7 Domains of Women's Health

By The Scope Radio, University of Utah Health

7 Domains of Women's Health episodes

April 03 E111: The Intellectual Domain of Risks
Risk in health care is often presented as a number—but what those numbers actually mean, and how we interpret them, is far less straightforward. With the growing influence of misinformation and the illusion of "doing your own research," algorithms exploit the way our brains are wired to process repeated information, leading to increased anxiety, misplaced focus, and eroding trust in medical expertise.
In the intellectual domain of risks, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, explore how statistics, probability, and human psychology intersect in medical decision-making. From relative versus absolute risk to concepts like "number needed to treat," the conversation reveals how easily data can be misunderstood—or unintentionally misrepresented—by media, clinicians, and even well-informed patients.
29 min
March 27 E110: The Social Domain of Risks
Workplaces are one of the most common places adults form relationships—and one of the most complex environments for social risk.
In the social domain of risks, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, unpack the social dynamics that shape professional spaces, from subtle exclusion and power hierarchies to more overt issues like harassment, boundary crossings, and workplace relationships. Joined by Harriet Hopf, MD, they explore what it really means to “see something, say something”—and why that decision can carry real personal and professional consequences.
32 min
March 20 E109: The Emotional Domain of Risks
From early relationships to midlife pair bonding, social expectations, identity, and evolving desires shape the decisions people make about love and connections.
In the emotional domain of risks, Lisa Diamond, PhD, joins Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, to explore the vulnerability, uncertainty, and courage it takes to form intimate relationships. From the paradox of endless dating choices to the deeply human need for connection, the conversation examines why building relationships today can feel harder than ever. If connection is essential to our well-being, what keeps us from reaching for it?
31 min
March 13 E108: The Physical Domain of Risks
Every day, women weigh risks—whether it is deciding to start a medication, pursue a medical procedure, invest in their health, or even consider pregnancy. Yet the way humans assess risk is rarely simple or purely logical. Fear, reward, hormones, life experience, and social expectations all shape how we interpret danger and opportunity.
In the physical domain of risk—the first episode in the 7 Domains of Risk series—Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, explore how our brains and bodies calculate risk in real time. From evolutionary survival instincts to modern medical decision-making, they unpack why some people are naturally cautious while others lean toward calculated risk-taking. Hormones, stress, development, and even early-life experiences influence our tolerance for risk—particularly for women navigating reproductive health, pregnancy, and medical choices.
28 min
February 20 E107: The Spiritual Domain of Family Planning
Family planning decisions are never purely medical—they are shaped by belief systems, moral frameworks, cultural traditions, and deeply personal values. Questions about contraception, fertility treatment, and pregnancy care intersect with faith in ways that are both grounding and complicated.
In the spiritual domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, are joined by Margaret Battin, PhD, distinguished professor of philosophy and medical ethicist, to examine where personal belief meets professional responsibility. They explore how clinicians honor their own moral compass while fulfilling obligations to patients, how religious teachings can both guide and constrain reproductive choices, and how individuals reconcile faith with lived reality.
25 min
February 13 E106: The Environmental Domain of Family Planning
Where you live—and what surrounds you—can quietly shape your family planning journey long before you ever step into a clinic. From the air you breathe to the health care systems within driving distance, your environment plays a powerful and often underestimated role in fertility, contraception, and pregnancy outcomes.
In the environmental domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, explore how both biological and geographic environments influence reproductive health. Joined by urologist Kelli Gross, MD, the conversation examines male fertility, environmental toxins, air pollution, lifestyle factors, and the growing questions around sperm health. In the second half, David Turok, MD, discusses how geography, provider training, and access barriers shape contraceptive options—particularly in rural and frontier communities.
34 min
February 06 E105: The Financial Domain of Family Planning
Informed family planning can influence life trajectories. Historically, children were considered economic assets: laborers, caregivers in old age, and contributors to survival in agricultural societies. But as industrialization reshaped society, survival no longer depended on large families, and financial realities shifted, making family planning a key determinant of long-term economic stability.
In the financial domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, are joined by Shireen Ghorbani, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Utah, to discuss how economic factors influence reproductive choices and outcomes. The conversation highlights the critical role of education, intention, and access in ensuring that individuals can have children when—and if—they choose. Whether contraception or infertility support, financial foresight and accessible health care can empower individuals to shape their futures.
31 min
January 30 E104: The Intellectual Domain of Family Planning
For decades, contraception and family planning have been shaped by scientific discovery—but also by misinformation, flawed research, and cultural narratives that refuse to die. In recent years, social media has amplified debunked claims about hormones, attraction, and birth control, influencing how people think about family planning despite a lack of credible evidence.
In the intellectual domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, examine how we come to "know" what we believe about reproduction, contraception, and choice. Drawing on history, ethics, and Katie's own deep dive into evolutionary science, the conversation unpacks how research evolves, why bad science sometimes sticks, and how misinformation gains traction.
22 min
January 23 E103: The Social Domain of Family Planning
Decisions about family planning rarely happen in isolation. In the U.S., access to contraception, fertility care, and pregnancy-related services is shaped not only by individual choice, but by partners, families, employers, health care systems, and state policy—factors that can dramatically influence reproductive outcomes. Research consistently shows that social and structural conditions play a defining role in who can plan a pregnancy, delay one, or receive timely care.
In the social domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, are joined by Jessica Sanders, PhD, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Research at the ASCENT Center for Reproductive Health. Together, they explore how family planning decisions are shaped by layers of influence—from intimate partner dynamics and community access to poverty, misinformation, and shifting laws. The conversation examines how social forces enter even the most private decisions, and why understanding these pressures is essential for supporting truly informed, equitable reproductive care.
31 min
January 16 E102: The Emotional Domain of Family Planning
Family planning may sound like a logical process—timelines, contraceptive options, fertility planning, spreadsheets of pros and cons—but for most people, the emotional weight far outweighs the math. Fear, hope, excitement, shame, relief, grief, joy, and uncertainty often coexist, shaping decisions in ways data alone cannot capture.
In the emotional domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, are joined by Annabel Sheinberg, Director of The Turnaway Project, to examine the deeply human side of reproductive decision-making. Together, they explore the emotional complexity behind contraception, abortion, infertility, and adolescent reproductive choices. They discuss the emotional nuances of adolescent confidentiality, the reality that multiple conflicting feelings can be true at once, and how people navigate some of life's most personal decisions.
31 min

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Conversations for all the women in your life. Women’s health encompasses far more than the issues discussed in a doctor’s office—it is deeply intertwined with the unique experiences, challenges, and…