Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2006
Women's experiences with emergency contraception in an internal medicine practice.
Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are effective for preventing unintended pregnancy. Whether patients in primary care settings receive physician counseling regarding ECPs has not been evaluated. ⋯ Only a fraction of women seeing internists for their primary care are receiving counseling about ECPs, irrespective of receiving care from an obstetrician/gynecologist. As primary care physicians, internists should determine risk for unintended pregnancy, assess patients' knowledge and attitudes toward ECPs, and provide counseling about this effective therapy.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2006
Quality of life and menopause in women with physical disabilities.
The goal of this cross-sectional study was to explore quality of life (QOL) in a sample of postmenopausal women with physical disabilities due to polio contracted in childhood. A structural equation model was used to confirm that menopause symptoms will have a minimal effect on QOL when disability-related variables are taken into account. ⋯ When the effects of postpolio sequelae and functional status are included in the structural equation model, only the psychological symptoms of menopause play a prominent role in explaining QOL in this sample. The clinical implications of these findings suggest that attention to psychological symptoms and an exclusive focus on the physical aspects of menopause to the exclusion of other midlife life stressors and influences on a woman's psychological well-being ignore the larger context of life in which they live. In particular, many women with disabilities may contend with additional or exacerbated stressors related to their disability.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2006
Comparative StudyPhysical activity patterns during pregnancy in a diverse population of women.
Participation in physical activity during pregnancy may reduce the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia and help prevent excess maternal weight gain. However, studies describing patterns and correlates of activity during pregnancy are sparse. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to describe total physical activity (household/caregiving, occupational, leisure, sports/exercise, and transportation) and correlates of total physical activity in a racially and economically diverse sample of 233 prenatal care patients. ⋯ Results from this study highlight the importance of including household/caregiving and occupational activities in addition to sports/exercise activities in the assessment of total energy expenditure during pregnancy.
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialHealthy women with a family history of breast cancer: impact of a tailored genetic counseling intervention on risk perception, knowledge, and menopausal therapy decision making.
Women with a family history of breast cancer have several menopausal therapy options, including tamoxifen, hormone therapy (HT), alternative medications, or no treatment. This complex decision should be based on each woman's risk to develop breast cancer, menopausal symptoms, preferences, and risks for other conditions. The authors determined the effects of a personalized risk assessment and genetic counseling intervention on knowledge, risk perception, and decision making in a group of healthy women who had a first-degree relative with breast cancer. ⋯ A personalized risk assessment and genetic counseling intervention improves patient knowledge and risk perception; however, it is unclear that the intervention influenced menopausal treatment decisions.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2006
Comparative StudyOlder women's attitudes, behavior, and communication about sex and HIV: a community-based study.
To examine the effects of race and marriage on the sexual attitudes, behavior, and patient-physician communication about sexuality and HIV/AIDS among older women. ⋯ Older women in this sample were sexually active, engaged in potentially risky sexual behavior, and believed that physicians should address issues of sexuality. Older African American women were significantly more likely than white women to report HIV-related changes in their behavior and to discuss sex with a physician. This community-based study corroborates clinical research and suggests both a gap and a disparity in older women's dialogue with physicians. It also indicates the need for more broadly generalizable data on issues pertinent to older women's sexual health.