WHO:              Afaf Ibrahim Meleis, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

                        Eugenie L. Birch, Penn School of Design

                        Susan M. Wachter, Wharton School

WHAT:            Book discussion of Women’s Health and the World Cities

WHEN:           Tuesday, Jan. 24, 5:30-7 p.m.

WHERE:         Ben Franklin Room, Houston Hall, University of Pennsylvania

More than half the world's population, approximately 3.5 billion people, lives in cities. By 2030, this number is expected to increase to almost 5 billion. Most of this growth will take place in emerging countries where cities face tremendous challenges in providing opportunities and a decent living environment for women. The effect of urbanization on women's health is one of the century's most pressing global health issues.

Women's Health and the World's Cities (Penn Press 2011), edited by the University of Pennsylvania’s Afaf Ibrahim Meleis, Eugenie L. Birch and Susan M. Wachter, explores the relationships of urban environments and women's health worldwide, a topic expected to grow in importance in the coming decades.

A collection of essays on strategies to ameliorate the lives of urban women, Women's Health and the World's Cities examines the impact of urban living on women and girls. Urban planners, scholars, health practitioners and activists present original research and compelling ideas from around the globe.

Editors and contributors to the book will discuss the intersection of gender, health and urban environments in a book talk.  The event will be followed by a book signing and reception.

A podcast interview with Meleis and Dr. Susan M. Wachter is at http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/podcast/.

A video of Meleis discussing the book is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J16M-QUd01k.

More information about Women’s Health and the World’s Cities is available at  http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress or by calling 800-537-5487.