Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · May 2020
ReviewTurning Chutes into Ladders for Women Faculty: A Review and Roadmap for Equity in Academia.
Despite significant progress in recent decades, the recruitment, advancement, and promotion of women in academia remain low. Women represent a large portion of the talent pool in academia, and receive >50% of all PhDs, but this has not yet translated into sustained representation in faculty and leadership positions. ⋯ This review aims to (1) synthesize the "chutes" that impede the careers of women faculty, and (2) provide feasible recommendations, or "ladders" for addressing these issues at all career levels. Enacting policies that function as "ladders" rather than "chutes" for academic women is essential to even the playing field, achieve gender equity, and foster economic, societal, and cultural benefits of academia.
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Journal of women's health · May 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialA Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing the Impact of a Web-Based Multimedia Intervention Versus an Educational Pamphlet on Patient Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors with Chronic Secondary Lymphedema.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Web-based Multimedia Intervention (WBMI) for breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) patients on symptom burden, function, psychological well-being, costs, and arm volume. Methods: Women with BCRL were randomized to intervention (n = 80) or control (n = 80) groups. The WBMI offered 12 modules, each of which took about 30 minutes to complete. The Pamphlet took about 2 hours to read. ⋯ No statistically significant differences between the groups were observed for changes in other variables. The WBMI was perceived as providing better self-care information than the Pamphlet (p = 0.001). Conclusions: WBMI participants experienced improved biobehavioral symptoms and higher perceived quality of information. The lack of significant differences on other variables may be due to the high percentage of participants who did not complete the WBMI.
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Journal of women's health · May 2020
Sex Differences in Associations Between Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Tobacco Use Among Veterans of Recent Conflicts.
Background: Rates of tobacco use, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression are higher for veterans compared to their civilian counterparts. Female veterans have high rates of tobacco use and mental health (MH) conditions; however, little is known about sex differences in the association of depression and PTSD symptoms with postdeployment tobacco use. Methods: Cross-sectional associations and binary logistic regression models were conducted using baseline interview data from the Survey of Experiences of Returning Veterans sample (850 recently returned veterans; 352 women; age mean [standard deviation, SD] = 35.63 [8.94]; 71.2% white). Results: Men were more likely to be tobacco users (39.8% vs. 23.6%; chi square = 24.40; p < 0.001) and had higher postdeployment PTSD symptoms (men mean [SD] = 48.62 [17.93], women mean [SD] = 45.95 [18.22], t = -2.12, p < 0.05), but had similar rates of depression compared to women. ⋯ Sex did not moderate the association between depression and tobacco use. Conclusions: Given the divergent predictors of postdeployment tobacco use for male and female veterans, there may be sex-specific barriers to tobacco-use cessation, including factors related to MH conditions such as PTSD. Further examination of sex differences can help to identify tailored intervention strategies.
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Background: Limited research studies have been conducted on nutritional risks among female athletes. Therefore, this literature review focuses on rigorously designed studies that examined nutritional risks among female athletes with further recommendations for athletes, coaches, parents, and health professionals, which would help improve the health of female athletes. Methods: This review evaluates the most recent research on nutritional risk among female athletes. Inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed studies of original research on human subjects 13 years of age or older; sample size of N ≥ 19; and studies with a thorough description of their sample and methods. ⋯ Findings reveal that strategies to enhance nutrition patterns among female athletes may be important to avoid risks of disordered eating, eating disorders, low energy availability, and symptoms of relative energy deficiency in sports. In addition, general nutrition knowledge is lacking among athletes, sports teams, and coaches. Conclusions: This review highlights the scarcity of evidence-based, rigorous studies examining nutritional risks among female athletes. Findings suggest that interdisciplinary working groups, comprising physicians, sports dietitians, and other supportive health professionals, would be beneficial for female athletes in helping to improve their overall diet, performance, and health.
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Journal of women's health · May 2020
Development and Validation of a Risk Prediction Model for Cesarean Delivery After Labor Induction.
Objective: The goal of the study was to develop and validate a prediction model for cesarean delivery after labor induction that included factors known before the start of induction, unlike prior studies that focused on characteristics at the time of induction. Materials and Methods: Using 17,370 term labor inductions without documented medical indications occurring at 14 U. S. hospitals, 2007-2012, we created and evaluated a model predicting cesarean delivery. ⋯ The model had an area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82 (95% confidence interval 0.81-0.83), and it performed well on internal validation. The AUC in the external validation cohort was 0.82. Conclusion: This prediction model can help providers estimate a woman's risk of cesarean delivery when planning a labor induction.