Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2022
Factors Influencing the Provision of Oral Health Care Practices by Antenatal Care Providers: A Systematic Review.
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) providers are recommended to promote oral health care during pregnancy through the provision of oral health care practices, but studies have indicated that providers remain unclear and inconstant in adopting these practices into routine care. Therefore, the objectives were to undertake a systematic review of the current oral health care practices of ANC providers and identify factors (barriers and facilitators) that influence the provision of ANC providers' oral health care practices. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative studies were systematically searched within four databases (database inception, October 2020). ⋯ The most reported facilitators related to providers' level of oral health care knowledge, patient prompt, and access to informational and educational resources. Conclusions: Further efforts are needed to address the range of barriers identified in this review and support ANC providers' clinical practice behaviors. This includes improved interprofessional education, training opportunities, and integrated health care models.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2022
Influence of Menopausal Hormone Therapy on the Breast: Counseling Your Patients Before You Prescribe.
Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) aims to improve a woman's quality of life by treating bothersome menopausal symptoms associated with low estrogen levels. Although HT is prescribed to millions of women worldwide, its breast-related adverse effects have always been a concern. ⋯ Health care professionals need to be aware of the influence of HT on breast tissue to provide appropriate counseling as part of informed decision making. Our review summarizes the influence of HT on breast symptoms, breast density, mammograms, and BC risk.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2022
Speaker Introductions at Grand Rounds: Differences in Formality of Address by Gender and Specialty.
Background: Despite increasing representation of women in medicine, gender bias remains pervasive. The authors sought to evaluate speaker introductions by gender in the grand rounds of multiple specialties at a large academic institution to understand the cultural context of this behavior and identify predictors of formality. Materials and Methods: The authors reviewed grand rounds recordings of speakers with doctorates presenting to the departments of family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics at one institution from 2014 to 2019. ⋯ Use of professional titles varied by specialty and was higher than average for family medicine (83.2%), surgery (75.8%), and pediatrics (64.0%) and lower for internal medicine (37.5%) and obstetrics and gynecology (50.7%). Conclusions: These findings suggest a complex relationship between gender and formality of introduction that merits further investigation. Understanding differences in culture across specialties is important to inform efforts to promote equity.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2022
Characterizing Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Among Medicaid Recipients in a Nonexpansion State.
Background: The incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are on the rise in the United States, especially in the South, which has a heavy chronic disease burden and large number of Medicaid nonexpansion states. Sizeable disparities in HDP outcomes exist by race/ethnicity, geography, and health insurance coverage. Our objective is to explore HDP in the Alabama Medicaid maternity population, and the association of maternal sociodemographic, clinical, and care utilization characteristics with HDP diagnosis. ⋯ Black women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-1.33), women insured only during pregnancy by Sixth Omnibus Reconciliation Act Medicaid (aOR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02-1.15), and women entering prenatal care (PNC) in the second trimester (aOR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.18) had elevated odds of HDP diagnosis compared with their counterparts. Conclusions: Beyond traditional demographic and clinical risk factors, not having preconception insurance coverage or first trimester PNC entry were associated with higher odds of HDP diagnosis. Improving the provision and timing of maternity coverage among Medicaid recipients, particularly in nonexpansion states, may help identify and treat women at risk of HDP and associated adverse perinatal outcomes.
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) was established in 1990. With the completion of the office's 30th anniversary year, we look back and recount some of the key events and overall zeitgeist that led to ORWH's formation, and how it became the focal point at the nation's primary biomedical research agency for coordinating research on science to improve the health of women. ⋯ Also discussed are several of the many scientific advances in research on the health of women, policy innovations and their effects, and career advancements made by women in medicine and related scientific fields. We also highlight key challenges for the health of women, the need to continue pushing for equity in biomedical research careers, and NIH's approach to addressing these problems to ensure progress for the next 30 years and beyond.