Journal of women's health
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Background: Menstrual equity, that is, access to menstrual products and safe menstruating environments, is a basic human right not available to many vulnerable populations. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a convenience sample of women involved in the criminal legal system to document experiences with access to hygiene and menstrual products while incarcerated. Results: Of the 156 respondents, 62.6% had to trade or barter to receive even basic hygiene products such as soap or shampoo; food and personal favors were used as the common currency. ⋯ Almost one-quarter (23.1%) suffered negative health consequences from prolonged use of products because of limited supply. Discussion: Findings document the lack of menstrual equity among women involved in the criminal legal system. Assuring the human right of menstrual equity in this population requires changes at the legal, the policy, the institutional, and the individual level.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2023
Association Between Mental Health Conditions at the Hospitalization for Birth and Postpartum Hospital Readmission.
Background: The relationship between physical comorbidities and postpartum hospital readmission is well studied, with less research regarding the impact of mental health conditions on postpartum readmission. Methods: Using hospital discharge data (2016-2019) from the Hospital Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Readmissions Database (n = 12,222,654 weighted), we evaluated the impact of mental health conditions (0, 1, 2, and ≥3), as well as five individual conditions (anxiety, depressive, bipolar, schizophrenic, and traumatic/stress-related conditions) on readmission within 42 days, 1-7 days ("early"), and 8-42 days ("late") of hospitalization for birth. Results: In adjusted analyses, the rate of 42-day readmission was 2.2 times higher for individuals with ≥3 mental health conditions compared to those with none (3.38% vs. 1.56%; p < 0.001), 50% higher among individuals with 2 mental health conditions (2.33%; p < 0.001), and 40% higher among individuals with 1 mental health condition (2.17%; p < 0.001). ⋯ Mental health conditions had larger impacts on late (8-42 day) relative to early (1-7 day) readmission. Conclusions: This study found strong relationships between mental health conditions during the hospitalization for birth and readmission within 42 days. Efforts to reduce the high rates of adverse perinatal outcomes in the United States should continue to address the impact of mental health conditions during pregnancy and throughout the postpartum period.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2023
Social Risk and Smoking Among Women Smokers Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Mental Health.
Background: We examined patterns of smoking in relation to health-related socioeconomic vulnerability (HRSV) among U. S. women early in the pandemic and whether mental health symptoms mediated these relationships. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from the April 2020 National U. ⋯ Traumatic stress was not a significant mediator of any tested relationship. Conclusions: Anxiety and depression symptoms partially explain the relationship between rising socioeconomic vulnerability and increased smoking among women early in the pandemic. Addressing HRSVs and mental health may help reduce increased smoking during a public health crisis.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2023
Premature Menopause and All-Cause Mortality and Life Span Among Women Older Than 40 Years in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study: Propensity Score Matching Analysis.
Objective: Findings from studies of the long-term effect of premature menopause on risks of all-cause mortality in women are equivocal. We used the approach of propensity score matching to examine the causal association of premature menopause with all-cause mortality and life span among women older than 40 years. Methods: The data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. ⋯ Women with menopausal age <39 years of age or reproductive life span <24 years had a lower mean life span than the overall average of 76 years. Conclusions: Premature menopause significantly increased all-cause mortality risk and shortened life span in women. As women's age at menopause or reproductive life span increases, their overall life span also tends to increase.