Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Women's Understandings and Misunderstandings of Breast Density and Related Concepts: A Mixed Methods Study.
Background: Most U. S. states require written notification of breast density after mammograms, yet effects of notifications on knowledge are mixed. Little is known about potential misunderstandings. ⋯ Interpretations of risk included that breast density was an early form of breast cancer. Conclusion: We found areas of consistent knowledge and identified misperceptions surrounding breast density across race/ethnicity and health literacy levels. Further education to address disparities and correct misunderstandings is essential to promote better knowledge, to foster informed decisions.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Endometriosis and Uterine Fibroids and Their Associations with Elevated C-Reactive Protein and Leukocyte Telomere Length Among a Representative Sample of U.S. Women: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002.
Background: Recent studies have suggested a link between reproductive health and later-life chronic conditions, yet the mechanism remains unclear. One proposed mechanism is through chronic inflammation. The objective of this study was to examine the association between endometriosis and uterine fibroids and biomarkers of inflammation and cellular aging. ⋯ No substantive patterns emerged between uterine fibroids and CRP or telomere length. Conclusions: Women with endometriosis (or a longer duration of time spent with endometriosis) had higher inflammatory markers and shorter mean telomere length. These results provide further insights into potential mechanisms linking endometriosis to chronic disease and later-life health.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Michigan Plan for Appropriate Tailored Healthcare in Pregnancy Prenatal Care Recommendations: A Practical Guide for Maternity Care Clinicians.
Prenatal care is an important preventive service designed to improve the health of pregnant patients and their infants. Prenatal care delivery recommendations have remained unchanged since 1930, when the 12-14 in-person visit schedule was first established to detect preeclampsia. In 2020, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in collaboration with the University of Michigan, convened a panel of maternity care experts to determine new prenatal care delivery recommendations. ⋯ The resulting Michigan Plan for Appropriate Tailored Healthcare in pregnancy (MiPATH) includes recommendations for key aspects of prenatal care delivery: (1) the recommended number of prenatal visits, (2) the frequency of prenatal visits, (3) the role of monitoring routine pregnancy parameters (blood pressure, fetal heart tones, weight, and fundal height), (4) integration of telemedicine into routine care, and (5) inclusion of (SSDoH). Resulting recommendations demonstrate a new approach to prenatal care delivery that incorporates medical, SSDoH, and patient preferences, to develop individualized prenatal care delivery plans. The purpose of this document is to outline the new MiPATH recommendations and to provide practical guidance on implementing them in routine practice.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Review of Publicly Available State Policies for Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Device Reimbursement.
Background: Provider challenges to accessing long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) include level of reimbursement for LARC device acquisition and cost to stock. State-level LARC device reimbursement policies that cover a greater proportion of the cost of the LARC device and enable providers to purchase LARC upfront may improve contraceptive access. Materials and Methods: To summarize state-level policies that include language on LARC device reimbursement in the outpatient setting, we conducted a systematic, web-based review among all 50 states of publicly available LARC device reimbursement policies that include coverage of LARC devices as a medical or pharmacy benefit, the use of the 340B Drug Pricing Program to purchase LARC devices, and separate payment for LARC devices outside of the Medicaid Prospective Payment System (PPS) payment rate for Federally Qualified Health Centers or Rural Health Clinics. ⋯ Conclusion: State-level policies for LARC device reimbursement vary, highlighting differences in reimbursement strategies across the U. S. Future research could explore how the implementation of these payment methods may impact LARC device reimbursement and whether increased reimbursement may improve access to the full range of contraceptive methods.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2022
Sex and Gender Health Educational Tenets: A Report from the 2020 Sex and Gender Health Education Summit.
Background: Sex as a biological variable and gender as a sociocultural variable influence many health conditions and outcomes. However, they have not been incorporated systematically into education across health professions. Methods: Areas of knowledge and abilities that apply to sex and gender education across health professions were summarized from the 2015 and 2018 Sex and Gender Health Education Summits. ⋯ Conclusion: These tenets provide the framework for collaborative interprofessional education about SGSH. Individual professions can also use the tenets to develop practice-specific competencies, competency statements, and/or assessment benchmarks within the structures of their respective accrediting bodies to advance the health of women, men, and sex and gender minority persons. Interprofessional collaborations are key for sharing best practices in development, curricular integration, and dissemination.