Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialFamily Planning Providers' Assessment of Intimate Partner Violence and Substance Use.
Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use are intersecting health problems that adversely impact sexual and reproductive health outcomes for women seeking care at family planning (FP) clinics. We aimed to characterize whether and how FP clinic providers (1) assessed for IPV and substance use and (2) combined IPV and substance use assessments. Methods: Providers and patients (female, 18-29 years old, English speaking) at four FP clinics participating in a larger randomized controlled trial on provider communication skills were eligible. ⋯ Conclusion: This study provides insight on how FP clinicians, as key providers for millions of women in the United States, assess patients for IPV and substance use. Results show providers' willingness to adopt IPV universal education messaging and demonstrate room for improvement in substance use assessments and integrated discussions of IPV and substance use. Trial Registration Number: NCT01459458.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2021
Maternal Serum Antioxidants in Mid Pregnancy and Risk of Preterm Delivery and Small for Gestational Age Birth: Results from a Prospective Pregnancy Cohort.
Background: Preterm delivery (PTD) and poor fetal growth are major contributors to neonatal mortality and morbidity that can extend from birth onward. Although overt maternal nutrient deficiencies are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such deficiencies are rare in developed countries. However, some evidence suggests that even within the normal range, higher levels of antioxidant nutrients are protective against adverse pregnancy outcomes. ⋯ Results: Women with total serum carotenoids in the upper quartile (Q4) had significantly lower odds of medically indicated PTD compared with women in the lower quartiles (Q1-Q3) even after adjustment for maternal characteristics (aOR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2-0.9). Odds ratios for SGA were consistently ≤0.5 among women with any of the serum nutrients in Q4 as compared with Q1-Q3, but final models did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Results support the possibility that high maternal serum antioxidants and/or the larger dietary or lifestyle pattern they represent may play a protective role in preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2021
Increasing Access to Contraception in the United States: Assessing Achievement and Sustainability.
Background: During October 2016 through May 2018, a learning community was convened to focus on policies and programs to increase access to the full range of contraceptive options for women of reproductive age. The Increasing Access to Contraception (IAC) Learning Community included 27 jurisdictions, with teams from each jurisdiction consisting of state health department leaders, program staff, and provider champions. At the kick-off meeting, teams from each jurisdiction created action plans that outlined their goals. ⋯ At the time of the post-assessment 1 year later, jurisdictions were sustaining efforts for 69 (87%) of the total goals. In every jurisdiction, work on at least one goal that originated in the learning community was sustained. Conclusions: The jurisdictions that participated in the IAC Learning Community continued the work of their action plan goals 1 year after the formal closure of the learning community, indicating sustainability of the learning community activities, beyond what jurisdictions accomplished during formal participation.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2021
Meta AnalysisSex Differences Remain Under-Reported in Cardiovascular Publications.
Background: For the past two decades, there has been increased interest from medical journals and calls to action from various organizations such as the National Institutes of Health to study sex differences in cardiovascular (CV) disease. It is unknown whether this emphasis has translated to a growth in publications addressing sex differences in CV disease. Materials and Methods: We performed a bibliometric analysis of all CV publications from 2006 to 2015. ⋯ When specific publication categories were analyzed, there were significant proportional increase of sex-specific publications in general articles category, but not for reviews, clinical trials, meta-analysis, or letters. Conclusion: Despite calls for greater attention, only a small fraction of publications for the past decade have reported on sex differences. There was no significant proportional growth of sex-specific publications for a recent 10-year period, except for the general research articles.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2021
Awareness and Use of Contraceptive Methods and Perceptions of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Among White and Non-White Women.
Background: Unintended pregnancies continue to account for half of all pregnancies in the United States, primarily due to incorrect or inconsistent use of contraception methods. Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) methods are safe and highly effective, yet underutilized. Low uptake of LARC may be due to inadequate education, misconceptions, and cultural factors such as race, ethnicity, or religion. ⋯ Conclusions: Differing patterns of awareness, use, and perceptions of contraceptive methods between white and non-white women were revealed. By understanding factors that influence contraceptive awareness, use, and perceptions, clinicians can better address the contraceptive needs and concerns of their female patients. Clinical Trial # NCT03486743.