Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Dec 2014
Comparative StudyGender-related differences in cardiometabolic risk profile of Japanese patients with diabetes.
In patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease is an important determinant of their prognosis. The aim of this study was to compare cardiometabolic risk factors in Japanese women and men with diabetes. ⋯ The results suggest that Japanese women with diabetes have a more adverse cardiometabolic profile than do men.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2014
Trends in elective labor induction for six United States health plans, 2001-2007.
To describe trends in labor induction, including elective induction, from 2001 to 2007 for six U.S. health plans and to examine the validity of induction measures derived from birth certificate and health plan data. ⋯ Elective induction appeared to peak in 2005 and then decline. The decrease may reflect quality improvement initiatives or changes in policies, patient or provider attitudes, or coding practices. The low validation rate for measures of elective induction defined from electronic data has important implications for existing quality measures and for research studies examining induction's outcomes.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2014
Comparative StudyDifferences in preeclampsia rates between African American and Caucasian women: trends from the National Hospital Discharge Survey.
African Americans are at higher risk for preeclampsia compared with Caucasians, but longitudinal changes are unknown. We hypothesized that preeclampsia rates among African Americans would be higher than that of Caucasians and over time would maintain a consistent divergence. ⋯ There was an increase in the prevalence of preeclampsia in African Americans compared to Caucasians in the most recent decade under study. This may be explained by healthcare system changes and disparities in obesity. Action is needed to reduce the trajectory of future cardiovascular disease caused by preeclampsia.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2014
ReviewEffects of sex and gender on adaptation to space: behavioral health.
This article is part of a larger body of work entitled, "The Impact of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space." It was developed in response to a recommendation from the 2011 National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey, "Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences for a New Era," which emphasized the need to fully understand sex and gender differences. In this article, our workgroup-consisting of expert scientists and clinicians from academia and the private sector-investigated and summarized the current body of published and unpublished human research performed to date related to sex- and gender-based differences in behavioral adaptations to human spaceflight. ⋯ Differences in these areas substantially impact the risks and optimal medical care required by space-faring women. To ensure the health and safety of male and female astronauts during long-duration space missions, it is imperative to understand the influences that sex and gender have on behavioral health changes occurring during spaceflight.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2014
ReviewWomen's participation in the medical profession: insights from experiences in Japan, Scandinavia, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
Although much literature has focused on the status of female physicians in the United States, limited English-language studies have examined the role of women in the medical profession elsewhere in the world. This article synthesizes evidence regarding the status of female physicians in three purposively selected regions outside the United States: Japan, Scandinavia, and Russia and Eastern Europe. These three regions markedly differ in the proportion of female physicians in the workforce, overall status of the medical profession, cultural views of gender roles, and workforce policies. ⋯ The findings suggest that even when women constitute a high proportion of the physician workforce, they may continue to be underrepresented in positions of leadership and prestige. Evolving workforce policies, environments, and cultural views of gender roles appear to play a critical role in mediating the relationship between women's participation in the medical profession and their ability to rise to positions of influence within it. These insights are informative for the ongoing debates over the impact of the demographic shifts in the composition of the medical workforce in the United States.