Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Dec 2009
Physical activity beliefs, barriers, and enablers among postpartum women.
Physical activity during postpartum is both a recommended and an essential contributor to maternal health. Understanding the beliefs, barriers, and enablers regarding physical activity during the postpartum period can more effectively tailor physical activity interventions. The objective of this study was to document self-reported beliefs, barriers, and enablers to physical activity among a cohort of women queried at 3 and 12 months postpartum. Five questions about beliefs and two open-ended questions about their main barriers and enablers regarding physical activity and exercise were asked of 667 women at 3 months postpartum. Among the sample, 530 women answered the same questions about barriers and enablers to physical activity at 12 months postpartum. ⋯ A number of barriers and enablers were identified for physical activity, most of which were consistent at 3 and 12 months postpartum. This study provides information to create more successful interventions to help women be physically active postpartum.
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Journal of women's health · Dec 2009
Comparative StudyFactors associated with preclinical disability and frailty among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women in the era of cART.
HIV-associated immune injury is hypothesized to increase the risk of preclinical disability and frailty via inflammatory pathways. We investigated the role of CD4+ T cell depletion and clinical AIDS on preclinical disability and frailty in HIV-positive women with a history of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and HIV-negative women. ⋯ This study is one of the largest studies to administer performance-based tests to investigate disability and frailty in HIV-positive women. HIV-positive women with intact immune systems and without a history of clinical AIDS were no different from HIV-negative women on tests of slowness, weakness, and frailty phenotype.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialPredictors of long-term exercise adherence in a community-based sample of older women.
Few studies have examined long-term exercise adherence in older women. The purpose of this study was to assess predictors of adherence to an intervention involving walking and balance exercises. ⋯ Adherence to exercise was below recommended goals, although this study demonstrated that sedentary women can adopt and continue regular exercise long term. Predictors of adherence varied with different forms of exercise. Individually tailored exercise interventions may be most amenable to older women.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2009
Prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in HIV-infected and at-risk Rwandan women.
During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, rape was used as a weapon of war to transmit HIV. This study measures trauma experiences of Rwandan women and identifies predictors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms. ⋯ The prevalence of PTSD and depressive symptoms is high in women in the RWISA cohort. Four of five HIV-infected women had depressive symptoms, with highest rates among women with CD4 cell counts < 200. In addition to treatment with antiretroviral therapy, economic empowerment and identification and treatment of depression and PTSD may reduce morbidity and mortality among women in postconflict countries.