Women's Health Commons^™

The Effects Of Hormonal Contraceptive Use On Perceptions Of Social Stress In Women, Ashton Jones

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hormonal contraceptives are widely used due to their efficiency in preventing pregnancy. Although women are often informed of the physical effects of hormonal contraceptives, there is little emphasis on mental effects, such as increased rates of depression and changes in social perception. The current study examined perceptions of social stress among women before beginning hormonal contraceptives, and two months after using hormonal contraceptives. I hypothesized that women would experience increased social stress after beginning hormonal contraceptives, compared to a control group of women who were also assessed twice. Results did not support this hypothesis; there was no difference in interpersonal …

Examining The Effects Of Oral Contraceptive Use On Thermoregulation, Whitley C. Atkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of combined (estradiol and progestin) monophasic oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use on thermoregulation. Further, we sought to evaluate OCP use on acute rehydration post-exercise in the heat using recommended rehydration guidelines. Methods: Twelve healthy, aerobically trained (VO2peak = 47.8 ± 4.7 mL/kg/min), long term female oral contraceptive users completed a familiarization trial and two experimental days separated by ≥ 7 days. The two experimental trials were identical except for the hormone dosing phase. One trial was completed during the third week of active pill dosing (ACT) and one during …

Tennessee Abortion Policy Summary - May 2022, Center For Applied Reasearch And Evaluation In Women's Health, East Tennessee State University

Center for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE) in Women's Health Issue Briefs

With the U.S. Supreme Court anticipated to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision (and the modifications to that decision by Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey from 1992), the protection, regulation, or prohibition of abortion would likely default to state laws and state constitutions. Therefore, to understand how this upcoming Supreme Court decision could impact access to abortion in Tennessee, it is useful to examine both key current state laws in effect related to abortion access, as well as the current state of access to abortion in Tennessee. This brief intends only to summarize current Tennessee state laws …

Protest-Related Tear Gas Exposure And Menstrual Function, Emily Kathleen (Steinmetz) Reece

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the racial justice protests of 2020 and 2021, crowd control chemical irritants (referred to as “tear gas”) were deployed against protesters, after which there were anecdotal reports of altered menstrual cycles among exposed individuals. There is only one peer reviewed published study on tear gas exposure and menstrual health. This study examined whether tear gas exposure was associated with menstrual cycle outcomes among women attending the 2020-2021 protests. Data from 103 women who attended racial justice protests in 2020 and 2021 were collected through an online questionnaire. Data included protest attendance, acute symptoms of tear gas exposure, whether medical …

Perceptions, Knowledge, And Attitudes About Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (Larcs) Among Women In Appalachian Tennessee, Fenose Osedeme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Tennessee (TN), the rate of unintended pregnancies remains higher than the national rate (32.4% vs. 30.3%). Although long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are 99% effective in preventing undesired pregnancies; uptake remains low in rural and underserved communities. Previous research has provided some insight into women’s perceptions of LARCs; however, those guided by conceptual frameworks to understand the multiple influences that impact perceptions towards LARCs, especially among rural regions, are scarce. This multimethod qualitative study explored multiple influences that impact northeast Tennessee women’s perceptions and attitudes toward LARCs using the Socio-ecological Model (SEM) as a guiding framework.

The study comprised six …

Exploring Higher Weight Women's Experiences Of Provider Weight Stigma, Meredith W. Moore

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the phenomena of weight stigma as experienced by higher weight women in mental health treatment who also engage in restrictive eating behaviors. Women in larger bodies who are emotionally or behaviorally restrictive in their eating behaviors face a unique set of challenges and barriers. These include challenges due the disordered eating behaviors themselves, along with barriers related to weight stigma perpetuated by the mental health providers treating them (Harrop, 2019). Distinct hurdles to proper treatment including delay of diagnosis, longer duration of symptoms, and increased distress related to eating and body …

An Evaluation Of Seasonal Maternal-Neonatal Morbidity Related To Trainee Cycles, Ayamo Oben, Paula Mcgee, William A Grobman, Jennifer L Bailit, Ronald J Wapner, Michael W Varner, John M Thorp, Steve N Caritis, Mona Prasad, George R Saade, Dwight J Rouse, Sean C Blackwell, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND:

The existence of the “July phenomenon” (worse outcomes related to the presence of new physician trainees in teaching hospitals) has been debated in the literature and media. Previous studies of the phenomenon in obstetrics are limited by the quality and detail of data.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate whether the months of June to August, when transitions in trainees occur, are associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity.

STUDY DESIGN:

Secondary analysis of an observational cohort of 115,502 mother–infant pairs that delivered at 25 hospitals from March 2008 to February 2011. Inclusion criteria were an individual who had a singleton, nonanomalous …

Predictive Performance Of Newborn Small For Gestational Age By A Us Intrauterine Versus Birth Weight-Derived Standard For Short-Term Neonatal Morbidity And Mortality, Nathan R Blue, Lisa Mele, William A Grobman, Jennifer L Bailit, Ronald J Wapner, John M Thorp, Steve N Caritis, Mona Prasad, Alan T N Tita, George R Saade, Dwight J Rouse, Sean C Blackwell, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (Mfmu) Network

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective:

The use of birth weight standards to define small for gestational age (SGA) may fail to identify neonates affected by poor fetal growth since they include births associated with sub-optimal fetal growth. Our objective was to compare intrauterine versus birth weight-derived standards to define newborn SGA to predict neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Study Design:

This was a secondary analysis of a multi-center observational study of 118,422 births. Liveborn singleton, non-anomalous newborns born at 23–41 weeks were included. Those with missing gestational age estimation or without a 1^st or 2^nd trimester ultrasound to confirm dating, birth weight, or …

Caregiver-Child Conversations About Sex In African American Women, Hannah King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using grounded theory methods, this study examines the experience of African American women during their caregiver-child conversations about sex and the impacts of the conversations on their sexual attitudes. The process of these conversations begins with an unplanned topic and progresses further to identify six essential themes of these conversations: gender differences, race and religion, protective/emphasis on protection, lack of knowledge, withholding knowledge, and sex negativity/shame. African American women’s description of the process included feelings of shame and negativity towards their sexuality. Caregivers promoted positive messages about sex by having open conversations that advocated for equality between the genders, empower …

Factors Associated With Independent National Health Insurance Ownership Among Reproductive Aged Women In Indonesia, Ika Putri Widiarti, Haerawati Idris

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Indonesia has been aiming toward universal health coverage since 2019, but it has yet to be achieved. The National Health Insurance (NHI) program provides individual services for women of reproductive age who require health care before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and at the time of labor. This study aims to analyze factors associated with independent NHI ownership among women of reproductive age in Indonesia.

Methods: Secondary data from the Wave 5 Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) involving 2,084 women of reproductive age were used. The chi-square test and logistic regression test were used for data analysis.

Results: …

Parenthood Orientation Among Young Women: Is It Associated With Pregnancy Intention And Unprotected Intercourse?, Nakeisha Blades

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored relationships between parenthood orientation, pregnancy intention, and unprotected intercourse. Nulligravid, sexually active women aged 18-29 (N = 252) were surveyed on these topics in May 2019. There were significant differences in parenthood orientation by past and current pregnancy intention. Higher scores on parenthood orientation were associated with increased odds of past unprotected intercourse and expecting future unprotected intercourse. Only education and contraceptive self-efficacy retained significance in adjusted models. Study results are consistent with prior work on parenthood orientation and pregnancy intention and point to other factors as stronger correlates of contraceptive use.

Increasing Physical Activity In Women With Obesity To Promote Weight Loss, Ashley N. Kohler

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Obesity is a chronic disease associated with a multitude of lifelong chronic illnesses. Obesity impacts more than 42% of the United States population (CDC, 2021b). Physical inactivity is a major determinant of obesity (Muerer et al., 2019). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to promote a greater reduction in body mass index (BMI) of the participants enrolled in an existing wellness program at the EBP practice site by increasing the physical activity level of the participants compared to standard protocol. The existing wellness program’s standard protocol included diet modifications, physical activity encouragement, and medication management. The EBP …

Dnp Final Report: Sane Finder: A Web-Based Mobile Solution To Identify The Location Of Currently Available Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (Sane) For First Responders, Brenda D. Herrmann

DNP Final Reports

Society views sexual assault as one of the most horrific crimes committed by one human being against another, but the “rescue” has the potential to make the experience even more difficult for the victim, in essence re-traumatizing them (Nugent-Borakove et al., 2006). In the United States in 2018, almost 140,000 victims reported being sexually assaulted (U.S. Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2019). In Texas, over 6 million individuals have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime (Busch-Armendariz et al., 2015). Getting victims to a specially trained sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) as quickly as possible improves outcomes. SANEs …

Rural Resiliency: The Cause And Effect Of Minnesota's Maternal Health Crisis, Annabel Traudie Gregg

Geography Honors Projects

The United States is experiencing a maternal health crisis that disproportionately affects those who give birth in rural communities. Rural birthing people have higher maternal mortality rates, increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage, non-indicated cesarean sections, and other adverse health outcomes. Despite the enhanced risks of rural birth, rural communities are losing access to hospital-based obstetric care at an unprecedented rate. Minnesota has vast rural territory, with one-fourth of its population living outside the urban sphere ­– making it a strategic area of study. As of July, 2021, 31% of Minnesota’s 91 rural hospitals were at risk of closing. The repercussions …

Protecting A Woman’S Right To Abortion During A Public Health Crisis, San Juanita Gonzalez

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

As COVID-19 infected our nation, states were quick to issue executive orders restricting various aspects of daily life under the pretense of public safety. It was clear at the outset that certain civil liberties were going to be tested. Among them, the constitutional right to an abortion.

This comment explores Texas’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the limitations it imposed on abortion access. It will attempt to address the legitimacy of the “public health concerns” listed in executive orders issued throughout numerous states and will discuss the pertinent legal framework and judicial scrutiny to apply.

According to the Fifth …

Responding To Sexual Abuse In Health Care: Development Of A Guide For Patients, Tristan Mcintosh, Heidi Walsh, Meredith Parsons, Erin D. Solomon, Jessica Mozersky, James M. Dubois

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

This report details the development of a stakeholder- and evidence-informed online resource guide for patients that provides information to raise awareness about sexual abuse in health care, the value of chaperones, and options for responding to sexual abuse. The guide was developed to reflect lessons learned from 10 years of researching physician wrongdoing (ie, sexual violations, improper prescribing, and unnecessary invasive procedures), a 5-year National Institutes of Health-funded mixed-methods study of 280 cases of egregious wrongdoing in medicine, and an expert working group. Focus groups were conducted with 22 patients from diverse backgrounds to obtain feedback on the acceptability of …

A Peer-Led Evidence-Based Contraceptive Counseling Initiative, Megan K. Tenbarge

DNP Projects

The experience of sexual health and wellness varies for newly independent college freshman. For reproductive-age women, gaps in knowledge and self-efficacy overlap with barriers accessing contraception and reproductive health care contributing to high-risk behavior and poor sexual health outcomes. Community-based participatory research was used to develop and implement a peer-education program targeting sorority women on a college campus in the Southeastern United States in the fall semester of 2021. Two senior nursing majors completed continuing education to be empowered as peer-educators using The University of California San Francisco Beyond the Pill framework. They engaged directly with nursing faculty stakeholders and …

The Effects Of Exercise And Nursing Care On Postpartum Depression, Greyson Whaley

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Abstract

Introduction and Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), “postpartum depression is depression that occurs after having a baby which is more intense and lasts longer than those of “baby blues,” a term used to describe the worry, sadness, and tiredness many women experience after having a baby.” It also states, “1 in 8 women report symptoms of depression after giving birth, about 1 in 5 (20%) women were not asked about depression during a prenatal visit, and over half (50%) of pregnant women with depression were not treated.”

Purpose Statement: The purpose of this …

Sensory Integration For Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Nadien Albanna

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Since the start of the global pandemic, stay-at-home orders forced IPV survivors to stay in the home with abusers, increasing the risk of abuse, and the impact of psychological trauma. (Bright et al., 2020). Occupational therapists are trained professionals in incorporating sensory-based strategies to focus on the somatic manifestations experienced by the body from trauma and can help to regulate physiological and psychological responses through sensory stimuli (Mcgreevy & Boland et al., 2020). The development of this project sparked an opportunity to publish a new framework to introduce the role of sensory integration in treating survivors of intimate partner violence …

Eta Sigma Gamma - Georgia Southern University Chapter: Breast Cancer Awareness Health Communication Plan, Jill Johns, Omolola Okunromade

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

The health communication plan was used to evaluate public health communication and advocacy promotion by efficiently increasing awareness about breast health and preventive services such as mammography screening among college students and women eligible for breast cancer screening. The communication plan was targeted towards empowering the Georgia Southern University chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma (ESG) members and other college students to act as health advocates by virtually disseminating information through the Facebook platform to their peer groups and social networks including friends and families in their community.

The purposes of the program evaluation and implementation measurement were to: 1) monitor …