Women's Health Commons^™

Linking Hiv-Positive Family Planning Clients To Treatment And Care Services In Kenya, Wilson Liambila, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Ruth Wayua Muia, Joyce Wanderi Maina, Mary N. Maina, Christine Awuor, Ibrahim Mohammed

Reproductive Health

A project from the Population Council’s USAID-funded FRONTIERS program found that integrating HIV counseling and testing into family planning (FP) services was feasible and acceptable to clients and providers, and led to significant improvement in the quality of care provided. However, a major limitation was that FP clients who tested HIV-positive were not actively linked to care and treatment services, including antiretroviral treatment, and screening and management of sexually transmitted infections. A new initiative aimed to design and test a referral framework for linking HIV-positive FP clients to treatment and care in selected health facilities; assess the acceptability of the …

Effects Of Calcium Supplementation On Cardiovascular Disease In Postmenopausal Women, Raizel Robinson

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is an excerpt from the introduction of the article: In the United States, 53% of the population use dietary supplements. Of the people using supplements, 43% use calcium and 37% use vitamin D. However, 63% of women older than 60 years of age reported using dietary supplements (Park et al., 2009). Calcium supplementation, without co-administered vitamin D, increases the risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascularrelated diseases among postmenopausal women. On the contrary, calcium supplementation with accompanied vitamin D may not produce similar effects.

Effects Of Acculturation On Hiv/Aids Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Asian And Pacific Islander (Api) Women, Margaret Cabotage Salud

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. In the US women are the fastest growing group for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV and AIDS. In addition, the estimated AIDS cases among female adults and adolescents, aged 13-19, increased from 7% in 1985 to approximately 26% in 2002. Most infections occur by heterosexual transmission with 53% occurring through contact with a high-risk sexual partner. While overall HIV/AIDS rates in the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community remain low, they are rising and HIV testing rates, one of the major prevention strategies for HIV, are lower than that of other populations. Furthermore, very little is known about APIs …

Rapids Evaluation Final Report 2005-2009 Key Findings, Louis Apicella, Katie D. Schenk, Hena Khan

HIV and AIDS

RAPIDS (Reaching HIV/AIDS Affected People with Integrated Development and Support) is an intervention funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and is designed to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in Zambia. The overall goal of RAPIDS is to improve the quality of life of Zambians affected by HIV and AIDS by expanding successful community-based models of home-based care and support to orphans and vulnerable children and people who are chronically ill, as well as through interventions targeting youth with livelihood opportunities and life-skills training, focusing on initiatives supporting abstinence and being faithful.

Effect Of Obesity On The Traditional And Emerging Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors In African American Women, Queen Obiageli Henry-Okafor

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Background: Obesity is a growing health care concern with cardiovascular disease (CVD) implications. African American women (AAW) have the highest prevalence rate of obesity and highest CVD morbidity and mortality rate of all ethnic groups. The traditional CVD risk factors have not been sufficient to explain this disparity in disease prevalence and outcomes. Current knowledge is limited regarding the interaction between various levels of adiposity and both traditional and emerging CVD risk factors, particularly in AAW. This study sought to explore these interactions.

Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational analysis of 48 AAW ages 18 to 45 …

Evaluation Of Hiv Counseling And Testing In Anc Settings And Adherence To Short Course Antiretroviral Prophylaxis For Pmtct In Francistown, Botswana, Carolyn Baek, Tracy Creek, Lee Ann Jones, Louis Apicella, Jennifer Redner, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

The vast majority of children infected with HIV are the result of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the virus during pregnancy, labor, or breastfeeding. Botswana is one of the first countries in the developing world with a national prevention program (PMTCT) to reduce vertical transmission. The Horizons Program of the Population Council, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Premiere Personnel in Botswana, conducted an evaluation to describe the adherence of pregnant women to the current PMTCT regimen. The report recommends standardizing post-test counseling content through the use of job aids and adapting existing WHO materials, …

Commercial Sex Workers In Five Ethiopian Cities: A Baseline Survey For Usaid Targeted Hiv Prevention Program For Most-At-Risk Populations, Woldemariam Girma, Annabel Erulkar

HIV and AIDS

This report presents findings from a baseline survey of commercial sex workers (CSWs) that was undertaken in five Ethiopian cities. 2,050 CSWs were interviewed for the survey. CSW were disproportionally young and came from extremely disadvantaged backgrounds. Most respondents also cited negative working standards from another profession, or family responsibilities as reasons leading to sex work. Condom use was very high but use may be inconsistent or over-reported and should be studied further. Findings also propose additional advocacy for positive peer support groups, more HIV testing for at-risk populations, and addressing violence among CSWs and other Ethiopian women.

Breast Cancer Screening Disparities In Japanese-American Women, Theodora Stratis

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Cancer screening disparities in ethnic minority women have received much research attention in the last several years due to a marked increase in ethnic minority cancer incidence and poor survival rates (Miller, Kollnel, Bernstein, Young Swanson, West et ah, 1996). Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for Asian American women (Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research & Training, 2002) and, although their incidence and mortality rates are lower than Caucasian women, these rates continue to increase every year. This increasing mortality rate is likely due to the underutilization of breast cancer screening by Asian American women. Asian …

Predictors Of Depressive And Anxiety Symptoms Among African American Hiv-Positive Women, Nina Katherine Sublette

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

This descriptive correlation study had four purposes: describe depressive and anxiety symptom levels in pregnant and non-pregnant African American (AA) HIV-positive women, examine the association between underlying vulnerabilities and depressive symptoms in HIV-positive AA women, determine the association between underlying vulnerabilities and anxiety symptoms in AA HIV-positive women, and determine the predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms among African American HIV-positive women. A convenience sample of 80 African American HIV-positive women was recruited from university-based obstetrics/-gynecology and infectious disease practices in a large metropolitan city in the Mid-South. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale …

The Mind-Body Connection: The Association Between Adolescent Locus Of Control And Indicators Of Physical Health, C. Jayne Brahler, James Cropper

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Locus of control (LOC) describes an individual’s generalized beliefs or expectancies that their reinforcements are under internal versus external control (1). An individual exhibits either an internal or external LOC. This study examines the link between LOC and selected health risk factors in adolescents. A convenience sample of 167 high school physical education students completed a 13-item LOC questionnaire based on Rotter’s 1966 instrument.

Various anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and body fat were recorded on all subjects. A subsample of 61 female students received blood chemistry analysis that included a lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), Apo …

Repositioning Postnatal Care In A High Hiv Environment: Swaziland, Charlotte E. Warren, Rachel Shongwe, Allen Waligo, Mohammed Mahdi, Goldy Mazia, Indira Narayanan

HIV and AIDS

This Horizons report from the Swaziland Ministry of Health and Social Welfare discusses findings from an intervention which aimed to reposition postnatal care within the context of a high HIV prevalence environment. The objectives were to determine if changes to the sexual and reproductive health guidelines on postnatal care would result in the timely and quality provision of key components of essential maternal and newborn care in the postnatal period, increase utilization of postnatal care services among all postpartum women, and improve the care and follow up of HIV-positive postpartum women and their infants. The study confirms that the introduction …

If You Build It, Will They Come? Kenya Healthy Start Pediatric Hiv Study: A Diagnostic Study Investigating Barriers To Hiv Treatment And Care Among Children, Karusa Kiragu, Katie D. Schenk, Julie Murugi, Avina Sarna

HIV and AIDS

In Kenya the proportion of eligible HIV-positive children receiving ART treatment is only 11 percent. This study explored and documented possible barriers in the community to accessing pediatric HIV testing and treatment, to guide the development of new interventions to encourage uptake. The study identified barriers such as cost, use of traditional healers, low knowledge of treatment options, attitudinal barriers, stigma, unique treatment issues, and dissatisfaction with available services. Additionally, healthcare workers missed opportunities to provide services and cited numerous service-side challenges. The study recommends prioritizing community awareness, mobile clinics, strengthening capacity of healthcare workers, supporting family-based HIV testing, and …

Sexual And Reproductive Health Needs Of Adolescents Perinatally Infected With Hiv In Uganda, Harriet Birungi, John Frank Mugisha, Juliana K. Nyombi, Francis Obare, Humphres Evelia, Hannington Nyinkavu

Reproductive Health

In Uganda, HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support programs are still organized around either adult or pediatric care and fail to adequately address the needs of adolescents, specifically perinatally-infected adolescents. This study, implemented jointly by the Population Council's Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS) program and the AIDS Support Organization (TASO), aimed to better understand the reproductive health and sexuality of this population group, and to identify anxieties or fears they have around entering social stages of adulthood. This study confirms that wide programmatic gaps exist in addressing the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people perinatally infected with HIV who …

Situation Analysis Of The Integration Of Family Planning Services In Postpartum, Postabortion And Prevention Of Mother To Child Transmission Programs In Nicaragua, Freddy Solis, Ana Del Carmen Rojas, Gadea Adilia, M. Estela Rivero-Fuentes, Ricardo Vernon

Reproductive Health

Between September 2005 and April 2007, FRONTIERS and Alva, a Nicaraguan consulting firm, conducted a situation analysis of the provision and use of contraceptive services in postpartum, postabortion and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs. The project‘s objective was to assess the degree to which contraceptive services were linked to postpartum, postabortion and PMTCT services and if this allowed the programs to meet the contraceptive needs of their clients. The project proposes recommendations for improving the quality of these programs.

Predictors Of Emotional Reactions In Women Treated For Breast Cancer, Erin E. Ramirez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Breast cancer can be a devastating disease that impacts a woman in all spheres of her life (Ingram, 1989). Previous studies have examined the impact of breast cancer on body satisfaction, as well as the impact on emotional well-being. Studies have also examined the role of the coping style that a woman engages in response to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the woman's psychological adjustment to the disease. However, to date, no research has introduced and tested a multifaceted model.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model predicting psychological maladjustment in women treated for …

Predictors Of Emotional Reactions In Women Treated For Breast Cancer, Erin E. Ramirez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Breast cancer can be a devastating disease that impacts a woman in all spheres of her life (Ingram, 1989). Previous studies have examined the impact of breast cancer on body satisfaction, as well as the impact on emotional well-being. Studies have also examined the role of the coping style that a woman engages in response to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the woman's psychological adjustment to the disease. However, to date, no research has introduced and tested a multifaceted model.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model predicting psychological maladjustment in women treated for …

Community-Based Approaches To Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Hiv: Findings From A Low-Income Community In Kenya, Susan Kaai, Carolyn Baek, Scott Geibel, Peter Omondi, Benson Ulo, Grace Muthumbi, Carol Nkatha, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

The Horizons program, in partnership with International Medical Corps and Steadman Research Services International, conducted an intervention study in Kibera, an urban slum in Nairobi, Kenya to determine what effect three different community-based activities had on utilization of key prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services. The interventions included moving services closer to the population via mobile clinics, as well as increasing psychosocial support through the use of traditional birth attendants and peer counselors as PMTCT promoters. Data from the study showed that there were positive trends during the study period in most of the PMTCT indicators, including knowledge of MTCT, …

Day Of Dialogue—Insights And Evidence From Product Introduction: Lessons For Microbicides, Martha Brady, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

HIV and AIDS

This report summarizes key issues and themes emerging from a Population Council Day of Dialogue held in March 2007. The Council convened this meeting of experts in the fields of product development, introduction, and social marketing; clinical trials; and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in order to identify key features that can be used to guide efforts to introduce microbicides.

Continuum Of Care For Hiv-Positive Women Accessing Programs To Prevent Parent-To-Child Transmission: Findings From India, Vaishali Sharma Mahendra, Rupa Mudoi, Archana Oinam, Venkat Pakkela, Avina Sarna, Sucheta Panda, Ashok Rau, L. Birendrajit Singh, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

This study examined the efforts of PPTCT programs in different cities in India to offer women a continuum of care, and shows that the programs have both strengths and shortcomings. The government launched a national treatment program that offers antiretroviral therapy (ART) to HIV-positive women, children below 15 years of age, and men. However, since the start-up of the ART program there have been concerns about limited access to and utilization of these services by women and children. To address these shortcomings, the PPTCT programs studied should strengthen their referral systems to public and private treatment and family planning services, …

Key Findings From An Evaluation Of The Mothers2mothers Program In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Carolyn Baek, Vuyiswa Mathambo, Sibongile Mkhize, Irwin Friedman, Louis Apicella, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

The Horizons program of Population Council, in collaboration with Health Systems Trust, completed the first evaluation of mothers2mothers (m2m) as part of its introduction in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. It is the first external evaluation that provides quantitative evidence about the role of the well-known m2m program in complementing services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). m2m is a peer support program that aims to provide education and psychosocial support to HIV-positive pregnant women and new mothers, help women access existing health care, and follow up with mothers and babies to ensure they receive appropriate medical care after delivery. …

Women’S Health In Developing Countries, Javed Rizvi, Nadeem F. Zuberi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Healthcare priorities are different in developing and developed countries. A more effective resource allocation, complemented by efforts to implement only those practices that are effective, should be a priority for improving reproductive health services in developing countries. A large burden of gynaecological disease exists in developing countries and it is difficult to envisage serious reforms and improvements without an increase in public-sector spending. However, communities themselves could assume some responsibility for women's health in ways that prioritize women's own perceptions and primary needs. In this chapter we have compiled existing evidence regarding various gynaecological problems faced by women in developing …

Thought Suppression Change In Cancer Patients And Survivors After Writing, Erin O'Carroll Bantum

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Breast cancer is a debilitating and many times fatal disease that will affect approximately 215,990 women in the United States alone this year. Treatment for breast cancer can involve many physically and psychologically straining features. The illness perception theory states that individuals form illness representations to make sense of health threats and illness. These representations contain a number of individual, specific attributes about the illness identity, and cause, time-line, consequences of, and cure/control of the illness. Many women who have experienced breast cancer have also been found to be keeping their thoughts inside. Thought suppression has been linked to many …

Psychological Factors Associated With Anticipatory Nausea And Vomiting, Melinda L. Nielsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Many cancer patients experience adverse chemotherapy-related side effects. The present study examined the relationships among disease variables (i.e. stage of cancer, type of breast cancer), medical treatment variables (i.e. toxicity of chemotherapy regimen, strength of antiemetic treatment), psychological variables (i.e. health locus of control, anxiety sensitivity, desire for control, coping strategies), and anticipatory nausea and vomiting in women with breast cancer. One hundred women with breast cancer completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale - Form C, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, the Krantz Health Opinion Survey, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and …

Review Of Field Experiences: Integration Of Family Planning And Pmtct Services, Naomi Rutenberg, Carolyn Baek

HIV and AIDS

The Population Council and its research partners have been addressing several key questions about prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services and how well they function in field settings. The World Health Organization asked the Population Council to provide a review of field experiences regarding the integration of family planning and PMTCT services. This report provides conclusions and recommendations as input into a WHO/UNFPA-sponsored consultative meeting on "The linkages between reproductive health and HIV/AIDS: Family planning and prevention of mother-to-child transmission."

Succession Planning In Uganda: Early Outreach For Aids-Affected Children And Their Families, Horizons Program, Makerere University Department Of Sociology, Plan Uganda

HIV and AIDS

This publication reports on an intervention study that evaluated the effectiveness of a succession planning (SP) program in Uganda. Unlike most other programs for AIDS-affected children, succession planning reaches children and their families while their HIV-positive parents are still living and in a position to plan for their children’s long-term well-being. Research carried out by the Department of Sociology at Makerere University (Kampala) and the Population Council Horizons program suggests that succession planning is a promising approach: despite AIDS-related stigma and cultural resistance to acknowledging illness and death, qualitative research indicates that the approach met with a high degree of …

Reproductive Health Services In Kwazulu Natal, South Africa: A Situation Analysis Study Focusing On Hiv/Aids Services, Lewis Ndhlovu, Catherine Searle, Robert A. Miller, Andrew A. Fisher, Ester Snyman, Nancy L. Sloan

HIV and AIDS

This Horizons report examines the readiness of reproductive health services in South Africa, which are primarily geared to women, to deliver HIV and AIDS treatment, care, and prevention services. The goal of the study was to obtain information from a representative sample of provincial health care facilities offering reproductive health services in KwaZulu Natal to meet the growing demand for HIV/AIDS-related services. Ninety-eight hospitals, community health centers, and clinics participated in the situation analysis that identified gaps in service delivery and determined priorities for service integration. Results of the study were presented to a large audience of Department of Health, …

Empowering Communities To Respond To Hiv/Aids: Ndola Demonstration Project On Maternal And Child Health: Operations Research Final Report, Hope Humana, Linkages, National Food And Nutrition Commission, Ndola District Health Management Team, Horizons Program, Zambia Integrated Health Project

HIV and AIDS

A pre–post intervention study conducted in Zambia by Horizons and local NGOs and governmental organizations demonstrated that HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and infant feeding counseling (IFC) to mothers attending maternal and child health (MCH) clinics are vital components of any mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) reduction strategy, whether or not antiretrovirals (ARVs) are available. These interventions enable mothers to make informed and healthy decisions. Data from the Ndola Demonstration Project yielded encouraging results from efforts to improve the capacity of mothers to make informed decisions about their own health and the health of their infant. The interventions succeeded in raising …

Hiv And Partner Violence: Implications For Hiv Voluntary Counseling And Testing Programs In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Suzanne Maman, Jessie K. Mbwambo, Margaret Hogan, Gad P. Kilonzo, Michael D. Sweat, Ellen Weiss

HIV and AIDS

This study explored the links between HIV infection, serostatus disclosure, and partner violence among women attending a VCT clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Men and women both perceive HIV testing as a way to plan for the future but are motivated to undergo testing by a number of different individual, relationship, and environmental factors. The women in our study described more barriers to HIV testing than did men, and women who have communicated with their partners about VCT before seeking services are significantly more likely to share their HIV test results than those who have not talked with their …

Diverse Realities: Understanding Sexually Transmitted Infections And Hiv In India, Sarah Hawkes, K.G. Santhya

Reproductive Health

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, currently have high salience on the health care agendas of many countries, including India. Strategies for their control are ideally based on a number of well-recognised principles. These include: assessments of the burden of disease; the availability of interventions at policy and programme levels, to influence behaviour change and technical ‘solutions’; and the calculated cost-effectiveness of these interventions. In the case of India, data to inform these principles are often lacking in the case of STI control. In this paper we have reviewed the evidence base for STI control in the Indian context. The …

Locus Of Control, Coping, And Anticipatory Nausea In Women With Breast Cancer, Melinda L. Nielsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Many cancer patients experience adverse chemotherapy-related side effects. The present study examined whether the perception that one can control and effectively cope with her treatment for breast cancer mitigate against any nausea and vomiting that she may experience in anticipation of chemotherapy treatments. Seventy-five women with breast cancer completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale - Form C, the Krantz Health Opinion Survey, the Ways of Coping Scale - Revised, and the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis. As hypothesized, internal health locus of control was significantly positively related to positive reappraisal coping strategies. This relationship was moderated by …