Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2012
Disparities in screening mammography services by race/ethnicity and health insurance.
Black and Hispanic women are diagnosed at a later stage of breast cancer than white women. Differential access to specialists, diffusion of technology, and affiliation with an academic medical center may be related to this stage disparity. ⋯ Black and Hispanic women and women without private insurance are more likely than white women and women with private insurance to obtain mammography screening at facilities with less favorable characteristics. A disparity in use of high-quality mammography may be contributing to disparities in breast cancer mortality.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2012
Cancers that U.S. physicians believe the HPV vaccine prevents: findings from a physician survey, 2009.
There is strong scientific evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, which protect against two oncogenic HPV types (16 and 18), can prevent cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in women. In addition, recent research has established that the HPV vaccine can prevent anal cancer and has implied that it may also prevent oropharyngeal cancers. ⋯ Physicians may benefit from educational efforts clarifying which noncervical cancers can be prevented by the HPV vaccine. Education is needed across all medical specialties, but it is particularly important for pediatricians and family practitioners, the physicians most likely to administer the HPV vaccine to young adolescents.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2012
Predictors of recovery from prenatal depressive symptoms from pregnancy through postpartum.
Identifying predictors of the course of depressive symptoms from pregnancy through postpartum is important to inform clinical interventions. ⋯ Results suggest most women will not experience spontaneous recovery. Women with prenatal heightened symptom severity and previous experiences with PPD are acutely vulnerable to experience sustained symptoms. In contrast, having a cohabitating partner and engagement in prenatal exercise predicted symptom improvement. Physical exercise may be an important clinical recommendation, as it may improve mood. Given the small sample size, these results are preliminary. Implications and future research recommendations are discussed.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2012
Breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and early detection practices in United States-Mexico border Latinas.
Evidence suggests Latinas residing along the United States-Mexico border face higher breast cancer mortality rates compared to Latinas in the interior of either country. The purpose of this study was to investigate breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and use of breast cancer preventive screening among U.S. Latina and Mexican women residing along the U.S.-Mexico border. ⋯ Despite having higher levels of breast cancer knowledge than U.S. Latinas, Mexican women along the U.S.-Mexico border are not receiving the recommended breast cancer screening procedures. Although U.S. border Latinas had higher breast cancer screening levels than their Mexican counterparts, these levels are lower than those seen among the general U.S. Latina population. Our findings underscore the lack of access to breast cancer prevention screening services and emphasize the need to ensure that existing breast cancer screening programs are effective in reaching women along the U.S.-Mexico border.