Should culture be factored into clinical care?

Do physicianstreatwomen differently?

And is ethnicity an indicator of health care utilization?

West Virginia University gerontologist Dr. Bei Wu will take up those issues and more when she delivers keynote remarks during WVU s 2006Women of Colorluncheon Wednesday, Oct. 18.

The event, which is part of the Universitys annual Diversity Week observances, will be at 11:30 a.m. in the Gold and Blue Ballrooms of the Mountainlair student union. Its sponsored by WVU s Council for Womens Concerns, with additional support from the Presidents Office for Social Justice.

Gender and Ethnic Differences in Healthcare in the U.S.,is the title of Wus talk, which will look at disparities in prevalence of diseases and chronic conditions, as well as disparities in health care utilization.

Disparities in health care are persistent issues in the U.S.,Wu said,and there are many structural, cultural and organizational factors related to these differences.

Wu is known internationally for her work in long-term care and dementia. Most recently, she was interviewed by the Voice of America to discuss the impact of those issues on Chinas aging population and its economic growth and family planning policy.

Wu is an assistant professor in WVU s Center on Aging and its Department of Community Medicine. Shes also an adjunct clinical assistant professor in the School of Dentistry and a faculty associate at the Center for Womens Studies.

In 2005, she received the Stitzel Endowment Teacher Award from the Center for Womens Studies.

She earned masters and doctorate degrees in gerontology from the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

Admission is $10 for students and $20 for the general public. Registration deadline is Oct. 14. For details, visit the Council for Womens Concerns online atwww.as.wvu.edu/cwcor call the councils luncheon chair Vickie Trickett at 304-293-7804.

The Council for Womens Concerns promotes equality of women on campus and in the community. Its made up of men and women and includes WVU faculty, staff and students, along with others from the greater Morgantown area.