Earlier this summer and within a month of one another, my 2 daughters each gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby girl. While visiting my 2 new granddaughters, I was quickly reminded of the unique and wonderful (and sometimes distressing!!) way newborns communicate-crying. It is remarkable how effective newborns are in expressing their needs!! A mother quickly learns to associate her newborn's distinctive cries with a dirty diaper, an empty stomach, or a distressed baby that simply needs to be cuddled. When caregivers are attuned to cries of need, they are better able to provide appropriate care.
During my career in healthcare and nursing education, I have read thousands of books, journal articles, research papers, and monographs regarding healthcare. Some of the most compelling, relevant, and important healthcare research I have read provides a voice for populations that have been neglected and ignored or whose voices have not yet been heard. I am proud that Family & Community Health has a history of publishing timely and relevant research that improves healthcare and health-promotion practices for some of the most neglected populations. Topics covered over the past year include rural healthcare, health disparities, chronic disabling conditions, and children's health. This supplement features additional provocative research examining one such population: underserved women.
The research in this issue is compelling for several reasons. Readers will be exposed to varied populations, diverse disciplines, innovative frameworks, and multiple methodologies. Collaborative and interdisciplinary research enhances the quality of the scholarship and ensures that a range of perspectives and lenses provide a deeper understanding of underserved women and their healthcare needs.
The findings that emerge in this supplement demonstrate that women must be included in the creation and implementation of appropriate healthcare plans. I believe this holds true for other underserved populations as well. As healthcare professionals we must be aware of patients' concerns, fears, and viewpoints and work diligently to actively include them in the design and implementation of healthcare plans. In short, we must be committed to patient-centered care. We will then be more attuned to the needs of patients from all populations and better prepared to provide appropriate care.
Jeanette Lancaster, PhD, RN, FAAN