Department of War-Funded Women’s Health Research: A Portfolio Analysis of Investments
Lynette HamlinObjective:
To assess the current state of Department of War (DoW)-funded women’s health research by analyzing the distribution of funded projects across major clinical and scientific domains for years 2018–2025.
Design:
Portfolio analysis of DoW Women’s Health Research-funded projects categorized by topic area. A narrative synthesis was conducted to characterize funding distribution, identify dominant research domains, and highlight gaps.
Measurements and Main Results:
DOW-funded research demonstrates substantial investment in several domains, with the largest funding concentration in cancer research ($118.5M), followed by reproductive and gynecological health ($19.2M) and musculoskeletal conditions (14.4M). Additional domains include menopause, mental health, and sex-based biological differences. Several areas—including cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and pain—show minimal or no recorded funding in this dataset. The portfolio reflects a strong emphasis on disease-specific and reproductive health topics, with comparatively limited investment in acute and chronic disease and implementation science.
Conclusions:
DoW-funded women’s health research is concentrated in a small number of domains, particularly cancer and reproductive health. Significant gaps exist, suggesting opportunities for strategic expansion to better align with the evolving health needs of women service members.