Rethinking women’s health and aging: Insights from Dr. Paula Rochon

Women have historically been under-represented in clinical research. Dr. Rochon’s appointment in this new role reflects Sinai Health’s continued commitment to advancing care and research to address inequities in women’s health, and represents a significant milestone in establishing the Centre as a world-leader in research, education and care. 

“There is already incredible work happening at Sinai Health to bring together a range of specialties to meet women’s distinct medical needs,” said Dr. Rochon. “As we foster the development of research that specifically addresses the needs of mature women, we will continue to find opportunities to apply our findings to clinical practice – ultimately leading to better, more equitable care for women as they age.”

At the heart of her vision is dismantling research gaps in women’s health. Dr. Rochon has championed research that has helped shape a more inclusive, evidence-informed health system across Canada, and beyond. 

In a recent interview, Dr. Rochon shared how she was inspired by witnessing the longevity and good health of her own family members, which sparked her curiosity about how to support older adults to live healthier lives. This interest deepened during her master’s studies at Harvard, when she became aware of the significant gaps that often exclude older adults – particularly women – from medical research. 

“We often talk about “older adults” as a single group, but the experiences of women and men are not the same,” said Dr. Rochon. “When older women aren’t included in research, they’re at risk of receiving care that isn’t tailored to their needs.”

One example is the over prescription of medication, which can lead to “prescribing cascades”. This occurs when an adverse side effect from a medication is misdiagnosed as a new medical condition, leading to additional prescriptions. This is especially common among older adults, and disproportionately affects older women.

As a geriatrician and health services researcher Dr. Rochon’s work has led to key insights into optimizing medication prescribing for older adults, and has pushed for global conversations on establishing safer prescribing protocols. 

Read the full Q and A here.