Aging Smart, Aging Well: How Women Make Decisions About Their Health in the 21st Century

Created by HealthyWomen and WebMD, Aging Smart, Aging Well is a new nationwide initiative spotlighting the health information needs and concerns of women ages 40 and older.

From bone and heart health to mental and sexual health—and everything in between—our initiative is based on results from a comprehensive survey of more than 3,100 respondents. Its goal: to reveal the health experiences, concerns and intimate conversations that women are—and aren't—having with their health care professionals.

To that end, we examined the attitudes, behaviors, and experiences of midlife women seeking their own path to wellness as they age—especially into, through and past menopause. The survey revealed unspoken worries as well as shocking gaps in necessary health screenings. (Notably, 61 percent of women under age 65 say they have not been screened for colorectal cancer despite the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's recommendation that screening begin at age 50 and the American Cancer Society recommending that it start even earlier, at age 45.)

The number of women ages 65 and older is expected to double nationwide within the next 40 years, and as this population increases, we believe our initiative will raise awareness of midlife women's healthy aging needs. We also hope to promote a national dialogue among women, their health care providers and even policymakers to address gaps in the important information, screenings and care that women need to age healthy for decades to come—physically, emotionally and sexually.

Together, we can foster greater awareness of the health changes that can occur over a woman's lifetime, ensure women have the information they need on lifestyle and treatment strategies to promote health and well-being and bring meaningful change to our health care system to improve care to women at all life stages.

Learn more about our unique partnership here.

Learn more about our survey findings here.

Watch health care experts discuss insights from the survey here.

Download the full Aging Smart, Aging Well report here.

Need a place to start your own Aging Smart, Aging Well journey? Visit the HealthyWomen Healthy Aging Center.

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Watch the Video: What Does It Mean to Age Smart and Well

HealthyWomen Experts

Time to Speak Up: Is It Time to Talk to Your Health Care Provider? by HealthyWomen CEO Beth Battaglino, RN-C

Are Women Getting the Health Care They Really Need as They Get Older? by WebMD Chief Medical Officer John Whyte, MD, MPH

HealthyWomen Survey Reveals Much Needed Insights on Women's Menopause Symptoms by Dr. Barb DePree, member, HealthyWomen Women's Healthy Advisory Council

Good Friends Are Good for Your Health. Here's Why. by HealthyWomen Chairwoman Christine Verini