Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Drugs and Drug Classes Involved in Overdose Deaths Among Females, United States: 1999-2017.
Background: Drug overdose deaths among U. S. women have risen steadily from 1999 to 2017, especially among certain ages. Various studies report involvement of drugs and drug classes in overdose deaths. ⋯ Two of the top five drug/drug class combinations included benzodiazepines ("natural and semisynthetic opioids"/"benzodiazepines" and "methadone"/"benzodiazepines"). Conclusions: Analyzing trends in drugs and drug classes involved in female drug overdose deaths is a critical foundation for developing gender-responsive public health interventions. Reducing high-risk drug use by improving prescribing practices, preventing drug use initiation, and addressing use of multiple drugs can help prevent overdose deaths.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Factors Associated with Contraceptive Use in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Background: Globally 10% of women have an unmet need for contraception, with higher rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Programs to improve family planning (FP) outcomes require data on how service characteristics (e.g., geographic access, quality) and women's characteristics are associated with contraceptive use. Materials and Methods: We combined data from health facility assessments (2018 and 2019) and a population-based regional household survey (2018) of married and in-union women ages 15-49 in the Kigoma Region of Tanzania. ⋯ In multivariate analyses, access to services located <2 km of one's home that offered five methods (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.57, confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-2.10) and had basic amenities (aOR = 1.66, CI = 1.24-2.2) increased the odds of contraceptive use. Among individual variables, believing that FP benefits the family (aOR = 3.65, CI = 2.18-6.11) and believing that contraception is safe (aOR = 2.48, CI = 1.92-3.20) and effective (aOR = 3.59, CI = 2.63-4.90) had strong associations with contraceptive use. Conclusions: Both service and individual characteristics were associated with contraceptive use, suggesting the importance of coordination between efforts to improve access to services and social and behavior change interventions that address motivations, knowledge, and attitudes toward FP.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Assessment of Gender Parity: Leadership Representation in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
Background: Academic centers' and professional societies' top leadership representation and professional societies' award recipients remain disparate by gender in many fields. Little is known regarding leadership representation and recognition within pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine (PCCM), which has ∼22% women physicians. We sought to understand the landscape of female PCCM leaders. ⋯ Conclusion: PCCM leadership and societal recognition are disparate by gender with few women holding top leadership roles and receiving societal recognition. Fortunately, the distribution notably is starting to reflect the specialty's demographics. Understanding why these inequalities exist will be essential to achieving gender parity in PCCM.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Demographic and Clinical Predictors of Postpartum Blood Pressure Screening Attendance.
Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) cause substantial preventable maternal morbidity and mortality. Postpartum hypertension that worsens after women are discharged is particularly dangerous, as it can go undiagnosed and cause complications. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends women with HDP undergo blood pressure (BP) screening 7-10 days after delivery to detect postpartum hypertension. ⋯ Rates of BP screening attendance were lower for women with inadequate (aRR 0.42, 95% CI 0.26-0.67) and intermediate (aRR 0.40, 95% CI 0.21-0.74) prenatal care utilization relative to women with adequate utilization. Conclusions: Among a high-risk safety-net population with HDP, most women did not attend a BP screening visit within 10 days of delivery. Addressing this gap requires further research and creative solutions to address barriers at the individual, provider, and system levels.
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Gestational Weight Gain in Twin Pregnancies and Maternal and Child Health: An Updated Systematic Review.
Background: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has provisional gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines for women pregnant with twins due to limited data in this population. To better inform guidelines, the objective of this systematic review was to build on prior work and examine recent data on the associations of GWG with maternal and child health in twin pregnancies. Materials and Methods: In February 2021, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library were searched. ⋯ Conclusions: This study advances an earlier review by including a more diverse array of maternal and child outcomes. Many of the limitations noted in the original review persist; for example, no studies examined the associations of GWG and outcomes beyond birth. Although it appears that GWG within the IOM guidelines is associated with more optimal outcomes, additional methodologically rigorous studies are needed to better inform evidence-based guidelines.