What's Happening with the Sue Ismiel International Study into Women's Health and Hormones?

The vision

When successful businesswoman, Sue Ismiel, was starting out in business she used her optimism, confidence and sense of wellbeing to help her create and sell her homemade, natural hair removal product, Nads Hair Removing Gel. With her three daughters by her side, Sue Ismiel is director of a thriving, multi-million dollar export company called Sue Ismiel and Daughters. 

Today Sue Ismiel's vision and passionate concern for a healthier Australia has seen her use her phenomenal business success to give back to the community by investing in women's health and helping to create healthier futures for Australian women.

The launch

The Jean Hailes Foundation embarked on the most comprehensive study into women's health, The Sue Ismiel International Study into Women's Health and Hormones, in April this year, thanks to the generosity and incredible forward vision by Sydney businesswoman, Sue Ismiel. The Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, The Hon Kay Patterson launched The Sue Ismiel International Study in Melbourne. On congratulating and thanking Sue Ismiel on behalf of all Australian women for demonstrating her commitment to women's health by generously donating the funds for this study, the Minister commented that "this is a great example of cooperation between research, between the business community and between government".

About the Study

Associate Professor Susan Davis, Director of Research and her highly specialist team are investigating the role hormones play in women's health and wellbeing. The Sue Ismiel Study will establish a base platform or 'normal' hormone levels for women at different ages and different stages of life and examine the relationships between women's hormones and various general health concerns, most notably depression.

Sue Imiel Study to date

Recruitment so far

The aim is to include 2000 women in the study, with ages ranging from 18 to 75 years. Recruitment is well under way, with 1250 women in the study, with some age categories nearly completed (35-44 years, 45-54 and 55-64 years). The most important feature of this study is that the women asked to participate are randomly selected by Roy Morgan Research from across Victoria. This means that our results will be truly representative of women in our community and will give us a broad understanding of the health of Australian women.

A word of thanks

We are grateful to our collaborators, Roy Morgan Research and Mayne Health Dorevitch Pathology, who have enabled women to participate throughout regional Victoria. The success of the study will rely heavily on the goodwill of women who are asked to participate, firstly by completing questionnaires to give us information about their health and wellbeing and providing us with a blood sample for measurement of hormone levels. For all participants, especially those living in the country, we recognise that their involvement in the study has required a real effort and we are very grateful to them.

What happens next?

Once we have achieved full participation the research team will begin to evaluate the hormone findings and determine what levels are normal for women at different ages, and how hormones relate to mood, well being and other important health aspects.

Update on education

The Jean Hailes Foundation is committed to providing ongoing, up to date, clinically relevant health care information, including physical, emotional and psychological health, to GPs, allied health professionals and the community. The Education Unit has a number of events throughout the year to educate both health professionals and the community. The last few months have been particularly busy for the Education Unit due to the WHI findings being released. The information has affected all areas of Education including all printed resources, which have since been reviewed, updated and reprinted.

Information on women's health issues includes:

Menopause: Your Questions Answered
Considering Your Options at Menopause 
Menopause: Known Also as the Change of Life 
Hormone Therapy 
Emotional Wellbeing at Midlife and Menopause 
Breast Health: The facts without the Fear 
Women and Heart Disease 
Osteoporosis: Can be Prevented, Can be Managed 
Incontinence: Don't Despair, it Can be Managed 
Premenstrual Syndrome - PMS

New Menopause Resource

We have a new resource available for purchase by individuals or by community groups. The video "Why Me? Essential Information on Menopause" answers questions about menopause, explains the latest treatments and the benefits of lifestyle changes. The video has been produced to help you understand the hormonal chaos going on inside your body. Women who have reached menopause discuss different methods of management - nutrition, exercise, hormone therapy and complementary therapies and tell you how your quality of life can improve if the symptoms are managed. Cost is $25 + GST & P/H. 

For your copy of any of our brochures or to order the video please contact the Education Unit on 03 9562 6771 1800 151 441 tollfree). You can also download the brochures from our website www.jeanhailes.org.au.

What do you need to know about your health?

The Jean Hailes Foundation, specialists in women's midlife health care, is offering the community a range of health seminars to complement its innovative, world-class research and excellent clinical care. Run by professional health educators, the sessions are an opportunity to find out the latest on:

• Informed decision making: healthy choices
• Midlife health
• Menopause
• Nutrition, lifestyle & exercise
• Emotional health & wellbeing
• Sexuality
• Hormone therapy (HT)
• Natural therapies
• Breast health
• Osteoporosis
• Incontinence

Visit our website www.jeanhailes.org.au for further health-related information.

The JEAN HAILES Foundation Encouraging women to invest in their health. Call The Jean Hailes Education Unit on 03 9562 6771 or tollfree on 1800 151 441 to:

• Find out about local community health seminars
• Obtain a free information pack
• Book a speaker for your local organisation or group (bilingual educators available)

Multicultural Health Day in Rural Victoria

With forty eight per cent of its residents coming from culturally diverse backgrounds, Shepparton was a fitting location for a Multicultural Women's Health Day, organised jointly by The Jean Hailes Foundation, the Cancer Council Victoria's Community Language Program and PapScreen Victoria. 

Thanks to the hard work of many women, including Vicki Mitsos from the Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE, the event exceeded all expectations with 260 women coming together to learn about Pap tests, breast health and menopause in ten languages. As rural women from diverse cultures have limited access to health information in their own language, the aim of the day was to break down these barriers and provide culturally sensitive information in a fun-filled, relaxed and interactive way. 

A team of Community Language Program bilingual health educators and two interpreters ran information sessions in the following languages - Greek, Italian, Arabic, Macedonian, Turkish, Filipino, English, Punjabi and Albanian.

The sessions focused on three key health messages:

• Menopause is a natural part of life that can be managed
• The best protection against cervical cancer is a Pap test every 2 years 
• Becoming familiar with the look and feel of your breasts will help you to notice any abnormal changes

After hearing from the Minister for Youth Affairs and Education Services, the Honourable Monica Gould, emotions were running high as the women, in memory of those who have died from breast cancer, released 260 balloons. 

Elizabeth Mazeyko from the Community Language Program said, "Remember, it doesn't matter what country we have come from, we are all women and we need to keep informed about women's health and help each other to understand our bodies." 

The Community Language Program's bilingual health educators can provide free education sessions in 18 different languages (minimum of five women in a group). For more information on organising a session on Pap tests, breast health or menopause please contact Betul Kinali on 03 9635 5357. 

National and International Influence

The Jean Hailes Foundation's prime concern is Australia, but we are also very proud of the contribution of our work globally. 

The Foundation participates in international, multi-centre studies as well as initiating or collaborating in national and local research.

10th World Congress on the Menopause in Berlin, June 2002

Sarah Hardy, Director of Education
Midlife - Understanding the Change. 
An Interactive CD- ROM for Australian Women

Susan Davis Associate Professor, Director of Research

Premature ovarian failure 
Contemporary management of sexual dysfunction in the menopause: androgens and female sexuality

Sonia Davison, Endocrine Registrar

Pulsed testosterone therapy: pharmacokinetics and safety of inhaled testosterone in postmenopausal women

Rebecca Goldstat, Research Coordinator

Transdermal testosterone therapy improves wellbeing, mood and sexual function in premenopausal women

American Endocrine Society Annual Meeting, June 2002

Sonia Davison, Endocrine Registrar
Pulsed testosterone therapy: pharmacokinetics and safety of inhaled testosterone in postmenopausal women(poster)

2002 National Indigenous Women's Health Adelaide, August 2002

Sara Knight, Community Nurse Educator
Menopause, Benefits of Lifestyle Factors

Endocrine Society Annual Meeting September 2002

Sonia Davison Endocrine Registrar
Pulsed testosterone therapy: pharmacokinetics and safety of inhaled testosterone in postmenopausal women (poster)

6th Australasian Menopause Society Congress Sydney, October 2002

Sarah Hardy, Director of Education
Multi-disciplinary approach: evidenced through a premature menopause project

Susan Davis, Associate Professor, Director of Research
Androgen levels in normal and oophorectomised women

Sonia Davison Endocrine Registrar
Pulsed testosterone therapy: pharmacokinetics and safety of inhaled testosterone in postmenopausal women

North American Menopause Society Annual Meeting Chicago, October 2002

Susan Davis Associate Professor, Director of Research
Safety and Tolerability of Transdermal Testosterone Therapy versus Placebo in Surgically Menopausal Women Receiving Oral or Transdermal Oestrogen

Congratulations

Rebecca Goldstat
Awarded the Robert B Greenblat Prize - an international young investigator's award from the International Menopause Society, presented in Berlin in June.

Helena Teede Recipient of a five year Clinical Career Development Award from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Sara Knight
Qualified for her Masters in Public Health.

Susan Davis
Recipient of the Barbara Gross Award, for the best free communication at the Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) Annual General Meeting 2002. 

Content December 07, 2002