Digital Commons Network^™

Multidisciplinary Care For Women With Aortic Disease: The Way To Improve Disparities, Rana O Afifi

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Is There Really A Difference In Outcomes Between Men And Women With Hepatocellular Cancer?, Andrea Fa, Denise M. Danos, Lauren Maniscalco, Yong Yi, Xiao Cheng Wu, Mary A. Maluccio, Quyen D. Chu, John M. Lyons

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a male-dominated disease. Currently, gender differences remain incompletely defined. Data from the state tumor registry were used to investigate differences in demographics, comorbidities, treatment patterns, and cancer-specific survival (HSS) among HCC patients according to gender. Additional analyses were performed to evaluate racial differences among women with HCC. 2627 patients with HCC were included; 498 (19%) were women. Women were mostly white (58%) or African American (39%)—only 3.8% were of another or unknown race. Women were older (65.1 vs. 61.3 years), more obese (33.7% vs. 24.2%), and diagnosed at an earlier stage (31.7% vs. 28.4%) than men. …

Gender Gap In Industry Payments To Urologists, Matthew Davis, Mohit Butaney, Alexandra Rogers, Taylor J. Malchow, Samantha Wilder, Alex Stephens, Sohrab Arora, Akshay Sood, Alexander Cole, Quoc-Dien Trinh, Craig Rogers, Firas Abdollah

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: The Open Payments Program (OPP) was established in 2013 under the Sunshine Act, which mandated that medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers submit public records of any financial incentive given to physicians. The study aim is to characterize the gap in general and research payments between male and female urologists over the past 7 years.

Methods: The study sample included all urologists in the US who received at least one general (GP) or research payment from 2015 to 2021. In order to identify urologists’ genders, the OPP was matched with the National Provider Index dataset. Payments to male …

Women In Lymphoma: A 4-Year Journey In Promoting Gender Equity, Judith Trotman, Ann Lacasce, Wendy Osborne, Anna Steiner, Eliza Hawkes, Carla Casulo, Florence Broussais, Kate Cwynarski, Paola Ghione, Justine Kahn, Sharyn Kurtz, Kim Linton, Carolina Mahuad, Monique Minnema, Loretta Nastoupil, Wendy Osborne, Astrid Pavolvsky, Michelle Poon, Clementine Sarkozy, Laurie Sehn, Soni Smith, Anna Sureda, Carrie Thompson, Judith Trotman, Julie M. Vose

Journal Articles: Oncology and Hematology

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Needs Of A Mobile Phone-Based Telemonitoring Program For Pregnant Women At High Risk For Pre-Eclampsia: Interpretive Qualitative Description Study, Anam Shahil Feroz, Kristina De Vera, Nadia D. Bragagnolo, Sarah Saleem, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Emily Seto

Community Health Sciences

Background: Lack of early risk detection, diagnosis, and treatment of pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia can result in high maternal mortality and morbidity not only in Pakistan but also in other low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). A potential tool for supporting pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia for early detection is telemonitoring (TM). However, there is a limited body of evidence on end-user needs and preferences to inform the design of the TM programs for pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia, specifically in LMICs such as Pakistan.
Objective: This study aims to explore the needs of …

Unintended Pregnancy And The Associated Factors Among Pregnant Females: Sukh Survey-Karachi, Pakistan, Shama Razzaq, Saleem Jessani, Narjis Rizvi, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Objective: Unintended pregnancy has become a substantially growing reproductive health concern in South Asian region. The objective of this survey was to assess the magnitude of unintended pregnancy along with its correlates among currently pregnant women residing in Karachi.
Methods: A community based, multistage, cross-sectional study was carried out among 612 currently pregnant women from squatter settlements of Karachi, inquiring for "unintended pregnancy", outcome of interest. Multivariable logistic analysis was done using SPSS v.19 to determine associated factors.
Results: Of 612 pregnant women interviewed, 168(27.4%) reported their pregnancies as unintended. The multivariable regression identified a high likelihood of unintended pregnancy …

Sex Differences In Trends And In-Hospital Outcomes Among Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia: A Nationwide Analysis, Ayman Elbadawi, Kirolos Barssoum, Michael Megaly, Devesh Rai, Ahmed Elsherbeeny, Hend Mansoor, Mehdi H. Shishehbor, Ahmed K. Abdel-Latif, Martha Gulati, Islam Y. Elgendy

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

Background

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) represents the most severe form of peripheral artery disease and is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Contemporary data comparing the sex differences in trends, revascularization strategies, and in-hospital outcomes among patients with CLI are scarce.

Methods and Results

Using the National Inpatient Sample database years 2002 to 2015, we identified hospitalizations for CLI. Temporal trends for hospitalizations for CLI were evaluated. The differences in demographics, revascularization, and in‐hospital outcomes between both sexes were compared. Among 2 400 778 CLI hospitalizations, 43.6% were women. Women were older and had a higher prevalence of obesity, hypertension, …

Barriers To Access Of Healthcare Services For Rural Women – Applying Gender Lens On Tb In A Rural District Of Sindh, Pakistan, Shifa Salman Habib, Wafa Zehra Jamal, Syed Muhammad Asad Zaidi, Junaid Ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Hira Mustafa Khan, Jacob Creswell, Srichand Batra, Anna Versfeld

Community Health Sciences

Background: Women in rural districts of Pakistan face numerous barriers to healthcare, rendering gender-responsive health programming important, including for Tuberculosis (TB). This study was conducted to assess the general understanding of TB and of access to healthcare for women, as a first step towards implementation of a gender responsive TB programme in TandoAllayar, a rural district of Pakistan.
Methods: A total of 36 participants were interviewed. The focus group discussion guide comprised of questions on: (1) family/household dynamics (2) community norms (3) healthcare system (4) women’s access to healthcare (5) TB Awareness;, and (6) women’s access to TB Care.
Results: …

Demand Satisfied By Modern Contraceptive Among Married Women Of Reproductive Age In Kenya, Peter Gichangi, Michael Waithaka, Mary Thiongo, Alfred Agwanda, Scott Radloff, Amy Tsui, Linea Zimmerman, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Demand for family planning met/satisfied with modern contraceptive methods (mDFPS) has been proposed to track progress in Family Planning (FP) programs for Sustainable Development Goals. This study measured mDFPS among married women of reproductive age (MWRA) in Kenya to identify which groups were not being reached by FP programs.

Materials and methods: Performance, Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020) survey data from 2014–2018 was used. PMA2020 surveys are cross-sectional including women 15–49 years. PMA2020 used a 2-stage cluster design with urban/rural regions as strata with random selection of households. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done using stata V15.

Results: Of …

Rising Trend Of Women In Gastroenterology: A Paradigm Shift, Lubna Kamani, Jeanin E Van Hooft

Section of Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

Early Marriage And Early Childbearing In South Asia: Trends, Inequalities, And Drivers From 2005 To 2018, Samuel Scott, Phuong Hong Nguyen, Sumanta Neupane, Priyanjana Pramanik, Priya Nanda, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Kaosar Afsana, Purnima Menon

Woman and Child Health

Early marriage (EM) and early childbearing (ECB) have far-reaching consequences. This study describes the prevalence, trends, inequalities, and drivers of EM and ECB in South Asia using eight rounds of Demographic and Health Survey data across 13 years. We report the percentage of ever-married women aged 20-24 years (n = 105,150) married before 18 years (EM) and with a live birth before 20 years (ECB). Relative trends were examined using average annual rate of reduction (AARR). Inequalities were examined by geography, marital household wealth, residence, and education. Sociodemographic drivers of changes for EM were assessed using regression decomposition analyses. We …

Pregnant Smokers Receiving Opioid Agonist Therapy Have An Elevated Nicotine Metabolite Ratio: A Replication Study., Henry R Kranzler, Yukiko Washio, Leah R Zindel, Kevin G Lynch, Dennis J. Hand, Rachel F Tyndale, Cheryl Oncken, Robert Schnoll

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Pregnant women exposed chronically to opioids smoked more cigarettes per day (CPD) and had a higher nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR), 3-hydroxycotinine/cotinine, a biomarker of nicotine metabolism and clearance, than those not receiving opioids. We examined CPD and NMR in a group of pregnant smokers, a quarter of whom were receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT).

AIMS AND METHODS: Pregnant smokers recruited to participate in a placebo-controlled trial of bupropion for smoking cessation provided a blood sample for measurement of NMR.

RESULTS: Half (52.4%) of the 124 women with NMR data were African American. OAT-treated women (n = 34, 27.4%; 27 …

Redesigning The Landscape For Women And Leadership: Insights Gained From The Covid-19 Pandemic. On Behalf Of Women In Gastroenterology Network Asia Pacific (Wignap) And Women In Endoscopy (Wie), Lubna Kamani, Nonthalee Pausawasdi, Jeanin E Van Hooft, Amrita Sethi, Sharmila Sachithanandan

Section of Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Of Breast Cancer And Screening Methods Among Rural Women In Southwest Nigeria, Rowland Edet, Oluwayimika Ekundina

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of rural women on breast cancer and its screening methods in Southwest Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data among 422 rural women in selected communities in Egbeda local government area of Ibadan. The qualitative data was generated through in-depth interviews among rural women and key informant interviews among health workers in the communities. The study revealed that only 63.7% were aware of breast cancer screening methods compared to 31.6% who were not aware. The commonly known screening method among …

Covid-19 Medical Papers Have Fewer Women First Authors Than Expected., Jens Peter Andersen, Mathias Wullum Nielsen, Nicole L Simone, Resa E Lewiss, Reshma Jagsi

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in school closures and distancing requirements that have disrupted both work and family life for many. Concerns exist that these disruptions caused by the pandemic may not have influenced men and women researchers equally. Many medical journals have published papers on the pandemic, which were generated by researchers facing the challenges of these disruptions. Here we report the results of an analysis that compared the gender distribution of authors on 1893 medical papers related to the pandemic with that on papers published in the same journals in 2019, for papers with first authors and last …

Investigating The Delivery Of Health And Nutrition Interventions For Women And Children In Conflict Settings: A Collection Of Case Studies From The Branch Consortium, Anushka Ataullahjan, Michelle F. Gaffey, Samira Sami, Neha S. Singh, Hannah Tappis, Robert E. Black, Karl Blanchet, Ties Boerma, Ana Langer, Paul B. Spiegel, Ronald J. Waldman, Paul H. Wise, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Woman and Child Health

Globally, the number of people affected by conflict is the highest in history, and continues to steadily increase. There is currently a pressing need to better understand how to deliver critical health interventions to women and children affected by conflict. The compendium of articles presented in this Conflict and Health Collection brings together a range of case studies recently undertaken by the BRANCH Consortium (Bridging Research & Action in Conflict Settings for the Health of Women and Children). These case studies describe how humanitarian actors navigate and negotiate the multiple obstacles and forces that challenge the delivery of health and …

Knowledge Of Breast Cancer And Screening Methods Among Rural Women In Southwest Nigeria: A Mixed Method Analysis, Rowland Edet, Oluwayimika Ekundina, Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa, Julianah Babajide, Juliet Amarachukwu Nwafor

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of rural women on breast cancer and its screening methods in Southwest Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data among 422 rural women in selected communities in Egbeda local government area of Ibadan. The qualitative data was generated through in-depth interviews among rural women and key informant interviews among health workers in the communities. The study revealed that only 63.7% were aware of breast cancer screening methods compared to 31.6% who were not aware of it. The commonly known screening …

An Analysis Of Major Issues For Culturally-Minded Professionals In Women's Health Care, Victoria Clark

Senior Honors Theses

Women's health care professionals, such as general physicians, obstetricians and gynecologists, midwives, nurses, and doulas, in the US need to be aware of cultural issues and disparities. Minorities and migrant women experience cultural challenges and disparities when receiving health care in the US. Without cultural sensitivity, patient care is compromised. Pregnancy and childbirth practices vary widely by culture, and potential differences in perspectives, beliefs, and treatment of these are critical issues for women’s health care professionals to study. Female genital cutting (FGC), obstetric fistulas (OF), and female cancer are also discussed in this paper.

The Impact Of Stuttering On Development Of Self-Identity, Relationships, And Quality Of Life In Women Who Stutter, Charn Nang, Deborah J. Hersh, Katie Milton, Su Re Lau

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: The experiences of women who stutter have been underresearched. Clinicians have little guidance from the research literature on issues specific to women who stutter and are likely to have less clinical contact with this group than with men who stutter because of the higher prevalence of stuttering in men. This study explored the experiences of a small group of women who stutter with a particular focus on what the main current issues are and how gender may have influenced experiences with stuttering.

Method: This qualitative study involved recruitment of 9 women who stutter (aged 35-80 years) through a support …

Women's Experiences Of Mistreatment During Childbirth: A Comparative View Of Home- And Facility-Based Births In Pakistan, Waqas Hameed, Bilal Iqbal Avan

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: Respectful and dignified healthcare is a fundamental right for every woman. However, many women seeking childbirth services, especially those in low-income countries such as Pakistan, are mistreated by their birth attendants. The aim of this epidemiological study was to estimate the prevalence of mistreatment and types of mistreatment among women giving birth in facility- and home-based settings in Pakistan in order to address the lack of empirical evidence on this topic. The study also examined the association between demographics (socio-demographic, reproductive history and empowerment status) and mistreatment, both in general and according to birth setting (whether home- or facility-based). …

A Collaborative, Network-Based Approach To Advance Women's Depression Research In The United States: Preliminary Findings, H. A. Flynn, C. Spino, C. Guille, K. M. Deligiannidis, P. Maki, J. Jahnke, K. L. Rosenblum, C. N. Epperson, S. J. Weiss

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Stop The Stigma! Eliminating Implicit And Explicit Bias Toward Adult Obese Women Receiving Gynecological Care: A Quality Improvement Project To Cultivate Empathy And Increase Knowledge Of Best Practices, Mary Ellen Burke

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Increased weight carries significant health risks, yet obese individuals face stigma, implicit and explicit bias by health care providers that affects quality of care and increases health care avoidance. Obese women may delay or avoid gynecological care due to fear of stigma, inadequate equipment and embarrassment about their weight. Review of Literature: In the United States, 70.7% of adults, almost three quarters of the adult population are overweight or obese. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve the quality of care and empathy toward obese women by health care providers in an OB/GYN practice through …

Cataract Blindness: Socioeconomic Factors Associated With Treatment Barriers And High Blindness Rates For Women In Rural Regions Of Andhra Pradesh, Kiranpreet Kaur

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Despite efforts of Vision 2020 in India, the 2001 Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS) extrapolated that approximately 18.7 million blind people resided in India and projected an increase to 31.6 million blind people by 2020. Within the Andhra Pradesh state itself, the preventable blindness population had increased from approximately 1,143,150 people in 1990 to 1,402,264 people in 2001, against reformation attempts by the National Program for Control of Blindness. Of this, cataracts were consistently the leading cause of avoidable blindness. Numerous public health studies have been conducted to outline factors that preclude treatment of avoidable cataract blindness in the …

Women And Substance Use: A Qualitative Study On Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Women Who Use Drugs In Delhi, India, Vartika Sharma, Avina Sarna, Waimar Tun, Lopamudra Ray Saraswati, Ibou Thior, Ira Madan, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Objectives: To explore contextual factors that increase vulnerabilities to negative sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes and possible differences in SRH-related behaviours and the needs of women who use drugs (WUD) through non-injecting and injecting routes.

Design: Qualitative study design using semi-structured in-depth interviews.

Participants: Twenty women who injected drugs in the past 3months and 28 women who reported using drugs through non-injecting routes in the past 1month.

Setting: Interviews were conducted at community-based, drop-in centres in Delhi, India.

Results: Study findings illustrate that WUD were sexually active and had multiple sex partners including clients of sex work. Transient relationships …

The Experience Of Qigong Among Women Cancer Survivors, Jennifer Sveund

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Research has shown that qigong can be beneficial for a variety of health related conditions; However, evidence suggests that in the United States, a lack of well designed clinical trials limits the efficacy of qigong in the context of cancer treatment. Research has indicated that careful consideration should be given to the design of randomized control trials using qigong due to the conflicting philosophical methodologies. In the United States, qigong has been under investigated, particularly lacking are qualitative inquiries into qigong use and cancer survivorship. This study is an interpretative phenomenological inquiry that sought to understand women’s experience of qigong …

The Relevance Of Sex Differences In Performance Fatigability, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Performance fatigability differs between men and women for a range of fatiguing tasks. Women are usually less fatigable than men, and this is most widely described for isometric fatiguing contractions and some dynamic tasks. The sex difference in fatigability is specific to the task demands so that one mechanism is not universal, including any sex differences in skeletal muscle physiology, muscle perfusion, and voluntary activation. However, there are substantial knowledge gaps about the task dependency of the sex differences in fatigability, the involved mechanisms, and the relevance to clinical populations and with advanced age. The knowledge gaps are in part …

The Global Strategy For Women's, Children's And Adolescents' Health (2016-2030): A Roadmap Based On Evidence And Country Experience., Shyama Kuruvilla, Flavia Bustreo, Taona Kuo, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The Global strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (2016–2030) provides a roadmap for ending preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents by 2030 and helping them achieve their potential for and rights to health and well-being in all settings.1 The global strategy has three objectives: survive (end preventable deaths); thrive (ensure health and well-being); and transform (expand enabling environments). These objectives are aligned with 17 targets within nine of the sustainable development goals (SDGs),2 including SDG 3 on health and other SDGs related to the political, social, economic and environmental determinants of health and sustainable development.

Like the SDGs, …

Towards A New Global Strategy For Women’S, Children’S And Adolescents’ Health, Marleen Temmerman, Rajat Khosla, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Flavia Bustreo

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The year 2015 marks a defining moment for the health of women, children, and adolescents. It is the end point of the United Nations’ millennium development goals, and their transition to the sustainable development goals, and also the 20th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development’s plan of action and the Beijing Declaration and platform of action.

This is a moment of reflection as well as celebration. Although great strides have been made in reducing maternal and child mortality, showing that change is possible, many countries are lagging behind in reaching millennium development goal 4 (to reduce the …

The Effects Of Home-Based Pilates In Healthy College-Age Females, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, C. Jayne Brahler

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objectives: To quantify and determine the effects of Pilates on core endurance, hamstring flexibility, balance, body composition/mass and perceived stress level in healthy college age females.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial design.

Background: Emerging research on the Pilates technique is inconclusive regarding benefits to core endurance, flexibility, balance, body mass, and perceived stress.

Methods and Measures: Female college students (n=57; 18-35 years old) were randomly assigned to a Pilates group, who exercised at home with a DVD, or a control group who did not engage in Pilates practice. Core endurance, hamstring flexibility, balance, body composition and stress measurements were taken …

Women’S Health Priorities And Interventions, Marleen Temmerman, Rajat Khosla, Laura Laski, Zoe Mathews, Lale Say

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Over the past decades, governments have taken steps towards improving women’s health in line with commitments made in key international summits. Progress has been made in reducing maternal mortality,1 which accelerated with the launch of the United Nations secretary general’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health in 2010. Use of maternal healthcare and family planning has increased in some countries.2 Progress has also been seen on two determinants of women’s health—school enrolment rates for girls and political participation of women—but not for others such as gender based violence.3

However, societies are still failing women in relation to health, especially …