Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2014
ReviewThe role of Violence Against Women Act in addressing intimate partner violence: a public health issue.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as violence committed by a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend, spouse or ex-spouse. Each year, 1.3 to 5.3 million women in the United States experience IPV. The large number of individuals affected, the enormous healthcare costs, and the need for a multidisciplinary approach make IPV an important healthcare issue. ⋯ VAWA 2013 contains much needed new provisions for Native Americans; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gay, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals; and victims of human trafficking but does not address the large amount of intimate partner violence in America's immigrant population. There are important remaining issues regarding intimate partner violence that need to be addressed by future legislation. This review examines the role of legislation and addresses proposals for helping victims of IPV.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2014
Predictors of improvement in endothelial function after exercise training in a diverse sample of postmenopausal women.
Endothelial dysfunction measured via flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is associated with greater risk of future hypertension and cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women. Aerobic exercise training has been shown to improve endothelial function in Caucasian populations, but has not been evaluated specifically in African Americans. This has clinical importance due to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease in African Americans. ⋯ The benefits of aerobic exercise training on endothelial function in postmenopausal women are most pronounced in women with endothelial dysfunction prior to training and do not appear to be affected by race.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2014
Patterns of postpartum depot medroxyprogesterone administration among low-income mothers.
Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is often administered immediately postpartum to reduce the risk of short-interval repeat or unintended pregnancies, but little is known about the actual patterns of postpartum DMPA use. This article examines the patterns of DMPA administered among low-income new mothers in an upstate New York State community. ⋯ This study of postpartum DMPA administration among a convenience sample of low-income mothers demonstrated rates of 26% overall, but there was between-hospital variability. Additional study may identify approaches to ensure timely administration to appropriate candidates.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2014
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations and cancer screening among female Medicare beneficiaries.
Medicare covers several cancer screening tests not currently recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force). In September 2002, the Task Force relaxed the upper age limit of 70 years for breast cancer screening recommendations, and in March 2003 an upper age limit of 65 years was introduced for cervical cancer screening recommendations. We assessed whether mammogram and Pap test utilization among women with Medicare coverage is influenced by changes in the Task Force's recommendations for screening. ⋯ Although there is evidence that many Medicare beneficiaries adhere to screening guidelines, some women may be receiving non-recommended screening services covered by Medicare.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2014
Enrollment and monitoring of women in post-approval studies for medical devices mandated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Disease presentation, prevalence, and treatment effects vary by sex, thus it is important to ensure adequate participation of both sexes in medical device post-approval studies (PAS). ⋯ Data on sex was not routinely assessed in FDA reviews. Based on these findings, FDA implemented new procedures to ensure participation by sex is evaluated in PAS reviews. FDA will continue working with applicants to develop PAS that enroll and retain proportions of women consistent with the sex-specific prevalence for the disease or condition the device is used to treat.