Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2012
Multicenter StudyAssociations between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and weight gain in elderly women.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels are lower in obese individuals. Determining whether low vitamin D status can predispose weight gain requires a longitudinal study. ⋯ Higher 25(OH)D levels are associated with lower weight gains, suggesting low vitamin D status may predispose to fat accumulation.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2012
Comparative StudyComparing apples and pears: women's perceptions of their body size and shape.
Obesity is a growing public health problem among reproductive-aged women, with consequences for chronic disease risk and reproductive and obstetric morbidities. Evidence also suggests that body shape (i.e., regional fat distribution) may be independently associated with risk, yet it is not known if women adequately perceive their shape. This study aimed to assess the validity of self-reported body size and shape figure drawings when compared to anthropometric measures among reproductive-aged women. ⋯ Self-reported size and shape were consistent with anthropometric measures commonly used to assess obesity and fat distribution, respectively. Self-reported body shape may be a useful proxy measure in addition to body size in large-scale surveys.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2012
Sex and gender differences in Alzheimer's disease: recommendations for future research.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) disproportionately affects women in both prevalence and severity; however, the biologic mechanisms underlying these sex differences are not fully understood. Sex differences in the brain, such as in brain anatomy, age-related declines in brain volume, and brain glucose metabolism, have been documented and may be important in understanding AD etiology. ⋯ To address the evidence for sex differences in AD, the Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) convened an interdisciplinary roundtable of experts from academia, clinical medicine, industry, and the government to discuss the state-of-the-science in sex and gender differences in AD. Roundtable participants were asked to address gaps in our knowledge and identify specific sex-based research questions for future areas of study.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2012
Cervical cancer trends in the United States: a 35-year population-based analysis.
To analyze trends in invasive cervical cancer incidence by age, histology, and race over a 35-year period (1973-2007) in order to gain insight into changes in the presentation of cervical cancer. ⋯ Although marked reductions in the overall and race-specific incidence rates of invasive cervical cancer have been achieved, they mask important variation by histologic subtype. These findings suggest that alternatives to Pap smear-based screening, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and HPV vaccination, need to be prioritized if adenocarcinomas of the cervix are to be controlled.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2012
The implications of age and comorbidity on survival following epithelial ovarian cancer: summary and results from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.
Advances in treatment have improved ovarian cancer survival for most women, although less for the elderly. We report on this disparity and add further evidence about the relationship among age, comorbidity, and survival after ovarian cancer. ⋯ This study confirmed the independent adverse effects of age and comorbidity on survival following ovarian cancer. As the population ages, the co-occurrence of ovarian cancer and comorbidity will increase. Further work identifying critical conditions that impact survival could potentially inform complex treatment decisions.