Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Modeling The Effects Of Intimate Partner Violence And Access To Resources On Women’S Health In The Early Years After Leaving An Abusive Partner, Marilyn Ford-Gilboe, Judith Wuest, Colleen Varcoe, Lorraine Davies, Marilyn Merritt-Gray, Jacquelyn Campbell, Piotr Wilk

Lorraine Davies

Although the negative health effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) are well documented, little is known about the mechanisms or determinants of health outcomes for women who had left their abusive partners. Using data collected from a community sample of 309 Canadian women who left an abusive partner, we examined whether women's personal, social and economic resources mediate the relationships between the severity of past IPV and current health using structural equation modelling. A good fit was found between the model and data for hypothesized models of mental and physical health. In the mental health model, both the direct and …

Urinary Sodium Excretion, Dietary Sources Of Sodium Intake And Knowledge And Practices Around Salt Use In A Group Of Healthy Australian Women, Karen Charlton, Heather Yeatman, Fiona Houweling, Sophie Guenon

Karen E. Charlton

Objective: Strategies that aim to facilitate reduction of the salt content of foods in Australia are hampered by sparse and outdated data on habitual salt intakes. This study assessed habitual sodium intake through urinary excretion analyses, and identified food sources of dietary sodium, as well as knowledge and practices related to salt use in healthy women. Methods: Cross-sectional, convenient sample of 76 women aged 20 to 55 years, Wollongong, NSW. Data included a 24 hour urine sample, three-day food diary and a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Mean Na excretion equated to a NaCl (salt) intake of 6.41 (SD=2.61) g/day; 43% had …

It's All Formula To Me: Women's Understandings Of Toddler Milk Ads, Nina Berry, Sandra Jones, Don Iverson

Don C. Iverson

This study utilised semi-structured interviews to investigate how women expecting a first baby perceived print advertisements for 'toddler milks' in order to determine whether they function as indirect advertising for infant and follow-on formula. Examination of the marketing literature, analysis of the advertisers' websites and the advertisements themselves provided sources of triangulation. Fifteen women expecting a first baby were recruited from antenatal classes conducted by staff of the Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service. These respondents clearly understood toddler milk advertisements to be promoting a range of products that included infant and follow-on formula and accepted their claims quite …

Statistical Design Of The Women's Health Trial, Steven Self, Ross Prentice, Donald Iverson, Maureen Henderson, Donovan Thompson, David Byar, William Insull, Sherwood Gorbach, Carolyn Clifford, Susan Goldman, Nicole Urban, Lianne Sheppard, Peter Greenwald

Don C. Iverson

The National Cancer Institute has initiated a randomized trial to determine whether a low fat diet can reduce the incidence of breast cancer among women at increased risk for this disease. A feasibility trial involving 303 women has been conducted to examine recruitment strategies, study short-term compliance and, more generally, develop and refine trial procedures. The feasibility trial group also developed a detailed full-scale trial design plan, and randomization of participants to such a trial is currently underway. The purpose of this report is to describe the major design features of this Women's Health Trial, with particular emphasis on the …

Australian Women's Awareness Of Breast Cancer Symptoms And Responses To Potential Symptoms, Sandra Jones, Parri Gregory, Caroline Nehill, Lance Barrie, Karen Luxford, A. Nelson, Helen Zorbas, Donald Iverson

Don C. Iverson

Poor awareness of breast cancer symptoms has been associated with patient delay in seeking help; thus reduced survival, more aggressive treatment, and fewer treatment choices. The aim of this study was to develop a representative picture of Australian women’s knowledge of symptoms, experienced potential symptoms, and behavioral responses. A general population sample of approximately 3,000 women aged 30–69 completed a telephone survey; results were compared to previous surveys conducted in 1996 and 2003. The most commonly cited potential symptom of breast cancer was a lump in the breast, identified by 86% of respondents (an increase from 75% in 2003). Other …

“What Are You?” A Recurring Question In A Cross-Cultural Psychiatrist’S Life And Career., M Hicks

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

This article contributes to the Transcultural Psychiatry special issue of autobiographical articles on: ''The Personal and the Professional: Lives and Careers of Cultural Psychiatrists.''

Casualties In Civilians And Coalition Soldiers From Suicide Bombings In Iraq, 2003—10: A Descriptive Study., M Hicks, H Dardagan, P Bagnall, M Spagat, J Sloboda

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

BACKGROUND:

Suicide bombs in Iraq are a major public health problem. We aimed to describe documented casualties from suicide bombs in Iraq during 2003-10 in Iraqi civilians and coalition soldiers.

METHODS:

In this descriptive study, we analysed and compared suicide bomb casualties in Iraq that were documented in two datasets covering March 20, 2003, to Dec 31, 2010--one reporting coalition-soldier deaths from suicide bombs, the other reporting deaths and injuries of Iraqi civilians from armed violence. We analysed deaths and injuries over time, by bomb subtype and victim demographics.

FINDINGS:

In 2003-10, 1003 documented suicide bomb events caused 19% (42,928 …

Violent Deaths Of Iraqi Civilians, 2003-2008: Analysis By Perpetrator, Weapon, Time, And Location., M Hicks, H Dardagan, G Guerrero Serdán, P Bagnall, J Sloboda, M Spagat

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

No abstract provided.

The Ces-D In Chinese American Women: Construct Validity, Diagnostic Validity For Major Depression, And Cultural Response Bias., Z Li, M Hicks

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

Previous studies of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in Chinese Americans describe internal reliability and factor structure. We report CES-D construct validity and diagnostic validity for major depression in a probability sample of 168 community-dwelling Chinese American women. Internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha=0.86). Good construct validity was indicated by significantly higher mean CES-D scores for respondents who reported lower social support, worse self-perceived general health, or stressful life events, including intimate partner violence. Cultural response bias was found, with positively-stated CES-D items (e.g. "I was happy") producing higher depression scores in immigrants and subjects who preferred …

The Prevalence And Characteristics Of Intimate Partner Violence In A Community Study Of Chinese American Women., Madelyn Hicks

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

No abstract provided.

Perceived Causes Of Suicide Attempts By Uk South Asian Women., M Hicks, D Bhugra

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

Perceived causes of suicide attempts were examined in 180 ethnic South Asian women living in the London area. The 3 factors endorsed most frequently and strongly as causes of suicide attempts in South Asian women were violence by the husband, being trapped in an unhappy family situation, and depression.

Validity Of The Cidi Probe Flow Chart For Depression In Chinese American Women., M Hicks

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks

This article presents observations on the function and validity of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) 2.1 in a study of major depression in Chinese American women. CIDI symptom items for depression had good apparent validity and acceptability. However, CIDI probe flow chart (PFC) ‘clinical significance’ criteria appeared to underidentify cases of major depression if they occurred in China, or in deprived conditions within the U.S. and other developed countries. Validity of the CIDI PFC was affected by social, political and cultural factors. Patterns of bias are discussed and related to assumptions underlying the PFC regarding resource availability, help-seeking and …