy Holland, EdD    Vice President    Client & Community Services**
Autoimmune disorders are disabling illnesses that disproportionatelyaffect women. One of the most common of these illnesses is multiple sclerosis, the mostcommon disabling neurologic disorder of young adults, strikes women in a ratios of greaterthan 2:1. This fact, along with apparent disease fluctuation related to hormonallymediated events such as menses, pregnancy, puerperium and menopause, makes it extremelyimportant to ask questions focusing on multiple sclerosis and women. For example, why doesmultiple sclerosis disproportionately affect women? Why do hormonally mediated eventsaffect disease activity? How is disease activity affected? What services are available towomen with multiple sclerosis and how easily are they accessed?

*Healthy Women 2000* is a series of educational programs whichhighlight the most prominent and previously neglected health issues of women. Dr SusanBlumenthal, Assistant Surgeon General and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health(Women’s Health) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiated anddirects this program which provides educational information to congressional and otherpublic policy leaders, health care professionals, consumer and advocacy organizations.This monograph highlights the *Healthy Women 2000* program "Unlocking theMysteries: Autoimmune Disease and Women," which focussed on multiple sclerosis as aparadigm for other chronic, progressive, autoimmune diseases disproportionately affectingwomen, including lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome and scleroderma. Topics such as genderdifferences and autoimmune disease, treatment and research options and their availability,models of care, and the psychological impact of chronic illness and disability werediscussed by numerous experts in the field. This conference was a landmark event whichwill hopefully lead to future conferences, as well as increased research activity andprograms related to women with multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.

The experts who summarize their positions in this monograph provideclear direction for future efforts to reduce the negative impact of autoimmune disease onthe quality of life of women living with these potentially devastating diseases. We hopethis monograph will serve as a permanent record of the event and a call to action forresearch and programs to improve the lives of women with multiple sclerosis and otherautoimmune diseases.

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