Women's Health Commons^™

Serious Mental Illness Among Young Adult Women Who Use Drugs In The Club Scene: Co-Occurring Biopsychosocial Factors, Maayan Lawental, Hilary L. Surratt, Mance E. Buttram, Steven P. Kurtz

Center for Health Services Research Faculty Publications

Young women who regularly attend nightclubs are at risk for numerous health and social consequences, including mental distress, sexual and physical victimization and substance dependence. This paper uses a biopsychosocial framework to examine co-occurring mental health problems, victimization, substance dependence, sexual risk and physical pain among a sample of young women who use drugs (N = 222) in Miami’s club scene. The majority of women were under 24 years old, Hispanic, and identified as heterosexual. Almost all the women reported past 90-day use of alcohol, ecstasy/MDMA, marijuana, cocaine and prescription opioids and benzodiazepines; 32% of women reported being in a …

Change In Physical Activity And Sitting Time After Myocardial Infarction And Mortality Among Postmenopausal Women In The Women's Health Initiative-Observational Study., Anna M Gorczyca, Charles B Eaton, Michael J Lamonte, Joann E Manson, Jeanne D Johnston, Aurelian Bidulescu, Molly E Waring, Todd Manini, Lisa W Martin, Marcia L Stefanick, Ka He, Andrea K Chomistek

Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

How physical activity (PA) and sitting time may change after first myocardial infarction (MI) and the association with mortality in postmenopausal women is unknown.

Methods and Results

Participants included postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative‐Observational Study, aged 50 to 79 years who experienced a clinical MI during the study. This analysis included 856 women who had adequate data on PA exposure and 533 women for sitting time exposures. Sitting time was self‐reported at baseline, year 3, and year 6. Self‐reported PA was reported at baseline through year 8. Change in PA and sitting time were calculated as the …

Relationships Of Weight-Related Dissatisfaction, Body Image Flexibility, And Coping In Women, Pooja Shah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The present study examined the relationships between body image flexibility, body image dissatisfaction, body image evaluation, and specific coping factors based on the WEIGHTCOPE measure. Body image flexibility was also examined as a mediator of the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and weight-related coping factors in women. Methods: An online link of the survey (Qualtrics Research Software Program) was distributed through social media and word of mouth to women of all body shapes and sizes (N= 267). The survey included the BICS as a measure of body image dissatisfaction, the MBSR (AE) as a measure of body …

Female Circumcision: Attitudes, Knowledge And Beliefs Within The Deaf Community, Morgane Vincent

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Female Genital Circumcision (FGC) is a cultural practice by which female genitalia are cut for non-medical purposes. Although the Western world has seen the number of circumcised youth rise, very few studies have been conducted in developed countries. Even fewer are studies on minority groups regarding female circumcision; none explicitly involve deaf people. For this study, 76 deaf or hard of hearing individuals living in the U.S., whose primary means of communication was English or American Sign Language, completed a survey about FGC before and after viewing videos. One video showed an African woman who had experienced FGC, and the …

Mujeres Fuertes Y Corazones Saludables: Adaptation Of The Strongwomen—Healthy Hearts (Swhh) Program For Rural Latinas Using An Intervention Mapping Approach, Christie L. Jackson, Cynthia K. Perry, Jean Mccalmont, Emma Solanki, Rebecca Seguin, Judy P. Ward, Hannah-Dulya K. Menelas

Student Research Symposium

Objectives: To adapt Strong Women, Healthy Hearts (SWHH), an evidence-based physical activity and nutrition program to reflect the needs of rural Latinas.

Methods: Using a community-based participatory approach and an intervention mapping process, we partnered with a community advisory board of rural Latinas to identify and adapt a nutrition and physical activity program. A needs assessment and a logic model determined which program best aligned with community objectives and most fit for adaptation. SWHH was adapted; using feedback from the community advisory board to reflect the community’s culture, resources, and needs. We collaborated with one of developers of SWHH in …

Text Messaging Appointment Reminders To Increase Patient Appointment Adherence Within A Prevention And Wellness Program, Janel Willingham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Abstract

Healthcare organizations want to provide quality care, decrease costs, and promote preventative services for the communities they service. Mobile health units have become an extension of many healthcare organizations and provide different types of services, such as mammography. Providing mammography and wellness exams on a mobile unit presents several challenges; appointment adherence is one of them. Mobile units typically travel to underserved areas to serve people at risk for various health conditions such as breast cancer. Breast cancer is estimated to affect over 250,000 women in the United States during 2017; women have a 1:8 lifetime risk of being …

Sex And Sexuality Of Breast Cancer Survivors, Aja D. Kneip Pelster

Theses & Dissertations

With new diagnostic technologies and treatment modalities available, more people than ever are living as cancer survivors in the United States. A large group of this population consists of breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this research was to explore the intersection of breast cancer survivorship, at points beyond the termination of treatment, and sexuality, including expressions and performance of gender, relationships, and sexual behavior. The current study used semi-structured interviews, conducted with 21 Midwestern women at least 6-months post-treatment, to better understand the intersection of these two concepts. Following traditions of narrative and phenomenological qualitative research, the women’s own …

Epidemiologic And Clinical Profiles Of Uterine Cancer In The Gharbiah Province Of Egypt, Saad Alshahrani

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Uterine cancer is one of the top-ranking cancers of women with wide international variations in incidence rates. Egypt has a lower incidence of uterine cancer than other countries in the Middle East. In addition to the international incidence variation, there are also wide variations in incidence by rural and urban areas within countries. Therefore, this research project focused on the Gharbiah province, north of Cairo in the Nile Delta, with the aims of investigating demographic and clinical characteristics of uterine cancer, assessing rural/urban variation in incidence rates, and evaluating the possible role of hysterectomy in under-estimating the disease incidence …

Epigenetic Modifications Of Human Placenta Associated With Preterm Birth, Drissa Toure

Theses & Dissertations

Preterm birth is a complex multifactorial process. Despite the well-known role of the placenta in supporting the fetal development and maternal-fetal tolerance, the placental epigenetic modifications and preterm birth (PTB) remains poorly understood and under investigated. Various maternal and environment factors can influence epigenetic programming during fetal development to affect the functioning and structures of organs, including the placenta, which can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including PTB. The understanding of the placental epigenetic alterations and maternal determinants associated with PTB are apparently indispensable for the development of actual diagnosis and methods of prevention and treatment of premature labor. The …

Case Study: Healthy Texas Women Program In The Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District, Saul Francisco Delgado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The public healthcare system faces continuous transformations and challenges of constant adjustments to the increasing usage of fee for service revenue and the decrease of federal investment to women’s healthcare services and to the safety net healthcare providers (Meit, 2013; Weisman, 1997).

In 2016, the Texas 84^th Legislation Session determined to consolidate two existing women’s healthcare service programs into one a single program: the Healthy Texas Women (HTW) program. The new women’s program is a preventative care program that provides services of family planning and chronic illness care under a complete fee for service reimbursement system as its sourse …

Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Appalachian Spouses Of Combat Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Janice E. Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to identify gaps in existing knowledge regarding impacts of combat-related PTSD on the spouse and to gain an understanding of the lived experience of Appalachian Spouses of combat veterans with PTSD. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify research and findings on the impacts of combat-related PTSD on spouses of veterans and a qualitative study was conducted to gain an understanding of the lives of Appalachian spouses of combat veterans with PTSD.

The systematic review identified 16 qualitative studies conducted between 1988 and 2016 in five countries spanning five wars. Regardless of the country of …

Correlates Of Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Vaccine Acceptance In Appalachian Tennessee, Oluwatosin Ariyo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., where one HPV-related cancer is diagnosed every 20 minutes. The most common HPV-related cancer is cervical cancer, with an estimated incidence of 12,000 cases annually, a third of which lead to death. Cervical cancer disparately affects women of ethnic minority groups and geographically isolated regions, such as Appalachia. Tennessee ranks third highest in cervical cancer incidence in the country. Many cases of cervical cancer could be prevented through vaccination against HPV, however, vaccination rates for females in Tennessee are among the lowest in the country. This mixed-methods …

Making Sex Work For The State : The Policing Of Sex Work In The United States., Madeline A Clabough

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes the ways that sex work is regulated within the United States, and analyze the ways that regulation is shaped by contemporary feminist discourse. To do so, it analyzes the ways in which sex workers have been and pathologized since the 19th century, and address the ways that these conceptualizations have been incorporated into the legal regulation of sex workers. Finally, this thesis will look to contemporary practices in the state regulation of sex workers, and argue that the relationship between neoliberalism, the carceral state, and what has come to be termed “carceral feminism” operate in conjunction to …

Schizophrenia And Its Effects On An American Family: A Call To Action For The 21st Century, Cynthia Newton Captain

Senior Theses

Our country’s healthcare system is at a moral crossroads. The way we treat those whom we call “the homeless” is deplorable. The majority of the homeless are mentally ill and need treatment. Our country needs to treat those with the severe brain diseases of schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, and bi-polar disorder just as we would Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Those with severe mental illness, who have no insight into their illness, should not be allowed to dictate their own treatment. If a homeless person is brought to San Francisco General Hospital and is found to be a schizophrenic in psychiatric …

Knowledge And Awareness Regarding Cervical Cancer And Uptake Of Pap Smear Among Women In Karachi, Pakistan, Shama Razzaq, Sayeeda Amber Sayed Amber Sayeeda Amber Sayed, Sumera Aziz Ali

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To determine the knowledge regarding cervical cancer, its symptoms and risk factors among women of 18 years and above attending the gynecology OPD in two public hospitals Karachi, Pakistan.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was held from February to June 2013 in Karachi, Pakistan. 384 females aged 18 years and above attending gynecology clinics in two public sector hospitals were taken through non-probability sampling method. The knowledge was assessed using a point scale method which had binary response i.e. correct and incorrect. A score of 50% (≥ 11 correct responses) was considered as optimum knowledge.
Results: Overall knowledge of cervical …

Chuukese Migrant Women In Guam: Perceptions Of Barriers To Health Care, Margaret Hattori-Uchima

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

This descriptive qualitative study examined perceived barriers to health care among Chuukese migrant women in Guam and explored which factors influenced health-seeking behaviors. Study participants recommended interventions which may reduce those perceived barriers. Since the Compact of Free Association with the United States was enacted in 1985, there has been a dramatic rise in the numbers of Chuukese migrating to Guam. This migration is anticipated to continue with more migrants needing health care, education, and social services. Little is known about their perceptions of barriers to health care services or the cultural, social, economic, and other factors that influence their …

Promoting Reproductive Health Using Telemedicine: A Prospective Study Among Rural Appalachian High School Teens, Raj Singh, Mohit Harsh, Keegan Mullins, Brian Dunlap, Jennie L. Yoost

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Introduction:

Telemedicine allows rural underserved populations access to medical resources that may not be available in their communities. Following promising results with a telemedicine project aimed at educating female students in McDowell County, West Virginia on reproductive health (RH) in 2015, we conducted a follow-up study including both male and female high school students during the 2016 school year.

Materials and Methods:

Telemedicine sessions on RH were incorporated into existing afterschool programs at two rural high schools. Students’ knowledge on RH was assessed via pre-test, immediate post-test, and 6-month post-test evaluations. RH was taught by medical students and faculty at …

Activity Of Distinct Growth Factor Receptor Network Components In Breast Tumors Uncovers Two Biologically Relevant Subtypes, Moom Roosan, Shelley M. Macneil, David F. Jenkins, Gajendra Shrestha, Sydney R. Wyatt, Jasmine A. Mcquerry, Stephen R. Piccolo, Laura M. Heiser, Joe W. Gray, W. Evan Johnson, Andrea H. Bild

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background
The growth factor receptor network (GFRN) plays a significant role in driving key oncogenic processes. However, assessment of global GFRN activity is challenging due to complex crosstalk among GFRN components, or pathways, and the inability to study complex signaling networks in patient tumors. Here, pathway-specific genomic signatures were used to interrogate GFRN activity in breast tumors and the consequent phenotypic impact of GRFN activity patterns.

Methods
Novel pathway signatures were generated in human primary mammary epithelial cells by overexpressing key genes from GFRN pathways (HER2, IGF1R, AKT1, EGFR, KRAS (G12V), RAF1, BAD). The pathway analysis toolkit Adaptive Signature Selection …

Patient Perspectives On Quality Family Planning Services In Underserved Areas, Debora Goldberg, Bhakthi Sahgal, Tishra Beeson, Susan F. Wood, Holly Mead, Aliyah Abdul-Wakil, Hallie Stevens, Pinyao Rui, Sara Rosenbaum

Patient Experience Journal

Ongoing challenges impede efforts to improve the quality of family planning services in underserved communities, which by definition lack sufficient numbers of physicians and other health professionals. Challenges to improving the quality of family planning services include financing difficulties, lack of standards, training deficiencies, as well as little understanding and attention to patient preferences. The objectives of this study were to explore female patients’ preferences for family planning services in underserved areas and to develop a framework to help providers improve patient-centered care. The methodology for this paper included mixed methods research including a survey of women between the ages …

The Effects Of Continuous Insulin Pump Therapy On Glycemic Control In Pregnant Type 1 Diabetics, Kimberly Kelsey

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus accounts for approximately 5% of the diabetic population (CDC, 2015). Numerous complications must be avoided when a diabetic is insulin dependent. Women who are diabetic who are planning to conceive a family have special considerations. Little research has been focused into how to best manage Type 1 diabetics during pregnancy. Since Type 1 diabetes is predominantly diagnosed between birth and 30 years of age, many Type 1 diabetics have potential to become pregnant without knowing how to best manage their diabetes. Poor glycemic control in diabetics has been related to miscarriages, stillbirths, malformations, and macrosomia (Lapolla, …

Rape Crisis Center Professionals' Perception Of Sexual Violence Policy: A Qualitative Analysis, Stephanie Manieri

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

The purpose of this study is to collect information about the perceptions of rape crisis center professionals regarding the current policies surrounding sexual violence crimes that victimize people over the age of 18. This research aims to gather information about effective and ineffective policies from professionals who are first- responders to sexual assaults.

Prenatal Care Providers’ Perspectives And Practices: Informed Consent For Hiv Screening Among Latinas With Limited English Proficiency In South Carolina, Edena G. Meetze

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Abstract

The rapid increase in Latinos in South Carolina that has occurred within the past 15 years is associated with both in-migrationand high birth rates. Limited ethnic-specific data and communication barriers betweenLatinas with limited English proficiency have contributed to difficulties in assessing theprovision of recommended routine prenatal HIV screening among this vulnerablepopulation. This qualitative descriptive study examined providers' perceptions andpractices related to obtaining informed consent for routine HIV screening for pregnantLatinas with limited English proficiency. Findings indicate the need for focused educational interventionswith providers and patients and implementation of culturally and linguistically tailoredpractice guidelines to improve patient understanding and acceptance …

Daycare, Decision-Making, And The Determinants Of Health: A Mother-Centric Approach To Understanding Childcare And Child Health In Rural Dharamshala, Arielle Rawlings

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Indian children have long suffered from some of the world’s worst rates of malnutrition. However, there is an evident mismatch between the macro proliferation of India’s intergenerational cycle of malnutrition and the micro ways in which it is often approached, as established views that place blame on mothers for the poor health status of their children have systematically removed blame from underlying structural determinants of health such as government policies, social inequalities, and economic conditions. Taking a mother-centric approach, this study examines the links between childcare practices and maternal decisionmaking in the context of Dharamshala, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh. Interviews …

¿Querías Salir Embarazada?: La Cultura Y La Salud De Las Embarazadas En Puerto Bello / Did You Want To Get Pregnant?: The Culture And Health Of Pregnant Women In Puerto Bello, Jessie Malone Friedman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Las mujeres embarazadas ya son, según la perspectiva del médico, pacientes en riesgo. Hay diferentes niveles de riesgo: con algunas clasificadas “en bajo riesgo obstétrico, algunas en alto riesgo obstétrico; incluso, bajo riesgo obstétrico evoluciona a alto riesgo obstétrico.” Por eso, ambos a nivel del médico de alguna embarazada y a nivel nacional de la salud pública, las embarazadas son un enfoque especial de la atención médica, en cualquier caso. En Nicaragua, hay muchas mujeres embarazadas y aún más mujeres que podrían salir embarazadas en cualquier momento. En 2005, las mujeres con capacidad fértil representaron el 41.5% de la población …

Pharmacy-Based Barriers To Adolescent Access To Over-The-Counter Emergency Contraception In Kentucky, Zona Josephine Ascensio

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Since June of 2013, Plan B and its generics have been available over-the-counter without age restriction nationwide. Even so, pharmacy-based economic, physical, and staff-associated barriers still exist, potentially leading adolescent customers to fail to obtain emergency contraception (EC) in a sufficiently timely manner to prevent pregnancy. This study explores these pharmacy-based barriers to EC in the state of Kentucky focusing on comparisons of urban and non-urban pharmacies and chain and private pharmacies. Using a secret-shopper survey technique, the researcher called 220 Kentucky pharmacies acting as a 15-year-old girl seeking information about EC. Among other findings, a logistic regression analysis revealed …

E-Cigarettes And Smoking Cessation Among Pregnant Women: Insights From A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Shawn Chiang, Lorien Abroms

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes is a rapidly expanding phenomenon. Currently, there is a scarcity of data to help guide decisions regarding the potential harm and benefits of e-cigarettes. This study examines whether pregnant smokers who used e-cigarettes are more likely to quit smoking than those who had never used e-cigarettes.

Methods: Data were drawn from the Quit4Baby study, a text-message-based smoking cessation randomized controlled trial. The sample was comprised of 481 participants with complete follow-up data at 1 month follow-up. Linear and logistics regression models to control for confounds were conducted to evaluate the association between e-cigarette use …

The Disappearance Of Nyoman And Ketut, Laura Michelle Garvie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Resilience Of Romanian Institutions During The Global Gag Rule: 20012007, Sara Hayet

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

There is a wealth of literature about the negative effects of the executive order called the Global Gag Rule, officially known as the Mexico City Policy, and its various manifestations. Despite this, there is a gap in the research about how institutions in affected countries respond to the Global Gag Rule’s family planning restrictions. This qualitative study seeks to provide some insight into how Romanian institutions responded during President George W. Bush’s reinstatement of the policy by using a model of social resilience. Through a literature review of three subjects (social resilience, the Global Gag Rule, and Romania’s family planning …

Family Planning Dynamics In Zimbabwe, Heidi Weidele

Senior Honors Projects

Almost 90 percent of all women in Zimbabwe lack health insurance. Most are undereducated or underemployed, and only have access to maternal and contraceptive care via public clinics. There is a large gap in family planning services in both rural and urban areas, which leads to a lack of necessary care in many communities. Bivariate and multivariate analyses on demographic data (Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2015) collected by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency and compiled by the United States Demographic and Health Surveys Program were performed to determine the relationships among public health services and female demographics (including education, …

Comparison Of Foeto-Maternal Outcome In Pregnant Women With Hepatitis E - A Review Of 12 Years., Tahira Naru, Farheen Yousuf, Ayesha Malik, Sumaira Naz, Humera Ismail

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To compare adverse maternal and foetal outcome in pregnant women with hepatitis E immunoglobulin M reactive versus non-reactive.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised records of pregnant patients at any gestational age with clinical and biochemical evidence of hepatitis E from January 2002 and December 2014. . Maternal and perinatal outcome of the subjects were analysed. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.
Results: Out of the 200 subjects, 168(84 %) were hepatitis E immunoglobulin M reactive and 32(16%) were non-reactive. The overall mean age was 26.7±4.5 years. Also, 12(7%) …