Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialInconsistencies between medical records and patient-reported recommendations for follow-up after abnormal Pap tests.
Adherence with recommended follow-up after an abnormal Pap test is a critical step in the prevention of cervical cancer. Here, we focused on identifying inconsistencies between self-reported and health department record recommendations for follow-up. ⋯ Clinicians should be aware that patients with a history of abnormal results and severe Pap test abnormalities are at risk of misreporting recommendations for follow up.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2013
Gender differences in mortality and CD4 count response among virally suppressed HIV-positive patients.
Treatment outcomes for antiretroviral therapy (ART) patients may vary by gender, but estimates from current evidence may be confounded by disease stage and adherence. We investigated the gender differences in treatment response among HIV-positive patients virally suppressed within 6 months of treatment initiation. ⋯ In this initially virally suppressed population, women showed consistently better immune response to treatment than did men. Promoting earlier uptake of HIV treatment among men may improve their immunologic outcomes.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2013
Clinical TrialImpact of reproductive status and age on response of depressed women to cognitive therapy.
Previous research suggests that reproductive hormones are potential affective modulators in mood disorders and may influence response to antidepressant medications. To our knowledge, there are no data on relationships between hormonal status and response to psychotherapy for recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD). ⋯ We found no support for the hypotheses that response to CT or the rates of change in depressive symptoms are moderated by reproductive status. The findings, however, are limited by the absence of early follicular phase serum sampling/analysis to estimate hormone levels and the reliance on self-report to establish menopausal status. These data motivate a full investigation of the effects of reproductive status on response to psychosocial interventions.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2013
Promoting women's health in hospitals: a focus on breastfeeding and lactation support for employees and patients.
Hospitals often are one of the largest employers in communities, and nationwide, they employ more than 6.3 million employees. Hospitals also serve tens of millions of inpatients annually. ⋯ By adopting model standards and practices that promote breastfeeding, hospitals can influence women's health. This article focuses on the efforts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity to promote breastfeeding and lactation support for hospital employees and patients.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2013
Initial and sustained female condom use among low-income urban U.S. women.
The female condom (FC), an effective barrier method for HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, continues to be absent from most community settings, including reproductive health and treatment clinics. Reducing or eliminating basic barriers, including lack of awareness, knowledge of proper use, and access to free samples, may significantly increase use among those who want or need them. ⋯ Findings indicated that many women will potentially initiate and continue using FC when basic barriers are removed. Brief FC education with free trial samples should be built into standard clinical practice and public health programs.