Centre for Gender Medicine, Karolinska Institute
Sex- and gender-dependent differences exist on every imaginable level pertaining to human health and disease. Thus, these gender-dependent differences exist on the cellular level all the way up to the level of human interactions within our societies.
In fact, it could be postulated that each cell is characterised by, among other things, its gender. Incidences, causes, risk-factors, presentation of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, response to treatment and prognosis are all factors that differ significantly between women and men, and this for a large number of individual diseases and pathologies.
Both women and men experience health and disease in a completely different way. Furthermore, we now know that each gender reacts to similar afflictions in completely different ways. These differences originate from the combination of biological, cultural and societal factors. To take the differences and their origins into consideration when we treat our patients and care for them is possibly one of the biggest factors that can lead to improved outcomes of treatment and care.
Within this framework, the several aims of our centre are deemed equally important. First, we endeavour to support and stimulate the research of the pre-clinical and clinical aspects of gender-medicine. Next, we want to improve, - and where necessary, to establish - the teaching of the important aspects of gender-medicine within the major medical specialisations. It is important that such teaching is happening on all the relevant educational levels. Finally, we strive to increase awareness and understanding of gender-medicine. Here, the centre aims not only at politicians and , policy-makers but at the society in general.
The educational programmes of the centre are accredited within the Karolinska Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital (Solna).