Network News

As part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which took effect in January 2007, birth control prices have skyrocketed for college and low-income women. Previously, Medicaid pricing rules had allowed college health clinics and those serving low-income women to purchase birth control from pharmaceutical companies at deeply discounted rates. Prices have increased from as low as $5 per month to as high as $50 per month. As a result, access to affordable birth control has drastically diminished. In response, Representative Joseph Crowley of New York has introduced the Prevention through Affordable Access Act. The bill would restore access to low-cost birth control. As part of their Birth Control Access Campaign, The Feminist Majority Foundation Choices Campus Leadership program is mobilizing students across the country to restore affordable birth control. Visit <http://www.feministcampus.org/act/birthcontrol> for more information.

This recent event serves as a reminder that campuses are not only centers of education but also sites of health care for many college women. Although birth control is a critically important kind of care needed by many college women, it is certainly not the only health-related concern traditionally-aged college women face.

Women at Brandeis University have developed a website that provides health information for college women. The website addresses a wide range of topics, including reproductive health, safety and violence related issues, women and disabilities, and emotional and mental health. Online check-ups allow browsers to gauge their physical activity level, nutritional knowledge, and heart health. In addition, the site provides links to information on health care-related careers and questions related to insurance. In the spirit of women's health politics, Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal offers in her welcome letter to the website, "Knowledge is power when it comes to your health. Be a savvy women's health consumer and use this website to build a healthier future for you, your friends, and your college campus!" Go to <http://www.4collegewomen.org> to access the website.

The classic Our Bodies, Our Selves was first published in the 1970s by the Boston Women's Health Collective. The text inspired the women's health movement. In addition to advocacy and education, the Collective has published a book particularly well suited for traditionally-aged college women: Changing Bodies, Changing Lives. The book aims to offer "non-judgmental advice" on health issues faced by young women. Find more information about both books and about the Boston Women's Health Collective at <www.our-bodiesourselves.org>. The website also links to a women's health blog, chronicling and analyzing women's health-related news. Go to it directly via <http://ourbodiesourblog.org/>.