Mission
Our mission is to conduct innovative research that advances gender equity in health by changing culture and informing clinical practice and policy.
Vision
We envision a world where there is optimal and equitable health and wellbeing across the life course for all.
What We Do
We are a multidisciplinary community of scholars who conduct and translate research focused on sex- and gender-related health across the lifespan and sexual and reproductive health outcomes, with particular attention to marginalized populations. We offer expertise in person-centered research, including health services and clinical research; community-based participatory research; epidemiology; digital health solutions; legal, ethical, and policy analysis; social science; and implementation science.
Gender Equity in Health
The medical system and health care in the US disproportionately benefit men and people of dominant identities. Biomedical research has historically left out women, transgender people, and gender diverse individuals, thus contributing to poorer health outcomes among these populations. We hope to produce and support research that moves toward equitable health outcomes among all people, regardless of sex or gender identity.
Guiding Principles
Our work strives to advance health equity and justice. We seek to understand and attend to the effects of identity, class, as well as structures and systems that negatively or positively impact the health and life of diverse individuals and communities to move towards our vision of equitable health and wellbeing for all. We also seek to incorporate principles of equity and justice in our internal programming and organizational policies.
Our work is also grounded in or embraces a person-centered framework in which each person, regardless of their identity or background, deserves dignity and respect while interacting with the healthcare system and is able to exercise bodily and reproductive autonomy to make health decisions that are best for them in their unique context.
Our History
Previously known as the Center for Women's Health Research and Innovation (CWHRI), we have been conducting interdisciplinary research since 2015. Our center started as an initiative to promote and support health services research related to women’s health across the Schools of the Health Sciences at University of Pittsburgh. In addition to fostering collaboration among investigators with diverse backgrounds and disciplines, our center worked closely with community, government, and advocacy organizations to shape research agendas, ensure polyvocality, and enhance impact. As a result, over the years our center, now known as CONVERGE, has expanded beyond the Schools of Health Sciences and beyond traditional health services research methods to understand, articulate, and advance a more inclusive vision of gender-related health and wellbeing.