Journal of women's health
-
Journal of women's health · May 2022
Disparities by Sex in COVID-19 Risk and Related Harms Among People with Opioid Use Disorder.
Objectives: (1) Report sex-specific prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test positivity among an opioid use disorder (OUD) cohort (2) Assess sex-specific rates of opioid overdose and mortality. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on all adult patients with OUD who received a COVID-19 test in calendar year 2020 at a large academic medical center in Richmond, Virginia. Our study outcomes were positive COVID-19 test, opioid overdose, and all-cause in-hospital mortality. ⋯ Conclusions: Opioid overdose, more often than COVID-19, impacted the health of patients with OUD presenting to a public safety net health system. Despite a female advantage documented in the general population for COVID-19 susceptibility, COVID-19 test positivity rates were similar across sex in an OUD cohort; yet, racial disparities emerged with notable sex-related variation. Sex and gender are important variables that modify health outcomes, including OUD and COVID-19, and should be further investigated using an intersectionality framework.
-
Journal of women's health · May 2022
Prevalence and Correlates of Violence Experienced by Trans Women.
Objectives: To measure the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner, physical, and sexual violence experienced by trans women. Materials and Methods: A National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) Study of 201 trans women was conducted in San Francisco from July 2019 to February 2020 using respondent-driven sampling. Prevalence ratio tests were used to test differences in the prevalence of violence by demographic characteristics including housing status. ⋯ Younger age, being misgendered, and substance use were also associated with experiences of violence. Conclusions: Trans women face dual crises in housing and violence. Affordable, subsidized, and safe housing has the potential to reduce the exposure and vulnerability to violence faced by trans women.
-
Background: Sex differences have been demonstrated in the acute phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Women (F) were found to be less prone to develop a severe disease than men (M), but few studies have assessed sex-differences in Long-COVID-19 syndrome. Methods: The aim of this prospective/retrospective study was to characterize the long-term consequences of this infection based on sex. ⋯ Conclusion: We demonstrated that F were more symptomatic than M not only in the acute phase but also at follow-up. Sex was found to be an important determinant of Long-COVID-19 syndrome because it is a significant predictor of persistent symptoms in F, such as dyspnea, fatigue, chest pain, and palpitations. Our results suggest the need for long-term follow-up of these patients from a sex perspective to implement early preventive and personalized therapeutic strategies.
-
Journal of women's health · May 2022
Assessing the Burden of Illness Associated with Acquired Generalized Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder.
Background: Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which affects ∼10% of women in the United States, is defined as the persistent or recurrent deficiency/absence of sexual desire accompanied by personal distress. Although HSDD impacts patient quality of life and interpersonal relationships, the disorder often goes unaddressed or untreated. Recent studies of the burden of illness in women with HSDD, especially premenopausal women, are limited. ⋯ Patients with HSDD reported lower SF-12 scores compared with the general population. A multivariable regression analysis demonstrated that psychosocial factors influencing the burden of HSDD, including interference with their relationship with their partner (β = -0.18; p < 0.005), mental and emotional well-being (β = -0.23; p < 0.005), and household and personal activities (β = -0.23; p = 0.02), negatively affected SF-12 mental component scores. Conclusions: HSDD symptom burden was found to be negatively and statistically significantly associated with patients' mental health; the impact was greater among premenopausal women compared with postmenopausal women.
-
Journal of women's health · May 2022
Pregnant Women's Opinions and Acceptance of Influenza and Tdap Vaccines.
Background: Influenza and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccinations during pregnancy protect mother and infant. However, acceptance of these vaccines during pregnancy is suboptimal, especially among Black women in the United States. We characterize vaccine intentions and opinions of pregnant patients at two prenatal care clinics before and after reading informational text. ⋯ Most respondents found the informational text useful; among women not yet vaccinated, 26% reported they were more likely to receive the influenza vaccine and 49.9% more likely to receive the Tdap vaccine after reading the text. Conclusions: Women have varying opinions and make different decisions about immunization, with race and educational level being significant correlates. Participants generally welcomed information about vaccines, and many were influenced positively, especially for Tdap.