Catalyzing quality of care improvements for women.

i p k c o C q c w r b c everal epidemiologic studies, survey data, and a growing body of literature confirm the persistence f disparities in health care associated with women’s ace, ethnicity, income, education, and other factors Institute of Medicine, 2002; Kaiser Family Foundaion, 2004, 2005; National Women’s Law Center 2004; gency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], 003a,b, 2004a,b, 2005a,b). Differences also remain etween men and women in the receipt of evidenceased health care. However, despite the amount of ata available, in-depth analysis of gender differences n the quality of health services provided in the United tates is still limited. In this special issue, gender isparities across race and ethnicity are discussed in he management of 2 key chronic conditions and in reventive care. This special issue begins with Correa-de-Araujo et l., (2006) showing that women with acute myocardial nfarction or congestive heart failure continue to fare orse than men in the receipt of drug therapy. Also, ates of counseling to quit smoking are low among omen and men of any race and ethnicity, but worse or Hispanic and black men. Further, the existence of omorbidities (e.g., diabetes, hypertension/end-stage enal disease) associated with acute myocardial infarcion or congestive heart failure does not imply better uality of care for either women or men. Correa-de raujo et al. also report that only 28.9% of women and