Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
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Womens Health Issues · Sep 2014
Racial/Ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities of cervical cancer advanced-stage diagnosis in Texas.
Advanced-stage diagnosis is among the primary causes of mortality among cervical cancer patients. With the wide use of Pap smear screening, cervical cancer advanced-stage diagnosis rates have decreased. However, disparities of advanced-stage diagnosis persist among different population groups. A challenging task in cervical cancer disparity reduction is to identify where underserved population groups are. ⋯ Our findings have important implications for developing effective cervical cancer screening and control programs. We identified the location of underserved populations who need the most assistance with cervical cancer screening. Cervical cancer intervention programs should target Hispanics and African Americans, as well as individuals from communities with lower SES in geographic areas where higher advanced-stage diagnosis rates were identified in this study.
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Womens Health Issues · Sep 2014
Correlates of hospital use in homeless and unstably housed women: the role of physical health and pain.
To examine correlates of emergency department (ED) use and hospitalizations in a community-based cohort of homeless and unstably housed women, with a focus on the role of physical health and pain. ⋯ Physical health and bodily pain are important correlates of ED visits and hospitalizations among homeless and unstably housed women. Interventions to reduce ED use among women who are homeless should address the high levels of pain in this population.
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Womens Health Issues · May 2014
Health insurance coverage and racial disparities in breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
Breast reconstruction after mastectomy offers clinical, cosmetic, and psychological benefits compared with mastectomy alone. Although reconstruction rates have increased, racial/ethnic disparities in breast reconstruction persist. Insurance coverage facilitates access to care, but few studies have examined whether health insurance ameliorates disparities. ⋯ Insurance facilitates access to care, but does not eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in reconstruction rates. Our findings-which reveal persistent health care disparities not explained by patient health status-should prompt efforts to promote both access to and use of beneficial covered services for women with breast cancer.
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Womens Health Issues · May 2014
Exploring young adults' contraceptive knowledge and attitudes: disparities by race/ethnicity and age.
Half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, with the highest proportions occurring among Blacks, Hispanics, and teenagers. Understanding differences in knowledge and attitudes about contraception by race/ethnicity and age can improve efforts to reduce disparities in unintended pregnancy. ⋯ Lower contraceptive knowledge among teenagers and Hispanics, particularly immigrants, suggests the importance of disseminating family planning information to these women as one means to address disparities in unintended pregnancy.
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Womens Health Issues · Mar 2014
Anticipating the traumatic brain injury-related health care needs of women veterans after the Department of Defense change in combat assignment policy.
Female service members' presence in combat zones during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom is unprecedented both in terms of the number of women deployed and the nature of their involvement. In light of changing Department of Defense policy governing the deployment of women in combat zones, this article intends to set the groundwork for estimating future combat-related injuries and subsequent Veterans Health Administration (VHA) utilization while focusing on traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ As women veterans seek more of their health care from the VHA, there will be a need for more coordinated care to identify and manage deployment-related TBI and common comorbidities such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and chronic pain. Deployment-connected injuries are likely to rise because of the rescinding of the ban on women in combat. This in turn has critical implications for VHA strategic planning and budgeting.