Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
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Womens Health Issues · Nov 2013
Military sexual assault and homeless women veterans: clinical correlates and treatment preferences.
Both homeless women and women who have experienced military sexual assault (MSA) are at high risk of serious psychological sequelae. However, little is known about the combined impact of MSA and current homelessness on psychological distress, or about distinctive treatment preferences among homeless female veterans affected by MSA. ⋯ Among homeless female veterans, MSA is associated with greater mental health symptoms and greater interest in safety-focused treatment. Services targeting the needs of homeless MSA survivors should be encouraged.
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Womens Health Issues · Nov 2013
The influence of personal and group racism on entry into prenatal care among African American women.
Racism has been hypothesized as a barrier to accessing health care. No quantitative study has directly assessed its influence on women's initiation of prenatal care (PNC). We examined the relationship between PNC entry and experiences of personal and group racism among low-income, African-American (AA) women. We also examined whether the use of denial of racism as a coping mechanism was associated with a delay in accessing PNC. ⋯ Denial of racism experienced by other AAs was a barrier to early PNC among low-income, AA women. Delayed access to PNC may be rooted in the avoidance of racialized experiences among less empowered women when faced with discrimination. Our findings have important implication for the engagement of AA women into the PNC delivery system and the health care system postpartum.