Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2022
Person-Centered Maternity Care and Health Outcomes at 1 and 6 Months Postpartum.
Objectives: Person-centered care has been increasingly recognized as an important aspect of health care quality, including in maternity care. Little is known about correlates and outcomes of person-centered care in maternity care in the United States. Materials and Methods: Data were from a prospective cohort of more than 3000 individuals who gave birth to a first baby in a Pennsylvania hospital. ⋯ In adjusted models, higher person-centered maternity scale scores were strongly associated with many positive physical and mental health outcomes at 1 and 6 months postpartum. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the importance of person-centered maternity not just due to its intrinsic value but also because it may be associated with both mental and physical health outcomes through the postpartum period. Results suggest that policy efforts are necessary to ensure person-centered maternity care, especially for delivery hospitalization experience.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2022
Sex as an Independent Risk Factor for Venous Thromboembolism in Sickle Cell Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) affects up to 25% of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), but risk factors are not well characterized. We sought to measure the prevalence of VTE among SCD patients in our health system and to describe the relationship between medical history, biological sex, and VTE. We performed a retrospective chart review of SCD patients who visited an outpatient hematology clinic within Penn Medicine between June 2014 and June 2019. ⋯ Among females only, 49.7% were parous and 18.8% had used oral contraceptives, and these proportions did not differ by history of VTE. One-quarter of the SCD patients in our health system had a history of VTE, confirming significantly higher rates than in the general population. Females had twice the odds of VTE compared to males, highlighting an important sex disparity in SCD disease outcomes and raising questions regarding optimal pregnancy and contraceptive care for females with SCD.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2022
Disparities in Adverse Maternal Outcomes Among Five Race and Ethnicity Groups.
Background: Racial/ethnic disparities are evident in adverse maternal health outcomes, but they are shifting due to interventions, initiatives, changing demographics, and the prevalence of preexisting conditions. This study examined the current racial/ethnic disparities in adverse maternal outcomes. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes for the principal diagnosis and secondary diagnoses were retrieved from the National Inpatient Sample database (2016-2018). ⋯ Furthermore, results of the composite outcome variable indicated that all minority groups experienced the overall poorer maternal outcome than White women. Conclusions: Overall, all four minority women had higher raw rates and also odds of experiencing the studied adverse outcomes than White women. Existing efforts should be strengthened to continue reducing racial/ethnic disparities in adverse maternal outcomes.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2022
Medical Student Parental Leave Policies at U.S. Medical Schools.
Background: As medical training occurs during prime childbearing years, parental leave policies may affect the career and family choices of medical students. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study builds on existing research by quantifying the prevalence of formal policies for parental leave in highly ranked United States Medical Degree granting institutions, and analyzing the characteristics of those policies, with the objective of identifying existing best practices for future policy adopters to consider. Results: Only 14% of the medical schools reviewed had substantive, stand-alone parental leave policies, and the majority of schools had leave of absence policies without mention of parental leave. ⋯ Given the role of childbearing as a factor associated with gender disparities in academic medicine, and potential impact on racial disparities for students of color, medical school leadership should consider implementation of best practice parental policies to promote equity and wellness of their students. In fact, the deficit of robust parental leave policies in most highly ranked schools may contribute to existing gender and racial disparities in violation with antidiscrimination law. Strengthening policies could increase equity in medical education with positive impacts on the patient population.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2022
Obstetrician/Gynecologists' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Regarding Suicide Screening Among Women.
Background: Suicide is a public health issue, and there are differences between men and women in terms of suicide ideation, behavior, and completion. Obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) are uniquely positioned to assess women's suicide risk. Materials and Methods: A 53-question survey was distributed to the Pregnancy-Related Care Research Network, assessing practice, attitudes, and knowledge regarding suicide risk assessment and management, and personal experience with suicide. ⋯ A majority endorsed experience with suicide and some practice differences emerged. Conclusions: OB/GYNs view suicide risk assessment in their scope. Some knowledge gaps were identified, and respondents believe additional training would be beneficial.