Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Apr 2024
The Role of Sexual Function in Quality of Life Among Midlife and Older Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.
Objective: To examine how (1) partnered sexual activity, and (2) sexual functioning, contribute to global quality of life (QOL) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among midlife and older women, and whether importance of sex modifies these associations. Materials and Methods: Women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multiethnic/racial cohort study, aged 42-52 at recruitment, were followed for ∼20 years. The Ladder of Life and Short Form-36 physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) assessed Global QOL (N = 3,263) and HRQL (N = 2,576), respectively. ⋯ Sexual functioning, among women with partnered sexual activity, was positively associated with global QOL (adjusted p = 0.03), regardless of importance of sex; unrelated to PCS; but positively associated with MCS (adjusted p = 0.03), particularly when sex was "very/quite important." Conclusions: Partnered sexual activity and better sexual functioning are related to QOL for mid-aged and older women, and are stronger when sex is considered important. Partnered sexual activity and sexual functioning are less consistently related to HRQL when adjusted for covariates, and importance modifies only the association between sexual functioning and MCS. Understanding the importance of sex to midlife and older women contextualizes the impact of sex on QOL.
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Journal of women's health · Apr 2024
Women's Experiences with Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and Targeted Breast Ultrasound for Focal Breast Complaints: A Survey Study.
Background: Owing to its high sensitivity, as concluded in the Breast UltraSound Trial (BUST), targeted ultrasound (US) now seems a promising accurate stand-alone modality for diagnostic evaluation of breast complaints. This approach implies omission of bilateral digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in women with clearly benign US findings. Within BUST, radiologists started with US followed by DBT. ⋯ Conclusions: Our study shows that most women in the diagnostic setting experience at least slight-to-moderate DBT-related burden and pain, and that explanation for their symptoms is their main interest. Also, the majority report satisfaction with US only in case of nonmalignant findings. However, exploration of women's perspectives outside this study is needed as our participants all underwent both examinations.
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Journal of women's health · Apr 2024
A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Cervical Cancer Screening and Prevention Interventions for African American Women: Implications for Promoting Health Equity.
African American women suffer under the burden of cervical cancer as they are first in mortality, diagnosed at later stages, and have a survivorship rate that is lower than the national average. The aim of our review is to evaluate the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening and prevention interventions for African American women living in the United States and to assess their commitment to health equity. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus using MeSH terms related to cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), screening and prevention, and African Americans. ⋯ There were mixed results regarding the incorporation of health equity principles. This review supports the importance of incorporating health equity principles and community based methods in screening and prevention interventions. Future research and practice should incorporate African American women's perspectives in intervention development and implementation.
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Journal of women's health · Apr 2024
Women with Blood Pressure Improvement in the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation Program by Race and Ethnicity, 2014-2018.
Background: The Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program aims to improve the cardiovascular health of women aged 40-64 years with low incomes, and who are uninsured or underinsured. The objective is to examine WISEWOMAN participants with hypertension who had high blood pressure (BP) improvement from January 2014 to June 2018, by race and ethnicity. Also examined was participation in WISEWOMAN Healthy Behavior Support Services (HBSS) and adherence to antihypertensive medication. ⋯ About 80% of women with BP improvement reported being adherent to antihypertensive medication in the previous 7 days. Conclusions: The proportion of women achieving BP improvement in the WISEWOMAN program was consistent across race and ethnicity. In addition, women with BP improvement reported adherence to antihypertensive medication and participation in HBSS.