Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Randomized Controlled TrialAcceptability and Preference for 3-Month Versus 1-Month Vaginal Rings for HIV-1 Risk Reduction Among Participants in a Phase 1 Trial.
Background: The monthly dapivirine vaginal ring provides partial protection against HIV, and a longer duration ring may reduce user burden and improve adherence. We examined acceptability and preference for 3-month versus 1-month rings for HIV-1 risk reduction in a phase 1 clinical trial. Materials and Methods: In Microbicide Trials Network-036/International Partnership for Microbicides 047, 49 HIV-negative participants aged 18-45 were randomized to one of two 3-month rings or the 1-month ring. ⋯ Conclusions: Both ring durations were highly acceptable at study exit. Although most participants preferred a 3-month ring, preference was more divided in certain subgroups, highlighting the benefit of offering different duration options. Providing additional support to address concerns about hygiene and safety may improve acceptability of a 3-month vaginal ring.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Factors Influencing Retirement Decisions of Senior Faculty at U.S. Medical Schools: Are There Gender-Based Differences?
Purpose: Women comprise almost one-third of academic medicine faculty 60 years of age and older. Gender disparities have been documented across many measures in medicine, including salary, promotion rates, and leadership positions and may impact long-term career and retirement decisions. The authors sought to describe gender differences in retirement decisions among late-career, full-time medical school faculty. ⋯ Women differed from men in the personal and professional factors influencing retirement decisions with women more likely to identify health insurance, sense of burnout, lack of access to career advancing resources and opportunities, feeling devalued at work, and caregiving responsibilities as important issues. Conclusions: Women late-career faculty report unique and salient factors influencing retirement plans that may reflect cumulative gender-based career differences and disparities. Institutions should be aware of these differences and work to support women during late career and retirement transitions, including creating opportunities for faculty to remain engaged in meaningful work during retirement transitions if they desire to do so.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Association of Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansions with Births Among Low-Income Women of Reproductive Age.
Background: This study examined the association between Medicaid expansions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and births among low-income women of reproductive age in the United States. Materials and Methods: We used data from the 2008 to 2019 American Community Survey to estimate the association between state adoption of Medicaid expansion under the ACA and the percent of low-income women of reproductive age with a birth in the past year using a difference-in-difference research design. Subgroup analysis was explored by race and ethnicity, age group, educational attainment, marital status, and number of children. ⋯ Conclusions: Reductions in births associated with Medicaid expansion could suggest that expanding Medicaid addressed previously unmet reproductive health care needs among low-income women of reproductive age. The reductions in births among low-income women that we observe were occurring among some groups with higher unintended pregnancy rates, including Hispanic women, American Indian or Alaska Native women, young women, and unmarried women. These findings underscore the importance of reproductive health care access through insurance coverage on empowering women to have control over their reproductive decision-making and timing.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
ReviewSex Differences in Cutaneous Melanoma: Incidence, Clinicopathological Profile, Survival, and Costs.
Background: This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of sex-related characteristics of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), with special reference to its incidence, clinicopathological profile, overall survival, and treatment-related costs. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all 1,279 CMM patients who were registered in 2015 in the Veneto Cancer Registry (a population-based registry including all 4,900,000 regional residents). The by-sex comparisons included tumor stage and site, histological subtype, and other clinical-pathological variables. ⋯ Sex also influences patients' histopathological characteristics at diagnosis. Women had better overall survival after adjusting for demographic, pathological, and clinical profiles. The costs of treatment were also lower for women with CMM.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
The Relationship Between Sexual Assault History and Cervical Cancer Screening Completion Among Women Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration.
Background: Sexual assault affects one in three U. S. women and may have lifelong consequences for women's health, including potential barriers to completing cervical cancer screening and more than twofold higher cervical cancer risk. The objective of this study was to determine whether a history of sexual assault is associated with reduced cervical cancer screening completion among women Veterans. ⋯ Three- to five-year screening intervals may provide sufficient time to complete screening, despite barriers. Trauma-sensitive care practices promoted in the VA may allow women to overcome the distress and discomfort of pelvic examinations to complete needed screening. ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT02039856).