Recognizing women in science, aging, public health

Marcia G. Ory, PhD, MPH, founding director of the Texas A&M Health Center for Population for Health and Aging and center affiliate Colette Browning from the School of Health and The Health Innovation and Transformation Centre at Federation University Australia, have been appointed co-editors of the new Women in Science: Aging and Public Health 2021 research area in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, Aging in Public Health section.

The new research topic will bring together researchers from across the world to highlight female contributions to public health and aging, including risk factors for successful aging and intervention strategies for promoting healthy living across the life course.

Ory, who also serves as the specialty chief editor of the Aging and Public Health section of the journal, nominated Browning for the co-editorial position based on her experience and excellence in the aging field. Browning is also a founding associate editor of the Aging and Public Health section.

“Our role for this issue is to invite international leaders in this field to participate and to direct the editorial process of invitation, selection, review and publication,” Ory said. “With Browning as a co-editor, this should be an excellent research topic that will advance current literature on gender, health and aging, and showcase the work of women scholars around the world.”

Both Ory and Browning are hopeful that the research topic will attract early, mid-career and seasoned researchers as contributors. They said this sets the stage for more-seasoned researchers to serve as mentors and role models.

“The goal is to spotlight the contributions women have made to science as well as to highlight special concerns in women’s health, gender differences and health disparities,” Ory said. “This is our inaugural issue, but we hope the collection becomes a yearly publication and continues to bring visibility to women in science whose work is at the nexus of aging and public health issues.”

Although all article types will be considered, the co-editors will be looking for articles highlighting standout female researchers and their contributions to aging and public health, articles highlighting public health and aging studies led by these women researchers, and articles sharing perspectives on specific research fields started or sparked by a woman.

“Traditionally, aging has been examined in a negative light and many have taken a disease-oriented approach, whereas the public health approach to aging is understanding the social, behavioral and environmental determinants of health and well-being that impact aging,” Browning said. “The public health approach to aging is about assisting older people to live the best life they can. How do we set up health systems, aged care systems, and supportive environments that will promote aging well? How do we partner with older people to design services and interventions to ensure that people age as well as they can?”

More information on the submission process may be found on the Frontiers research topic page.