Elaborate Mimetic Vocal Displays by Female Superb Lyrebirds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasia H Dalziell

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Some of the most striking vocalizations in birds are made by males that incorporate vocal mimicry in their sexual displays. Mimetic vocalization in females is largely undescribed, but it is unclear whether this is because of a lack of selection for vocal mimicry in females, or whether the phenomenon has simply been overlooked. These issues are thrown into sharp relief in the superb lyrebird, Menura novaehollandiae, a basal oscine passerine with a lek-like mating system and female uniparental care. The spectacular mimetic song display produced by courting male lyrebirds is a textbook example of a sexually selected trait, but the vocalizations of female lyrebirds are largely unknown. Here, we provide the first analysis of the structure and context of the vocalizations of female lyrebirds. Female lyrebirds were completely silent during courtship; however, females regularly produced sophisticated vocal displays incorporating both lyrebird-specific vocalizations and imitations of sounds within their environment. The structure of female vocalizations varied significantly with context. While foraging, females mostly produced a complex lyrebird-specific song, whereas they gave lyrebird-specific alarm calls most often during nest defense. Within their vocal displays females also included a variety of mimetic vocalizations, including imitations of the calls of dangerous predators, and of alarm calls and song of harmless heterospecifics. Females gave more mimetic vocalizations during nest defense than while foraging, and the types of sounds they imitated varied between these contexts, suggesting that mimetic vocalizations have more than one function. These results are inconsistent with previous portrayals of vocalizations by female lyrebirds as rare, functionless by-products of sexual selection on males. Instead, our results support the hypotheses that complex female vocalizations play a role in nest defense and mediate female-female competition for

Frequent occurrence of uniparental disomy in colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Claus Lindbjerg; Wiuf, Carsten; Kruhøffer, Mogens

2007-01-01

  We used SNP arrays to identify and characterize genomic alterations associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Laser microdissected cancer cells from 15 adenocarinomas were investigated by Affymetrix Mapping 10K SNP arrays. Analysis of the data extracted from the SNP arrays revealed multiple......, consisting of 17 normal mucosa and 66 adenocarcinoma samples. The transcriptional analysis revealed an unchanged expression level in areas with intact copy number, including regions with uniparental disomy, and a reduced expression level in the LOH regions representing factual losses (including 5q, 8p and 17......p). The analysis also showed that genes in regions with increased copy number (including 7p and 20q) were predominantly upregulated. Further analyses of the SNP data revealed a subset of the identified alterations to be specifically associated with TP53 inactivation (including 8q gain and 17p loss...

Female nurses' sensitivity to male genitalia-related care in mainland China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zang, Yu-Li; Chung, Loretta Y F; Wong, Thomas K S; Chan, Moon Fai

2012-02-01

To discover the latent psychosocial construct of female nurses' sensitivity to male genitalia-related care in the context of sexual conservativeness. Many nursing activities involve direct exposure or contact with male external genitalia. In the sexually conservative culture and the predominance of female nurses, this area is the subject of continuing interest and investigation. Methodological research design. An item pool related to male genitalia-related care was generated through a panel of experts and then reduced to a short form questionnaire, the Female Nurses' Sensitivity to Male Genitalia Related Care scale. Using data from a purposive sample of 588 female nurses, the structure of the questionnaire was examined using structural equation modelling. The validity was examined against existing scales. The 13-item Female Nurses' Sensitivity to Male Genitalia Related Care scale has a two-factor structure with high internal consistency (α = 0·87) and test-retest reliability of 0·90. Nearly all model fit measures reach the criteria of being an acceptable model fit except chi-squared statistics. Scores on Female Nurses' Sensitivity to Male Genitalia Related Care can be best predicted by that of brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Embarrassability Scale and Situational Susceptibility to Embarrassment Scale. The anxiety of projecting a positive image and the pursuit of sexual propriety may underpin female nurses' sensitivity to male genitalia-related care. This trait can be measured by the 13-item female nurses' sensitivity-male genitalia-related care scale with satisfactory psychometric properties including internal consistency, reliability, content validity and construct validity. Particular attention shall be paid to the negative effects of social rules or norms including sexual propriety rules over (female) nurses' perceptions, attitudes and behaviours. Strengthening nursing education in this regard is important to overcome negative effects on female

Linking sex differences in corticosterone with individual reproductive behaviour and hatch success in two species of uniparental shorebirds.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Darryl B; Chin, Eunice H; Burness, Gary; Gilchrist, H Grant; Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I

2013-09-01

In birds, corticosterone (CORT) appears to facilitate reproductive activity because baseline and stress-induced CORT levels are elevated in breeding individuals compared with other times of the year. In particular, CORT is lower in the sex providing most of the parental care (i.e., incubation), which could be an important adaptation to tolerate stressors that result in abandoning reproduction. Therefore, one explanation for sex differences in CORT is that lower levels are favoured during the incubation/parental phase of reproduction. Using two species of uniparental shorebird - polyandrous red phalaropes (Phalaropus fulicarius) and polygynous white-rumped sandpipers (Calidris fuscicollis) - we predicted that the incubating sex would have lower baseline and stress-induced CORT, and incubating individuals with lower CORT would more effectively defend nests against a simulated intrusion, would return more quickly afterwards, and would ultimately have higher hatch success. We found that phalaropes followed the predicted pattern: incubating individuals (males) had lower baseline and stress-induced CORT than females but for baseline CORT these differences existed prior to males commencing incubation. Incubating male phalaropes with lower baseline and stress-induced CORT returned to incubate more quickly after a disturbance and there was non-significant tendency for baseline CORT to be lower in successful nests. In sandpipers, we observed no sex differences and no significant relationships between individual CORT levels and nest defence behaviours or hatch success. Our results demonstrate that in phalaropes at least, selection favours lower baseline and stress-induced CORT during the nesting period. These results can explain sex differences in stress-induced levels of CORT, however sex differences in baseline CORT were present prior to incubation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Time allocation between feeding and incubation in uniparental arctic-breeding shorebirds: energy reserves provide leeway in a tight schedule

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tulp, I.Y.M.; Schekkerman, H.

2006-01-01

Birds with uniparental incubation may face a time allocation problem between incubation and feeding. Eggs need regular warming to hatch successfully, but the parent must leave the nest to feed and safeguard its own survival. Time allocation during incubation is likely to depend on factors

Uniparental genetic markers in South Amerindians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Bisso-Machado

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A comprehensive review of uniparental systems in South Amerindians was undertaken. Variability in the Y-chromosome haplogroups were assessed in 68 populations and 1,814 individuals whereas that of Y-STR markers was assessed in 29 populations and 590 subjects. Variability in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA haplogroup was examined in 108 populations and 6,697 persons, and sequencing studies used either the complete mtDNA genome or the highly variable segments 1 and 2. The diversity of the markers made it difficult to establish a general picture of Y-chromosome variability in the populations studied. However, haplogroup Q1a3a* was almost always the most prevalent whereas Q1a3* occurred equally in all regions, which suggested its prevalence among the early colonizers. The STR allele frequencies were used to derive a possible ancient Native American Q-clade chromosome haplotype and five of six STR loci showed significant geographic variation. Geographic and linguistic factors moderately influenced the mtDNA distributions (6% and 7%, respectively and mtDNA haplogroups A and D correlated positively and negatively, respectively, with latitude. The data analyzed here provide rich material for understanding the biological history of South Amerindians and can serve as a basis for comparative studies involving other types of data, such as cultural data.

Bloom syndrome and maternal uniparental disomy for chromosome 15

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodage, T.; Prasad, M.; Trent, R.J.; Smith, A. (Children' s Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales (New Zealand)); Dixon, J.W.; Romain, D.R.; Columbano-Green, L.M.; Selby, R.E. (Wellington Hospital (New Zealand)); Graham, D. (Waikato Hospital, Hamilton (New Zealand)); Rogan, P.K. (Pennsylvania State Univ., Hershey, PA (United States)) (and others)

1994-07-01

Bloom syndrome (BS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by increases in the frequency of sister-chromatid exchange and in the incidence of malignancy. Chromosome-transfer studies have shown the BS locus to map to chromosome 15q. This report describes a subject with features of both BS and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Molecular analysis showed maternal uniparental disomy for chromosome 15. Meiotic recombination between the two disomic chromosomes 15 has resulted in heterodisomy for proximal 15q and isodisomy for distal 15q. In this individual BS is probably due to homozygosity for a gene that is telomeric to D15S95 (15q25), rather than to genetic imprinting, the mechanism responsible for the development of PWS. This report represents the first application of disomy analysis to the regional localization of a disease gene. This strategy promises to be useful in the genetic mapping of other uncommon autosomal recessive conditions. 37 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Uniparental isodisomy of chromosome 14 in two cases: An abnormal child and a normal adult

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papenhausen, P.R.; Mueller, O.T.; Sutcliffe, M.; Diamond, T.M.; Kousseff, B.G. [Univ. of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL (United States); Johnson, V.P. [Univ. of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD (United States)

1995-11-20

Uniparental disomy (UPD) of a number of different chromosomes has been found in association with abnormal phenotypes. A growing body of evidence for an imprinting effect involving chromosome 14 has been accumulating. We report on a case of paternal UPD of chromosome 14 studied in late gestation due to polyhydramnios and a ventral wall hernia. A prenatal karyotype documented a balanced Robertsonian 14:14 translocation. The baby was born prematurely with hairy forehead, retrognathia, mild puckering of the lips and finger contractures. Hypotonia has persisted since birth and at age one year, a tracheostomy for laryngomalacia and gastrostomy for feeding remain necessary. Absence of maternal VNTR polymorphisms and homozygosity of paternal polymorphisms using chromosome 14 specific probes at D14S22 and D14S13 loci indicated paternal uniparental isodisomy (pUPID). Parental chromosomes were normal. We also report on a case of maternal LTPD in a normal patient with a balanced Robertsonian 14:14 translocation and a history of multiple miscarriages. Five previous reports of chromosome 14 UPD suggest that an adverse developmental effect may be more severe whenever the UPD is paternal in origin. This is the second reported patient with paternal UPD and the fifth reported with maternal UPD, and only few phenotypic similarities are apparent. Examination of these chromosome 14 UPD cases of maternal and paternal origin suggests that there are syndromic imprinting effects. 30 refs., 3 figs.

The origin of parental care in relation to male and female life history.

Science.gov (United States)

Klug, Hope; Bonsall, Michael B; Alonzo, Suzanne H

2013-04-01

The evolution of maternal, paternal, and bi-parental care has been the focus of a great deal of research. Males and females vary in basic life-history characteristics (e.g., stage-specific mortality, maturation) in ways that are unrelated to parental investment. Surprisingly, few studies have examined the effect of this variation in male and female life history on the evolution of care. Here, we use a theoretical approach to determine the sex-specific life-history characteristics that give rise to the origin of paternal, maternal, or bi-parental care from an ancestral state of no care. Females initially invest more into each egg than males. Despite this inherent difference between the sexes, paternal, maternal, and bi-parental care are equally likely when males and females are otherwise similar. Thus, sex differences in initial zygotic investment do not explain the origin of one pattern of care over another. However, sex differences in adult mortality, egg maturation rate, and juvenile survival affect the pattern of care that will be most likely to evolve. Maternal care is more likely if female adult mortality is high, whereas paternal care is more likely if male adult mortality is high. These findings suggest that basic life-history differences between the sexes can alone explain the origin of maternal, paternal, and bi-parental care. As a result, the influence of life-history characteristics should be considered as a baseline scenario in studies examining the origin of care.

The extremely divergent maternally- and paternally-transmitted mitochondrial genomes are co-expressed in somatic tissues of two freshwater mussel species with doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA

Science.gov (United States)

Breton, Sophie; Bouvet, Karim; Auclair, Gabrielle; Ghazal, Stephanie; Sietman, Bernard E.; Johnson, Nathan A.; Bettinazzi, Stefano; Dtewart, Donald T.; Guerra, Davide

2017-01-01

Freshwater mussel species with doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mtDNA are unique because they are naturally heteroplasmic for two extremely divergent mtDNAs with ~50% amino acid differences for protein-coding genes. The paternally-transmitted mtDNA (or M mtDNA) clearly functions in sperm in these species, but it is still unknown whether it is transcribed when present in male or female soma. In the present study, we used PCR and RT-PCR to detect the presence and expression of the M mtDNA in male and female somatic and gonadal tissues of the freshwater mussel species Venustaconcha ellipsiformis and Utterbackia peninsularis (Unionidae). This is the first study demonstrating that the M mtDNA is transcribed not only in male gonads, but also in male and female soma in freshwater mussels with DUI. Because of the potentially deleterious nature of heteroplasmy, we suggest the existence of different mechanisms in DUI species to deal with this possibly harmful situation, such as silencing mechanisms for the M mtDNA at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional and/or post-translational levels. These hypotheses will necessitate additional studies in distantly-related DUI species that could possess different mechanisms of action to deal with heteroplasmy.

Uniparental Markers of Contemporary Italian Population Reveals Details on Its Pre-Roman Heritage

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Fondevila, Manuel; Blanco-Verea, Alejandro; Carracedo, Ángel; Pascali, Vincenzo L.; Capelli, Cristian

2012-01-01

Background According to archaeological records and historical documentation, Italy has been a melting point for populations of different geographical and ethnic matrices. Although Italy has been a favorite subject for numerous population genetic studies, genetic patterns have never been analyzed comprehensively, including uniparental and autosomal markers throughout the country. Methods/Principal Findings A total of 583 individuals were sampled from across the Italian Peninsula, from ten distant (if homogeneous by language) ethnic communities — and from two linguistic isolates (Ladins, Grecani Salentini). All samples were first typed for the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and selected coding region SNPs (mtSNPs). This data was pooled for analysis with 3,778 mtDNA control-region profiles collected from the literature. Secondly, a set of Y-chromosome SNPs and STRs were also analyzed in 479 individuals together with a panel of autosomal ancestry informative markers (AIMs) from 441 samples. The resulting genetic record reveals clines of genetic frequencies laid according to the latitude slant along continental Italy – probably generated by demographical events dating back to the Neolithic. The Ladins showed distinctive, if more recent structure. The Neolithic contribution was estimated for the Y-chromosome as 14.5% and for mtDNA as 10.5%. Y-chromosome data showed larger differentiation between North, Center and South than mtDNA. AIMs detected a minor sub-Saharan component; this is however higher than for other European non-Mediterranean populations. The same signal of sub-Saharan heritage was also evident in uniparental markers. Conclusions/Significance Italy shows patterns of molecular variation mirroring other European countries, although some heterogeneity exists based on different analysis and molecular markers. From North to South, Italy shows clinal patterns that were most likely modulated during Neolithic times. PMID:23251386

Uniparental markers of contemporary Italian population reveals details on its pre-Roman heritage.

Science.gov (United States)

Brisighelli, Francesca; Álvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Fondevila, Manuel; Blanco-Verea, Alejandro; Carracedo, Angel; Pascali, Vincenzo L; Capelli, Cristian; Salas, Antonio

2012-01-01

According to archaeological records and historical documentation, Italy has been a melting point for populations of different geographical and ethnic matrices. Although Italy has been a favorite subject for numerous population genetic studies, genetic patterns have never been analyzed comprehensively, including uniparental and autosomal markers throughout the country. A total of 583 individuals were sampled from across the Italian Peninsula, from ten distant (if homogeneous by language) ethnic communities--and from two linguistic isolates (Ladins, Grecani Salentini). All samples were first typed for the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and selected coding region SNPs (mtSNPs). This data was pooled for analysis with 3,778 mtDNA control-region profiles collected from the literature. Secondly, a set of Y-chromosome SNPs and STRs were also analyzed in 479 individuals together with a panel of autosomal ancestry informative markers (AIMs) from 441 samples. The resulting genetic record reveals clines of genetic frequencies laid according to the latitude slant along continental Italy--probably generated by demographical events dating back to the Neolithic. The Ladins showed distinctive, if more recent structure. The Neolithic contribution was estimated for the Y-chromosome as 14.5% and for mtDNA as 10.5%. Y-chromosome data showed larger differentiation between North, Center and South than mtDNA. AIMs detected a minor sub-Saharan component; this is however higher than for other European non-Mediterranean populations. The same signal of sub-Saharan heritage was also evident in uniparental markers. Italy shows patterns of molecular variation mirroring other European countries, although some heterogeneity exists based on different analysis and molecular markers. From North to South, Italy shows clinal patterns that were most likely modulated during Neolithic times.

Availability and Price of High Quality Day Care and Female Employment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simonsen, Marianne

In this paper I analyse to what degree availability and price of high quality publicly subsidised childcare affects female employment for women living in couples following maternity leave. The results show that unrestricted access to day care has a significantly positive effct on female employment.......The price effect is significantly negative: An increase in the price of child care of C=1 will decrease the female employment with 0.08% corresponding to a price elasticity of −0.17. This effect prevails during the first 12 months after childbirth....

Angelman syndrome with uniparental disomy due to paternal meiosis II nondisjunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyftodimou, J; Karadima, G; Pandelia, E; Vassilopoulos, D; Petersen, M B

1999-06-01

We report a case of Angelman syndrome (AS) with paternal uniparental disomy (pUPD) of chromosome 15. This 6-year-old girl with overgrowth had frequent, but only provoked laughter, was mildly ataxic with limb hypertonia, and had no intelligible speech. She had deep-set eyes, protruding tongue, and prominent chin. The karyotype was normal. DNA analysis with microsatellites from chromosome 15 showed no inheritance of maternal alleles both within and outside the AS critical region. Proximal markers showed reduction to homozygosity of paternal alleles, intermediate markers showed nonreduction, and distal markers reduction, thus suggesting a meiosis II nondisjunction event in the father with two crossovers. This is, to our knowledge, the first reported case of AS due to meiosis II nondisjunction. We present detailed physical measurements in this patient, adding to the clinical description of the milder phenotype in AS due to pUPD.

Establishing female-only areas in psychiatry wards to improve safety and quality of care for women.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulkarni, Jayashri; Gavrilidis, Emmy; Lee, Stuart; Van Rheenen, Tamsyn E; Grigg, Jasmin; Hayes, Emily; Lee, Adeline; Ong, Roy; Seeary, Amy; Andersen, Shelley; Worsley, Rosie; Keppich-Arnold, Sandra; Stafrace, Simon

2014-12-01

Our aim was to assess the impact of creating a female-only area within a mixed-gender inpatient psychiatry service, on female patient safety and experience of care. The Alfred hospital reconfigured one of its two psychiatry wards to include a female-only area. Documented incidents compromising the safety of women on each ward in the 6 months following the refurbishment were compared. Further, a questionnaire assessing perceived safety and experience of care was administered to female inpatients on both wards, and staff feedback was also obtained. The occurrence of documented incidents compromising females' safety was found to be significantly lower on the ward containing a female-only area. Women staying on this ward rated their perceived safety and experience of care significantly more positively than women staying where no such gender segregation was available. Further, the female-only area was identified by the majority of surveyed staff to provide a safer environment for female patients. Establishing female-only areas in psychiatry wards is an effective way to improve the safety and experience of care for female patients. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation in Female Health Care ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

levels among female health care professionals in the age group of 25‑35 years and its impact on health. Subjects ... For these, initial assessment of anthropometric measurement, electrocardiogram ... report of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, ... most widely used psychological instrument for measuring the.

Adrenal Insufficiency, Sex Reversal, and Angelman Syndrome due to Uniparental Disomy Unmasking a Mutation in CYP11A1.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ahlee; Fujimoto, Masanobu; Hwa, Vivian; Backeljauw, Philippe; Dauber, Andrew

2018-01-01

Cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) deficiency is a rare genetic disorder causing primary adrenal insufficiency with or without a 46,XY disorder of sexual development (DSD). Herein, we report a case of the combination of primary adrenal insufficiency, a DSD (testes with female external genitalia in a setting of a 47,XXY karyotype), and Angelman syndrome. Comprehensive genetic analyses were performed, including a single nucleotide polymorphism microarray and whole-exome sequencing. In vitro studies were performed to evaluate the pathogenicity of the novel mutation that was identified by whole-exome sequencing. The patient was found to have segmental uniparental disomy (UPD) of chromosome 15 explaining her diagnosis of Angelman syndrome. Whole-exome sequencing further revealed a novel homozygous intronic variant in CYP11A1, the gene encoding P450scc, found within the region of UPD. In vitro studies confirmed that this variant led to decreased efficiency of CYP11A1 splicing. We report the first case of the combination of 2 rare genetic disorders, Angelman syndrome, and P450scc deficiency. After 20 years of diagnostic efforts, significant advances in genetic diagnostic technology allowed us to determine that these 2 disorders originate from a unified genetic etiology, segmental UPD unmasking a novel recessive mutation in CYP11A1. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

National female literacy, individual socio-economic status, and maternal health care use in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

McTavish, Sarah; Moore, Spencer; Harper, Sam; Lynch, John

2010-12-01

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals have identified improving women's access to maternal health care as a key target in reducing maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA). Although individual factors such as income and urban residence can affect maternal health care use, little is known about national-level factors associated with use. Yet, such knowledge may highlight the importance of global and national policies in improving use. This study examines the importance of national female literacy on women's maternal health care use in continental sSA. Data that come from the 2002-2003 World Health Survey. Multilevel logistic regression was used to examine the association between national female literacy and individual's non-use of maternal health care, while adjusting for individual-level factors and national economic development. Analyses also assessed effect modification of the association between income and non-use by female literacy. Effect modification was evaluated with the likelihood ratio test (G(2)). We found that within countries, individual age, education, urban residence and household income were associated with lack of maternal health care. National female literacy modified the association of household income with lack of maternal health care use. The strength of the association between income and lack of maternal health care was weaker in countries with higher female literacy. We conclude therefore that higher national levels of female literacy may reduce income-related inequalities in use through a range of possible mechanisms, including women's increased labour participation and higher status in society. National policies that are able to address female literacy and women's status in sub-Saharan Africa may help reduce income-related inequalities in maternal health care use. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Female infant in Egypt: mortality and child care.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, W; Beheiri, F; El-drini, H; Manala-od; Bulbul, A

1981-01-01

Deviation from the normative sex-pattern of infant deaths is so large in Egypt that nearly 1/3 of female deaths can be attributed to a sex-specific cause: lesser care of the female child. This article reports on child neglect which may account for the relatively lower survival rate of the female infant, despite its biological advantage over the male. This knowledge is seen as vital in planning interventions. The investigation answers 3 questions relating to the sex-specific factors of death among female infants: do girls display a poorer level of nutrition compared to boys? Is there evidence to show that sickness episodes of female infants are treated more carelessly than those of male infants? Are there reasons to believe that girls are more exposed to life-threatening psychological factors than are boys? A group of 598 families in low-income districts of Cairo was randomly chosen to receive regular monthly visits by a team of trained field invstigators over a 1-year period. The sample is thought to represent life in urban quarters of Egypt, described as pervasively rural in orientations despite urban occupations and living conditions. The study finds no significant sex difference in nutritional status until the 6th month of life. Around this period, 2/5 of the female group but 1/4 of the male show signs of malnutrition as measured by weight. The difference continues to increase and is very statistically significant by the end of the year. Nutritional status of female infants tended to decline with an addition of daughters in the family. Also, at birth orders 2 ot 5 and in large families of 4-5 children, the relative nutritional disadvantage of the female infant is statistically significant. Moreover, a very distinct sex-difference in dietary patterns is observed as no boy was deprived of supplementary feeding during the 2nd 1/2 of the year but only 1/15 girls received food other than breast milk during this period. Despite some evidence highly suggestive of

Gender stereotypes in psychosocial care for female crack and powder cocaine users.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Érika Barbosa de Oliveira; Pereira, Adriana Lenho de Figueiredo; Penna, Lúcia Helena Garcia

2018-05-10

The study analyzed health professionals' conceptions toward female users of crack and powder cocaine currently receiving psychosocial care, based on a gender perspective. Seventeen health professionals were interviewed, and systematic observations were made of the spaces for collective care in a Center for Psychosocial Care specializing in alcohol and drug addiction in Greater Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Analysis of the interviews and field diaries using the hermeneutic-dialectic method revealed three categories: frailty as a constitutive attribute of women's condition, the women's emotional addiction to crack and powder cocaine use, and gender stereotypes during psychosocial care. The health professionals voiced a traditional view of the heterosexual, docile, and maternal woman and reproduced stereotypical concepts when addressing female crack and cocaine users as sensitive, frail individuals, emotionally dependent on men and more involved in the home and family. These professionals need a more refined understanding of gender issues in the mental health-disease process in order to allow overcoming preconceived notions and reductionist health care practices.

Doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondria as a model system for studying germ line formation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana Milani

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Doubly Uniparental Inheritance (DUI of mitochondria occurs when both mothers and fathers are capable of transmitting mitochondria to their offspring, in contrast to the typical Strictly Maternal Inheritance (SMI. DUI was found in some bivalve molluscs, in which two mitochondrial genomes are inherited, one through eggs, the other through sperm. During male embryo development, spermatozoon mitochondria aggregate in proximity of the first cleavage furrow and end up in the primordial germ cells, while they are dispersed in female embryos. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used MitoTracker, microtubule staining and transmission electron microscopy to examine the mechanisms of this unusual distribution of sperm mitochondria in the DUI species Ruditapes philippinarum. Our results suggest that in male embryos the midbody deriving from the mitotic spindle of the first division concurs in positioning the aggregate of sperm mitochondria. Furthermore, an immunocytochemical analysis showed that the germ line determinant Vasa segregates close to the first cleavage furrow. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In DUI male embryos, spermatozoon mitochondria aggregate in a stable area on the animal-vegetal axis: in organisms with spiral segmentation this zone is not involved in cleavage, so the aggregation is maintained. Moreover, sperm mitochondria reach the same embryonic area in which also germ plasm is transferred. In 2-blastomere embryos, the segregation of sperm mitochondria in the same region with Vasa suggests their contribution in male germ line formation. In DUI male embryos, M-type mitochondria must be recognized by egg factors to be actively transferred in the germ line, where they become dominant replacing the Balbiani body mitochondria. The typical features of germ line assembly point to a common biological mechanism shared by DUI and SMI organisms. Although the molecular dynamics of the segregation of sperm mitochondria in DUI species are unknown

Uniparental mitochondrial DNA inheritance is not affected in Ustilago maydis Δatg11 mutants blocked in mitophagy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner-Vogel, Gaby; Lämmer, Frauke; Kämper, Jörg; Basse, Christoph W

2015-02-06

Maternal or uniparental inheritance (UPI) of mitochondria is generally observed in sexual eukaryotes, however, the underlying mechanisms are diverse and largely unknown. Recently, based on the use of mutants blocked in autophagy, it has been demonstrated that autophagy is required for strict maternal inheritance in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Uniparental mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) inheritance has been well documented for numerous fungal species, and in particular, has been shown to be genetically governed by the mating-type loci in the isogamous species Cryptococcus neoformans, Phycomyces blakesleeanus and Ustilago maydis. Previously, we have shown that the a2 mating-type locus gene lga2 is decisive for UPI during sexual development of U. maydis. In axenic culture, conditional overexpression of lga2 triggers efficient loss of mtDNA as well as mitophagy. To assess a functional relationship, we have investigated UPI in U. maydis Δatg11 mutants, which are blocked in mitophagy. This study has revealed that Δatg11 mutants are not affected in pathogenic development and this has allowed us to analyse UPI under comparable developmental conditions between mating-compatible wild-type and mutant strain combinations. Explicitly, we have examined two independent strain combinations that gave rise to different efficiencies of UPI. We demonstrate that in both cases UPI is atg11-independent, providing evidence that mitophagy is not critical for UPI in U. maydis, even under conditions of strict UPI. Until now, analysis of a role of mitophagy in UPI has not been reported for microbial species. Our study suggests that selective autophagy does not contribute to UPI in U. maydis, but is rather a consequence of selective mtDNA elimination in response to mitochondrial damage.

Dating Violence among Male and Female Youth seeking Emergency Department Care

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Vijay; Walton, Maureen A; Whiteside, Lauren K; Stoddard, Sarah; Epstein-Ngo, Quyen; Chermack, Stephen T; Cunningham, Rebecca M

2014-01-01

Objective To determine prevalence and correlates of dating violence, dating victimization, and dating aggression among males and females age 14–20 seeking emergency department (ED) care. Methods Systematic sampling of subjects age 14–20 seeking care at a single large academic ED between 9/2010- 3/2013. Participants completed a computerized, self-administered, cross-sectional survey of demographics, dating violence from physical abuse measures of the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory, associated behaviors, and ED health service use. Separate analyses were conducted for males and females. Results 4389 youth (86.1% participation rate) were screened, and 4089 (mean age 17.5 years, 58% female) were eligible for analysis. Almost 1 in 5 females (n= 215, 18.4%) and 1 in 8 males (n= 212, 12.5%) reported past year dating violence. Of females, 10.6% reported dating victimization, and 14.6% dating aggression, while of males, 11.7% reported dating victimization, and 4.9% reported dating aggression. Multivariate analyses showed variables associated with any male dating violence were African American race (AOR 2.26, CI 1.54–3.32), alcohol misuse (AOR 1.03, CI 1.00–1.06), illicit drug misuse (AOR 2.38, CI 1.68–3.38), and depression (AOR 2.13, CI 1.46–3.10); any female dating violence was associated with African-American race (AOR 1.68, CI 1.25–2.25), public assistance (AOR 1.64, CI 1.28–2.09), grades D and below (AOR 1.62, CI 1.07–2.43), alcohol misuse (AOR 1.04, CI 1.02–1.07), illicit drug misuse (AOR 2.85, CI 2.22–3.66), depression (AOR 1.86, CI 1.42–2.44), and any past year ED visit for intentional injury (AOR 2.64, CI 1.30–5.40). Conclusions Nearly 1 of 6 male and female adolescents seeking ED care report recent dating violence, and health disparities remain among this population. Dating violence was strongly associated with alcohol, illicit drug misuse, and depression, and correlated with prior ED service utilization among female

Male songbirds provide indirect parental care by guarding females during incubation

Science.gov (United States)

Fedy, B.C.; Martin, T.E.

2009-01-01

Across many taxa, guarding of fertile mates is a widespread tactic that enhances paternity assurance. However, guarding of mates can also occur during the nonfertile period, and the fitness benefits of this behavior are unclear. Male songbirds, for example, sometimes guard nonfertile females during foraging recesses from incubation. We hypothesized that guarding postreproductive mates may have important, but unrecognized, benefits by enhancing female foraging efficiency, thereby increasing time spent incubating eggs. We tested the hypothesis in 2 songbird species by examining female behavior during natural and experimentally induced absences of males. Male absence caused increased vigilance in foraging females that decreased their efficiency and resulted in less time spent incubating eggs. Male guarding of nonfertile females can thus provide a previously unrecognized form of indirect parental care.

Maternity care and maternal serum screening. Do male and female family physicians care for women differently?

Science.gov (United States)

Woodward, C A; Carroll, J C; Ryan, G; Reid, A J; Permaul-Woods, J A; Arbitman, S; Domb, S B; Fallis, B; Kilthei, J

1997-06-01

To examine whether male and female family physicians practise maternity care differently, particularly regarding the maternal serum screening (MSS) program. Mailed survey fielded between October 1994 and March 1995. Ontario family practices. Random sample of 2000 members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada who care for pregnant women. More than 90% of eligible physicians responded. Attitudes toward, knowledge about, and behaviour toward MSS. Women physicians were more likely than men to practise part time, in groups, and in larger communities. Men physicians were more likely to perform deliveries; women were more likely to do shared care. Despite a shorter work week, on average, female physicians cared for more pregnant women than male physicians did. Among those providing intrapartum care, women performed more deliveries, on average, than men. Women physicians were more likely than men to offer MSS to all pregnant patients. Although average time spent discussing MSS before the test was similar, women physicians had better knowledge of when best to do the test and its true-positive rate. All differences reported were statistically significant (P women, women physicians cared for more pregnant women than men did. Both spent similar time discussing MSS with their patients before offering screening, but more women physicians offered MSS to all their patients and were more knowledgeable about MSS than men physicians.

Teaching menstrual care skills to intellectually disabled female students.

Science.gov (United States)

Altundağ, Sebahat; Çalbayram, Nazan Çakırer

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to teach pad replacement skills to intellectually disabled adolescent female students during their menstruation periods by demonstrating on a dummy. It may be difficult to make intellectually disabled adolescents achieve self-care during menstruation. In addition, there are difficulties experienced in explaining menstruation, such as physical changes and the practice of cleaning during this period. The study used a 'One group pretest and post-test model'. The study was performed in a special educational institution. The population consisted of 77 female students in the high school section. Calculation of a sample size was not attempted, and 54 students with no attendance issues agreed to take part in the study and were included. In this work, we found that pad replacement training significantly changed the scores of mentally disabled adolescents before and after training. Our training yielded positive results, and the population improved their skills at all stages of skill building. Training adolescents with mental disabilities helped them gain hygiene habits. Performance of these trainings occurs at the beginning of menstrual hygiene education. To achieve improved success in life, it is important that adolescents assume the responsibility of self-care and manage sustained care activity on their own. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Knowledge and attitude of Iranian community pharmacists about the pharmaceutical care for epileptic females

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabzghabaee, A.M.; Zolfaghari, B.; Ebrahimabadi, M.H.

2012-01-01

This study was designed to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of a cohort of Iranian community pharmacists about the pharmaceutical care indexes and drug therapy in female epileptic patients. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran (2011) and one hundred and twenty two community pharmacists were randomly selected using clustering method for sampling. A self-administered questionnaire which was originally made by a clinical pharmacy focus group was used. This questionnaire had 10 true/false questions for knowledge assessing (Spearman-Brown coefficient, 0.65) and 19 attitude statements (with Likert scale) about the intention of pharmacists for providing pharmaceutical care for epileptic females (Croanbach's alpha, 0.802). Face and content validity for both parts of the questionnaire were performed before the study. Results: There was a significant inverse relationship between pharmacists' knowledge on pharmaceutical care for epileptic females and the time elapsed from their graduation date. Considering the minimum passing score of 5, 85% of pharmacists did not have enough knowledge. The range of pharmacists' attitude scores was 35 to 64 and its mean was 46.09. Regarding the minimum passing score of 45, 63.3% of pharmacists had positive attitude to AEDs in epileptic females. Conclusion: It seems that the pharmaceutical care for epileptic females is a missing part of Pharmacy education. It is highly recommended to pay special attention to this topic in continuing education programs for Iranian pharmacists. (author)

Cuba: exploring the history of admixture and the genetic basis of pigmentation using autosomal and uniparental markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcheco-Teruel, Beatriz; Parra, Esteban J; Fuentes-Smith, Evelyn; Salas, Antonio; Buttenschøn, Henriette N; Demontis, Ditte; Torres-Español, María; Marín-Padrón, Lilia C; Gómez-Cabezas, Enrique J; Alvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Mosquera-Miguel, Ana; Martínez-Fuentes, Antonio; Carracedo, Angel; Børglum, Anders D; Mors, Ole

2014-07-01

We carried out an admixture analysis of a sample comprising 1,019 individuals from all the provinces of Cuba. We used a panel of 128 autosomal Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) to estimate the admixture proportions. We also characterized a number of haplogroup diagnostic markers in the mtDNA and Y-chromosome in order to evaluate admixture using uniparental markers. Finally, we analyzed the association of 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with quantitative estimates of skin pigmentation. In the total sample, the average European, African and Native American contributions as estimated from autosomal AIMs were 72%, 20% and 8%, respectively. The Eastern provinces of Cuba showed relatively higher African and Native American contributions than the Western provinces. In particular, the highest proportion of African ancestry was observed in the provinces of Guantánamo (40%) and Santiago de Cuba (39%), and the highest proportion of Native American ancestry in Granma (15%), Holguín (12%) and Las Tunas (12%). We found evidence of substantial population stratification in the current Cuban population, emphasizing the need to control for the effects of population stratification in association studies including individuals from Cuba. The results of the analyses of uniparental markers were concordant with those observed in the autosomes. These geographic patterns in admixture proportions are fully consistent with historical and archaeological information. Additionally, we identified a sex-biased pattern in the process of gene flow, with a substantially higher European contribution from the paternal side, and higher Native American and African contributions from the maternal side. This sex-biased contribution was particularly evident for Native American ancestry. Finally, we observed that SNPs located in the genes SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 are strongly associated with melanin levels in the sample.

Dating violence among male and female youth seeking emergency department care.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Vijay; Walton, Maureen A; Whiteside, Lauren K; Stoddard, Sarah; Epstein-Ngo, Quyen; Chermack, Stephen T; Cunningham, Rebecca M

2014-10-01

We determine prevalence and correlates of dating violence, dating victimization, and dating aggression among male and female patients aged 14 to 20 years seeking emergency department (ED) care. This was a systematic sampling of subjects aged 14 to 20 years seeking care at a single large academic ED between September 2010 and March 2013. Participants completed a computerized, self-administered, cross-sectional survey of demographics, dating violence from physical abuse measures of the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory, associated behaviors, and ED health service use. Separate analyses were conducted for male and female patients. Four thousand three hundred eighty-nine youths (86.1% participation rate) were screened, and 4,089 (mean age 17.5 years; 58% female patients) were eligible for analysis. Almost 1 in 5 female patients (n=215; 18.4%) and 1 in 8 male patients (n=212; 12.5%) reported past-year dating violence. Of female patients, 10.6% reported dating victimization and 14.6% dating aggression, whereas of male patients, 11.7% reported dating victimization and 4.9% reported dating aggression. Multivariate analyses showed that variables associated with any male dating violence were black race (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.26; 95% CI 1.54 to 3.32), alcohol misuse (AOR 1.03; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.06), illicit drug use (AOR 2.38; 95% CI 1.68 to 3.38), and depression (AOR 2.13; 95% CI 1.46 to 3.10); any female dating violence was associated with black race (AOR 1.68; 95% CI 1.25 to 2.25), public assistance (AOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.09), grades D and below (AOR 1.62; 95% CI 1.07 to 2.43), alcohol misuse (AOR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.07), illicit drug use (AOR 2.85; 95% CI 2.22 to 3.66), depression (AOR 1.86; 95% CI 1.42 to 2.44), and any past year ED visit for intentional injury (AOR 2.64; 95% CI 1.30 to 5.40). Nearly 1 of 6 male and female patients aged 14 to 20 years and seeking ED care report recent dating violence, and health disparities remain among

Barriers to the use of Veterans Affairs health care services among female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Newins, Amie R; Wilson, Sarah M; Hopkins, Tiffany A; Straits-Troster, Kristy; Kudler, Harold; Calhoun, Patrick S

2018-02-08

The study investigated barriers to the utilization of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care services among female veterans who served in served in Iraq and Afghanistan, including reasons for not choosing VA health care, reasons for not seeking mental health treatment, and types of desired VA services. Female respondents to a survey assessing Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans' needs and health (N = 186) completed measures of military history, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, barriers to VA health care, and preferences for services. Barriers to use of VA health care endorsed by female veterans included receiving care elsewhere and logistical issues. Barriers to utilization of mental health services among female veterans who screened positive for depression or posttraumatic stress disorder included negative treatment biases and concerns about stigma, privacy, and cost. Female veterans endorsed preferences for services related to eligibility education, nonprimary care physical health services, vocational assistance, and a few behavioral/mental health services. Findings highlight the need for ongoing outreach and education regarding eligibility and types of resources for physical and mental health problems experienced by female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as inform types of VA programming and services desired by female veterans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

What makes a nest-building male successful? Male behavior and female care in penduline tits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Szentirmai, [No Value; Komdeur, J; Szekely, T; Szentirmai, István

Why do females increase parental effort when caring for the offspring of attractive males? First, attractive males may be poor fathers so that their females are compelled to increase their own contribution in order to fledge some young (the partner-compensation hypothesis). Second, females mated to

Quantifying the costs and benefits of parental care in female treehoppers

OpenAIRE

Andrew G. Zink

2003-01-01

Parental protection of eggs represents one of the most basic forms of parental care. Theory suggests that even such basic parental investment represents a trade-off between current offspring survival and future reproductive success. However, few studies have quantified the underlying costs and benefits of parental care for marked individuals across an entire lifetime. I marked and followed 370 females of Publilia concava (Hemiptera: Membracidae) that exhibited a range of guarding durations fo...

Health care providers: a missing link in understanding acceptability of the female condom.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantell, Joanne E; West, Brooke S; Sue, Kimberly; Hoffman, Susie; Exner, Theresa M; Kelvin, Elizabeth; Stein, Zena A

2011-02-01

Health care providers can play a key role in influencing clients to initiate and maintain use of the female condom, an underused method for HIV/STI and pregnancy prevention. In 2001-2002, based on semistructured interviews with 78 health care providers from four types of settings in New York City, we found that most providers had seen the female condom, but they had not used it and did not propose the method to clients. They lacked details about the method-when to insert it, where it can be obtained, and its cost. Gender of provider, provider level of training, and setting appeared to influence their attitudes. Unless and until provider training on the female condom is greatly improved, broader acceptance of this significant public health contribution to preventing HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy will not be achieved.

The health care system for female workers and its current status in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Nohara, M; Kagawa, J

2000-11-01

In this paper we describe female workers' health care, the women's and maternal protection system within the Japanese legal system, the current status of female workers in Japan, and problems regarding methods of advancing health care and the women's or maternal protection system. Motherhood is respected in the workplace in Japan, and in order to provide an environment in which women can work and still bear and rear children with a sense of security, laws concerning maternal protection of female workers, and revisions in terms of the system have been made, and a new system has been in effect since the fiscal year of 1998. Nevertheless, gender discrimination against women and the disparagement of women, rooted in gender role stereotypes concerning the division of labor, remain firmly planted in the social environment and in long-established custom.

Motivators and barriers to mammography screening uptake by female health-care workers in primary health-care centres: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazzal, Zaher; Sholi, Hisham; Sholi, Suha B; Sholi, Mohammad B; Lahaseh, Rawya

2018-02-21

Mammography screening is an effective tool for early detection and management of breast cancer. Female health-care workers' awareness of breast cancer screening is important because their beliefs and behaviours could influence other women. The aim of this study was to assess mammography screening uptake by female health-care workers at primary health-care centres and to identify the primary motivators and barriers that affect uptake. This cross-sectional study included all governmental primary health-care centres in the West Bank. Governorates were grouped into three regions as follows: north West Bank (Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, Qalqiliya, and Salfit), middle West Bank (Jerusalem, Jericho, and Ramallah), and south West Bank (Hebron, and Bethlehem). The study population included all female health-care workers older than 40 years. Those who performed mammography for a suspected mass or other breast abnormalities were excluded. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, knowledge about mammography screening, the extent and regularity of mammography screening, and motivators and barriers influencing their mammography screening uptake. The rate of mammography screening uptake was calculated. χ 2 test and t tests were used to assess screening motivators and barriers. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the An-Najah National University. Participation was voluntary, and written consent was obtained from each participant. 299 female health-care workers completed a self-administered questionnaire. The mean age of the participants was 46 years (SD 4·7). 284 (95%) women had adequate knowledge about breast cancer and mammography screening, and 149 (50%) women reported having had at least one mammogram. 62 (21%) women had had regular scheduled mammograms. The most frequent reported motivators were the perceived benefit that early detection of breast cancer is important for its management (269 [90

Health characteristics of female victims of domestic violence housed in a state care shelter.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Rebeca Monteiro; Vasconcelos, Thiago Brasileiro de; Moreira, Renato Evando; Macena, Raimunda Hermelinda Maia

2016-12-01

The promotion of care for female victims of violence implies action that is not limited to combatting the problem, but also to the dimension of care provided to the victims. This study seeks to understand the sociodemographic and health characteristics of female victims of violence who are/have been under the protective custody of the state, before and after the Maria da Penha Law (MPL), and the healthcare offered to them. It is a cross-sectional, exploratory-descriptive documentary study, with a qualitative/quantitative approach, conducted in the second semester of 2013 in a special unit for the protection of female victims of violence in the State of Ceará. The sample was composed of 197 medical records of women attended between 2001 and 2012. Few changes occurred in the health profile of female victims of domestic violence sheltered by the State after the enactment of the MPL. Significant changes occurred in the pattern of care provided, such as increased investigation, promotion, and registration of health-related activities. The identification of the aftereffects of aggression per se is still scarce. A suggested addition would be the inclusion of a health professional in the staff at the shelters to meet this demand.

Asynchronous hatching provides females with a means for increasing male care but incurs a cost by reducing offspring fitness.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, L E; Smiseth, P T

2016-02-01

In species with biparental care, sexual conflict occurs because the benefit of care depends on the total amount of care provided by the two parents while the cost of care depends on each parent's own contribution. Asynchronous hatching may play a role in mediating the resolution of this conflict over parental care. The sexual conflict hypothesis for the evolution of asynchronous hatching suggests that females adjust hatching patterns in order to increase male parental effort relative to female effort. We tested this hypothesis in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides by setting up experimental broods with three different hatching patterns: synchronous, asynchronous and highly asynchronous broods. As predicted, we found that males provided care for longer in asynchronous broods whereas the opposite was true of females. However, we did not find any benefit to females of reducing their duration of care in terms of increased lifespan or reduced mass loss during breeding. We found substantial negative effects of hatching asynchrony on offspring fitness as larval mass was lower and fewer larvae survived to dispersal in highly asynchronous broods compared to synchronous or asynchronous broods. Our results suggest that, even though females can increase male parental effort by hatching their broods more asynchronously, females pay a substantial cost from doing so in terms of reducing offspring growth and survival. Thus, females should be under selection to produce a hatching pattern that provides the best possible trade-off between the benefits of increased male parental effort and the costs due to reduced offspring fitness. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Flexible parents: joint effects of handicapping and brood size manipulation on female parental care in Nicrophorus vespilloides.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratz, Tom; Smiseth, Per T

2018-02-22

Parental care is highly variable, reflecting that parents make flexible decisions in response to variation in the cost of care to themselves and the benefit to their offspring. Much of the evidence that parents respond to such variation derives from handicapping and brood size manipulations, the separate effects of which are well understood. However, little is known about their joint effects. Here, we fill this gap by conducting a joint handicapping and brood size manipulation in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We handicapped half of the females by attaching a lead weight to their pronotum, leaving the remaining females as controls. We also manipulated brood size by providing each female with 5, 20 or 40 larvae. In contrast to what we predicted, handicapped females spent more time provisioning food than controls. We also found that handicapped females spent more time consuming carrion. Furthermore, handicapped females spent a similar amount of time consuming carrion regardless of brood size, whereas controls spent more time consuming carrion as brood increased. Females spent more time provisioning food towards larger broods, and females were more likely to engage in carrion consumption when caring for larger broods. We conclude that females respond to both handicapping and brood size manipulations, but these responses are largely independent of each other. Overall, our results suggest that handicapping might lead to a higher investment into current reproduction and that it might be associated with compensatory responses that negate the detrimental impact of higher cost of care in handicapped parents. © 2018 Crown copyright. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland. Note: some government agencies may require additional wording and acknowledgement.

Flexibility in the duration of parental care: Female leopards prioritise cub survival over reproductive output.

Science.gov (United States)

Balme, Guy A; Robinson, Hugh S; Pitman, Ross T; Hunter, Luke T B

2017-09-01

Deciding when to terminate care of offspring is a key consideration for parents. Prolonging care may increase fitness of current offspring, but it can also reduce opportunities for future reproduction. Despite its evolutionary importance, few studies have explored the optimal duration of parental care, particularly among large carnivores. We used a 40-year dataset to assess the trade-offs associated with the length of maternal care in leopards in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa. We compared the costs imposed by care on the survival and residual reproductive value of leopard mothers against the benefits derived from maternal care in terms of increased offspring survival, recruitment and reproduction. We also examined the demographic and ecological factors affecting the duration of care in the light of five explanatory hypotheses: litter size, sex allocation, resource limitation, timing of independence and terminal investment. Duration of care exhibited by female leopards varied markedly, from 9 to 35 months. Mothers did not appear to suffer any short- or long-term survival costs from caring for cubs, but extending care reduced the number of litters that mothers could produce during their lifetimes. Interestingly, the duration of care did not appear to affect the post-independence survival or reproductive success of offspring (although it may have indirectly affected offspring survival by influencing dispersal distance). However, results from generalised linear mixed models showed that mothers prolonged care during periods of prey scarcity, supporting the resource limitation hypothesis. Female leopards also cared for sons longer than daughters, in line with the sex-allocation hypothesis. Cub survival is an important determinant of the lifetime reproductive success in leopards. By buffering offspring against environmental perturbation without jeopardising their own survivorship, female leopards apparently "hedge their bets" with current offspring rather than

Fibroadenoma in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome with paternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 11p15.5.

Science.gov (United States)

Takama, Yuichi; Kubota, Akio; Nakayama, Masahiro; Higashimoto, Ken; Jozaki, Kosuke; Soejima, Hidenobu

2014-12-01

Herein is described a case of breast fibroadenomas in a 16-year-old girl with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) and uniparental disomy (UPD) of chromosome 11p15.5. She was clinically diagnosed with BWS and direct closure was performed for an omphalocele at birth. Subtotal and 90% pancreatectomy were performed for nesidioblastosis at the ages 2 months and 8 years, respectively. Bilateral multiple breast fibroadenomas were noted at the age of 16 and 17 years. In this case, paternal UPD of chromosome 11p15.5 was identified on microsatellite marker analysis. The relevant imprinted chromosomal region in BWS is 11p15.5, and UPD of chromosome 11p15 is a risk factor for BWS-associated tumorigenicity. Chromosome 11p15.5 consists of imprinting domains of IGF2, the expression of which is associated with the tumorigenesis of various breast cancers. This case suggests that fibroadenomas occurred in association with BWS. © 2014 Japan Pediatric Society.

Female preference for nests with many eggs : A cost-benefit analysis of female choice in fish with paternal care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraak, SBM; Weissing, Franz

1996-01-01

In several fish species with paternal care, females prefer males guarding many eggs in their nest. This preference might be advantageous because the presence of many other eggs dilutes the risk of newly laid eggs being eaten by the father. To evaluate this hypothesis quantitatively, we constructed a

Female genital cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Perron, Liette; Senikas, Vyta; Burnett, Margaret; Davis, Victoria

2013-11-01

To strengthen the national framework for care of adolescents and women affected by female genital cutting (FGC) in Canada by providing health care professionals with: (1) information intended to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the practice; (2) directions with regard to the legal issues related to the practice; (3) clinical guidelines for the management of obstetric and gynaecological care, including FGC related complications; and (4) guidance on the provision of culturally competent care to adolescents and women with FGC. Published literature was retrieved through searches of PubMed, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library in September 2010 using appropriate controlled vocabulary (e.g., Circumcision, Female) and keywords (e.g., female genital mutilation, clitoridectomy, infibulation). We also searched Social Science Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Gender Studies Database, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses in 2010 and 2011. There were no date or language restrictions. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to December 2011. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. The quality of evidence in this document was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). Summary Statements 1. Female genital cutting is internationally recognized as a harmful practice and a violation of girls' and women's rights to life, physical integrity, and health. (II-3) 2. The immediate and long-term health risks and complications of female genital cutting can be serious and life threatening. (II-3) 3. Female genital cutting continues to be practised in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt, and Sudan. (II-3) 4. Global migration

Wired for motherhood: induction of maternal care but not maternal aggression in virgin female CD1 mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Martín-Sánchez, Ana; Valera-Marín, Guillermo; Hernández-Martínez, Adoración; Lanuza, Enrique; Martínez-García, Fernando; Agustín-Pavón, Carmen

2015-01-01

Virgin adult female mice display nearly spontaneous maternal care towards foster pups after a short period of sensitization. This indicates that maternal care is triggered by sensory stimulation provided by the pups and that its onset is largely independent on the physiological events related to gestation, parturition and lactation. Conversely, the factors influencing maternal aggression are poorly understood. In this study, we sought to characterize two models of maternal sensitization in the outbred CD1 strain. To do so, a group of virgin females (godmothers) were exposed to continuous cohabitation with a lactating dam and their pups from the moment of parturition, whereas a second group (pup-sensitized females), were exposed 2 h daily to foster pups. Both groups were tested for maternal behavior on postnatal days 2-4. Godmothers expressed full maternal care from the first test. Also, they expressed higher levels of crouching than dams. Pup-sensitized females differed from dams in all measures of pup-directed behavior in the first test, and expressed full maternal care after two sessions of contact with pups. However, both protocols failed to induce maternal aggression toward a male intruder after full onset of pup-directed maternal behavior, even in the presence of pups. Our study confirms that adult female mice need a short sensitization period before the onset of maternal care. Further, it shows that pup-oriented and non-pup-oriented components of maternal behavior are under different physiological control. We conclude that the godmother model might be useful to study the physiological and neural bases of the maternal behavior repertoire.

Relative influence of male and female care in determining nestling mass in a migratory songbird

Science.gov (United States)

Kirk Stodola; Eric Linder; David A. Buehler; Kathlee Franzreb; Daniel Kim; Robert Cooper

2010-01-01

Biparental care is common in birds with the allocation of effort being highly variable between the sexes. In most songbird species, the female typically provides the most care in the breeding cycle with both parents providing care when provisioning young. Food provisioning should be directly related to offspring quality; however, the relative influence each parent has...

The role of the female doctorally prepared nurse in caring for infertile women.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshak, L S

1993-01-01

Today, in medical and nursing literature, infertility is described as a couple problem, with interventions aimed at treating the couple. While not dismissing the fact that the conception does involve both genders, the reality of infertility treatment is that the woman, not the couple, undergoes the majority of infertility testing and treatment. The numerous physical demands made of women during infertility investigation and therapy are associated with significant emotional and informational needs. As such, all infertility practices should offer supportive counseling to their clients. Incorporation of such services into general infertility treatment will ensure that the greatest number of female infertility clients receive the information and emotional support they need. The health care professional best qualified to provide these services is the female doctorally prepared nurse. By virtue of both her gender and training, she is more likely to be capable of intervening therapeutically, woman to woman, in a sensitive and empathic manner. Furthermore, she can anticipate extending her role to include the following services: (a) provision of basic gynecological care, (b) follow-up of patients on hormone therapy, (c) coordination of patient care, (d) provision of supportive counseling, and (e) participation in research. To secure a position, the female doctorally prepared nurse needs to recognize the importance of promoting herself in the infertility marketplace. Ultimately, both the establishment and survival of her role will depend on her professional uniqueness.

The consequences of task delegation for the process of care: Female patients seem to benefit more

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordman, J.; Dulmen, S. van

2016-01-01

The shift of tasks from primary care physicians to practice nurses and the continuing incease in the numbers of women involved in medical care may have consequences for the provision of health care and communication. The aim of the present study was to examine potential differences in female

An ancient Mediterranean melting pot: investigating the uniparental genetic structure and population history of sicily and southern Italy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefania Sarno

Full Text Available Due to their strategic geographic location between three different continents, Sicily and Southern Italy have long represented a major Mediterranean crossroad where different peoples and cultures came together over time. However, its multi-layered history of migration pathways and cultural exchanges, has made the reconstruction of its genetic history and population structure extremely controversial and widely debated. To address this debate, we surveyed the genetic variability of 326 accurately selected individuals from 8 different provinces of Sicily and Southern Italy, through a comprehensive evaluation of both Y-chromosome and mtDNA genomes. The main goal was to investigate the structuring of maternal and paternal genetic pools within Sicily and Southern Italy, and to examine their degrees of interaction with other Mediterranean populations. Our findings show high levels of within-population variability, coupled with the lack of significant genetic sub-structures both within Sicily, as well as between Sicily and Southern Italy. When Sicilian and Southern Italian populations were contextualized within the Euro-Mediterranean genetic space, we observed different historical dynamics for maternal and paternal inheritances. Y-chromosome results highlight a significant genetic differentiation between the North-Western and South-Eastern part of the Mediterranean, the Italian Peninsula occupying an intermediate position therein. In particular, Sicily and Southern Italy reveal a shared paternal genetic background with the Balkan Peninsula and the time estimates of main Y-chromosome lineages signal paternal genetic traces of Neolithic and post-Neolithic migration events. On the contrary, despite showing some correspondence with its paternal counterpart, mtDNA reveals a substantially homogeneous genetic landscape, which may reflect older population events or different demographic dynamics between males and females. Overall, both uniparental genetic

[Caring for women with HIV/AIDS: an interactionist analysis from the perspective of female healthcare professionals].

Science.gov (United States)

Porto, Tainara Serodio Amim Rangel; Silva, Carla Marins; Vargens, Octavio Muniz da Costa

2014-06-01

The aim of this study was to know the meanings attributed by female health professionals to the process of caring for women with HIV, considering their vulnerability in the context of feminization of HIV/AIDS. It is a qualitative study based on the grounded theory method and symbolic interactionism, conducted in two public maternity hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, from November 2009 to April 2010. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with twelve female health professionals. The core category that emerged was "Speaking as a Professional and Thinking about Caring" which focused on the meaning of care, and the integration of two categories, the first being the concerns of being a woman/professional caring for women with HIV and the second being the meanings of professional care provided to women with the virus. It was concluded that the professionals still maintained the former perception of HIV/AIDS, contributing to increased gender vulnerability to HIV, discrimination and prejudice.

Caring for women with HIV/AIDS: an interactionist analysis from the perspective of female healthcare professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tainara Serodio Amim Rangel Porto

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to know the meanings attributed by female health professionals to the process of caring for women with HIV, considering their vulnerability in the context of feminization of HIV/AIDS. It is a qualitative study based on the grounded theory method and symbolic interactionism, conducted in two public maternity hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, from November 2009 to April 2010. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with twelve female health professionals. The core category that emerged was "Speaking as a Professional and Thinking about Caring", which focused on the meaning of care, and the integration of two categories, the first being the concerns of being a woman/professional caring for women with HIV and the second being the meanings of professional care provided to women with the virus. It was concluded that the professionals still maintained the former perception of HIV/AIDS, contributing to increased gender vulnerability to HIV, discrimination and prejudice.

Differential female mortality and health care in South Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Harriss, B

1989-04-01

This report examines differential female mortality in South Asia--India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Under conditions of mortality decline and an aggregate trend toward convergence of life expectancy, disequilibria which are comparatively unusual, persist. The converging life expectancies are a product of changes unique to each sex. Female mortality gains after the reproductive period conceal excess female mortality from the post-neonatal period to 5 years and in most regions of South Asia during the reproductive years as well. These imbalances appear to be most exaggerated on the upper Gangetic plain and among communities such as the Jats and Rajputs. The most marked imbalances do not bear a consistent relationship to economic conditions. They may, however, be declining over time. In certain regions of India, most notably in the peripheral south, discrimination against women is not seen in demographic data and has not been for several decades. Male life expectancy is being affected by only slow improvement in male mortality from age 35. Major social changes are accompanying these changes in gender differences in vital statistics, including changes in the technology of agricultural production, falling female participation rates, the education of girls, the increasing practice of dowry, and fertility decision making changes. It is not clear whether child mortality or maternal mortality is the key to the political economy of Indian demography, whether maldistribution of food or health care is the prime determinant of excess female child mortality, whether excess female mortality is the result of being neglect or conscious selection, whether regional contrasts result from differences in the religious roles of sons between north and south India, whether the female sex is culturally inferior and the male sex superior, whether food scarcity is more important than food availability in the determination of sex bias, whether poverty results in greater

Assessing the Clinical Utility of SNP Microarray for Prader-Willi Syndrome due to Uniparental Disomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Santoro, Stephanie L; Hashimoto, Sayaka; McKinney, Aimee; Mihalic Mosher, Theresa; Pyatt, Robert; Reshmi, Shalini C; Astbury, Caroline; Hickey, Scott E

2017-01-01

Maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) 15 is one of the molecular causes of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a multisystem disorder which presents with neonatal hypotonia and feeding difficulty. Current diagnostic algorithms differ regarding the use of SNP microarray to detect PWS. We retrospectively examined the frequency with which SNP microarray could identify regions of homozygosity (ROH) in patients with PWS. We determined that 7/12 (58%) patients with previously confirmed PWS by methylation analysis and microsatellite-positive UPD studies had ROH (>10 Mb) by SNP microarray. Additional assessment of 5,000 clinical microarrays, performed from 2013 to present, determined that only a single case of ROH for chromosome 15 was not caused by an imprinting disorder or identity by descent. We observed that ROH for chromosome 15 is rarely incidental and strongly associated with hypotonic infants having features of PWS. Although UPD microsatellite studies remain essential to definitively establish the presence of UPD, SNP microarray has important utility in the timely diagnostic algorithm for PWS. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Physical capacity and risk for long-term sickness absence: a prospective cohort study among 8664 female health care workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, Charlotte Diana Nørregaard; Andersen, Lars Louis; Clausen, Thomas; Strøyer, Jesper; Jørgensen, Marie Birk; Holtermann, Andreas

2015-05-01

To assess the prospective associations between self-reported physical capacity and risk of long-term sickness absence among female health care workers. Female health care workers answered a questionnaire about physical capacity and were followed in a national register of sickness absence lasting for two or more consecutive weeks during 1-year follow-up. Using Cox regression hazard ratio analyses adjusted for age, smoking, body mass index, physical workload, job seniority, psychosocial work conditions, and previous sickness absence, we modeled risk estimates for sickness absence from low and medium physical capacity. Low and medium aerobic fitness, low muscle strength, low flexibility, and low overall physical capacity significantly increased the risk for sickness absence with 20% to 34% compared with health care workers with high capacity. Low physical capacity increases the risk of long-term sickness absence among female health care workers.

African Female Physicians and Nurses in the Global Care Chain: Qualitative Explorations from Five Destination Countries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Wojczewski

Full Text Available Migration of health professionals is an important policy issue for both source and destination countries around the world. The majority of migrant care workers in industrialized countries today are women. However, the dimension of mobility of highly skilled females from countries of the global south has been almost entirely neglected for many years. This paper explores the experiences of high-skilled female African migrant health-workers (MHW utilising the framework of Global Care Chain (GCC research. In the frame of the EU-project HURAPRIM (Human Resources for Primary Health Care in Africa, the research team conducted 88 semi-structured interviews with female and male African MHWs in five countries (Botswana, South Africa, Belgium, Austria, UK from July 2011 until April 2012. For this paper we analysed the 34 interviews with female physicians and nurses using the qualitative framework analysis approach and the software atlas.ti. In terms of the effect of the migration on their career, almost all of the respondents experienced short-term, long-term or permanent inability to work as health-care professionals; few however also reported a positive career development post-migration. Discrimination based on a foreign nationality, race or gender was reported by many of our respondents, physicians and nurses alike, whether they worked in an African or a European country. Our study shows that in addition to the phenomenon of deskilling often reported in GCC research, many female MHW are unable to work according to their qualifications due to the fact that their diplomas are not recognized in the country of destination. Policy strategies are needed regarding integration of migrants in the labour market and working against discrimination based on race and gender.

Predictors of Early Childbirth Among Female Adolescents in Foster Care.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Bryn; Van Wert, Melissa

2017-08-01

Placement into foster care is driven by a number of factors, many of which are associated with adolescent childbirth. Yet, there are few studies that identify the experiences and characteristics that predict adolescent childbirth among girls who spend time in foster care. A longitudinal, population-based data set was constructed by probabilistically matching California child protective service records for female foster youth to maternal information available on vital birth records for children born between 2001 and 2010. Rates of childbirth among girls in foster care after their 10th birthday were generated. Chi-square tests assessed differences and survival models were specified to determine the rate of childbearing across key characteristics. Among the 30,339 girls who spent time in foster care as adolescents, 18.3% (5,567) gave birth for the first time before their 20th birthday. At a bivariate level, significant differences (p foster care placement experiences. In the fully adjusted survival model, the highest birth rates were observed among girls who entered care between ages 13 and 16 years; had been in care for relatively short periods of time; lived in congregate care at the estimated date of conception; had a history of running away; and were Latina, black, or Native American. The results suggest that there are identifiable risk factors associated with early childbirth among girls in foster care, which can help determine the timing and location of reproductive health services to minimize unintended pregnancy and maximize adolescent health and well-being. Copyright © 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The consequences of task delegation for the process of care: female patients seem to benefit more.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordman, J.; Dulmen, S. van

2016-01-01

The shift of tasks from primary care physicians to practice nurses, and the continuing increased numbers of women involved in medical care, may have consequences for the provision of healthcare and communication. The aim of the present study was to examine potential differences in female practice

Managing organizational change: strategies for the female health care supervisor.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, G

1990-07-01

In responding to resistance to change in the current health care organization, the new female supervisor can learn to support her staff in encountering and accepting these changes. The strategies and skills discussed above are characteristic of a supervisory style that may naturally occur for women, but also can be incorporated into the leadership style of men in health care management today. Health care leaders of tomorrow must work from an androgynous framework in which the behavior patterns and responses of each gender are learned and used appropriately by both men and women. Sargent suggests that the best managers are androgynous and that this is the inevitable wave of the future. Whether man or woman, a supervisor should learn, accept, and use methods that are characteristic of both sexes to be successful in managing people. Women and men must learn from each other's strengths and share these diverse skills. Given that women now outnumber men in health care management positions and organizations are changing to a more nurturing environment, the androgynous supervisor will be the successful leader of the future. Finally, women in health care supervisory positions have the potential to bring change where it is badly needed. Women in these roles often have a system wide view of health care policy issues that recognizes less federal commitment to social programs. Many women in health care positions believe that the issues of children, women, the elderly, the poor, and the homeless need focused attention. The growing number of women in health care supervisory and leadership roles is an important factor in changing national health policy for the benefit of these groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Trisomy 15 mosaicism and uniparental disomy (UPD) in a liveborn infant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milunsky, J.M. [Boston Univ. School Med, MA (United States)]|[Tufts-New England Med. Ctr, Boston, MA (United States); Wyandt, H.E.; Amos, J.A. [Boston Univ. School Med., MA (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

We describe a liveborn infant with UPD in association with trisomy 15 mosaicism. Third trimester amniocentesis was performed for suspected IUGR. Results revealed 46,XX/47,XX,+15. The infant initially had respiratory distress and fed poorly. Symmetrical growth retardation, craniofacial dysmorphism, excess nuchal folds, a heart murmur, hypermobile joints, minor limb abnormalities, absent spontaneous movement and an abnormal cry were noted. Further study showed complex heart defects, including VSD and PDA, a left choroid plexus cyst, 13 ribs bilaterally, abnormal optic discs, abnormal visual evoked potentials and abnormal auditory brain stem responses. The infant died at 6 weeks of life from cardio-respiratory complications. Blood chromosomes were normal, 46,XX in 100 cells. Parental blood chromosomes were normal. Skin biopsy revealed 46,XX/47,XX,+15 in 40/50 (80%) cells as did autopsy lung tissue. Molecular analysis of the infant`s blood revealed maternal uniparental heterodisomy for chromosome 15 in the 46,XX cell line. Microsatellite analysis demonstrated that the extra chromosome originated from a maternal meiosis I nondisjunction. To our knowledge, this is the first liveborn infant with mosaic trisomy 15 and UPD in the diploid cells. Trisomy 15, heretofore, has been regarded as nonviable, even in mosaic form. While maternal UPD is associated with the Prader-Willi syndrome phenotype, mosaicism for trisomy 15 has been reported only when confined to the placenta. UPD in this case generally complicated prediction of the phenotype and raises the question whether all cases with UPD 15 should have more than one tissue studied to determine undetected trisomy 15.

Nuptial gifts of male spiders: sensory exploitation of the female's maternal care instinct or foraging motivation?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bilde, T.; Tuni, Cristina; Elsayed, Rehab

2007-01-01

by producing a nuptial gift that resembles the female's eggsac. In mating experiments we examined whether males exploit the female's foraging motivation or the female's maternal care instinct. We carried out a gift-switching experiment, where males presented an eggsac, a wrapped fly or an unwrapped fly...... as nuptial gifts. Females fed on eggsacs as well as on prey gifts. Mating success was similar for males with both wrapped and unwrapped gifts, indicating that wrapping per se does not increase male mating success. In a food manipulation experiment, we investigated the effect of the female's hunger level...... on male mating success. Hungry females were more likely to accept a gift and copulate; hence the female's hunger state is decisive for male mating success. Our results strongly suggest that the female's foraging motivation is the true context for the maintenance of the nuptial gift....

Female genital cutting: an evidence-based approach to clinical management for the primary care physician.

Science.gov (United States)

Hearst, Adelaide A; Molnar, Alexandra M

2013-06-01

The United States has more than 1.5 million immigrants from countries in Africa and the Middle East where female genital cutting (FGC) is known to occur. Often, FGC occurs in infancy and childhood in the countries where it is practiced, but patients of any age can present with complications. Lack of understanding of this common problem can potentially alienate and lower quality of care for this patient population. We provide an introduction to the practice of FGC and practice guidelines for the primary care physician. We reviewed original research, population-based studies, and legal research from PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL plus, PsycINFO, and Legal Trac. The terms searched included female genital cutting, female genital circumcision, and female genital mutilation alone and with the term complications or health consequences; no limit on date published. Legal databases were searched using the above terms, as well as international law and immigration law. Editorials and review articles were excluded. This review discusses the different types of FGC, important cultural considerations for physicians caring for patients with FGC, the common early and late medical complications and their management, and psychosocial issues associated with FGC. Current laws pertaining to FGC are briefly reviewed, as well as implications for patients seeking asylum status in the United States because of FGC. Finally, the article presents evidence-based, culturally sensitive approaches to discussions of FGC with girls and women for whom this is an issue. Copyright © 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of General Health in Female Care givers of Elderly People With Alzheimer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farideh Bastani

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the general health status in women as care givers of the elderly people with Alzheimer who attending to the Iranian Association of Alzheimer’s Disease. Methods & Materials: In this descriptive –cross sectional study as a introductory stage of a randomized controlled field trial, 150 women were recruited with a consecutive sampling method. The study population of this study included the women as family care givers attending to the Iranian Association of Alzheimer Disease. In this study, the inclusion criteria was consisted of women who had 18-60 years old, be a close relative to elderly patients with Alzheimer disease, as well as they have had direct caring with the duration of at least six months. Data collection regarding assessment of general health of the women was a questionnaire including 28 items of Persian version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and chi square were used in the study. Results: The study findings showed that only 24% of the subjects had a good level of general health, but 58.7% and 17.3% of them had a moderate and weak general health respectively. There were significant relations between general health of the women as care givers and the variables such as age (P=0.016, occupation (P=0.008, type of relative (P=0.013, and economic status (P=0.049. However, there were not any significant relation between general health and the other variables of marriage situation (P=0.5, education (P=0.07, and duration of caring the elderly patients with Alzheimer (P=0.205. Conclusion: According to the findings, the considerable percentage of the female care givers of elders with Alzheimer disease did not pose optimum level of general health. As Care givers’ gender centered studies have seldom conducted in Iran, future researches should focus on different dimensions of health promotion among both male and female care givers.

Uncovering and responding to needs for sexual and reproductive health care among poor urban female adolescents in Nicaragua.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meuwissen, L.E.; Gorter, A.C.; Segura, Z.; Kester, A.D.M.; Knottnerus, J.A.

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: To meet the needs of female adolescents from low-income urban areas for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care, vouchers providing free-of-charge access to SRH care at 19 primary care clinics were distributed in Managua, Nicaragua. These vouchers substantially increased the use of

An assessment of primary care attributes from the perspective of female healthcare users1

OpenAIRE

Lima, Eliane de F?tima Almeida; Sousa, Ana In?s; Primo, C?ndida Cani?ali; Leite, Francielie Marabotti Costa; Lima, Rita de Cassia Duarte; Maciel, Ethel Leonor N?ia

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: this study sought to assess the quality of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) and investigated the association between primary care attributes (PCAs) and the sociodemographic characteristics of users. METHOD: a total of 215 female FHS users were interviewed for this descriptive and cross-sectional study. The Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCATool), Adult Edition was used, and the results were analyzed using Fisher's exact tests, Pearson's chi-square tests and logistic regressions. RES...

A twin sibling with Prader-Willi syndrome caused by uniparental disomy conceived after in vitro fertilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Atik, T; Aykut, A; Karaca, E; Onay, H; Ozkinay, F; Cogulu, O

2014-01-01

The use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has increased gradually in the treatment of infertility worldwide. On the other hand ART has been found to be associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations including imprinting defects as well. Although a number of imprinting syndromes have been reported to be related with ART, no case with uniparental disomy (UPD) caused Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) [OMIM ID: 176270] has been reported in the literature. Here we present a dizygotic twin in which one of them was born with maternal UPD15 following ART. The proband was a 2-year-old boy who had feeding difficulties, generalized hypotonia, frontal bossing, broad forehead, small hands and feet. Laboratory investigations revealed minimal dilatation in 3rd and 4th ventricles and corpus callosum hypoplasia in magnetic resonance imaging, supravalvular pulmonary stenosis in echocardiography and pelvicaliectasia in the USG examinations. Methylation and microsatellite markers analyses showed maternal UPD for chromosome 15. Here we report, for the first time UPD caused PWS patient born after ART.

Pursuing the quest for better understanding the taxonomic distribution of the system of doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur Gusman

2016-12-01

Full Text Available There is only one exception to strict maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA in the animal kingdom: a system named doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI, which is found in several bivalve species. Why and how such a radically different system of mitochondrial transmission evolved in bivalve remains obscure. Obtaining a more complete taxonomic distribution of DUI in the Bivalvia may help to better understand its origin and function. In this study we provide evidence for the presence of sex-linked heteroplasmy (thus the possible presence of DUI in two bivalve species, i.e., the nuculanoid Yoldia hyperborea(Gould, 1841and the veneroid Scrobicularia plana(Da Costa,1778, increasing the number of families in which DUI has been found by two. An update on the taxonomic distribution of DUI in the Bivalvia is also presented.

Perceived Parental Care and Control among Israeli Female Adolescents Presenting to Emergency Rooms after Self-Poisoning

Science.gov (United States)

Diamond, Gary M.; Didner, Hila; Waniel, Ariela; Priel, Beatriz; Asherov, Jack; Arbel, Shosh

2005-01-01

Levels of perceived parental care and control among 24 female Israeli adolescents presenting at emergency rooms after a self-poisoning act of low lethality were compared to those found among 23 non-self-harming, community controls. Adolescents' perceived levels of parental care and control were measured via both adolescents' self-report and…

Epidemiological Criminology: Contextualization of HIV/AIDS Health Care for Female Inmates.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanier, Mark M; Zaitzow, Barbara H; Farrell, C Thomas

2015-04-01

Worldwide, women are increasingly being incarcerated. One unintended consequence is the increase in unhealthy female offenders. Among the more serious health concerns are HIV and AIDS. Challenges associated with caring for women with HIV/AIDS impacts not only disease management and infection control within correctional facilities but also the prisoners' home communities where they will need health care, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, housing assistance, and employment opportunities. No bridging theory has been presented that links prison and community health concerns with criminal justice policy. This article not only presents recommendations for effective HIV/AIDS policy but also suggests epidemiological criminology as a means of explicit merging of health with justice issues and consequently provides a bridging framework. © The Author(s) 2015.

Paternal uniparental isodisomy of the entire chromosome 20 as a molecular cause of pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ib (PHP-Ib).

Science.gov (United States)

Bastepe, Murat; Altug-Teber, Ozge; Agarwal, Chhavi; Oberfield, Sharon E; Bonin, Michael; Jüppner, Harald

2011-03-01

Pseudohypoparathyoridism type Ib (PHP-Ib) typically defines the presence of end-organ resistance to parathyroid hormone in the absence of Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy. Patients affected by this disorder present with imprinting defects in the complex GNAS locus. Microdeletions within STX16 or GNAS have been identified in familial cases with PHP-Ib, but the molecular cause of the GNAS imprinting defects in sporadic PHP-Ib cases remains poorly defined. We now report a case with sporadic PHP-Ib for whom a SNPlex analysis revealed loss of the maternal GNAS allele. Further analysis of the entire genome with a 100K SNP chip identified a paternal uniparental isodisomy affecting the entire chromosome 20 without evidence for another chromosomal abnormality. Our findings explain the observed GNAS methylation changes and the patient's hormone resistance, and furthermore suggest that chromosome 20 harbors, besides GNAS, no additional imprinted region that contributes to the clinical and laboratory phenotype. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Paternal or Maternal Uniparental Disomy of Chromosome 16 Resulting in Homozygosity of a Mutant Allele Causes Fanconi Anemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Donovan, Frank X; Kimble, Danielle C; Kim, Yonghwan; Lach, Francis P; Harper, Ursula; Kamat, Aparna; Jones, MaryPat; Sanborn, Erica M; Tryon, Rebecca; Wagner, John E; MacMillan, Margaret L; Ostrander, Elaine A; Auerbach, Arleen D; Smogorzewska, Agata; Chandrasekharappa, Settara C

2016-05-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare inherited disorder caused by pathogenic variants in one of 19 FANC genes. FA patients display congenital abnormalities, and develop bone marrow failure, and cancer susceptibility. We identified homozygous mutations in four FA patients and, in each case, only one parent carried the obligate mutant allele. FANCA and FANCP/SLX4 genes, both located on chromosome 16, were the affected recessive FA genes in three and one family respectively. Genotyping with short tandem repeat markers and SNP arrays revealed uniparental disomy (UPD) of the entire mutation-carrying chromosome 16 in all four patients. One FANCA patient had paternal UPD, whereas FA in the other three patients resulted from maternal UPD. These are the first reported cases of UPD as a cause of FA. UPD indicates a reduced risk of having another child with FA in the family and has implications in prenatal diagnosis. © 2016 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Genetic perspective of uniparental mitochondrial DNA landscape on the Punjabi population, Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatti, Shahzad; Abbas, Sana; Aslamkhan, Muhammad; Attimonelli, Marcella; Trinidad, Magali Segundo; Aydin, Hikmet Hakan; de Souza, Erica Martinha Silva; Gonzalez, Gerardo Rodriguez

2017-07-26

To investigate the uniparental genetic structure of the Punjabi population from mtDNA aspect and to set up an appropriate mtDNA forensic database, we studied maternally unrelated Punjabi (N = 100) subjects from two caste groups (i.e. Arain and Gujar) belonging to territory of Punjab. The complete control region was elucidated by Sanger sequencing and the subsequent 58 different haplotypes were designated into appropriate haplogroups according to the most recently updated mtDNA phylogeny. We found a homogenous dispersal of Eurasian haplogroup uniformity among the Punjab Province and exhibited a strong connotation with the European populations. Punjabi castes are primarily a composite of substantial South Asian, East Asian and West Eurasian lineages. Moreover, for the first time we have defined the newly sub-haplogroup M52b1 characterized by 16223 T, 16275 G and 16438 A in Gujar caste. The vast array of mtDNA variants displayed in this study suggested that the haplogroup composition radiates signals of extensive genetic conglomeration, population admixture and demographic expansion that was equipped with diverse origin, whereas matrilineal gene pool was phylogeographically homogenous across the Punjab. This context was further fully acquainted with the facts supported by PCA scatterplot that Punjabi population clustered with South Asian populations. Finally, the high power of discrimination (0.8819) and low random match probability (0.0085%) proposed a worthy contribution of mtDNA control region dataset as a forensic database that considered a gold standard of today to get deeper insight into the genetic ancestry of contemporary matrilineal phylogeny.

A study of female genital swabs in primary health care centres in Jos, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Nwadioha

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To detect some common microbial agents of female genital discharges in order to improve the current syndromic management of abnormal vaginal discharge. Methods: A prospective study of female genital swabs collected from Primary Health Care Centres, Jos, and analysed for microscopy, culture and sensitivity in Jos University Teaching Hospital, December 2006 to December 2007 was carried out. Results: Microbial agents were detected in 70% (700 of a total 1 000 female genital swabs studied. Candida species peaked with 42.0% (420 out of the 1000 samples, followed by Gardnerella vaginalis, an agent of bacterial vaginosis with 26.0%. The distribution of abnormal vaginal discharge was highest in young adults aged 21 to 30 years. Conclusions: It is concluded that abnormal vaginal discharge is most prevalent in the young sexually active age group with Candida species as the commonest agent. We recommend prevention, early diagnosis and prompt treatment of infective female genital discharge in order to reduce the menace of HIV transmission.

Life history trade-offs and behavioral sensitivity to testosterone: an experimental test when female aggression and maternal care co-occur.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimberly A Rosvall

Full Text Available Research on male animals suggests that the hormone testosterone plays a central role in mediating the trade-off between mating effort and parental effort. However, the direct links between testosterone, intrasexual aggression and parental care are remarkably mixed across species. Previous attempts to reconcile these patterns suggest that selection favors behavioral insensitivity to testosterone when paternal care is essential to reproductive success and when breeding seasons are especially short. Females also secrete testosterone, though the degree to which similar testosterone-mediated trade-offs occur in females is much less clear. Here, I ask whether testosterone mediates trade-offs between aggression and incubation in females, and whether patterns of female sensitivity to testosterone relate to female life history, as is often the case in males. I experimentally elevated testosterone in free-living, incubating female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor, a songbird with a short breeding season during which female incubation and intrasexual aggression are both essential to female reproductive success. Testosterone-treated females showed significantly elevated aggression, reduced incubation temperatures, and reduced hatching success, relative to controls. Thus, prolonged testosterone elevation during incubation was detrimental to reproductive success, but females nonetheless showed behavioral sensitivity to testosterone. These findings suggest that the relative importance of both mating effort and parental effort may be central to understanding patterns of behavioral sensitivity in both sexes.

An asymmetric parental investment conflict with continuous strategy sets.

Science.gov (United States)

Yaniv, Osnat

2005-12-07

In the parental investment conflict each of the sexes decides how much to invest in its brood, where its decision influences both sexes' fitness. In nature, each species is usually characterized by a common parental care pattern, male-only care, female-only care or biparental care. A possible way for understanding the factors that have led each species to adopt its unique parental care pattern is to analyse a male's and a female's decision process using a game-theoretical model. This paper suggests a two-stage game-theoretical model with two types of players, male and female. During the game each parent makes three decisions. The interval between the beginning of the game, i.e. after mating and having offspring, and the moment a parent starts to care for them is a random variable. Thus, in the first stage a parent chooses the cumulative probability distribution of this interval, and its amount of parental care. In the second stage the other parent chooses its probability for cooperation. It is assumed that as long as parental care is not provided the offspring are at risk, and that parental caring accrues a different cost for each sex. We compute the Evolutionary Stable Strategies (ESS) under payoff-relevant asymmetry, and show that uniparental and biparental care are possible ESS. We also characterize cases where the sex having the lower cost "forces" the sex having the higher cost to care and vice versa.

Caring for a Bedouin Female Patient with Breast Cancer: An Application of Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Qadir J. Nashwan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Leininger’s theory is to provide care measures that are in harmony with an individual or group’s cultural beliefs, practices, and values. In the 1960’s she coined the term culturally congruent care, which is the primary goal of Transcultural nursing practice. Recently, there is a noticeable increase in the usage of the advanced hospitals’ health services by the Bedouin; as their awareness developed in term of health issues, and this put the health care providers (especially nurses in a great chance to face this Bedouin’s culture in clinical areas. So we have to enrich our understanding of the Bedouin’s culture to deliver a culturally congruent and satisfying care. A personal experience of two oncology nurses in working with a female patient with breast cancer and her Bedouin family described, with application of Madeleine Leininger’s theory of culture care diversity and universality. Concluding that understanding, considering and valuing cultural differences when delivering nursing care are vital to ensure providing a culturally congruent nursing care as well as avoid conflicts.

Caring for a Bedouin Female Patient with Breast Cancer: An Application of Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Qadir J. Nashwan

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Leininger’s theory is to provide care measures that are in harmony with an individual or group’s cultural beliefs, practices, and values. In the 1960’s she coined the term culturally congruent care, which is the primary goal of Transcultural nursing practice. Recently, there is a noticeable increase in the usage of the advanced hospitals’ health services by the Bedouin; as their awareness developed in term of health issues, and this put the health care providers (especially nurses in a great chance to face this Bedouin’s culture in clinical areas. So we have to enrich our understanding of the Bedouin’s culture to deliver a culturally congruent and satisfying care. A personal experience of two oncology nurses in working with a female patient with breast cancer and her Bedouin family described, with application of Madeleine Leininger’s theory of culture care diversity and universality. Concluding that understanding, considering and valuing cultural differences when delivering nursing care are vital to ensure providing a culturally congruent nursing care as well as avoid conflicts.

[Female genital mutilation meets Swedish health care. Female genital mutilation is one of many forms of discrimination of women in the world].

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, C

2001-05-16

About 27,000 women from countries in which female genital mutilation (FGM) is a common practice are presently living in Sweden. This means that FGM is a phenomenon that directly affects the Swedish health care system. Knowledge and understanding of the background, meaning and consequences of FGM are a prerequisite for effective prevention, proper clinical handling and supportive reception of the women. To avoid a stigmatizing reception it is also important to understand the situation of genitally mutilated women, and to become aware of the identity crisis many of them experience when they come to Sweden and lose their identity as "normal" women. It is essential to remember that female genital mutilation is one of many forms of discrimination affecting girls and women around the world. This discrimination knows no national or cultural borders and varies in expression and extent. In order to offer optimal care and reception of women who have been socialized into a gender role that is often seen as completely different from the gender role that Swedish society is said to embrace, it is of the utmost importance to first take a critical look beneath the veil of alleged gender equality of Swedish women.

Dysmenorrhea and self-care strategies in Iranian female students: a regression modeling of pain severity and underlying factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaderi, Fariba; Asghari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Mohseni Bandpei, Mohammad Ali

2016-07-18

Dysmenorrhea is the most common gynecologic condition experienced by menstruating women and has significant medical and psychosocial impacts. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and the problems related to menstruation, self-care strategies and their relations with pain severity in female students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. This cross sectional study was carried out among 197 unmarried and healthy female medical students during April 2013 to July 2013. A standardized questionnaire was given to participants to complete, which included questions about demographic information, prevalence and severity of pain, self-care strategies and its effectiveness. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 98.4% (95% confidence interval=97.6%-99.2%). Almost 76% (149) of students reported limitation of daily activities. The most common method for relief pain were: taking analgesics (64.3%), rest (61.9%), taking herbal medicine (11.7%), and applying hot compress on area of pain (22.3%). Obtaining information about self-care strategies offered from family and friends 79 (41%) were more common than scientific articles 56 (28.7%) and the Internet 43 (22%). Significant relations were observed between self-care strategies' scales and pain severity. The results indicated that dysmenorrhea was highly prevalent among female medical students and is a major problem affecting their life. A variety of treatments is available for dysmenorrhea but most of the participants did not seek medical advice and they used self-care strategies. However, further studies focusing on health education and routine screening for menstrual problems are recommended.

Reproductive intentions and use of reproductive health care among female survivors of childhood cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dijk, M; van den Berg, M H; Overbeek, A; Lambalk, C B; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, M M; Tissing, W J; Kremer, L C; van der Pal, H J; Loonen, J J; Versluys, B; Bresters, D; Kaspers, G J L; van Leeuwen, F E; van Dulmen-den Broeder, E

2018-06-01

Do female childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) express a decreased desire to have children and do they use reproductive health care more often compared to women without a history of cancer? Overall, no difference was found in the desire to have children between CCSs and controls, whereas CCSs consult a fertility specialist more often, at a younger age, and sooner after their first attempt at conceiving. Female CCSs may face a shorter than anticipated reproductive window as a result of their cancer treatment. Little is known about their desire to have children and use of reproductive health care, especially in relation to their former cancer treatment. This study is part of the DCOG LATER-VEVO study, a nationwide retrospective cohort study on female fertility in Dutch CCSs. In total, 1749 CCSs and 1673 controls were invited for the study. Data collection took place between January 2008 and May 2014. Data on the desire to have children and use of reproductive health care were collected by questionnaire. The control group consisted of sisters from CCSs and females from the general population. In total, 1106 (63%) CCSs and 818 (49%) controls completed the questionnaire. Overall, no difference was found in the desire to have children between CCSs and controls (86% and 89%, respectively). However, survivors of a CNS tumour were less likely to desire children and CCSs without biological children at time of study were more likely to report that their desire to have children was unfulfilled because of medical reasons (9%), compared to controls (1%). In total, 12% of CCSs ever consulted a fertility specialist compared to 10% of controls (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.4). Mean (SD) age at time of their first visit was 27.7 (4.4) years for CCSs and 29.9 (3.9) years for controls (P self-report and may therefore be subject to recall bias. Decisions about parenthood affect all CCSs. It's important to evaluate reproductive intentions and function timely after cancer treatment, so CCSs can

Delivering health care through community pharmacies: are working conditions deterring female pharmacists' participation?

Science.gov (United States)

Gidman, Wendy; Day, Jennie; Hassell, Karen; Payne, Katherine

2009-07-01

Recent UK government policy has placed community pharmacists at the frontline of health care delivery in order to improve patient access. Community pharmacy has been beset by recruitment and retention problems which potentially threaten health service delivery. This is largely a consequence of an increased demand for pharmacists. Additionally, the proportion of female pharmacists in the profession has risen. Consequently, interrupted career patterns and part-time working practices have increased, shrinking the pool of available workers. This study aimed to examine the importance of factors influencing female community pharmacists' work patterns. Q methodology was used in a sample of 40 female UK-based community pharmacists. Nine distinct factors emerged from a factor analysis of Q sorts: fulfilled pharmacists; family first or pharmacy shelved; low stress altruist; permanent part-time employees; focused on free time and finances; pressurized modernizers; wandering wage slaves; overloaded and under resourced for the new contract; and pin money part-timers. Female community pharmacists often worked below their potential and part-time at a practitioner level in response to a combination of domestic commitments and intensifying work place pressures. Family-friendly flexible work environments, adequate staffing levels and improved management support, might be more effective in increasing workforce participation than enhanced salary levels in this group of workers.

Association between body mass index and dental caries among special care female children in Makkah City.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashour, Nisreen Adnan; Ashour, Amal Adnan; Basha, Sakeena

2018-01-01

Dental caries and obesity are multifactorial diseases with diet being a common contributory factor. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between dental caries and obesity among special care female school children in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. Analytical cross-sectional study. Special schools in Makkah City. Schools were chosen by lottery and female children were ran.domly selected. Dental caries detection was performed according to the World Health Organization criteria. The medical evaluation assessed the body mass index (BMI). With appropriate sample weighting, relationships between dmft/DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth for deciduous and permanent dentition) and obesity were assessed using multilevel logistic regression. In 275 special care children, the prevalence of dental caries was 56.7 percent. The mean dmft and DMFT scores for the entire study population were 3.9 (4.8) and 3.2 (4.1), respectively. Forty percent of children were mentally retarded, 22.2% presented with deafness, blindness or both, 18.9% presented with Down syndrome and 14.9% were autistic. From the total sample, the mean BMI was 20.2 (2.8). When adjusted for covariates, the logistic regression model showed strong association between caries and obesity (adjusted odds ratio=2.9; 95% CI=1.2-4.9). This study demonstrated a significant association between caries frequency and overweight/obesity in special care school children. Since the data was cross-sectional, causal relationships cannot be established and the observed association could be due to other unexplored factors. Because of cultural and ethical consideration, including segregation of gender in Saudi Arabia, only female children were included in the present study, which limited the findings.

Weight loss among female health care workers- a 1-year workplace based randomized controlled trial in the FINALE-health study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christensen Jeanette R

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Weight management constitutes a substantial problem particularly among groups of low socio-economic status. Interventions at work places may be a solution, but high quality worksite interventions documenting prolonged weight loss are lacking. This paper presents results of an intervention aimed to achieve a 12 months weight loss among overweight health care workers. Methods Ninety-eight overweight female health care workers were randomized into an intervention or a reference group. The intervention consisted of diet, physical exercise and cognitive behavioral training during working hours 1 hour/week. The reference group was offered monthly oral presentations. Several anthropometric measures, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, maximal muscle strength, and musculoskeletal pain were measured before and after the 12-months intervention period. Data were analyzed by intention-to-treat analysis. Results The intervention group significantly reduced body weight by 6 kg (p  Conclusions The intervention generated substantial reductions in body weight, BMI and body fat percentage among overweight female health care workers over 12 months. The positive results support the workplace as an efficient arena for weight loss among overweight females. Trial registration NCT01015716.

Female Labor Supply

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maassen-van den Brink, te Henriet

1994-01-01

To gain insight on factors that impede economic independence of women, this book concentrates on female labor supply in relation to child care, male-female wage differentials, the division of unpaid labor, and marital conflicts between women and men. It may very well be that restrictions on the

HIV diagnosis, linkage to HIV care, and HIV risk behaviors among newly diagnosed HIV-positive female sex workers in Kigali, Rwanda

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braunstein, Sarah L.; Umulisa, Marie-Michèle; Veldhuijzen, Nienke J.; Kestelyn, Evelyne; Ingabire, Chantal M.; Nyinawabega, Jeanine; van de Wijgert, Janneke H. H. M.; Nash, Denis

2011-01-01

To evaluate linkage-to-care, sexual behavior change, and psychosocial experiences among newly HIV-diagnosed female sex workers (FSWs) in Rwanda. FSWs (n = 800) with unknown serostatus were screened for HIV during 2007/2008. Women testing HIV positive (n = 192) were referred to care and asked to

Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms (rs53576) and early paternal care sensitize males to distressing female vocalizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Truzzi, Anna; Poquérusse, Jessie; Setoh, Peipei; Shinohara, Kazuyuki; Bornstein, Marc H; Esposito, Gianluca

2018-04-01

The oxytocinergic system is highly involved in social bonding and early caregiver-infant interactions. Here, we hypothesize that oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene genotype and parental bonding history interact in influencing social development. To address this question, we assessed adult males' arousal (heart rate changes) in response to different distress vocalizations (human female, human infant and bonobo). Region rs53576 of the OXTR gene was genotyped from buccal mucosa cell samples, and a self-report Parental Bonding Instrument was used (which provide information about parental care or parental overprotection). A significant gene-environment interaction between OXTR genotype and parenting style was found to influence participants' social responsivity to female cry vocalizations. Specifically, a history of appropriate paternal care in participants accentuated the heightened social sensitivity determined by G/G homozygosity, while higher versus lower paternal overprotection lead to distinct levels of physiological arousal particularly in A carriers individuals. These results add to our understanding of the dynamic interplay between genetic susceptibility and early environmental experience in shaping the development of appropriate social sensitivity in males. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adolescent opiate exposure in the female rat induces subtle alterations in maternal care and transgenerational effects on play behavior.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole L. Johnson

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The non-medical use of prescription opiates, such as Vicodin® and MSContin®, has increased dramatically over the past decade. Of particular concern is the rising popularity of these drugs in adolescent female populations. Use during this critical developmental period could have significant long-term consequences for both the female user as well as potential effects on her future offspring. To address this issue, we have begun modeling adolescent opiate exposure in female rats and have observed significant transgenerational effects despite the fact that all drugs are withdrawn several weeks prior to pregnancy. The purpose of the current set of studies was to determine whether adolescent morphine exposure modifies postpartum care. In addition, we also examined juvenile play behavior in both male and female offspring. The choice of the social play paradigm was based on previous findings demonstrating effects of both postpartum care and opioid activity on play behavior. The findings revealed subtle modifications in the maternal behavior of adolescent morphine-exposed females, primarily related to the amount of time females’ spend nursing and in non-nursing contact with their young. In addition, male offspring of adolescent morphine-exposed mothers (MOR-F1 demonstrate decreased rough and tumble play behaviors, with no significant differences in general social behaviors (i.e. social grooming and social exploration. Moreover, there was a tendency toward increased rough and tumble play in MOR-F1 females, demonstrating the sex-specific nature of these effects. Given the importance of the postpartum environment on neurodevelopment, it is possible that modifications in maternal-offspring interactions, related to a history of adolescent opiate exposure, plays a role in the observed transgenerational effects. Overall, these studies indicate that the long-term consequences of adolescent opiate exposure can impact both the female and her future offspring.

Health insurance and care-seeking behaviours of female migrants in Accra, Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Lattof, Samantha R

2018-05-01

People working in Ghana's informal sector have low rates of enrolment in the publicly funded National Health Insurance Scheme. Informal sector workers, including migrant girls and women from northern Ghana working as head porters (kayayei), report challenges obtaining insurance and seeking formal health care. This article analyses how health insurance status affects kayayei migrants' care-seeking behaviours. This mixed-methods study involved surveying 625 migrants using respondent-driven sampling and conducting in-depth interviews with a sub-sample of 48 migrants. Analyses explore health status and health seeking behaviours for recent illness/injury. Binary logistic regression modelled the effects of selected independent variables on whether or not a recently ill/injured participant (n = 239) sought health care. Although recently ill/injured participants (38.4%) desired health care, less than half (43.5%) sought care. Financial barriers overwhelmingly limit kayayei migrants from seeking health care, preventing them from registering with the National Health Insurance Scheme, renewing their expired health insurance policies, or taking time away from work. Both insured and uninsured migrants did not seek formal health services due to the unpredictable nature of out-of-pocket expenses. Catastrophic and impoverishing medical expenses also drove participants' migration in search of work to repay loans and hospital bills. Health insurance can help minimize these expenditures, but only 17.4% of currently insured participants (58.2%) reported holding a valid health insurance card in Accra. The others lost their cards or forgot them when migrating. Access to formal health care in Accra remains largely inaccessible to kayayei migrants who suffer from greater illness/injury than the general female population in Accra and who are hindered in their ability to receive insurance exemptions. With internal migration on the rise in many settings, health systems must recognize the

Sexual conflict over care : antagonistic effects of clutch desertion on reproductive success of male and female penduline tits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Szentirmai, I.; Szekely, T.; Komdeur, J.

A fundamental tenet of sexual conflict theory is that one sex may increase its reproductive success (RS) even if this harms the other sex. Several studies supported this principle by showing that males benefit from reduced paternal care whereas females suffer from it. By investigating penduline tits

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Trans*female Youth's Access to Health Care in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Johns, Elizabeth A; Jin, Harry; Auerswald, Colette L; Wilson, Erin C

2017-08-01

Trans*female youth (TFY) are an underserved population at risk for a variety of poor health outcomes, in part related to barriers to accessing health and mental health care. We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected with 250 TFY aged 16-24 years in the San Francisco Bay Area from 2012 to 2014. Logistic regression was used to test associations between sociodemographic variables and barriers to gender identity-based medical and mental health care. Having a history of unstable housing was associated with significantly higher odds of problems accessing both medical care (odds ratio: 2.16, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-4.13) and mental health care due to gender identity (odds ratio 2.65, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-6.45). Conversely, identifying as genderqueer/genderfluid, Latina, or living in dependent housing was associated with access to either medical or mental health care. Interventions are needed to address housing and discrimination barring access to health care among TFY. Copyright © 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre-vaccination care-seeking in females reporting severe adverse reactions to HPV vaccine. A registry based case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølbak, Kåre; Hansen, Niels Dalum; Valentiner-Branth, Palle

2016-01-01

to the DMA of suspected severe adverse reactions.We selected controls without reports of adverse reactions from the Danish vaccination registry and matched by year of vaccination, age of vaccination, and municipality, and obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry and The National Health Insurance...... vaccination programme has declined. The aim of the present study was to determine health care-seeking prior to the first HPV vaccination among females who suspected adverse reactions to HPV vaccine. Methods In this registry-based case-control study, we included as cases vaccinated females with reports...... Service Register the history of health care usage two years prior to the first vaccine. We analysed the data by logistic regression while adjusting for the matching variables. Results The study included 316 cases who received first HPV vaccine between 2006 and 2014. Age range of cases was 11 to 52 years...

The Genetic History of Peruvian Quechua‐Lamistas and Chankas: Uniparental DNA Patterns among Autochthonous Amazonian and Andean Populations

Science.gov (United States)

Sandoval, José R.; Lacerda, Daniela R.; Acosta, Oscar; Jota, Marilza S.; Robles‐Ruiz, Paulo; Salazar‐Granara, Alberto; Vieira, Pedro Paulo R.; Paz‐y‐Miño, César; Fujita, Ricardo

2016-01-01

Summary This study focuses on the genetic history of the Quechua‐Lamistas, inhabitants of the Lamas Province in the San Martin Department, Peru, who speak their own distinct variety of the Quechua family of languages. It has been suggested that different pre‐Columbian ethnic groups from the Peruvian Amazonia, like the Motilones or “shaven heads”, assimilated the Quechua language and then formed the current native population of Lamas. However, many Quechua‐Lamistas claim to be direct descendants of the Chankas, a famous pre‐Columbian indigenous group that escaped from Inca rule in the Andes. To investigate the Quechua‐Lamistas and Chankas’ ancestries, we compared uniparental genetic profiles (17 STRs of Q‐M3 Y‐chromosome and mtDNA complete control region haplotypes) among autochthonous Amazonian and Andean populations from Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The phylogeographic and population genetic analyses indicate a fairly heterogeneous ancestry for the Quechua‐Lamistas, while they are closely related to their neighbours who speak Amazonian languages, presenting no direct relationships with populations from the region where the ancient Chankas lived. On the other hand, the genetic profiles of self‐identified Chanka descendants living in Andahuaylas (located in the Apurimac Department, Peru, in the Central Andes) were closely related to those living in Huancavelica and the assumed Chanka Confederation area before the Inca expansion. PMID:26879156

The Genetic History of Peruvian Quechua-Lamistas and Chankas: Uniparental DNA Patterns among Autochthonous Amazonian and Andean Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandoval, José R; Lacerda, Daniela R; Acosta, Oscar; Jota, Marilza S; Robles-Ruiz, Paulo; Salazar-Granara, Alberto; Vieira, Pedro Paulo R; Paz-Y-Miño, César; Fujita, Ricardo; Santos, Fabricio R

2016-03-01

This study focuses on the genetic history of the Quechua-Lamistas, inhabitants of the Lamas Province in the San Martin Department, Peru, who speak their own distinct variety of the Quechua family of languages. It has been suggested that different pre-Columbian ethnic groups from the Peruvian Amazonia, like the Motilones or "shaven heads", assimilated the Quechua language and then formed the current native population of Lamas. However, many Quechua-Lamistas claim to be direct descendants of the Chankas, a famous pre-Columbian indigenous group that escaped from Inca rule in the Andes. To investigate the Quechua-Lamistas and Chankas' ancestries, we compared uniparental genetic profiles (17 STRs of Q-M3 Y-chromosome and mtDNA complete control region haplotypes) among autochthonous Amazonian and Andean populations from Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The phylogeographic and population genetic analyses indicate a fairly heterogeneous ancestry for the Quechua-Lamistas, while they are closely related to their neighbours who speak Amazonian languages, presenting no direct relationships with populations from the region where the ancient Chankas lived. On the other hand, the genetic profiles of self-identified Chanka descendants living in Andahuaylas (located in the Apurimac Department, Peru, in the Central Andes) were closely related to those living in Huancavelica and the assumed Chanka Confederation area before the Inca expansion. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/University College London.

Female specialists in intensive care medicine: job satisfaction, challenges and work-life balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawker, Felicity H

2016-06-01

Women are under-represented in the intensive care medicine (ICM) specialist workforce. I aimed to better understand the challenges these women face so they can be considered in the training and support of ICM specialists. All female Fellows of the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) of Australia and New Zealand were surveyed using an online questionnaire. The study was approved by the Cabrini Human Research Ethics Committee. Thirty respondents with children volunteered to complete a second questionnaire. I surveyed demographic and workforce data and women's experiences in the ICM specialist workforce in the first survey, and experiences with child-rearing in the second survey. The response rate was 80.3% (127/158). The median age bracket was 40-45 years, and 118 respondents were practising ICM, 85 full-time in a tertiary intensive care unit. Eighteen were ICU directors and 23 were CICM-appointed supervisors of training. Sixty-five women were mothers, and 70% returned to full-time work after their maternity leave. Child care was most commonly undertaken by family members or a nanny. Overall, 81% were satisfied with their experiences, but 37% felt they had been disadvantaged because of their sex. Fewer women with leadership roles felt disadvantaged. Their major challenges included the on-call work affecting child-rearing and family life, sexism in the workplace and difficulties with academic advancement. The participation and satisfaction rates of women working in the ICM specialist workforce are encouraging. Although challenges exist, women contemplating a career in ICM should see it as achievable and rewarding.

Psychological Impact of Stalking on Male and Female Health Care Professional Victims of Stalking and Domestic Violence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Acquadro Maran

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to investigate stalking experiences in a sample of Health Care Professionals, or HCPs, who experienced domestic violence in their previous relationships with an intimate romantic or non-romantic who had become their stalkers. A comparison between males and females was made to highlight the differences among the genders. The findings showed that, for the most part, the victims experienced stalking by a stalker that was not of the same gender. Moreover, the nature of the relationship was romantic, for the most part, for both female and male subjects, suggesting that the principal motivation of stalking is the disruption of an intimate relationship. Regarding domestic violence, females described the phenomenon from a different perspective, indicating verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, while males indicated only verbal abuse. Females tended to amplify, more than the males, depression, and state and trait anxiety. Even if all symptoms were expressed in both females and males, the males exhibited a lack of confidence in their bodies, and the emotional literacy made the expression of distress more difficult. At the same time, the expression of anxiety presented in the women permitted them to become progressively less victimized over time; depression and anxiety allow the recognition of these symptoms as signs of distress and to intervene to reduce them.

Psychological Impact of Stalking on Male and Female Health Care Professional Victims of Stalking and Domestic Violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Acquadro Maran, Daniela; Varetto, Antonella

2018-01-01

The aim of this work was to investigate stalking experiences in a sample of Health Care Professionals, or HCPs, who experienced domestic violence in their previous relationships with an intimate romantic or non-romantic who had become their stalkers. A comparison between males and females was made to highlight the differences among the genders. The findings showed that, for the most part, the victims experienced stalking by a stalker that was not of the same gender. Moreover, the nature of the relationship was romantic, for the most part, for both female and male subjects, suggesting that the principal motivation of stalking is the disruption of an intimate relationship. Regarding domestic violence, females described the phenomenon from a different perspective, indicating verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, while males indicated only verbal abuse. Females tended to amplify, more than the males, depression, and state and trait anxiety. Even if all symptoms were expressed in both females and males, the males exhibited a lack of confidence in their bodies, and the emotional literacy made the expression of distress more difficult. At the same time, the expression of anxiety presented in the women permitted them to become progressively less victimized over time; depression and anxiety allow the recognition of these symptoms as signs of distress and to intervene to reduce them.

Barriers and bridges to care: voices of homeless female adolescent youth in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Ensign, Josephine; Panke, Aileen

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct an assessment of reproductive health-seeking behaviours, sources of advice, and access to care issues among a sample of clinic-based homeless adolescent women. Adolescent women are among the most vulnerable and medically underserved subgroups within the homeless population in the United States. Homeless youth are rarely invited to participate in research aimed at improving their access to appropriate health care. Also, the culture in which they live and the personal experience of being homeless are often not addressed. The research was descriptive, using focus groups and individual interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 female youth, aged 14-23 years. The women said that they seek health advice from other women, including their mothers even while they are homeless. They reported first trying self-care interventions, and going to clinics when self-care actions no longer worked. They stated that the main barriers to health care were lack of insurance, confusion over consent, transportation problems, lack of respect (from providers) for their own self-knowledge, and judgementalism from providers. Using the concept of cultural competency, the results provide insights into how to improve communication and health care services for these women. Health care providers need to recognize and appreciate the lifestyle, beliefs, and adaptive attitudes of homeless youth, rather than labelling them as 'deviant'. All personnel who interact with and on behalf of homeless youth must be adequately trained in general knowledge regarding the health of homeless youth as well as in an understanding of the role that culture plays in their health-seeking behaviours.

HIV prevention and care-seeking behaviour among female sex workers in four cities in India, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Lafort, Yves; Greener, Ross; Roy, Anuradha; Greener, Letitia; Ombidi, Wilkister; Lessitala, Faustino; Haghparast-Bidgoli, Hassan; Beksinska, Mags; Gichangi, Peter; Reza-Paul, Sushena; Smit, Jenni A; Chersich, Matthew; Delva, Wim

2016-10-01

To identify gaps in the use of HIV prevention and care services and commodities for female sex workers, we conducted a baseline cross-sectional survey in four cities, in the context of an implementation research project aiming to improve use of sexual and reproductive health services. Using respondent-driven sampling, 400 sex workers were recruited in Durban, 308 in Tete, 400 in Mombasa and 458 in Mysore and interviewed face-to-face. RDS-adjusted proportions were estimated by nonparametric bootstrapping and compared across cities using post hoc pairwise comparison. Condom use with last client ranged from 88.3% to 96.8%, ever female condom use from 1.6% to 37.9%, HIV testing within the past 6 months from 40.5% to 70.9%, receiving HIV treatment and care from 35.5% to 92.7%, care seeking for last STI from 74.4% to 87.6% and having had at least 10 contacts with a peer educator in the past year from 5.7% to 98.1%. Many of the differences between cities remained statistically significant (P sex worker characteristics. Models to improve use of condoms and HIV prevention and care services should be tailored to the specific context of each site. Programmes at each site must focus on improving availability and uptake of those services that are currently least used. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The HIV Care Continuum among Female Sex Workers: A Key Population in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathryn Elizabeth Lancaster

Full Text Available The HIV care continuum among female sex workers (FSW, a key population, has not been well characterized, especially within the generalized epidemics of sub-Saharan Africa. This was the first study to characterize the HIV care continuum among FSW in Lilongwe, Malawi.From July through September 2014, we used venue-based sampling to enroll 200 adult FSW in Lilongwe, Malawi into a cross-sectional evaluation assessing HIV care continuum outcomes. Seropositive FSW, identified using HIV rapid testing, received rapid CD4 counts in addition to viral loads using dried blood spots. We calculated proportions of HIV-infected FSW who had history of care, were on ART, and had suppressed viral load and we used Poisson regression to estimate the associations of demographic characteristics and transmission risk behaviors with each outcome.HIV seroprevalence was 69% (n = 138. Among all FSW the median age was 24 years (IQR: 22-28. Among the 20% who were newly diagnosed and reported previously testing negative, the median time since last HIV test was 11 months (interquartile range: 3-17. The majority (69% of HIV-infected FSW had a history of HIV care, 52% reported current ART use, and 45% were virally suppressed. Of the FSW who reported current ART use, 86% were virally suppressed. Transmission risk behaviors were not associated with continuum outcomes.FSW in Lilongwe were predominately young and have a high HIV prevalence. Only half of HIV-infected FSW reported current ART use, but the majority of those on ART were virally suppressed. To reduce ongoing transmission and improve health outcomes, increased HIV testing, care engagement, and ART coverage is urgently needed among FSW. Universal testing and treatment strategies for all FSW in Malawi must be strongly considered.

The role of social environment on parental care: offspring benefit more from the presence of female than male helpers.

Science.gov (United States)

Brouwer, Lyanne; van de Pol, Martijn; Cockburn, Andrew

2014-03-01

Investment in offspring depends on the costs and benefits to the carer, which can vary with sex and social status. Investment also depends on the effort of others by allowing for compensation (load-lightening), with biparental care studies showing that this depends on the state and type of the other carer. By contrast, studies on cooperative breeders have solely focussed on the effects of group size rather than its composition (i.e. social environment). Here we propose and provide the first test of the 'Social Environment' hypothesis, that is, how the characteristics (here the sex) of other helpers present in the group affect parental care and how this in turn affects offspring fitness in cooperatively breeding red-winged fairy-wrens (Malurus elegans). Breeders provisioned nestlings at a higher rate than helpers, but there was no sex difference in provisioning rate. Compensation to increasing group size varied little with sex and status, but strongly depended on social environment. All group members reduced their provisioning rates in response to an increasing number of male (load-lightening), but not female helpers (additive care). As a result, nestlings received more food and grew faster in the presence of female helpers. The increased nestling growth did convey a fitness advantage due to a higher post-fledging survival to adulthood. Our study provides the first evidence that parental care can depend on social environment. This could be an important overlooked aspect to explain variation in parental care in cooperative breeders in general and in particular the enormous variation between the sexes, which we reveal in a literature overview. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2013 British Ecological Society.

[Familial characteristics and self-perceived health among female and male primary care physicians in Andalusia (Spain)].

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado, Ana; Saletti-Cuesta, Lorena; López-Fernández, Luis Andrés; Toro-Cárdenas, Silvia

2013-01-01

To determine the relationships between a group of professional and family characteristics and the components of physical and mental health in female and male primary care physicians working in health centers in Andalusia (Spain). A descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter study was performed. The population consisted of urban health centers in Andalusia and their physicians. The sample comprised 88 health centers and 500 physicians. Measurements consisted of sex, age, professional characteristics (postgraduate training in family medicine, position of health center manager, accreditation as a residents' tutor, and workload based on patient quota and the mean number of patients/day); family responsibilities, defined by two dimensions of the family-work relationship (support overload-family support deficit and family-work conflict); and perceived physical and mental health. The data source was a self-administered questionnaire sent by surface mail. Multiple regression analyses were performed for physical and mental health for the whole sample and by gender. Responses were obtained from 368 physicians (73.6%). Mental health was worse in female physicians than in male physicians; no differences were found between genders in physical health. The family-work conflict was associated with physical and mental health in physicians of both genders. Physical health deteriorated with increasing age in both genders, improved in the female tutors of residents, and decreased with increasing family-work conflict in male physicians. Mental health decreased with increasing housework on the weekends and with family-work conflict in both genders. In male physicians, mental health deteriorated with postgraduate training in family medicine and improved if they were health center managers. Workload and professional characteristics have little relationship with the health of primary care physicians. Family characteristics play a greater role. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier

Traces of medieval migrations in a socially stratified population from Northern Italy. Evidence from uniparental markers and deep-rooted pedigrees.

Science.gov (United States)

Boattini, A; Sarno, S; Pedrini, P; Medoro, C; Carta, M; Tucci, S; Ferri, G; Alù, M; Luiselli, D; Pettener, D

2015-02-01

Social and cultural factors had a critical role in determining the genetic structure of Europe. Therefore, socially stratified populations may help to focus on specific episodes of European demographic history. In this study, we use uniparental markers to analyse the genetic structure of Partecipanza in San Giovanni in Persiceto (Northern Italy), a peculiar institution whose origins date back to the Middle Ages and whose members form the patrilineal descent of a group of founder families. From a maternal point of view (mtDNA), Partecipanza is genetically homogeneous with the rest of the population. However, we observed a significant differentiation for Y-chromosomes. In addition, by comparing 17 Y-STR profiles with deep-rooted paternal pedigrees, we estimated a Y-STR mutation rate equal to 3.90 * 10(-3) mutations per STR per generation and an average generation duration time of 33.38 years. When we used these values for tentative dating, we estimated 1300-600 years ago for the origins of the Partecipanza. These results, together with a peculiar Y-chromosomal composition and historical evidence, suggest that Germanic populations (Lombards in particular) settled in the area during the Migration Period (400-800 AD, approximately) and may have had an important role in the foundation of this community.

Excess Stress Fractures, Musculoskeletal Injuries, and Health Care Utilization Among Unfit and Overweight Female Army Trainees.

Science.gov (United States)

Krauss, Margot R; Garvin, Nadia U; Boivin, Michael R; Cowan, David N

2017-02-01

Musculoskeletal injuries are prevalent among military trainees and certain occupations. Fitness and body mass index (BMI) have been associated with musculoskeletal conditions, including stress fractures. The incidence of, and excess health care utilization for, stress fracture and non-stress fracture overuse musculoskeletal injuries during the first 6 months of service is higher among unfit female recruits. Those who exceeded body fat limits are at a greater risk of incident stress fractures, injuries, or health care utilization compared with weight-qualified recruits. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. All applicants to the United States Army were required to take a preaccession fitness test during the study period (February 2005-September 2006). The test included a 5-minute step test scored as pass or fail. BMI was recorded at application. There were 2 distinct comparisons made in this study: (1) between weight-qualified physically fit and unfit women and (2) between weight-qualified physically fit women and those who exceeded body fat limits. We compared the incidence of, and excess health care utilization for, musculoskeletal injuries, including stress fractures and physical therapy visits, during the first 183 days of military service. Among the weight-qualified women, unfit participants had a higher non-stress fracture injury incidence and related excess health care utilization rate compared with fit women, with rate ratios of 1.32 (95% CI, 1.14-1.53) and 1.18 (95% CI, 1.10-1.27), respectively. Among fit women, compared with the weight-qualified participants, those exceeding body fat limits had higher rate ratios for non-stress fracture injury incidence and related excess health care utilization of 1.27 (95% CI, 1.07-1.50) and 1.20 (95% CI, 1.11-1.31), respectively. Weight-qualified women who were unfit had a higher incidence of stress fractures and related excess health care utilization compared with fit women, with rate ratios of 1.62 (95% CI, 1

Paternal uniparental isodisomy of chromosome 11p15.5 within the pancreas causes isolated hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah E Flanagan

2011-11-01

Full Text Available BackgroundLoss of function mutations in the genes encoding the pancreatic β-cell ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP channel are identified in approximately 80% of patients with diazoxide-unresponsive hyperinsulinaemic-hypoglycaemia (HH. For a small number of patients HH can occur as part of a multisystem disease such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS. In approximately 20% of patients, BWS results from chromosome 11 paternal uniparental disomy (UPD, which causes dysregulation of imprinted growth regulation genes at 11p15.5. There is a considerable range in the clinical features and phenotypic severity associated with BWS which is likely to be due to somatic mosaicism. The cause of HH in these patients is not known.Research Design and methodsWe undertook microsatellite analysis of 12 markers spanning chromosome 11p in two patients with severe HH and diffuse disease requiring a pancreatectomy. In both patients mutations in the KATP channel genes had not been identified. ResultsWe identified segmental paternal UPD in DNA extracted from pancreatic tissue in both patients. UPD was not observed in DNA extracted from the patient’s leukocytes or buccal samples. In both cases the UPD encompassed the differentially methylated region at chromosome 11p15.5. Despite this neither patient had any further features of BWS.ConclusionsPaternal UPD of the chromosome 11p15.5 differentially methylated region limited to the pancreatic tissue may represent a novel cause of isolated diazoxide unresponsive HH. Loss of heterozygosity studies should therefore be considered in all patients with severe HH who have undergone pancreatic surgery when KATP channel mutation(s have not been identified.

Receipt of Post-Rape Medical Care in a National Sample of Female Victims

Science.gov (United States)

Zinzow, Heidi M.; Resnick, Heidi S.; Barr, Simone C.; Danielson, Carla K.; Kilpatrick, Dean G.

2014-01-01

Background It is important for rape victims to receive medical care to prevent and treat rape-related diseases and injuries, access forensic exams, and connect to needed resources. Few victims seek care, and factors associated with post-rape medical care–seeking are poorly understood. Purpose The current study examined prevalence and factors associated with post-rape medical care–seeking in a national sample of women who reported a most-recent or only incident of forcible rape, and drug- or alcohol-facilitated/incapacitated rape when they were aged ≥14 years. Methods A national sample of U.S. adult women (N=3001) completed structured telephone interviews in 2006, and data for this study were analyzed in 2011. Logistic regression analyses examined demographic variables, health, rape characteristics, and post-rape concerns in relation to post-rape medical care–seeking among 445 female rape victims. Results A minority of rape victims (21%) sought post-rape medical attention following the incident. In the final multivariate model, correlates of medical care included black race, rape-related injury, concerns about sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy concerns, and reporting the incident to police. Conclusions Women who experience rapes consistent with stereotypic scenarios, acknowledge the rape, report the rape, and harbor health concerns appear to be more likely to seek post-rape medical services. Education is needed to increase rape acknowledgment, awareness of post-rape services that do not require formal reporting, and recognition of the need to treat rape-related health problems. PMID:22813683

Health care utilization, somatic and mental health distress, and well-being among widowed and non-widowed female survivors of war

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morina, N.; Emmelkamp, P.M.G.

2012-01-01

Background The aim of the study was to assess levels of somatic and mental health distress, well-being, AS WELL AS utilization of primary and specialist health care services among war-related widowed and non-widowed female civilian survivors of war. Methods 100 war-related widowed lone mothers and

Genetic taste markers and preferences for vegetables and fruit of female breast care patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Drewnowski, A; Henderson, S A; Hann, C S; Berg, W A; Ruffin, M T

2000-02-01

To explore links between genetic responsiveness to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and self-reported preferences for vegetables and fruit of female breast care patients. PROP tasting was defined by detection thresholds and by perceived bitterness and hedonic ratings for PROP solutions. Nontasters, medium tasters, and supertasters were identified by their PROP thresholds and by the ratio of perceived bitterness of PROP to the perceived saltiness of sodium chloride solutions. Subjects rated preferences for vegetables and fruit using 9-point category scales. A clinical sample of 170 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer and 156 cancer-free control subjects were recruited from the University of Michigan Breast Care Center. Principal components factor analysis, one-way analyses of variance, and Pearson correlations and chi 2 tests were used to analyze taste and food preference data. Genetic responsiveness to PROP was associated with lower acceptance of cruciferous and selected green and raw vegetables (P cancer prevention that emphasize consumption of cruciferous vegetables and bitter salad greens. Alternatively, PROP-sensitive women may seek to reduce bitter taste by adding fat, sugar, or salt.

Experiences of long-term home care as an informal caregiver to a spouse: gendered meanings in everyday life for female carers.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Henrik; Sandberg, Jonas; Hellström, Ingrid

2013-05-01

In this article, we explore the gender aspects of long-term caregiving from the perspective of women providing home care for a spouse suffering from dementia. One of the most common circumstances in which a woman gradually steps into a long-term caregiver role at home involves caring for a spouse suffering from dementia. Little attention has been paid to examining the experiences and motivations of such caregivers from a feminist perspective. Twelve women, all of whom were informal caregivers to a partner suffering from dementia, were interviewed on the following themes: the home, their partner's disease, everyday life, their relationship and autonomy. The results of these interviews were analysed in relation to gender identity and social power structures using a feminist perspective. The findings of this study show that the informants frequently reflected on their caregiving activities in terms of both general and heteronormative expectations. The results suggest that the process of heteropolarisation in these cases can be an understood as a consequence of both the spouse's illness and the resulting caring duties. Also, the results suggest that the act of caring leads to introspections concerning perceived 'shortcomings' as a caregiver. Finally, the results indicate that it is important to recognise when the need for support in day-to-day caring is downplayed. Women view their caregiving role and responsibilities as paramount; their other duties, including caring for themselves, are deemed less important. We stress that the intense commitment and responsibilities that women experience in their day-to-day caring must be acknowledged and that it is important for healthcare professionals to find mechanisms for providing choices for female caregivers without neglecting their moral concerns. Female carers face difficulties in always living up to gendered standards and this need to be considered when evaluating policies and practices for family carers. © 2012 Blackwell

Circulatory Responses to Operative Stress in Females with Gestosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. V. Mikhno

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to study the specific features of hemodynamic responses in females with gestosis in the perioperative period; to evaluate the impact of intensive care on the basis of co-administration of dalargin, dexamethasone, pen-toxifylline, and reamberin.Materials and methods. A Diamant KM-AP-01 rheograph (Saint Petersburg was used to study hemodynamic parameters in 142 patients in whom surgical delivery was made under spinal anesthesia. A control group comprised 30 patients with uncomplicated pregnancy; Group 1 included 26 females with moderate gestosis; Group 2 consisted of 27 females with moderate gestosis who received the developed intensive care regimen; Group 3 comprised 29 females with severe gestosis; Group 4 included 30 females to whom the developed intensive care regimen was applied on the basis of the concurrent use of dalargin, dexamethasone, pentoxifylline, and reamberin.Results: A neurogenic mechanism prevails in females with moderate gestosis. The decreased baseline cardiac index is mostly due to a high postload. Surgical stress does not deteriorate postoperative circulatory parameters, which suggests that females with moderate gestosis have adequate capacities for self-regulation. As gestosis progresses to a severe degree, a role of humoral mechanisms increases in the maintenance of arteriolar spasm. Arteriolar spasm and hypokinetic hemodynamics are retained within 5 postoperative days, which is indicative of the inadequacy of self-regulation and compensatory mechanisms in overcoming two stressors: severe gestosis and surgical aggression.Conclusion: the intensive care regimen developed on the basis of combined use of dalargin, dexamethasone, pentoxifylline, and reamberin favors a more intensive (the promptest normalization of circulatory parameters after surgical delivery in females with moderate and severe gestosis. 

Contraceptive use among female traders in Ibadan, Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Contraceptive use among female traders in Ibadan, Nigeria. ... residence and compatibility between work and family responsibilities especially child care. ... contraceptives and associated factors among female traders in a well-defined market.

Corticosterone Concentrations Reflect Parental Expenditure in Contrasting Mating Systems of Two Coucal Species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolfgang Goymann

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The period of parental care can be a demanding life-history stage because parents need to find sufficient resources to feed themselves and their offspring. Often, this is reflected by elevated baseline levels of glucocorticoids—hormones that regulate metabolism and energy allocation. During 10 breeding seasons, we studied plasma corticosterone (the major avian glucocorticoid concentrations as a physiological correlate of parental expenditure in two closely related coucal species with fundamentally different mating systems: the sex-role reversed black coucal (Centropus grillii with female competition and male-only care and the socially monogamous and biparental white-browed coucal (C. superciliosus. The two species live in the same habitat and share a similar breeding biology. However, female black coucals aggressively defend a territory and produce many eggs for their various male partners, and male black coucals feed their offspring much more frequently and rest less often than female and male white-browed coucals. These differences were reflected in baseline and stress-induced concentrations of corticosterone: male black coucals had higher baseline and stress-induced corticosterone concentrations when they were feeding young than outside a feeding context, and also the concentrations of female black coucals were higher during the main period of breeding when they defended territories and produced multiple clutches. In contrast, baseline and stress-induced concentrations of corticosterone in female and male white-browed coucals did not differ between periods when they were feeding young and periods without dependent offspring. Paradoxically, on an individual basis feeding effort was negatively related to baseline corticosterone in male black coucals and female white-browed coucals. In conclusion, corticosterone concentrations of coucals reflected differences in competition and parental roles and support the notion that a switch from

Correlates of health care utilization under targeted interventions: The case of female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Varun; Suryawanshi, Dipak; Saggurti, Niranjan; Bharat, Shalini

2017-11-01

Accessibility and frequency of use of health care services among female sex workers (FSWs) are constrained by various factors. In this analysis, we examined the correlates of frequency of using health care services under targeted interventions among FSWs. A sample of FSWs (N = 1,973) was obtained from a second round (2012) of Behavioral Tracking Survey, conducted in five districts of Andhra Pradesh, a high-HIV-prevalence state in southern India. We used negative binomial regression models to analyze frequency of utilization of health care services among FSWs. Based on our analysis, we suggest that various predisposing and enabling factors were found to be significantly associated with the visit to NGO clinics for treatment of any health problem, any sexually transmitted infection symptom, and the number of condoms received from the peer worker or condom depot. We suggest the need for further research with respect to various correlates of frequency of using health care among FSWs to develop effective intervention strategies in countries that have high HIV prevalence among FSWs and targeted interventions need more diligent implementation to reach the unreached.

Reproductive Health Care Priorities and Barriers to Effective Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer People Assigned Female at Birth: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wingo, Erin; Ingraham, Natalie; Roberts, Sarah C M

2018-04-13

Little research documents the self-identified reproductive health priorities and health care experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ)-identified individuals who may be in need of services. We conducted in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of 39 female-assigned-at-birth individuals (ages 18-44) who also identified as lesbian, bisexual, queer, and/or genderqueer, or transmasculine. Interviews were primarily conducted in person in the Bay Area of California, and Baltimore, Maryland, with 11 conducted remotely with participants in other U.S. We asked participants about their current reproductive health care needs, topics they felt researchers should pursue, and past reproductive health care experiences. Data were analyzed using a framework method, incorporating deductive and inductive thematic analysis techniques. Reproductive health care needs among participants varied widely and included treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome and irregular menses, gender-affirming hysterectomies, and fertility assistance. Many faced challenges getting their needs met. Themes related to these challenges cross-cutting across identity groups included primary focus on fertility, provider lack of LGBTQ health competency relevant to reproductive health priorities and treatment, and discriminatory comments and treatment. Across themes and identity groups, participants highlighted that sexual activity and reproduction were central topics in reproductive health care settings. These topics facilitated identity disclosures to providers, but also enhanced vulnerability to discrimination. Reproductive health priorities of LGBTQ individuals include needs similar to cisgender and heterosexual groups (e.g., abortion, contraception, PCOS) as well as unique needs (e.g., gender affirming hysterectomies, inclusive safer sex guidance) and challenges in pursuing care. Future reproductive health research should pursue health care concerns prioritized by LGBTQ populations

Mammography Screening Uptake among Female Health Care Workers in Primary Health Care Centers in Palestine - Motivators and Barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazzal, Zaher; Sholi, Hisham; Sholi, Suha; Sholi, Mohammad; Lahaseh, Rawya

2016-01-01

Early detection remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control in terms of outcome and survival. Thus far the only breast cancer screening method proven effective is mammography. The awareness of female health care workers (HCW) about breast cancer prevention is of vital importance, as their beliefs and behavior may have a major impact on other women. This study was designed to assess mammography screening uptake among female healthcare workers at primary healthcare centers, and to identify the primary motivators and barriers that affect uptake results. A cross sectional study design was used to assess mammography screening by 299 female healthcare workers who completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed demographics, screening uptake, motivators and barriers. The mean age was 46 years (within age of risk). The majority (95.1%) demonstrated adequate knowledge about breast cancer and mammography screening and 50% of the participants reported having at least one mammogram; however only 21% of them had regularly scheduled mammograms. The most frequent reported motivator was the perceived benefit that early detection of breast cancer is important for its management (89.6%), followed by the belief that mammography can detect breast cancer before its symptoms appear (84.4%). On the other hand, the most frequent barrier reported was being busy (46.7%), followed by the lack of perceived susceptibility (41.5%). Mammography screening was found to be sub-optimal in a population of HCW's with 50 % stating that they received a mammogram at least once, and a minority reported regular screening. There is a pressing need for educational programs aimed at removing the barriers that limit compliance with recommendations for mammography screening, and to emphasize the importance of early detection in breast cancer treatment. Ensuring the availability and accessibility of screening services, particularly for healthcare workers within their work settings are other

Time to address gender inequalities against female physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannawi, Suad; Al Salmi, Issa

2017-11-10

Although the health care system depends heavily on female physicians, it discriminates against women and tends to concentrate female physicians' work in lower status occupations. Gender discrimination has structural, social, and cultural dimensions. Such discrimination is perceived differently by various stakeholders and the public. In addition, there is reluctance to publicly acknowledge gender discrimination, especially in the culturally conservative Middle East region. Gender discrimination leads to underrepresentation of female physicians in leadership roles and certain specialties and hence leads to less attention and understanding of the working conditions of female physicians and their roles in the health care system. The lack of accessible data in the region regarding gender discrimination among physicians leads to stakeholders failing to recognize the existence and magnitude of this type of discrimination. This article takes up the relatively neglected issue of gender discrimination in the health care workforce among the stakeholders of the Ministry of Health and Prevention of the United Arab Emirates. Future research should explore the extent of gender discrimination among physicians and the gender remuneration gap, together with other sorts of discrimination, perception of equal opportunity, and dominant stereotypes of men and women working in health care in relation to job obligation, promotion, retention, remuneration, and education. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An Atypical Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Line With a Complex, Stable, and Balanced Genomic Rearrangement Including a Large De Novo 1q Uniparental Disomy

Science.gov (United States)

Steichen, Clara; Maluenda, Jérôme; Tosca, Lucie; Luce, Eléanor; Pineau, Dominique; Dianat, Noushin; Hannoun, Zara; Tachdjian, Gérard; Melki, Judith

2015-01-01

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold great promise for cell therapy through their use as vital tools for regenerative and personalized medicine. However, the genomic integrity of hiPSCs still raises some concern and is one of the barriers limiting their use in clinical applications. Numerous articles have reported the occurrence of aneuploidies, copy number variations, or single point mutations in hiPSCs, and nonintegrative reprogramming strategies have been developed to minimize the impact of the reprogramming process on the hiPSC genome. Here, we report the characterization of an hiPSC line generated by daily transfections of modified messenger RNAs, displaying several genomic abnormalities. Karyotype analysis showed a complex genomic rearrangement, which remained stable during long-term culture. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses were performed on the hiPSC line showing that this karyotype is balanced. Interestingly, single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis revealed the presence of a large 1q region of uniparental disomy (UPD), demonstrating for the first time that UPD can occur in a noncompensatory context during nonintegrative reprogramming of normal fibroblasts. PMID:25650439

Factors associated with health care discrimination experiences among a national sample of female-to-male transgender individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Shires, Deirdre A; Jaffee, Kim

2015-05-01

Transgender individuals experience harassment, violence, and discrimination in a number of settings. Although health care discrimination against transgender people has been documented, this issue is understudied. Using a national cross-sectional survey data set (N = 1,711), the authors sought to determine how gender identity and presentation predict health care discrimination experiences among female-to-male (FTM) transgender people after demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are controlled. Analyses were conducted using chi-square tests and a two-step logistic regression. The majority of participants were white (73.9 percent) and between 25 and 44 years old (65.2 percent). Overall, 41.8 percent of FTM participants reported verbal harassment, physical assault, or denial of equal treatment in a doctor's office or hospital. When other factors were controlled, being Native American or multiracial, identifying as queer or asexual/other, having a graduate degree, living full-time as nonbirth gender, using hormones or surgery for medical transition, and having identification documents that list one's preferred gender were associated with increased reporting of health care discrimination experiences; being 45 years or older and reporting an annual income of $60,000 or more were associated with decreased risk. The study's findings can be useful to social workers, who play a role in educating health care providers and advocating for policies that improve health care experiences for FTM and other transgender patients.

Mosaicism for maternal uniparental disomy 15 in a boy with some clinical features of Prader-Willi syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Zilina, Olga; Kahre, Tiina; Talvik, Inga; Oiglane-Shlik, Eve; Tillmann, Vallo; Ounap, Katrin

2014-01-01

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is caused by the lack of paternal expression of imprinted genes in the human chromosomal region 15q11.2-q13.2, which can be due to an interstitial deletion at 15q11.2-q13 of paternal origin (65-75%), maternal uniparental disomy (matUPD) of chromosome 15 (20-30%), or an imprinting defect (1-3%). The majority of PWS-associated matUPD15 cases represent a complete heterodisomy of chromosome 15 or a mixture of hetero- and isodisomic regions across the chromosome 15. Pure maternal isodisomy is observed in only a few matUPD15 patients. Here we report a case of an 18-year-old boy with some clinical features of Prader-Willi syndrome, such as overweight, muscular hypotonia, facial dysmorphism and psychiatric problems, but there was no reason to suspect PWS in the patient based solely on the phenotype estimation. However, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) revealed mosaic loss of heterozygosity of the entire chromosome 15. Methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependant probe amplification (MS-MLPA) analysis showed hypermethylation of the SNRPN and NDN genes in the PWS/AS critical region of chromosome 15 in this patient. Taking into consideration the MS-MLPA results and the presence of PWS features in the patient, we concluded that it was matUPD15, although the patient's parents were not enrolled in the study. According to CMA and karyotyping, no trisomic or monosomic cells were present. To the best of our knowledge, only two PWS cases with mosaic maternal isodisomy 15 and without trisomic/monosomic cell lines have been reported so far. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Male-female patient differences in association between end-of-life discussions and receipt of intensive care near death

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Rashmi K.; Prigerson, Holly G.; Penedo, Frank J.; Maciejewski, Paul K.

2015-01-01

Background Patient gender plays a significant role in patient-physician communication, patient illness understanding and aggressiveness of end of life (EoL) care. However, little is known about the extent to which gender differences in the effects of EoL discussions on EoL care contribute to gender differences in EoL care. The present study aims to determine if gender differences exist in receipt of intensive care unit (ICU) care near death and in the association between EoL discussions and receipt of ICU EoL care. Methods Multi-site, prospective, cohort study of patients (N=353) with metastatic cancers, identified as terminally ill at study enrollment and interviewed a median of 4.1 months before their deaths. Postmortem chart reviews and caregiver interviews documented ICU stays in the last week of life. Results Patients who received ICU care at the EoL were more likely to be male than those who did not (73% male vs. 52% male, p=0.02). Adjusting for potential confounds, male patients reporting an EoL discussion were less likely to have an ICU stay in the last week of life than male patients with no EoL discussion (AOR=0.26, 95% CI 0.07–0.91; p=0.04). There was no association between EoL discussions and ICU stays near death among female patients. Conclusions Men with advanced cancers are more likely than women to receive aggressive, non-beneficial, ICU care near death. Gender differences in effects of EoL discussions on EoL care likely contribute to, and may even explain, gender differences in receipt of ICU care in the last week of life. PMID:25975179

The Speaker Gender Gap at Critical Care Conferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Sangeeta; Rose, Louise; Cook, Deborah; Herridge, Margaret; Owais, Sawayra; Metaxa, Victoria

2018-06-01

To review women's participation as faculty at five critical care conferences over 7 years. Retrospective analysis of five scientific programs to identify the proportion of females and each speaker's profession based on conference conveners, program documents, or internet research. Three international (European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine) and two national (Critical Care Canada Forum, U.K. Intensive Care Society State of the Art Meeting) annual critical care conferences held between 2010 and 2016. Female faculty speakers. None. Male speakers outnumbered female speakers at all five conferences, in all 7 years. Overall, women represented 5-31% of speakers, and female physicians represented 5-26% of speakers. Nursing and allied health professional faculty represented 0-25% of speakers; in general, more than 50% of allied health professionals were women. Over the 7 years, Society of Critical Care Medicine had the highest representation of female (27% overall) and nursing/allied health professional (16-25%) speakers; notably, male physicians substantially outnumbered female physicians in all years (62-70% vs 10-19%, respectively). Women's representation on conference program committees ranged from 0% to 40%, with Society of Critical Care Medicine having the highest representation of women (26-40%). The female proportions of speakers, physician speakers, and program committee members increased significantly over time at the Society of Critical Care Medicine and U.K. Intensive Care Society State of the Art Meeting conferences (p gap at critical care conferences, with male faculty outnumbering female faculty. This gap is more marked among physician speakers than those speakers representing nursing and allied health professionals. Several organizational strategies can address this gender gap.

Health and Health Care From the Perspective of Intimate Partner Violence Adult Female Victims in Shelters: Impact of IPV, Unmet Needs, Barriers, Experiences, and Preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Wadsworth, Pamela; Kothari, Catherine; Lubwama, Grace; Brown, Cathy L; Frank Benton, Jennifer

Intimate partner violence (IPV) predicts poor health for victims and their children, but little is known about the perspective of victims. This study reports the perspectives of adult female IPV victims about the impact of IPV on their health and barriers of health care access for themselves and their children. The majority rated their health as good to excellent (69%). However, 83.5% indicated that IPV negatively affected their health; 53.5% had unmet health care needs. Mental health care was the most common unmet need for women; children's unmet needs were immunizations and preventive care. Transportation difficulties posed the biggest barrier to health care access.

A scoping review of female disadvantage in health care use among very young children of immigrant families.

Science.gov (United States)

Pulver, Ariel; Ramraj, Chantel; Ray, Joel G; O'Campo, Patricia; Urquia, Marcelo L

2016-03-01

Preference for sons culminates in higher mortality and inadequate immunizations and health care visits for girls compared to boys in several countries. It is unknown if the negative consequences of son-preference persist among those who immigrate to Western, high-income countries. To review the literature regarding gender inequities in health care use among children of parents who migrate to Western, high-income countries, we completed a scoping literature review using Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and Scopus databases. We identified studies reporting gender-specific health care use by children aged 5 years and younger whose parents had migrated to a Western country. Two independent reviewers conducted data extraction and a quality assessment tool was applied to each included study. We retrieved 1547 titles, of which 103 were reviewed in detail and 12 met our inclusion criteria. Studies originated from the United States and Europe, using cross-sectional or registry-based designs. Five studies examined gender differences in health care use within immigrant groups, and only one study explored the female health disadvantage hypothesis. No consistent gender differences were observed for routine primary care visits however immunizations and prescriptions were elevated for boys. Greater use of acute health services, namely emergency department visits and hospitalizations, was observed for boys over girls in several studies. Studies did not formally complete gender-based analyses or assess for acculturation factors. Health care use among children in immigrant families may differ between boys and girls, but the reasons for why this is so are largely unexplored. Further gender-based research with attention paid to the diversity of immigrant populations may help health care providers identify children with unmet health care needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-Vaccination Care-Seeking in Females Reporting Severe Adverse Reactions to HPV Vaccine. A Registry Based Case-Control Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kåre Mølbak

Full Text Available Since 2013 the number of suspected adverse reactions to the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV vaccine reported to the Danish Medicines Agency (DMA has increased. Due to the resulting public concerns about vaccine safety, the coverage of HPV vaccinations in the childhood vaccination programme has declined. The aim of the present study was to determine health care-seeking prior to the first HPV vaccination among females who suspected adverse reactions to HPV vaccine.In this registry-based case-control study, we included as cases vaccinated females with reports to the DMA of suspected severe adverse reactions. We selected controls without reports of adverse reactions from the Danish vaccination registry and matched by year of vaccination, age of vaccination, and municipality, and obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry and The National Health Insurance Service Register the history of health care usage two years prior to the first vaccine. We analysed the data by logistic regression while adjusting for the matching variables.The study included 316 cases who received first HPV vaccine between 2006 and 2014. Age range of cases was 11 to 52 years, with a peak at 12 years, corresponding to the recommended age at vaccination, and another peak at 19 to 28 years, corresponding to a catch-up programme targeting young women. Compared with 163,910 controls, cases had increased care-seeking in the two years before receiving the first HPV vaccine. A multivariable model showed higher use of telephone/email consultations (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.2-3.2, physiotherapy (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.6-2.8 and psychologist/psychiatrist (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3-2.7. Cases were more likely to have a diagnosis in the ICD-10 chapters of diseases of the digestive system (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0-2.4, of the musculoskeletal system (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.2, symptoms or signs not classified elsewhere (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.3-2.5 as well as injuries (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.9.Before receiving the

Iron, folate and cobalamin deficiency in anaemic pregnant females in tertiary care centre at Rawalpindi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, D A; Fatima, S; Imran, R; Khan, F A [National Univ. of Science and Technology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi (Pakistan). Department of Pathology

2010-01-15

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is a common clinical problem contributing to increased maternal and foetal morbidity. This study was carried out to determine frequency of iron, folate and cobalamin deficiency and associated risk factors in the anaemic pregnant females who reported first time during second and third trimester for antenatal check-up in the tertiary care hospital at Rawalpindi. Methods: This case control study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital at Rawalpindi. Two hundred and fifty pregnant women (age: 19-43 years) consisting of 125 anaemic (Hb< 110 g/L) and 125 non-anaemic who reported first time at antenatal clinic were included. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, parity and dietary intake were collected. Complete blood counts were done. Serum ferritin, folate and cobalamin assays were performed by using DPC kits on Immulite-1000. Results: The pregnant women were categorised having mild (Hb up to 54%), moderate (Hb up to 36%), or severe (Hb up to 10%) anaemia during antennal visit. They had significantly lower median (range) levels of haemoglobin 96 (40-110) g/L, ferritin 8 (3-54) nu mu/L, folate 15 (3-54) mu mol/L and cobalamin 171 (111-629) mu mol/L than controls (p=<0.01). Micro nutrient analysis revealed secondary pregnancy related deficiency of Iron (57%), folate (20%), combined iron and folate (19%) and cobalamin (4%) in the female. Among the risk factors, low income (OR: 7.69), multi party (OR: 2.93), lack of iron/folate supplementation (OR 2.91) and inadequate dietary intakes (OR 2.51) were associated with anaemia. Conclusion: The pregnant anaemic women had iron (57%); folate (20%), followed by combined iron folate (19%), and cobalamin (4%) deficiency during first antenatal visit. Low income, multi party, poor diet and lack of supplements are the main contributor in development of anaemia during pregnancy. (author)

Iron, folate and cobalamin deficiency in anaemic pregnant females in tertiary care centre at Rawalpindi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, D.A.; Fatima, S.; Imran, R.; Khan, F.A.

2010-01-01

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is a common clinical problem contributing to increased maternal and foetal morbidity. This study was carried out to determine frequency of iron, folate and cobalamin deficiency and associated risk factors in the anaemic pregnant females who reported first time during second and third trimester for antenatal check-up in the tertiary care hospital at Rawalpindi. Methods: This case control study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital at Rawalpindi. Two hundred and fifty pregnant women (age: 19-43 years) consisting of 125 anaemic (Hb< 110 g/L) and 125 non-anaemic who reported first time at antenatal clinic were included. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, parity and dietary intake were collected. Complete blood counts were done. Serum ferritin, folate and cobalamin assays were performed by using DPC kits on Immulite-1000. Results: The pregnant women were categorised having mild (Hb up to 54%), moderate (Hb up to 36%), or severe (Hb up to 10%) anaemia during antennal visit. They had significantly lower median (range) levels of haemoglobin 96 (40-110) g/L, ferritin 8 (3-54) nu mu/L, folate 15 (3-54) mu mol/L and cobalamin 171 (111-629) mu mol/L than controls (p=<0.01). Micro nutrient analysis revealed secondary pregnancy related deficiency of Iron (57%), folate (20%), combined iron and folate (19%) and cobalamin (4%) in the female. Among the risk factors, low income (OR: 7.69), multi party (OR: 2.93), lack of iron/folate supplementation (OR 2.91) and inadequate dietary intakes (OR 2.51) were associated with anaemia. Conclusion: The pregnant anaemic women had iron (57%); folate (20%), followed by combined iron folate (19%), and cobalamin (4%) deficiency during first antenatal visit. Low income, multi party, poor diet and lack of supplements are the main contributor in development of anaemia during pregnancy. (author)

The Relationship between Health Literacy, Perceived Self-efficacy and Self-care Performance of Female Senior High School Students in Health Promoting Schools of Miyaneh, 2016-2017

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahnaz Khodabandeh

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background and objective: Self-care in adolescents is considered as an effective measure in line with the promotion of health in each community. In this regard, the role of health promoting schools is of great importance. Furthermore, health literacy, as one of the basic tools for promoting community health, has been given much attention by policymakers. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the health literacy, perceived self-efficacy and self-care performance of female senior high school students in the health promoting schools of Miyaneh in 2016-2017. Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, 320 female senior high school students were selected randomly using the multi –stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected by using the questionnaires of Health Literacy Measure for Adolescents (HELMA, General Self-efficacy Scale, and the Adolescent Health Promotion (AHP scale. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 21 using the statistical tests of Pearson correlation coefficient and Multiple Regression (ENTER method. Results: The results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the health literacy and perceived self-efficacy and the self-care performance of female students in the health promoting schools, as well as between the components of health literacy and self-care components. No significant relationship was found between the component of health literacy calculation and the self-care components of nutrition, responsibility for health, spiritual growth, and physical activity. The results of regression analysis indicated that the dimensions of self-efficacy, use and correlation of health literacy are good predictors of self-care performance (R2 = 0.605. Moreover, the health literacy and the perceived self-efficacy can predict the self-care performance of students by 51 percent. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that a student with high levels of

Young female cancer survivors' use of fertility care after completing cancer treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jayeon; Mersereau, Jennifer E.; Su, H. Irene; Whitcomb, Brian W.; Malcarne, Vanessa L.; Gorman, Jessica R.

2016-01-01

Purpose To investigate factors associated with female young adult cancer survivors’ (YCS) use of fertility care (FC), including consultation or fertility treatment, after completing their cancer treatment. Methods In this cross-sectional study, females between that ages of 18 and 35 years who had been diagnosed with childhood, adolescent, or young adult cancers completed a 20-min web-based survey that included demographics, reproductive history, use of FC, fertility-related informational needs, and reproductive concerns. Results A total of 204 participants completed the survey. Participants’ mean age was 28.3±4.5 years. Thirty (15%) participants reported using FC after cancer treatment. The majority of participants recalled not receiving enough information about FP options at the time of cancer diagnosis (73%). In multivariable analysis, those with higher concerns about having children because of perceived risk to their personal health (P=0.003) were less likely to report use of FC after cancer treatment. Those who had used FC before cancer treatment (P=0.003) and who felt less fertile than age-matched women (P=0.02) were more likely to use FC after their cancer treatment. Conclusions While most YCS in this cohort believed that they did not receive enough information about fertility and most wanted to have children, the vast majority did not seek FC. The findings of this study offer further evidence of the need for improved education and emotional support regarding reproductive options after cancer treatment is completed. Targeted discussions with YCS about appropriate post-treatment FC options may improve providers’ capacity to help YCS meet their parenthood goals. PMID:26939923

Effects of Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera) host stages on some developmental parameters of the uniparental endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis (Braconidae, Hymenoptera).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ya-Hui; Li, Bao-Ping

2008-04-01

A single choice test was performed to examine developmental strategies in the uniparental endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis and its host, the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera. The results support the dome-shaped model in which the fitness functions are 'dome-shaped' relative to size (and age) of host at parasitism. Older and, hence, larger host larvae were simply not better hosts for the developing parasitoids. Although parasitoid size (measured as cocoon weight and adult hind tibia length) was positively correlated with host instars at parasitism, parasitoids developing in larger hosts (L5 and L6) suffered much higher mortality than conspecifics developing in smaller hosts (L2-L4). Furthermore, egg-to-adult development time in M. pulchricornis was significantly longer in older host larvae (L4-L6) than in the younger. Performance of M. pulchricornis, as indicated by fitness-related traits, strongly suggests that the L3 host is the most suitable for survival, growth and development of the parasitoid, followed by both L2 and L4 hosts; whereas, L1, L5 and L6 are the least favourable hosts. The oviposition tendency of M. pulchricornis, represented by parasitism level, was not perfectly consistent with the performance of the offspring; L2-L4 hosts, although with the same parasitism level, had offspring parasitoids with differences in fitness-related performance. Larval development in Helicoverpa armigera was usually suspended, but occasionally advanced, in the final instar.

Leadership and psychological roles of female coaches in sports and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This is due to males who are always competing with each other. Therefore males are not as supportive or caring as females. However, it is difficult for females to be coaches because of the negative bias against female coaches held by other male athletes. This resulted to lack of female role models. Fasting and Pfister's ...

Male and female condoms: What do women of a subnormal agglomerate know

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smalyanna Sgren da Costa Andrade

Full Text Available Objective.Evaluate the knowledge about male and female condoms among women living in subnormal agglomerate and identify sources of information and appropriate care to use. Methods. Household survey, descriptive, transversal and quantitative study with 300 women over 18 of João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brasil, who began their sexual life. The systematic sampling plan for data collection was used. The interview form included sociodemographic questions and gazed relevant aspects of the use of condoms as a preventive measure of sexually transmitted infections and AIDS. Results. TV and healthcare professionals were the main sources of information. The participants knew more often the male condom features compared to women. The care most often mentioned by women as the use of male and female condoms were related to the validity, form of openness and conditions of packaging and storage of condoms. The largest number of care focused on measures taken in the pre-sexual moment. Moreover, care was nonspecific on the female condom. Conclusion: The participating women have inadequate knowledge on female and male condoms. It is necessary that the nursing seek health education strategies for improving knowledge about relevant information about male and female condoms.

Male and female condoms: What do women of a subnormal agglomerate know.

Science.gov (United States)

Sgren da Costa Andrade, Smalyanna; Lacet Zaccara, Ana Aline; Souza Leite, Kamila Nethielly; de Almeida Nunes, Maria Luísa; Campos Coêlho, Hemílio Fernandes; Dos Santos Oliveira, Simone Helena

2016-06-01

Evaluate the knowledge about male and female condoms among women living in subnormal agglomerate and identify sources of information and appropriate care to use. Household survey, descriptive, transversal and quantitative study with 300 women over 18 of João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brasil, who began their sexual life. The systematic sampling plan for data collection was used. The interview form included sociodemographic questions and gazed relevant aspects of the use of condoms as a preventive measure of sexually transmitted infections and AIDS. TV and healthcare professionals were the main sources of information. The participants knew more often the male condom features compared to women. The care most often mentioned by women as the use of male and female condoms were related to the validity, form of openness and conditions of packaging and storage of condoms. The largest number of care focused on measures taken in the pre-sexual moment. Moreover, care was nonspecific on the female condom. The participating women have inadequate knowledge on female and male condoms. It is necessary that the nursing seek health education strategies for improving knowledge about relevant information about male and female condoms.

Cardiovascular anatomy and physiology in the female.

Science.gov (United States)

Wingate, S

1997-12-01

Important differences in male and female cardiovascular anatomy and physiology may account for many of the gender differences seen in various cardiac disease states. Predominant influences on female disease manifestations include (1) women's smaller body size, hence smaller hearts and smaller coronary vessels and (2) women's fluctuating levels of estrogen throughout their lifespan. Understanding these critical anatomic and physiologic differences allows the clinician to better predict and plan care for women. For example, knowing that women generally have a smaller body surface area than men allows one to better understand why men have higher creatine kinase (CK) values than do women--an important distinction when interpreting these values in the acute care setting. The fact that women's hearts and coronary vessels are generally smaller than men's also helps one understand why women have a higher in-hospital mortality than men post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery (see article by Allen in this issue for more detailed information on revascularization). These are only a few examples of the many opportunities that acute care nurses have to integrate their knowledge of anatomy and physiology into proactive planning for their female cardiac patients.

Perspective for Female Medical Physicists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naqvi, Syed Mansoor; Hasnain, Aziz Fatima

2009-01-01

Due to cultural and religious reasons, Pakistani women can be reluctant to seek medical attention for disorders affecting their genitals or breasts. As a result, in the case of cervical and breast cancers, oncological treatment is often not received until the diseases are in the late stages. Once a cancer is classified and the tumor marked, the role of the medical physicist begins. Medical physicists' responsibilities include treatment planning, supervising treatment through radiation, dosimetry, contouring, training, equipment selection, education, research, and supervising radiotherapy facilities. In brachytherapy, isotopes are placed at the tumor site in the form of wires or seeds. There are very few female medical physicists in Pakistan. This leads to further hesitation on the part of many women to seek treatment. To help female patients obtain needed medical care, female physics students should be encouraged to pursue the emerging field of medical physics. This would provide a new professional opportunity for female physics students and give comfort to female patients.

Women's health care: from whom and why?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brink-Muinen, A. van den

1997-01-01

Differences are investigated between female practice populations of female general practitioners providing women's health care and of women and men general practitioners providing regular health care. Women's health care in the Netherlands is provided in the general practice "Aletta" and is based

Work stress, sleep deficiency, and predicted 10-year cardiometabolic risk in a female patient care worker population.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobsen, Henrik B; Reme, Silje E; Sembajwe, Grace; Hopcia, Karen; Stiles, Tore C; Sorensen, Glorian; Porter, James H; Marino, Miguel; Buxton, Orfeu M

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal effect of work-related stress, sleep deficiency, and physical activity on 10-year cardiometabolic risk among an all-female worker population. Data on patient care workers (n=99) was collected 2 years apart. Baseline measures included: job stress, physical activity, night work, and sleep deficiency. Biomarkers and objective measurements were used to estimate 10-year cardiometabolic risk at follow-up. Significant associations (Pwork-related stress and sleep deficiency, maintaining sleep and exercise patterns had a strong impact on modifiable 10-year cardiometabolic risk. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

HIV in females: A clinico-epidemiological study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahesha Padyana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virusinfected women account for almost half the number of cases of HIV worldwide. Despite reduction in HIV prevalence among the population, the percentage of Indian women contracting the disease seems to have increased. The social implications are also different in females. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from September 2009 to July 2011 at tertiary care hospitals attached to the Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, on a group of 200 HIV-positive patients. Patients above 18 years of age diagnosed with HIV as per National AIDS Control Organisation guidelines were included in the study. Clinical profile among women and men was compared with respect to clinical presentation, disease detection, CD4 count and response of family and society. Results: Clinical presentation was similar among both men and women. Eighty-one percent men had promiscual sexual exposure, 19% of women had so. Males were identified to be HIV-positive earlier than their spouse (tested later, time lag being 27.6 weeks. After detection of positivity 77% of females felt being less cared for by the in-laws. CD4 count less than 50 was detected in more number of females as compared to men (11% females and 1% males. Death of spouse was seen more often in females (among 35% of women and 11% of men. Conclusion: Most of the females were likely to acquire infection from their spouse. Females tend to seek and get medical attention at the late stage of disease as compared to men. HIV in females has different social implications which includes discrimination within the family.

Early transfer of mated females into the maternity unit reduces stress and increases maternal care in farm mink

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malmkvist, Jens; Palme, Rupert

2015-01-01

Mated mammals on farms are typically transferred to another housing environment prior to delivery. We investigated whether the timing of this transfer – EARLY (Day −36), INTERMEDIATE (Day −18), or LATE (Day −3) relative to the expected day of birth (Day 0) – affects maternal stress, maternal care...... sized groups (n = 60): (i) ‘EARLY’, transfer to maternity unit immediately after the end of the mating period, March 23; (ii) ‘INTERMEDIATE’, transfer in the middle of the period, April 10; (iii) ‘LATE’, transfer late in the pregnancy period, April 25. Data collection included weekly determination...... of faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) and evaluation of maternal care: nest building, in-nest temperature, plus kit-retrieval behaviour, kit mortality and growth day 0–7 postpartum. We document that mated mink females build and maintain a nest at least 1 month prior to delivery when transferred...

Sex differences in Little Auk Alle alle parental care: Transition from biparental to paternal-only care

Science.gov (United States)

Harding, A.M.A.; van Pelt, Thomas I.; Lifjeld, J.T.; Mehlum, F.

2004-01-01

Understanding differences in male and female care in biparental care systems can help interpret the selective pressures that shape parental strategies. We examined Little Auk Alle alle parental care at a breeding colony during the chick-rearing and fledging periods by conducting observations on marked, known-sex pairs, and by examining the sex ratio of birds carrying food to the colony. Little Auks transitioned from biparental to mostly paternal-only care during late chick-rearing. Males delivered more meals and spent more time at the colony than females during late chick-rearing. Very few females were present at the colony by the end of chick-rearing and through the fledging period, and all marked parents observed accompanying their chick to sea were male. Chick mass loss prior to fledging was associated with the lack of provisioning by the female parent, rather than a reduction in feeding frequency by both parents. The occurrence of paternal-only care during and after fledging is discussed in relation to physiological, ecological and phylogenetic constraints.

Structural rearrangements of chromosome 15 satellites resulting in Prader-Willi syndrome suggest a complex mechanism for uniparental disomy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toth-Fijel, S.; Gunter, K.; Olson, S. [Oregon Health Sciences Univ., Portland, OR (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

We report two cases of PWS in which there was abnormal meiosis I segregation of chromosome 15 following a rare translocation event between the heteromorphic satellite regions of chromosomes 14 and 15 and an apparent meiotic recombination in the unstable region of 15q11.2. PWS and normal appearing chromosomes in case one prompted a chromosome 15 origin analysis. PCR analysis indicated maternal isodisomy for the long arm of chromosome. However, only one chromosome 15 had short arm heteromorphisms consistent with either paternal or maternal inheritance. VNTR DNA analysis and heteromorphism data suggest that a maternal de novo translocation between chromosome 14 and 15 occurred prior to meiosis I. This was followed by recombination between D15Z1 and D15S11 and subsequent meiosis I nondisjunction. Proband and maternal karyotype display a distamycin A-DAPI positive region on the chromosome 14 homolog involved in the translocation. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses of ONCOR probes D15S11, SNRPN, D15S11 and GABRB 3 were normal, consistent with the molecular data. Case two received a Robertsonian translocation t(14;15)(p13;p13) of maternal origin. Chromosome analysis revealed a meiosis I error producing UPD. FISH analysis of the proband and parents showed normal hybridization of ONCOR probes D15Z1, D15S11, SNRPN, D15S10 and GABRB3. In both cases the PWS probands received a structurally altered chromosome 15 that had rearranged with chromosome 14 prior to meiosis. If proper meiotic segregation is dependent on the resolution of chiasmata and/or the binding to chromosome-specific spindle fibers, then it may be possible that rearrangements of pericentric or unstable regions of the genome disrupt normal disjunction and lead to uniparental disomy.

Uniparental genetic heritage of belarusians: encounter of rare middle eastern matrilineages with a central European mitochondrial DNA pool.

Science.gov (United States)

Kushniarevich, Alena; Sivitskaya, Larysa; Danilenko, Nina; Novogrodskii, Tadeush; Tsybovsky, Iosif; Kiseleva, Anna; Kotova, Svetlana; Chaubey, Gyaneshwer; Metspalu, Ene; Sahakyan, Hovhannes; Bahmanimehr, Ardeshir; Reidla, Maere; Rootsi, Siiri; Parik, Jüri; Reisberg, Tuuli; Achilli, Alessandro; Hooshiar Kashani, Baharak; Gandini, Francesca; Olivieri, Anna; Behar, Doron M; Torroni, Antonio; Davydenko, Oleg; Villems, Richard

2013-01-01

Ethnic Belarusians make up more than 80% of the nine and half million people inhabiting the Republic of Belarus. Belarusians together with Ukrainians and Russians represent the East Slavic linguistic group, largest both in numbers and territory, inhabiting East Europe alongside Baltic-, Finno-Permic- and Turkic-speaking people. Till date, only a limited number of low resolution genetic studies have been performed on this population. Therefore, with the phylogeographic analysis of 565 Y-chromosomes and 267 mitochondrial DNAs from six well covered geographic sub-regions of Belarus we strove to complement the existing genetic profile of eastern Europeans. Our results reveal that around 80% of the paternal Belarusian gene pool is composed of R1a, I2a and N1c Y-chromosome haplogroups - a profile which is very similar to the two other eastern European populations - Ukrainians and Russians. The maternal Belarusian gene pool encompasses a full range of West Eurasian haplogroups and agrees well with the genetic structure of central-east European populations. Our data attest that latitudinal gradients characterize the variation of the uniparentally transmitted gene pools of modern Belarusians. In particular, the Y-chromosome reflects movements of people in central-east Europe, starting probably as early as the beginning of the Holocene. Furthermore, the matrilineal legacy of Belarusians retains two rare mitochondrial DNA haplogroups, N1a3 and N3, whose phylogeographies were explored in detail after de novo sequencing of 20 and 13 complete mitogenomes, respectively, from all over Eurasia. Our phylogeographic analyses reveal that two mitochondrial DNA lineages, N3 and N1a3, both of Middle Eastern origin, might mark distinct events of matrilineal gene flow to Europe: during the mid-Holocene period and around the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, respectively.

Information ranks highest: Expectations of female adolescents with a rare genital malformation towards health care services.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabeth Simoes

Full Text Available Access to highly specialized health care services and support to meet the patient's specific needs is critical for health outcome, especially during age-related transitions within the health care system such as with adolescents entering adult medicine. Being affected by an orphan disease complicates the situation in several important respects. Long distances to dedicated institutions and scarcity of knowledge, even among medical doctors, may present major obstacles for proper access to health care services and health chances. This study is part of the BMBF funded TransCareO project examining in a mixed-method design health care provisional deficits, preferences, and barriers in health care access as perceived by female adolescents affected by the Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS, a rare (orphan genital malformation.Prior to a communicative validation workshop, critical elements of MRKHS related care and support (items were identified in interviews with MRKHS patients. During the subsequent workshop, 87 persons involved in health care and support for MRKHS were asked to rate the items using a 7-point Likert scale (7, strongly agree; 1, strongly disagree as to 1 the elements' potential importance (i.e., health care expected to be "best practice", or priority and 2 the presently experienced care. A gap score between the two was computed highlighting fields of action. Items were arranged into ten separate questionnaires representing domains of care and support (e.g., online-portal, patient participation. Within each domain, several items addressed various aspects of "information" and "access". Here, we present the outcome of items' evaluation by patients (attended, NPAT = 35; respondents, NRESP = 19.Highest priority scores occurred for domains "Online-Portal", "Patient participation", and "Tailored informational offers", characterizing them as extremely important for the perception as best practice. Highest gap scores yielded domains

Deciphering the link between doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA and sex determination in bivalves: Clues from comparative transcriptomics

Science.gov (United States)

Capt, Charlotte; Renaut, Sébastien; Ghiselli, Fabrizio; Milani, Liliana; Johnson, Nathan A.; Sietman, Bernard E.; Stewart, Donald; Breton, Sophie

2018-01-01

Bivalves exhibit an astonishing diversity of sexual systems and sex-determining mechanisms. They can be gonochoric, hermaphroditic or androgenetic, with both genetic and environmental factors known to determine or influence sex. One unique sex-determining system involving the mitochondrial genome has also been hypothesized to exist in bivalves with doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mtDNA. However, the link between DUI and sex determination remains obscure. In this study, we performed a comparative gonad transcriptomics analysis for two DUI-possessing freshwater mussel species to better understand the mechanisms underlying sex determination and DUI in these bivalves. We used a BLAST reciprocal analysis to identify orthologs between Venustaconcha ellipsiformis and Utterbackia peninsularis and compared our results with previously published sex-specific bivalve transcriptomes to identify conserved sex-determining genes. We also compared our data with other DUI species to identify candidate genes possibly involved in the regulation of DUI. A total of ∼12,000 orthologous relationships were found, with 2,583 genes differentially expressed in both species. Among these genes, key sex-determining factors previously reported in vertebrates and in bivalves (e.g., Sry, Dmrt1, Foxl2) were identified, suggesting that some steps of the sex-determination pathway may be deeply conserved in metazoans. Our results also support the hypothesis that a modified ubiquitination mechanism could be responsible for the retention of the paternal mtDNA in male bivalves, and revealed that DNA methylation could also be involved in the regulation of DUI. Globally, our results suggest that sets of genes associated with sex determination and DUI are similar in distantly-related DUI species.

Health is a spiritual thing: perspectives of health care professionals and female Somali and Bangladeshi women on the health impacts of fasting during Ramadan.

Science.gov (United States)

Pathy, Rubini; Mills, Kelsey E; Gazeley, Sharon; Ridgley, Andrea; Kiran, Tara

2011-02-01

To explore perspectives of health care professionals and female Somali and Bangladeshi Muslim women on practices related to fasting during Ramadan, the impact of fasting on health and the role of health professionals during Ramadan. A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted. Two culturally specific focus groups were conducted with six Somali and seven Bangladeshi Muslim women who observed Ramadan and lived in an inner-city neighbourhood of Toronto, Canada. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 health care professionals practicing in this inner-city area (three of whom were Muslim). Data were analysed using thematic qualitative analysis. Both Muslim women and health care professionals recognised the spiritual significance of the Ramadan fast. Muslim participants considered the fast to be beneficial to health overall, whereas health care professionals tended to reflect on health concerns from fasting. Many health care professionals were not fully aware of fasting practices during Ramadan and some found it challenging to counsel patients about the health effects of fasting. Muslim women expressed disagreement regarding which medical interventions were permitted during fasting. They generally agreed that health care professionals should not specifically advise against fasting, but instead provide guidance on health maintenance while fasting. Both groups agreed that guidelines developed by the health care and faith communities together would be useful. There are a variety of health beliefs and observances among female Muslim Somali and Bangladeshi women and a range of knowledge, experience and opinions among health care professionals related to fasting during Ramadan and health. Overall, there is a need for improved communication between members of the Muslim community and health professionals in Canada about health issues related to fasting during Ramadan. Strategies could include published practice guidelines endorsed by the Muslim

Promoting male partner HIV testing and safer sexual decision making through secondary distribution of self-tests by HIV-negative female sex workers and women receiving antenatal and post-partum care in Kenya: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thirumurthy, Harsha; Masters, Samuel H; Mavedzenge, Sue Napierala; Maman, Suzanne; Omanga, Eunice; Agot, Kawango

2016-06-01

Increased uptake of HIV testing by men in sub-Saharan Africa is essential for the success of combination prevention. Self-testing is an emerging approach with high acceptability, but little evidence exists on the best strategies for test distribution. We assessed an approach of providing multiple self-tests to women at high risk of HIV acquisition to promote partner HIV testing and to facilitate safer sexual decision making. In this cohort study, HIV-negative women aged 18-39 years were recruited at two sites in Kisumu, Kenya: a health facility with antenatal and post-partum clinics and a drop-in centre for female sex workers. Participants gave informed consent and were instructed on use of oral fluid based rapid HIV tests. Participants enrolled at the health facility received three self-tests and those at the drop-in centre received five self-tests. Structured interviews were conducted with participants at enrolment and over 3 months to determine how self-tests were used. Outcomes included the number of self-tests distributed by participants, the proportion of participants whose sexual partners used a self-test, couples testing, and sexual behaviour after self-testing. Between Jan 14, 2015, and March 13, 2015, 280 participants were enrolled (61 in antenatal care, 117 in post-partum care, and 102 female sex workers); follow-up interviews were completed for 265 (96%). Most participants with primary sexual partners distributed self-tests to partners: 53 (91%) of 58 participants in antenatal care, 91 (86%) of 106 in post-partum care, and 64 (75%) of 85 female sex workers. 82 (81%) of 101 female sex workers distributed more than one self-test to commercial sex clients. Among self-tests distributed to and used by primary sexual partners of participants, couples testing occurred in 27 (51%) of 53 in antenatal care, 62 (68%) of 91 from post-partum care, and 53 (83%) of 64 female sex workers. Among tests received by primary and non-primary sexual partners, two (4%) of 53

Oxytocin and vasopressin enhance responsiveness to infant stimuli in adult marmosets.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Jack H; French, Jeffrey A

2015-09-01

The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) have been implicated in modulating sex-specific responses to offspring in a variety of uniparental and biparental rodent species. Despite the large body of research in rodents, the effects of these hormones in biparental primates are less understood. Marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) belong to a clade of primates with a high incidence of biparental care and also synthesize a structurally distinct variant of OT (proline instead of leucine at the 8th amino acid position; Pro(8)-OT). We examined the roles of the OT and AVP systems in the control of responses to infant stimuli in marmoset monkeys. We administered neuropeptide receptor agonists and antagonists to male and female marmosets, and then exposed them to visual and auditory infant-related and control stimuli. Intranasal Pro(8)-OT decreased latencies to respond to infant stimuli in males, and intranasal AVP decreased latencies to respond to infant stimuli in females. Our study is the first to demonstrate that Pro(8)-OT and AVP alter responsiveness to infant stimuli in a biparental New World monkey. Across species, the effects of OT and AVP on parental behavior appear to vary by species-typical caregiving responsibilities in males and females. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Female in-nest chatter song increases predation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleindorfer, Sonia; Evans, Christine; Mahr, Katharina

2016-01-01

Female song is an ancestral trait in songbirds, yet extant females generally sing less than males. Here, we examine sex differences in the predation cost of singing behaviour. The superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) is a Southern Hemisphere songbird; males and females provision the brood and produce solo song year-round. Both sexes had higher song rate during the fertile period and lower song rate during incubation and chick feeding. Females were more likely than males to sing close to or inside the nest. For this reason, female but not male song rate predicted egg and nestling predation. This study identifies a high fitness cost of song when a parent bird attends offspring inside a nest and explains gender differences in singing when there are gender differences in parental care. © 2016 The Author(s).

The Hispanic family and male-female relationships: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Galanti, Geri-Ann

2003-07-01

An overview of the traditional Hispanic family and male-female relationships is presented, with an emphasis on issues relevant to providing health care to Hispanic populations. Aspects of the family presented include visitation, decision making, self-care, and emotional problems. Male-female relationships stem from traditional gender roles. Machismo and patriarchal authority characterize the male role; the roles of a traditional woman are housewife and mother. Women are expected to defer to the authority of their husbands. The negative aspects of machismo can result in heavy drinking and the pursuit of high-risk activities, leading to domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. These health risks are exacerbated by such cultural factors as male dominance, female modesty, and the practice of keeping problems within the family. The importance of personalism in patient-provider encounters is emphasized.

Medical Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Female Sex Workers and Their Occupational Risk Factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenna T. Nakagawa

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Background: The tendency for female sex workers to seek health care is highly influenced by physician attitudes and behavior. By identifying medical students' attitudes toward female sex workers and assessing their knowledge of barriers to seeking care, we can focus medical training and advocacy efforts to increase access to care and improve public health outcomes. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, medical students from various countries were invited to participate in an online survey with close-ended questions and Likert scale statements. Responses were quantified and knowledge and attitude scores were assigned based on knowledge of barriers to seeking care and agreement with positive and negative attitude statements. Results: A total of 292 medical students from 56 countries completed the survey, of whom 98.3% agreed that it will be their job to provide treatment to patients regardless of occupation. Self-identified religious students conveyed more negative attitudes toward female sex workers compared to those who did not identify themselves as religious (p<0.001. Students intending to practice in countries where prostitution is legal conveyed more positive attitudes compared to those intending to practice in countries where prostitution is illegal (p<0.001. Conclusion: Medical students largely agreed on the importance of providing care to female sex workers as a vulnerable group. In addition to addressing knowledge gaps in medical education, more localized studies are needed to understand the religious and legal influences on attitudes toward female sex workers. Such information can help focus the efforts in both medical education and communication training to achieve the desired behavioral impacts, reconciling the future generations of health care providers with the needs of female sex workers.

Does patient-provider gender concordance affect mental health care received by primary care patients with major depression?

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Kitty S; Bird, Chloe E; Weiss, Robert; Duan, Naihua; Meredith, Lisa S; Sherbourne, Cathy D

2006-01-01

We sought to determine whether patient-provider gender concordance influences the detection and care of depression and comorbid anxiety and substance use in patients with major depression Cross-sectional analyses of baseline patient survey data linked with provider data were performed. Data based on routine primary care visits in clinics from a variety of health systems serving diverse patient populations across the United States. Participants all had major depression. Depression care was examined in the Quality Improvement for Depression (QID) Collaboration sample (n patients = 1,428, n providers = 389). In a subanalysis of data solely from 714 patients and 157 providers from Partners-In-Care, one of the projects participating in QID, we also examined detection of anxiety disorder and alcohol or drug problems. Rates of detection and care of mental health problems in primary care were low even among patients with major depression. Except for anxiety counseling in female patients, patient-provider gender concordance did not improve care as hypothesized. However, female providers were more likely to counsel on anxiety and less likely to counsel on alcohol or drug use than male providers. Female patients were less likely to be counseled on alcohol or drug use compared with male patients. Detection and care of mental health and substance use problems for patients with major depression is not influenced by patient-provider gender concordance. However, depressed female patients may have greater unmet needs for alcohol and drug use counseling than their male counterparts.

Knowledge about cervical cancer screening and its practice among female health care workers in southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dulla D

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Dubale Dulla,1 Deresse Daka,2 Negash Wakgari1 1School of Nursing and Midwifery, 2Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia Background: Cervical cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among the women in the world. Early screening for cervical cancer is a key intervention in reduction of maternal deaths. Health care workers have a significant contribution to improve cervical cancer screening practice among women. Hence, this study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of cervical cancer screening among female health care workers in southern Ethiopia.Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted during March and April, 2015. All hospitals in Hawassa city administration and Sidama zone were purposively selected. A simple random sampling technique was used to draw the health centers. After proportional allocations to their respective health facilities, a total of 367 female health workers were selected by simple random sampling technique. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were entered to SPSS version 20.0 for further analysis. Logistic regression analyses were used to see the association of different variables.Results: Out of the total respondents, 319 (86.9% had a good level of knowledge on cervical cancer. Similarly, a majority of them, 329 (89.6%, 321 (87.5%, and 295 (80.4%, knew about the risk factors, symptoms, and outcomes of cervical cancer, respectively. More than two thirds of the respondents, 283 (77.1%, knew that there is a procedure used to detect premalignant cervical lesions and 138 (37.6% of them mentioned visual inspection with acetic acid as a screening method. In this study, only 42 (11.4% of the respondents were screened for cervical cancer (confidence interval [CI]: 8.7, 13.9. Being a physician (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.12, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.79 and working in a cervical cancer

Sexual Health Care, Sexual Behaviors and Functioning, and Female Genital Cutting: Perspectives From Somali Women Living in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Connor, Jennifer Jo; Hunt, Shanda; Finsaas, Megan; Ciesinski, Amanda; Ahmed, Amira; Robinson, Beatrice Bean E

2016-01-01

We investigated the sexual values, attitudes, and behaviors of 30 Somali female refugees living in a large metropolitan area of Minnesota by collecting exploratory sexual health information based on the components of the sexual health model-components posited to be essential aspects of healthy human sexuality. A Somali-born bilingual interviewer conducted the semistructured interviews in English or Somali; 22 participants chose to be interviewed in Somali. Interviews were translated, transcribed, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analyses. Our study findings highlighted a sexually conservative culture that values sexual intimacy, female and male sexual pleasure, and privacy in marriage; vaginal sexual intercourse as the only sanctioned sexual behavior; and the importance of Islamic religion in guiding sexual practices. Findings related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) revealed HIV testing at immigration, mixed attitudes toward condom use, and moderate knowledge about HIV transmission modes. Female genital cutting (FGC) was a pervasive factor affecting sexual functioning in Somali women, with attitudes about the controversial practice in transition. We recommend that health professionals take the initiative to discuss sexual health care and safer sex, sexual behaviors/functioning, and likely challenges to sexual health with Somali women--as they may be unlikely to broach these subjects without permission and considerable encouragement.

The Frequency and Pattern of Female Genital Tract Malignancies at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Female genital tract malignancy is common in our low resource setting. Options now exist for prevention, detection, treatment, and palliative care for the wide spectrum of female genital tract malignancies. Women will continue to die from these cancers unless health professionals and civil society adopt means ...

The evolution of non-reciprocal nuclear exchange in mushrooms as a consequence of genomic conflict

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aanen, Duur Kornelis; Kuyper, T.W.; Debets, A.J.M.

2004-01-01

nucleo-mitochondrial conflict, mitochondrial inheritance, doubly uniparental inheritance, basidiomycetes, cytoplasmic male sterility......nucleo-mitochondrial conflict, mitochondrial inheritance, doubly uniparental inheritance, basidiomycetes, cytoplasmic male sterility...

Paternal care decreases foraging activity and body condition, but does not impose survival costs to caring males in a Neotropical arachnid.

Science.gov (United States)

Requena, Gustavo S; Buzatto, Bruno A; Martins, Eduardo G; Machado, Glauco

2012-01-01

Exclusive paternal care is the rarest form of parental investment in nature and theory predicts that the maintenance of this behavior depends on the balance between costs and benefits to males. Our goal was to assess costs of paternal care in the harvestman Iporangaia pustulosa, for which the benefits of this behavior in terms of egg survival have already been demonstrated. We evaluated energetic costs and mortality risks associated to paternal egg-guarding in the field. We quantified foraging activity of males and estimated how their body condition is influenced by the duration of the caring period. Additionally, we conducted a one-year capture-mark-recapture study and estimated apparent survival probabilities of caring and non-caring males to assess potential survival costs of paternal care. Our results indicate that caring males forage less frequently than non-caring individuals (males and females) and that their body condition deteriorates over the course of the caring period. Thus, males willing to guard eggs may provide to females a fitness-enhancing gift of cost-free care of their offspring. Caring males, however, did not show lower survival probabilities when compared to both non-caring males and females. Reduction in mortality risks as a result of remaining stationary, combined with the benefits of improving egg survival, may have played an important and previously unsuspected role favoring the evolution of paternal care. Moreover, males exhibiting paternal care could also provide an honest signal of their quality as offspring defenders, and thus female preference for caring males could be responsible for maintaining the trait.

Paternal care decreases foraging activity and body condition, but does not impose survival costs to caring males in a Neotropical arachnid.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo S Requena

Full Text Available Exclusive paternal care is the rarest form of parental investment in nature and theory predicts that the maintenance of this behavior depends on the balance between costs and benefits to males. Our goal was to assess costs of paternal care in the harvestman Iporangaia pustulosa, for which the benefits of this behavior in terms of egg survival have already been demonstrated. We evaluated energetic costs and mortality risks associated to paternal egg-guarding in the field. We quantified foraging activity of males and estimated how their body condition is influenced by the duration of the caring period. Additionally, we conducted a one-year capture-mark-recapture study and estimated apparent survival probabilities of caring and non-caring males to assess potential survival costs of paternal care. Our results indicate that caring males forage less frequently than non-caring individuals (males and females and that their body condition deteriorates over the course of the caring period. Thus, males willing to guard eggs may provide to females a fitness-enhancing gift of cost-free care of their offspring. Caring males, however, did not show lower survival probabilities when compared to both non-caring males and females. Reduction in mortality risks as a result of remaining stationary, combined with the benefits of improving egg survival, may have played an important and previously unsuspected role favoring the evolution of paternal care. Moreover, males exhibiting paternal care could also provide an honest signal of their quality as offspring defenders, and thus female preference for caring males could be responsible for maintaining the trait.

A comparison of Gaelic football injuries in males and females in primary care.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Crowley, J

2011-10-01

The Ladies Gaelic Football Association has a playing population of 150,000 of which 33% are adults. A number of studies have been published on rates of injury among male athletes but none on female athletes in Gaelic football. A retrospective review of insurance claims, submitted under the Gaelic Athletic Association Player Insurance Injury Scheme. 405 injuries were recorded, 248 [107 (70%) male, 141 (58%) female] to the lower limb, 91 [33 (21%) male, 58 (23%) female] to the upper limb. The majority of lower limb injuries [56 (52%) male, 56 (40%) female] were to muscle. Almost a third of upper limb injuries were fractures [10 (30.3%) male, 33 (57%) female]. injuries\\/1000 hours playing was 8.25 for men and 2.4 for women. The injury rate in ladies Gaelic football was found to be significantly lower than in men\\'s Gaelic football. Lower limb injuries accounted for the majority of injuries in both sports.

Medicalization of female genital mutilation/cutting

African Journals Online (AJOL)

G.I. Serour

Globally 100–140 million women and girls have been subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting ... In some Muslim countries where FGM/C is prevalent it is often wrongly quoted that the basis for ..... ditional health care, community leaders, educators, social scientists, ... lators, mass media, religious leaders, and NGOs.

Can medicaid reimbursement help give female condoms a second chance in the United States?

Science.gov (United States)

Witte, Susan S; Stefano, Kyle; Hawkins, Courtney

2010-10-01

The female condom is the only other barrier contraception method besides the male condom, and it is the only "woman-initiated" device for prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Although studies demonstrate high acceptability and effectiveness for this device, overall use in the United States remains low. The female condom has been available through Medicaid in many states since 1994. We provide the first published summary of data on Medicaid reimbursement for the female condom. Our findings demonstrate low rates of claims for female condoms but high rates of reimbursement. In light of the 2009 approval of a new, cheaper female condom and the recent passage of comprehensive health care reform, we call for research examining how health care providers can best promote consumer use of Medicaid reimbursement to obtain this important infection-prevention device.

The greatest risk for low-back pain among newly educated female health care workers; body weight or physical work load?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jensen Jette

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Low back pain (LBP represents a major socioeconomic burden for the Western societies. Both life-style and work-related factors may cause low back pain. Prospective cohort studies assessing risk factors among individuals without prior history of low back pain are lacking. This aim of this study was to determine risk factors for developing low back pain (LBP among health care workers. Methods Prospective cohort study with 2,235 newly educated female health care workers without prior history of LBP. Risk factors and incidence of LBP were assessed at one and two years after graduation. Results Multinomial logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, smoking, and psychosocial factors showed that workers with high physical work load had higher risk for developing LBP than workers with low physical work load (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1–2.8. In contrast, workers with high BMI were not at a higher risk for developing LBP than workers with a normal BMI. Conclusion Preventive initiatives for LBP among health care workers ought to focus on reducing high physical work loads rather than lowering excessive body weight.

Natural History and Genotype–Phenotype Correlation in Female X-Linked Alport Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomohiko Yamamura

2017-09-01

Discussion: This study revealed that phenotypes in female XLAS patients may be severe, but genotype does not help to predict the disease severity. Clinicians must therefore pay careful attention to the clinical course and appropriate treatment in females with XLAS.

The Influence of Gender on ProfessionalismFemale in Trainees.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Jae Hee

2012-06-01

This study aimed to analyze the experience of female trainees who were trained in hospitals after graduating from medical school, focusing on methods of representing their gender in training courses. We interviewed 8 trainees who had been trained in a hospital in Seoul and 4 faculties from June 2010 to October 2010. We analyzed their similarities and differences and developed a vocational identity formation process to represent gender. Gender was represented contradictorily in their training course, affecting their choice of specialties and interactions with patients. But, female trainees did not want to their being distinguished from their male counterparts with regard to being a good doctor to be influenced by meritocracy. It was difficult for them to bear children and balance work and family life due to aspects of the training system, including long work hours and the lack of replacement workers. Consequently, they asked their parents to help with child care, because hospitals are not interested in the maternity system. Female trainees did not consider being a doctor to be a male profession. Likely, they believed that their femininity influenced their professionalism positively. The methods of representing gender are influenced by the training system, based a male-dominated apprenticeship. Thus, we will research the mechanisms that influence gender-discriminated choices in specialties, hospitals, and medical schools and prepare a maternity care system for female trainees. Strategies that maximize recruitment and retention of women in medicine should include a consideration of alternative work schedules and optimization of maternity leave and child care opportunities.

Factors influencing the type of health problems presented by women in general practice: differences between women's health care and regular health care.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brink-Muinen, A. van den; Bensing, J.M.

1996-01-01

Objective: Differences between health problems presented by women (aged 20-45) to female "women's health care" doctors and both female and male regular health care doctors were investigated. This article explores the relationship of patients' roles (worker, partner, or parent) and the type of health

Female medical leadership: cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kvaerner, K J; Aasland, O G; Botten, G S

1999-01-09

To assess the relation between male and female medical leadership. Cross sectional study on predictive factors for female medical leadership with data on sex, age, specialty, and occupational status of Norwegian physicians. Oslo, Norway. 13 844 non-retired Norwegian physicians. Medical leaders, defined as physicians holding a leading position in hospital medicine, public health, academic medicine, or private health care. 14.6% (95% confidence interval 14.0% to 15.4%) of the men were leaders compared with 5.1% (4.4% to 5.9%) of the women. Adjusted for age men had a higher estimated probability of leadership in all categories of age and job, the highest being in academic medicine with 0.57 (0.42 to 0.72) for men aged over 54 years compared with 0.39 (0.21 to 0.63) for women in the same category. Among female hospital physicians there was a positive relation between the proportion of women in their specialty and the probability of leadership. Women do not reach senior positions as easily as men. Medical specialties with high proportions of women have more female leaders.

The future of research in female pelvic medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Jamie; Chai, Toby C

2015-02-01

Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) was recently recognized as a subspecialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). FPMRS treats female pelvic disorders (FPD) including pelvic organ prolapse (POP), urinary incontinence (UI), fecal incontinence (FI), lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), lower urinary tract infections (UTI), pelvic pain, and female sexual dysfunction (FSD). These conditions affect large numbers of individuals, resulting in significant patient, societal, medical, and financial burdens. Given that treatments utilize both medical and surgical approaches, areas of research in FPD necessarily cover a gamut of topics, ranging from mechanistically driven basic science research to randomized controlled trials. While basic science research is slow to impact clinical care, transformational changes in a field occur through basic investigations. On the other hand, clinical research yields incremental changes to clinical care. Basic research intends to change understanding whereas clinical research intends to change practice. However, the best approach is to incorporate both basic and clinical research into a translational program which makes new discoveries and effects positive changes to clinical practice. This review examines current research in FPD, with focus on translational potential, and ponders the future of FPD research. With a goal of improving the care and outcomes in patients with FPD, a strategic collaboration of stakeholders (patients, advocacy groups, physicians, researchers, professional medical associations, legislators, governmental biomedical research agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device companies) is an absolute requirement in order to generate funding needed for FPD translational research.

Detection of Hereditary 1,25-Hydroxyvitamin D-Resistant Rickets Caused by Uniparental Disomy of Chromosome 12 Using Genome-Wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayuko Tamura

Full Text Available Hereditary 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-resistant rickets (HVDRR is an autosomal recessive disease caused by biallelic mutations in the vitamin D receptor (VDR gene. No patients have been reported with uniparental disomy (UPD.Using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP array to confirm whether HVDRR was caused by UPD of chromosome 12.A 2-year-old girl with alopecia and short stature and without any family history of consanguinity was diagnosed with HVDRR by typical laboratory data findings and clinical features of rickets. Sequence analysis of VDR was performed, and the origin of the homozygous mutation was investigated by target SNP sequencing, short tandem repeat analysis, and genome-wide SNP array.The patient had a homozygous p.Arg73Ter nonsense mutation. Her mother was heterozygous for the mutation, but her father was negative. We excluded gross deletion of the father's allele or paternal discordance. Genome-wide SNP array of the family (the patient and her parents showed complete maternal isodisomy of chromosome 12. She was successfully treated with high-dose oral calcium.This is the first report of HVDRR caused by UPD, and the third case of complete UPD of chromosome 12, in the published literature. Genome-wide SNP array was useful for detecting isodisomy and the parental origin of the allele. Comprehensive examination of the homozygous state is essential for accurate genetic counseling of recurrence risk and appropriate monitoring for other chromosome 12 related disorders. Furthermore, oral calcium therapy was effective as an initial treatment for rickets in this instance.

Exploring female GPs' perceptions about medical leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Karen; Clearihan, Lynette

2015-06-01

Women are increasingly entering the Australian general practice workforce. This study aims to explore female general practitioners' (GPs') perceptions of possible barriers to leadership and professional roles in the workforce. A purposive, convenience sample of 30 female GPs in active practice was approached in February, 2012. An anonymous, pa-per-based, semi-quantitative survey sought to identify participation and leadership confidence within general practice in a number of professional roles. The top two barriers participants identified for after-hours medical meetings were energy to attend and geographical location. For after-hours care, the top two barriers identified were energy and self-motivation. Few participants aspired to 'leadership' activities. 'Medical mentoring' was most likely to attract them into leadership. It is important female GPs' perspectives are explored in general practice. This small survey suggests further studies are needed in the importance of energy limitations and lack of self-confidence in restricting female GPs' capacity to fully engage in professional roles.

Do nurses really care? Confirming the stereotype with a case control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Geraint; Dean, Phil; Williams, Elisabeth

In their definition of modern nursing, the Royal College of Nursing emphasizes the importance of caring. However, there is little other than anecdotal evidence that female qualified staff nurses are more caring and compassionate than average individuals. A study was carried out to test, under scientific conditions with a case control study, the hypothesis that staff nurses are no more caring than average female individuals. Using the ten-item personality inventory (TIPI) questionnaire, a statistical comparison was made between 174 volunteer female staff nurses and data for 760 adult female controls extracted from the TIPI instrument's original validation study. The questionnaire measures each of the five major facets of personality: openness, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness and neuroticism. Agreeableness, which is a tendency to be compassionate, considerate and cooperative, was used as a proxy measure for 'caring'. Data were analysed using unpaired Student's t-tests. Female staff nurses recorded significantly higher scores than female controls concerning the personality traits extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability (Pnurses are significantly more caring, conscientious and resilient individuals. The personality traits found in female staff nurses complement their profession and to some extent justify the caring, compassionate nurse stereotype. Whether career nursing self-selects these qualities or to what extent nursing staff develop aspects of their personality as a product of experience is a subject for debate.

Parental care improves immunity in the seahorse (Hippocampus erectus).

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tingting; Zhang, Dong; Liu, Xin; Xiao, Dongxue

2016-11-01

In the present study, the sexual dimorphism in immune response in the seahorse Hippocampus erectus in which males compete for mates and invest heavily in parental care was assessed. Variability in immunocompetence in virginal seahorses with differing levels of sexual maturity (i.e., immaturity, early maturity and maturity) and with different mating statuses (i.e., virginal, experienced mating failure and experienced mating success) were analyzed by evaluating immune parameters in the plasma. Additionally, ultrastructural characteristics of the inner epithelium of the brood pouch were compared between males that had experienced mating failure and those that had succeeded. Generally, immunity in sexually mature virgin males was greater than in females, and mating competition significantly reduced males' immunity. However, parental care gave males stronger immune and metabolic abilities and resulted in their immunity significantly rebounding after a successful mating. The present study quantitatively clarifies, for the first time, how parental care and mating competition jointly affect immunity. Moreover, previous findings that females display more efficient immune defenses than males in conventional species (i.e., males are as competitor and females as care giver) and that males' immunity is higher than females' in the pipefish (i.e., females are as competitor and males as care giver) in combination with the present results indicate that parental care is a key factor for sexual dimorphism in immunity. The care-giving sex has strong immunity regardless of the sex in charge of mating competition or not. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Male nurses and the protection of female patient dignity.

Science.gov (United States)

Prideaux, Antony

Nurses need to be aware of their professional, legal and ethical responsibilities towards patients. Male nurses in particular face problems in their practice as a result of their gender and the stereotypes associated with male nurses. Such stereotypes can act as a barrier to their duty of care. This article examines the challenges associated with male nurses carrying out intimate, physical care. It discusses the ethical, legal and professional issues that male nurses should consider in relation to maintenance of patient dignity during nursing care provision, particularly in relation to female patients.

Career and Family - Are They Compatible?: Results of a Survey of Male and Female Gynaecologists in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Hancke, K; Toth, B; Igl, W; Ramsauer, B; Bühren, A; Wöckel, A; Jundt, K; Ditsch, N; Gingelmaier, A; Rhiem, K; Vetter, K; Friese, K; Kreienberg, R

2012-05-01

Purpose: Nowadays, most gynaecologists are female and the compatibility of job-related career and family life is an upcoming issue. The working group "Gender and Career" of the German Society for Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) designed a survey to reflect the present situation with a focus on the compatibility of career and family. Material and Methods: A web-based 74-item survey was filled out by members of the DGGG. In total, there were 1037 replies, 75 % female (n = 775) and 25 % male (n = 261) gynaecologists. Results: 62 % of the female and 80 % of the male respondents had already finished their doctoral theses and 2 % female and 13 % male had finished their PhD. Mean number of children was 1.06 (SD 1.08) in female and 1.68 (SD 1.34) in male gynaecologists. The majority of females desired day care for their children, but only 5 to 13 % of employers offer any day care. 88 % of the female and 72 % of the male physicians think that job-related career and family are not compatible. Conclusion: The majority of female gynaecologists wished to have professional child care, but most employers or other institutions do not offer this. This might be one of the reasons why career and family appear incompatible.

Patients' perceptions of patient care providers with tattoos and/or body piercings.

Science.gov (United States)

Westerfield, Heather V; Stafford, Amy B; Speroni, Karen Gabel; Daniel, Marlon G

2012-03-01

This study evaluated patients' perceptions of patient care providers with visible tattoos and/or body piercings. As tattooing and body piercing are increasingly popular, research that informs nursing administrators regarding policies on patient care providers having visible tattoos and body piercings is warranted. A total of 150 hospitalized adult patients compared pictures of male and female patient care providers in uniform with and without tattoos and/or nonearlobe body piercings. Patient care providers with visible tattoos and/or body piercings were not perceived by patients in this study as more caring, confident, reliable, attentive, cooperative, professional, efficient, or approachable than nontattooed or nonpierced providers. Tattooed female providers were perceived as less professional than male providers with similar tattoos. Female providers with piercings were perceived as less confident, professional, efficient, and approachable than nonpierced female providers. Nursing administrators should develop and/or evaluate policies regarding patient care providers with visible tattoos and/or body piercings.

Gender-related beliefs of Turkish female science teachers and their effect on interactions with female and male students

Science.gov (United States)

Uysal, Sibel

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Turkish female science teachers' gender-related beliefs and those teachers' corresponding interaction with their male and female students. The data was collected from five different sources: Surveys, interviews, observations, chi square data from the observation phase, and interviews with selected teachers. The data was analyzed using the Ericson interpretive method of socio-cultural theories which provided a framework for understanding the development of teacher beliefs and their interactions with their students. In this study, the survey revealed three types of teachers ranging from traditional, moderate to modern. Moderate teachers exhibited characteristics that were on a continuum between the traditional and modern teachers. Traditional teachers believed that males and females should have certain defined roles. Females should be responsible for taking care of the needs of their children and their husbands. By comparison, modern teachers did not assign specific roles to either males or females. With regard to the role of women in science, traditional teachers believed that female scientists could not be as successful as male scientists. By comparison, modern teachers believed that female scientists could be as successful as male scientists. Modern teachers did indicate that they thought females needed to work harder than males to prove themselves. When it came to the teachers' views and beliefs regarding their female and male students' success in their science classrooms, traditional teachers believed that their male students were brighter than their female students. They also believed that female students excelled only because they worked harder. Modern teachers believed that success is dependent on each student's background and his or her interest in science. Classroom observation indicated that traditional and modern teachers interacted differently with their male and female students

Targeting factors for change: contraceptive counselling and care of female adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Bitzer, Johannes; Abalos, Virginia; Apter, Dan; Martin, Ricardo; Black, Amanda

2016-12-01

Sexual and reproductive health care should empower and enable all individuals to have a sex life that is as safe and pleasurable as possible. Achievement of this goal for adolescents is often impeded by regional and sociocultural barriers. To review global barriers to provision of effective counselling and care of adolescents seeking advice on contraception and sexual and reproductive health and identify elements of best practice that can be adapted to meet their needs at regional level. Experts with clinical experience and a scholarly background in the provision of contraceptive services to adolescents participated in a stepwise process of literature review and discussion according to the agreed objectives. The Global CARE (Contraception: Access, Resources, Education) group identified barriers to the access, availability and acceptance of contraception by adolescents, not only at the political and sociocultural level but also within health care practice. The group collected and summarized successful local strategies and tools suitable for adaptation in other regions. Elements of best practice for providing contraception regardless of setting or regional constraints, including required skills, knowledge, and attitudes, were also proposed. Sharing of evidence-based best practice in delivering contraceptive services, improvements in health care provider education, and sharing of experience between countries will hopefully help to overcome the barriers to appropriate and effective counselling and care of adolescents.

Perception of Nursing Care: View of Saudi Arabian Female Nurses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Jette

2008-01-01

‘Values are principles and standards that have meaning and worth to an individual, family, group, or community’ (Purnell & Paulanka 1998: 3). Values are central to the care provided by nurses. The provision of nursing care within the context of value clarification, has been explored from various...... perspectives, however, as values vary within cultures, there is a limited range of studies reflecting on Saudi Arabian nurses’ perspectives of nursing care. Through a Heideggerian phenomenological research design, six nurses were enrolled through purposive sampling. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews, which...... were audio tape-recorded, were chosen as the methods of data collection. A seven stage framework approach was applied to analyse and organise the research findings in three conceptual themes: values in context of Islam, the nurse-patient relationship, and identity’s influence on being in the world...

Knowledge, attitude about breast cancer and practice of breast cancer screening among female health care professionals: a study from Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Akpinar, Yeliz Yelen; Baykan, Zeynep; Naçar, Melis; Gün, Iskender; Çetinkaya, Fevziye

2011-01-01

The awareness of health professionals about breast cancer prevention is of vital importance, since their beliefs and behaviors may have a major impact on other women. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, and attitudes regarding risk factors for breast cancer as well as screening such as breast self-examination, clinical breast examination and mammography among different groups of female health professionals. In this cross- sectional study, 444 female health professionals in various health centers located in Corum Province, Turkey, were interviewed using a self-administered questionnaire. The mean age was 33.1 ± 6.1 and most were married (81.3%). The rate of feeling under risk regarding breast cancer among female health personnel was 31.3%. The majority (98.4 %) perceived breast self-examination as a beneficial method for the early detection of breast cancer. Although 81.3 % of the participants stated that they did breast self examination, only 27.3 % reported doing so on a regular basis (performed monthly or once per menstrual cycle). The most common reason for not doing breast self-examination was the belief that it was not necessary (45.8 %). Of the entire group, the rate of having a mammography was 10.1% and the rate of clinical breast examination was 24.8%. Health professionals are a direct source of medical information to the public. The use of breast self-examination and mammography was found lower than expected when considering the fact that participants were health care professionals.

The relationship between female adolescent self-esteem, decision making, and contraceptive behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Commendador, Kathleen

2007-11-01

To examine the relationship between female adolescent self-esteem, decision making, and contraceptive behavior in multiethnic, 14- to 17-year-olds, residing on the Big Island of Hawaii. This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey design using a convenience sample of 98 female adolescents aged 14-17 who came to five different clinics on the Big Island of Hawaii for health care. Along with a brief demographic questionnaire, global self-esteem was measured by Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, decision making was measured by the Flinders Adolescent Decision Making Questionnaire, and sexual activity and contraception use was measured by a nonnormed Sexual History and Contraceptive Use Questionnaire developed for this study. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and correlations were used to analyze associations and correlations between age, global self-esteem, decision self-esteem, decision coping (vigilant and maladaptive), and contraceptive use for sexually active female adolescents. No significant associations or correlations were found between age, global self-esteem, decision self-esteem, decision coping (vigilance), and the decision to use contraception in sexually active adolescent females. There was, however, significant negative correlation (p skills and stimulating thinking around not only sexual issues but also on relationship and communication in adolescent issues may facilitate more competent decision making. Understanding the relationship between female adolescent self-esteem, decision making, and contraceptive behavior has contributed to the knowledge base about female contraceptive behavior. Gaining further insight into these relationships will help healthcare professionals provide counseling and health care to female adolescents.

HIV prevention and care services for female sex workers: efficacy of a targeted community-based intervention in Burkina Faso.

Science.gov (United States)

Traore, Isidore T; Meda, Nicolas; Hema, Noelie M; Ouedraogo, Djeneba; Some, Felicien; Some, Roselyne; Niessougou, Josiane; Sanon, Anselme; Konate, Issouf; Van De Perre, Philippe; Mayaud, Philippe; Nagot, Nicolas

2015-01-01

Although interventions to control HIV among high-risk groups such as female sex workers (FSW) are highly recommended in Africa, the contents and efficacy of these interventions are unclear. We therefore designed a comprehensive dedicated intervention targeting young FSW and assessed its impact on HIV incidence in Burkina Faso. Between September 2009 and September 2011 we conducted a prospective, interventional cohort study of FSW aged 18 to 25 years in Ouagadougou, with quarterly follow-up for a maximum of 21 months. The intervention combined prevention and care within the same setting, consisting of peer-led education sessions, psychological support, sexually transmitted infections and HIV care, general routine health care and reproductive health services. At each visit, behavioural characteristics were collected and HIV, HSV-2 and pregnancy were tested. We compared the cohort HIV incidence with a modelled expected incidence in the study population in the absence of intervention, using data collected at the same time from FSW clients. The 321 HIV-uninfected FSW enrolled in the cohort completed 409 person-years of follow-up. No participant seroconverted for HIV during the study (0/409 person-years), whereas the expected modelled number of HIV infections were 5.05/409 person-years (95% CI, 5.01-5.08) or 1.23 infections per 100 person-years (p=0.005). This null incidence was related to a reduction in the number of regular partners and regular clients, and by an increase in consistent condom use with casual clients (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.19; 95% CI, 1.16-4.14, p=0.01) and with regular clients (aOR=2.18; 95% CI, 1.26-3.76, p=0.005). Combining peer-based prevention and care within the same setting markedly reduced the HIV incidence among young FSW in Burkina Faso, through reduced risky behaviours.

Why Aren't There More Female Pain Medicine Physicians?

Science.gov (United States)

Doshi, Tina L; Bicket, Mark C

2018-04-09

Despite a growing awareness about the importance of gender equity and the rising number of women in medicine, women remain persistently underrepresented in pain medicine and anesthesiology. Pain medicine ranks among the bottom quartile of medical specialties in terms of female applicants, female trainees, and proportion of female practitioners. Female pain medicine physicians are also notably disadvantaged compared with their male colleagues in most objective metrics of gender equity, which include financial compensation, career advancement, public recognition, and leadership positions. Increased gender diversity among pain medicine physicians is vital to fostering excellence in pain research, education, and clinical care, as well as creating a high-quality work environment. Pain medicine stands at a crossroads as a specialty, and must examine reasons for its current gender gap and consider a call to action to address this important issue.

Sex differences in parental care: Gametic investment, sexual selection, and social environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liker, András; Freckleton, Robert P; Remeš, Vladimir; Székely, Tamás

2015-11-01

Male and female parents often provide different type and amount of care to their offspring. Three major drivers have been proposed to explain parental sex roles: (1) differential gametic investment by males and females that precipitates into sex difference in care, (2) different intensity of sexual selection acting on males and females, and (3) biased social environment that facilitates the more common sex to provide more care. Here, we provide the most comprehensive assessment of these hypotheses using detailed parental care data from 792 bird species covering 126 families. We found no evidence for the gametic investment hypothesis: neither gamete sizes nor gamete production by males relative to females was related to sex difference in parental care. However, sexual selection correlated with parental sex roles, because the male share in care relative to female decreased with both extra-pair paternity and frequency of male polygamy. Parental sex roles were also related to social environment, because male parental care increased with male-biased adult sex ratios (ASRs). Taken together, our results are consistent with recent theories suggesting that gametic investment is not tied to parental sex roles, and highlight the importance of both sexual selection and ASR in influencing parental sex roles. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Female urethral diverticulum containing a giant calculus: a CARE-compliant case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, ZhiLong; Wang, Hanzhang; Zuo, LinJun; Hou, MingLi

2015-05-01

Urethral diverticula with calculi have a low incidence as reported in the literature. Diverticulum of female urethra is rare, often discovered due to associated complications. We report a case of diverticulum of the female urethra containing giant calculi in a 62-year-old multiparous woman. She consulted with our office due to dysuria and a hard, painful periurethral mass in the anterior vagina wall. The diverticulum was approached surgically by a vaginal route, and local extraction of the calculi and subsequent diverticulectomy successfully treated the condition.Diagnosis of a complicated diverticulum can be easily achieved if one possesses a high degree of clinical symptoms.

Soccer and Zumba as health promotion among female hospital employees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barene, Svein

health care workers a high-risk group for non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and hypertension. In addition, health care workers generally have high physical demanding work tasks, which expose them to physical loads that may impair their musculoskeletal health, work...... concept Zumba, we wanted to evaluate short and long term health effects from these two physical activities among female hospital employees. The primary outcome of the study was cardiovascular fitness (VO2max), whereas body composition, biomarkers in blood, musculoskeletal pain, as well as the work......-related outcomes work ability and perceived physical exertion during work comprised the secondary outcomes. In addition, we measured the adherence to the training and drop-out throughout the intervention period. Methods A 40-weeks cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted on 107 female hospital employees...

Psychiatric morbidities in postpartum females: a prospective follow-up during puerperium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adya Shanker Srivastava

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Aims and objectives: Postpartum psychiatric disturbances pose a significant mental health problem in community because of their impact on parent-infant and couple relationship. This study was carried out with the aim to find out psychiatric morbidities in postpartum females during puerperium so that a proper assessment of mental health and comprehensive management can be planned. Methodology: Hundred females who had delivered in maternity ward of obstetrics and gynaecology department of Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi were evaluated for mental status on day one (i.e. day of delivery, and followed-up till four weeks postpartum period. Psychiatric evaluation was done on the basis of structured proforma containing socio-demographic details and the text revision of the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for diagnosis. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS, and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS were used to assess the severity of the respective conditions. Result: Psychiatric evaluation during postpartum puerperal stage revealed that 16 (16% females had developed psychiatric morbidity. Twelve (12% cases fulfilled the criteria for major depressive disorder and four (four per cent patients had features of anxiety disorder. In 84 (84% cases, postpartum period was uneventful and no psychiatric disturbance was found.Seventy five per cent females had joint family and good family support. Conclusion: Major depressive disorder is the most common psychiatric morbidity observed in postpartum females during puerperium. The careful observation of females during postpartum puerperal stage may help in identification and proper management of mental state of such females, and also proper care of newborn.perspective.

Work schedules of home care workers for the elderly in France: fragmented work, deteriorating quality of care, detrimental health impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Doniol-Shaw, Ghislaine; Lada, Emmanuelle

2011-01-01

Like most Western countries, France is faced with rapid changes in how social welfare and care regimes are being organized. Home care for the elderly has been closely affected by such trends. This study will analyse the consequences of such developments on work schedules and working conditions of female home care workers. We carried out 55 biographical interviews with experienced female home care workers employed by six associations as well as 13 interviews with representatives of those associations. The findings reveal an increase in time pressure linked to a reduction in care time per care recipient as well as the fragmentation of care work. These conditions negatively affect the provision of quality care as well as care workers' physical and mental well-being and blur the distinction between workers' professional and home lives. The negative impacts observed call for a change in perspective in relation to how home care work for fragile, elderly people is organized. Our research bears out the necessity of drawing on the experience of the most highly-qualified care workers and entrusting them with the autonomy needed to manage the care time allotted to each care recipient.

Equivalence of symptom dimensions in females and males with autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazier, Thomas W; Hardan, Antonio Y

2017-08-01

This study investigated equivalence of autism symptom domains in males and females with autism. Symptom data were obtained from 2643 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (352 females, 2291 males; age range = 4-17 years) included in the Simons Simplex Collection. Items from the Social Responsiveness Scale and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised were mapped to nine a priori symptom dimensions. Multi-group confirmatory factor models, including measurement equivalence and item response theory analyses, examined whether males and females showed measurement or structural differences in autism symptom constructs. Results indicated mean differences in restricted interests that were not due to measurement bias. No other symptom dimension showed evidence of measurement bias and autism symptom structure was highly similar between males and females. Future studies are needed to carefully estimate any sex differences in the content, frequency, or intensity/severity of restricted interests in females and males.

Association between females' perceptions of college aerobic class motivational climates and their responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Theresa C; Fry, Mary D

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between female college students' perceptions of the motivational climate in their aerobics classes to their adaptive exercise responses. Data were collected from university group exercise classes in spring 2008. The participants (N = 213) responded to a questionnaire measuring perceptions of the climate (i.e., caring, task-, and ego-involving), correlates of intrinsic motivation (i.e., interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, and tension/pressure), commitment to exercise, and reasons for exercising. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that participants who perceived a predominately caring, task-involving climate reported higher interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, and commitment to exercise, as well as lower tension/pressure. Further, those who perceived a high caring, task-involving, and low ego-involving climate were also more likely to report more health-related reasons for exercise versus appearance-focused reasons. Results suggested that important motivational benefits might exist when women perceive caring, task-involving climates in their aerobics class settings. Aerobics class instructors who intentionally create caring, task-involving climates may promote more adaptive motivational responses among their female participants.

Psychological distress of female caregivers of significant others with cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony Cassidy

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study explored the role of time since diagnosis and whether the care recipient was a child, a parent, or a spouse, on caregiver’s perceptions of the caring role, with a group of 269 female cancer caregivers. Questionnaire measures were used to explore psychological and social resources and psychological distress. Analysis of variance and hierarchical multiple regression were used and identified significant effects of time since diagnosis and care recipient. This study concludes that a more tailored approach to understanding the needs of caregivers is required particularly in terms of time since diagnosis and care recipient, in order to provide more effective support.

A game of two? Gene expression analysis of brain (cyp19a1b) and gonadal (cyp19a1a) aromatase in females of a Neotropical cichlid fish through the parental care period and removal of the offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramallo, Martín R; Honji, Renato M; Birba, Agustina; Morandini, Leonel; Varela, María L; Genovese, Griselda; Moreira, Renata G; Somoza, Gustavo M; Pandolfi, Matías

2017-10-01

For many species parental behavior is essential for the survival of the offspring. While the ultimate causes of teleost parental behavior have been widely studied, comparatively little is known about its proximate causes. The aim of this study was to analyze the yet unexplored, potential dual role of brain and gonadal aromatases, the enzymes responsible for the conversion of androgens to estrogens in the brains and gonads of teleosts, respectively, on the different stages of the maternal care period of the biparental cichlid Cichlasoma dimerus, locally known as chanchita. By immunohistochemistry we analyzed the neural distribution of brain aromatase and observed it exclusively within the forebrain, including areas involved in the regulation of parental behavior. We next analyzed the gene expression of brain aromatase in the brain, and gonadal aromatase in the ovary, of female chanchitas through the parental care period. To further characterize the physiological environment associated to maternal care, we also evaluated sex steroid levels (17β-estradiol, testosterone and 11-ketotestoterone) and ovarian follicle percentage. The onset of parental behavior specifically downregulated sex steroids synthesis and the rate of ovarian maturation, as denoted by a more than 10-fold decrease in steroid levels and delayed detection of mature follicles in females with offspring, compared to females which eggs were removed. Gene expression levels of both aromatases were independent of maternal care at the evaluated time points, even though they varied during the parental care period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The evolution of parental care in insects: A test of current hypotheses

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, James D J; Manica, Andrea

2015-01-01

Which sex should care for offspring is a fundamental question in evolution. Invertebrates, and insects in particular, show some of the most diverse kinds of parental care of all animals, but to date there has been no broad comparative study of the evolution of parental care in this group. Here, we test existing hypotheses of insect parental care evolution using a literature-compiled phylogeny of over 2000 species. To address substantial uncertainty in the insect phylogeny, we use a brute force approach based on multiple random resolutions of uncertain nodes. The main transitions were between no care (the probable ancestral state) and female care. Male care evolved exclusively from no care, supporting models where mating opportunity costs for caring males are reduced—for example, by caring for multiple broods—but rejecting the “enhanced fecundity” hypothesis that male care is favored because it allows females to avoid care costs. Biparental care largely arose by males joining caring females, and was more labile in Holometabola than in Hemimetabola. Insect care evolution most closely resembled amphibian care in general trajectory. Integrating these findings with the wealth of life history and ecological data in insects will allow testing of a rich vein of existing hypotheses. PMID:25825047

Partial uniparental isodisomy of chromosome 16 unmasks a deleterious biallelic mutation in IFT140 that causes Mainzer-Saldino syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Helm, Benjamin M; Willer, Jason R; Sadeghpour, Azita; Golzio, Christelle; Crouch, Eric; Vergano, Samantha Schrier; Katsanis, Nicholas; Davis, Erica E

2017-07-19

combined with research-based genetic and functional studies, we have characterized a recurrent IFT140 mutation in the proband; together, these data are consistent with MZSDS. Additionally, we report a rare instance of a uniparental isodisomy unmasking a deleterious mutation to cause a ciliary disorder.

A multi-method study of health behaviours and perceived concerns of sexual minority females in Mumbai, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowling, Jessamyn; Dodge, Brian; Banik, Swagata; Bartelt, Elizabeth; Rawat, Shruta; Guerra-Reyes, Lucia; Hensel, Devon; Herbenick, Debby; Anand, Vivek

2018-02-01

This multi-method study explores the perceived health status and health behaviours of sexual minority (i.e. self-identifying with a sexual identity label other than heterosexual) females (i.e. those assigned female at birth who may or may not identify as women) in Mumbai, India, a population whose health has been generally absent in scientific literature. Using community-based participatory research approaches, this study is a partnership with The Humsafar Trust (HST). HST is India's oldest and largest LGBT-advocacy organisation. An online survey targeted towards sexual minority females was conducted (n=49), with questions about sexual identity, perceived health and wellbeing, physical and mental healthcare access and experiences, and health behaviours (including substance use). Additionally, photo-elicitation interviews in which participants' photos prompt interview discussion were conducted with 18 sexual minority females. Sexual minority females face obstacles in health care, mostly related to acceptability and quality of care. Their use of preventative health screenings is low. Perceived mental health and experiences with care were less positive than that for physical health. Participants in photo-elicitation interviews described bodyweight issues and caretaking of family members in relation to physical health. Substance use functioned as both a protective and a risk factor for their health. Our findings point to a need for more resources for sexual minority females. Education on screening guidelines and screening access for sexual minority females would also assist these individuals in increasing their rates of preventative health.

Mother and offspring fitness in an insect with maternal care: phenotypic trade-offs between egg number, egg mass and egg care

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Oviparous females have three main options to increase their reproductive success: investing into egg number, egg mass and/or egg care. Although allocating resources to either of these three components is known to shape offspring number and size, potential trade-offs among them may have key impacts on maternal and offspring fitness. Here, we tested the occurrence of phenotypic trade-offs between egg number, egg mass and maternal expenditure on egg care in the European earwig, Forficula auricularia, an insect with pre- and post-hatching forms of maternal care. In particular, we used a series of laboratory observations and experiments to investigate whether these three components non-additively influenced offspring weight and number at hatching, and whether they were associated with potential costs to females in terms of future reproduction. Results We found negative associations between egg number and mass as well as between egg number and maternal expenditure on egg care. However, these trade-offs could only be detected after statistically correcting for female weight at egg laying. Hatchling number was not determined by single or additive effects among the three life-history traits, but instead by pairwise interactions among them. In particular, offspring number was positively associated with the number of eggs only in clutches receiving high maternal care or consisting of heavy eggs, and negatively associated with mean egg mass in clutches receiving low care. In contrast, offspring weight was positively associated with egg mass only. Finally, maternal expenditure on egg care reduced their future reproduction, but this effect was only detected when mothers were experimentally isolated from their offspring at egg hatching. Conclusions Overall, our study reveals simultaneous trade-offs between the number, mass and care of eggs. It also demonstrates that these factors interact in their impact on offspring production, and that maternal expenditure on egg

Den site activity patterns of adult male and female swift foxes, Vulpes velox, in Northwestern Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Lemons, P.R.; Ballard, W.B.; Sullivan, R.M.; Sovada, M.A.

2003-01-01

Activity of Swift Foxes (Vulpes velox) at den sites was studied in northwestern Texas during pup rearing seasons in 2000 and 2001 to determine role of males in parental care. Twenty-four percent of radio-collared females with a potential to breed successfully raised pups to eight weeks of age. We intensively monitored presence and absence of male and female Swift Foxes at two den sites each year. Females were present >2.6 times more at den sites than males during the pup rearing season. Female and male Swift Foxes largely stayed at dens during diurnal hours and were active away from dens during nocturnal and crepuscular hours. Females and males spent 12.4% and 3.0% more time at dens before pups emerged, than after pups emerged, respectively. Following depredation of one male parent, the female spent 29% less time at the den site. Decrease in time spent at the den by the female following loss of her mate suggested that loss of one parent might severely impact recruitment of Swift Foxes. Our observations indicated that intense Coyote (Canis latrans) depredation may severely impact pup-rearing success as well as the parental care within Swift Fox family groups.

A structural comparison of female-male and female-female mounting in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).

Science.gov (United States)

Ottenheimer Carrier, Lydia; Leca, Jean-Baptiste; Pellis, Sergio; Vasey, Paul L

2015-10-01

In certain populations, female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) mount both males and females. Vasey (2007) proposed that female-female sexual mounting in Japanese macaques may be a neutral evolutionary by-product of a purported adaptation, namely, female-male mounting. In this study, we aim to further examine the proposed link between female-male and female-female mounting in Japanese macaques by comparing the structural characteristics that define both forms of mounting. We do so using Eshkol-Wachman Movement Notation (EWMN), a globographic reference system that can be used to describe the position of body segments. No significant differences were observed in the female mounters' positioning of eight different body segments (i.e., lower torso, mid-torso, upper torso, upper arm, lower arm, upper leg, lower leg, and foot) during female-male and female-female mounting. This finding lends support to the conclusion that female-female and female-male mounting are structurally, and thus, evolutionarily, related. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differences in job stress experienced by female and male Japanese psychiatric nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Yada, Hironori; Abe, Hiroshi; Omori, Hisamitsu; Matsuo, Hisae; Masaki, Otsubo; Ishida, Yasushi; Katoh, Takahiko

2014-10-01

In psychiatric nursing, female nurses tend to spend more time building rapport with patients and developing cooperative working relationships with colleagues; they encounter more sexual harassment by patients. In contrast, male nurses respond to aggressive patients and tend to resist physically caring for female patients; they encounter more physical and verbal assault from patients. These gender differences might result in differences in job-related stress. We quantitatively examined gender differences in psychiatric nurses' job stress. The Psychiatric Nurse Job Stressor Scale and the Stress Reaction Scale of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire were administered to 159 female and 85 male Japanese psychiatric nurses. The results indicated that female nurses had significantly higher stress levels than males related to psychiatric nursing ability, attitude towards nursing, and stress reactions of fatigue and anxiety. Moreover, the factors affecting stress reactions differed somewhat between sexes. In particular, male nurses reported that greater irritability was affected by patients' attitudes. Their anxiety and somatic symptoms were affected by their attitude towards nursing, and depressed mood was affected by psychiatric nursing ability. Knowledge of these differences can lead to better mental health-care interventions for psychiatric nurses. © 2014 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Parental care compromises feeding in the pumpkinseed ( Lepomis gibbosus)

Science.gov (United States)

Zięba, G.; Dukowska, M.; Przybylski, M.; Fox, M. G.; Smith, C.

2018-04-01

Providing parental care is potentially costly. Costs can arise through elevated energy expenditure or from an increased risk of mortality. A cost of parental care can also occur because a parent is compromised in their ability to forage. We used pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, a fish with an alternative male mating strategy, to test whether parental males differed in their feeding in comparison with females and cuckolder males. To address this question, we examined the stomach contents of female, cuckolder male, and parental male pumpkinseed during the breeding season over an entire diel cycle. We showed that parental males had a lower total weight of food in their stomachs in comparison with females, while cuckolder males did not. Parental males also had a lower weight and number of chironomids in their stomachs. The temporal pattern of feeding of parental males diverged from that of females, and they had a lower probability of pupal chironomids in their stomachs, which implies spatial segregation in foraging. Parental males had a greater probability of conspecific eggs in their stomachs than females, while the probability of egg cannibalism did not differ between cuckolder males and females. Overall, these finding meet predictions in accordance with an assumption that parental care and territoriality can compromise feeding.

Acceptance and use of the female condom among women with incomplete abortion in rural Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, Vibeke; Yambesi, Fortunata; Kipingili, Rose

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: This study describes the outcome of a postabortion care intervention aimed at introducing the female condom as a means of preventing women from having unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/HIV. METHODS: Postabortion contraceptive counseling and services were...... intended to use it again. CONCLUSION: Postabortion care programs provide an excellent entry point for introducing the female condom as a contraceptive method for the prevention of both repeat unwanted pregnancies and STI/HIV infection....... offered to 548 women admitted to the Kagera Regional Hospital for incomplete abortion. The counseling included information about STI/HIV and the use male or female condom. In total, 521 (95%) women accepted contraception. RESULTS: Contraceptive use was assessed 3 months after abortion among 475 (91...

Health care utilization, somatic and mental health distress, and well-being among widowed and non-widowed female survivors of war

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The aim of the study was to assess levels of somatic and mental health distress, well-being, AS WELL AS utilization of primary and specialist health care services among war-related widowed and non-widowed female civilian survivors of war. Methods 100 war-related widowed lone mothers and 106 non-widowed mothers who had experienced the Kosovo war ten years previously participated in the study. Measures of somatic, depressive, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and grief complaints, subjective well-being, and utilization of health care services during the previous three months were used. Results Compared to non-widowed mothers, widowed lone mothers reported significantly higher levels of somatic, depressive, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety complaints. Further, they reported significantly lower levels of subjective well-being as composed of positive and negative affect and satisfaction with life. More than half of both widowed and non-widowed mothers reported utilization of health care services during the last three months, without significant differences between the groups. However, only three percent of widowed lone mothers and four percent of non-bereaved mothers reported utilization of mental health services during the last three months, despite high levels of mental health distress especially among widowed lone mothers. Among widowed lone mothers, severity of prolonged grief symptoms significantly predicted number of contacts of specialist health care use over and above sociodemographic variables, number of war-related events, and other psychopathology. Conclusion War-related widowed lone mothers suffer from elevated somatic and mental distress even a decade after the war. The tiny proportion of widowed lone mothers in use of mental health services can be seen as a reflection of lack of previous and current mental health services to meet mental health needs of this population. PMID:22578096

Exodus of male physicians from primary care drives shift to specialty practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Ha T; O'Malley, Ann S

2007-06-01

An exodus of male physicians from primary care is driving a marked shift in the U.S. physician workforce toward medical-specialty practice, according to a national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Two factors have helped mask the severity of the shift--a growing proportion of female physicians, who disproportionately choose primary care, and continued reliance on international medical graduates (IMGs), who now account for nearly a quarter of all U.S. primary care physicians. Since 1996-97, a 40 percent increase in the female primary care physician supply has helped to offset a 16 percent decline in the male primary care physician supply relative to the U.S. population. At the same time, primary care physicians' incomes have lost ground to both inflation and medical and surgical specialists' incomes. And women in primary care face a 22 percent income gap relative to men, even after accounting for differing characteristics. If real incomes for primary care physicians continue to decline, there is a risk that the migration of male physicians will intensify and that female physicians may begin avoiding primary care--trends that could aggravate a predicted shortage of primary care physicians.

Effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention led by female community health volunteers versus usual care in blood pressure reduction (COBIN)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neupane, Dinesh; McLachlan, Craig S; Mishra, Shiva Raj

2018-01-01

). In the intervention group, 43 FCHVs provided home visits every 4 months for lifestyle counselling and blood pressure monitoring. Eligible participants had been involved in a previous population-based survey, were aged 25–65 years, did not have plans to migrate outside the study area, and were not severely ill......-income population. Methods We did a community-based, open-label, two-group, cluster-randomised controlled trial in Nepal. Using computer-generated codes, we randomly assigned (1:1) 14 clusters to a lifestyle intervention led by female community health volunteers (FCHVs) or usual care (control group...... participants (939 assigned to intervention; 699 assigned to control). At 1 year, 855 participants remained in the intervention group (425 were normotensive, 175 were prehypertensive, and 255 had hypertension) and 613 remained in the control group (305 were normotensive, 128 were prehypertensive, and 180 had...

The evolution of parental care in insects: A test of current hypotheses.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, James D J; Manica, Andrea

2015-05-01

Which sex should care for offspring is a fundamental question in evolution. Invertebrates, and insects in particular, show some of the most diverse kinds of parental care of all animals, but to date there has been no broad comparative study of the evolution of parental care in this group. Here, we test existing hypotheses of insect parental care evolution using a literature-compiled phylogeny of over 2000 species. To address substantial uncertainty in the insect phylogeny, we use a brute force approach based on multiple random resolutions of uncertain nodes. The main transitions were between no care (the probable ancestral state) and female care. Male care evolved exclusively from no care, supporting models where mating opportunity costs for caring males are reduced-for example, by caring for multiple broods-but rejecting the "enhanced fecundity" hypothesis that male care is favored because it allows females to avoid care costs. Biparental care largely arose by males joining caring females, and was more labile in Holometabola than in Hemimetabola. Insect care evolution most closely resembled amphibian care in general trajectory. Integrating these findings with the wealth of life history and ecological data in insects will allow testing of a rich vein of existing hypotheses. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Marijuana, the Endocannabinoid System and the Female Reproductive System.

Science.gov (United States)

Brents, Lisa K

2016-06-01

Marijuana use among women is highly prevalent, but the societal conversation on marijuana rarely focuses on how marijuana affects female reproduction and endocrinology. This article reviews the current scientific literature regarding marijuana use and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis regulation, ovarian hormone production, the menstrual cycle, and fertility. Evidence suggests that marijuana can reduce female fertility by disrupting hypothalamic release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), leading to reduced estrogen and progesterone production and anovulatory menstrual cycles. Tolerance to these effects has been shown in rhesus monkeys, but the effects of chronic marijuana use on human female reproduction are largely unknown. Marijuana-induced analgesia, drug reinforcement properties, tolerance, and dependence are influenced by ovarian hormones, with estrogen generally increasing and progesterone decreasing sensitivity to marijuana. Carefully controlled regulation of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is required for successful reproduction, and the exogenous cannabinoids in marijuana may disrupt the delicate balance of the ECS in the female reproductive system.

The gendered nature of men's filial care.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Lori D; Martin-Matthews, Anne

2003-11-01

This paper investigates sociodemographic and family structure factors that predict men's involvement (n = 773) in different gendered dimensions of filial caregiving: traditionally male, gender neutral, and traditionally female care. The concepts that guide this research relate to family obligations or motivations to provide care, specifically, commitment to care, legitimate excuses, and caring by default. Data for this research come from the Work and Family Survey (1991-1993) conducted by the Work and Eldercare Research Group of CARNET: The Canadian Aging Research Network. Although such factors as geographic proximity and sibling network composition predict men's involvement independent of the type of task, the gendered nature of the task is important in how other factors, such as filial obligation, parental status, education, and income influence involvement in care. The findings suggest that, for traditionally male tasks, legitimate excuses or a commitment to care may play a more minor role in influencing men's involvement than is true for traditionally female tasks. Overall, this research demonstrates the importance of examining the gendered nature of the care tasks and highlights the value of the conceptual framework for explaining variations in men's filial care.

A chart review of morbidity patterns among adult patients attending primary care setting in urban Odisha, India: An International Classification of Primary Care experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subhashisa Swain

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Disease burden estimations based on sound epidemiological research provide the foundation for designing health services. Patients visiting a primary care often present with symptoms and signs. Understanding the burden is crucial for developing countries including India. The project aimed to record the reasons for encounter (RFE at primary care settings for estimating the burden at the health-care facility. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was undertaken at four urban health dispensaries of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, with the aim to explore the prevailing patterns of diseases among patients attending these facilities. Data collection spanned from May to October 2012. At each center, patients' information on age, sex, religion, and presenting illness was extracted from the outpatient records over these time period. Data were entered and analyzed in SPSS version 20, and the International Classification of Primary Care-2 was used for coding the illnesses. Results: In total, 2249 patient's records were extracted over 12 weeks. Out of them, 1241 (55.2% were male with mean age of 41.8 (±15.8 years vis-à -vis 38.2 (±14.1 years for females. Around 151 (6.7% had 2 or more symptoms or conditions. Overall, the most common categories were general and unspecified followed by digestive-related symptoms in both sexes. The most common symptoms among males were fever (11.4%, heart burn (8.1%, and vertigo or dizziness (3.6%. Similar pattern was seen among females. Respiratory (17.0% and cardiovascular (10.2% problems were the most common RFEs among males and females. The most common RFEs for acute care among males and females were fever, allergic rhinitis, upper respiratory tract infection, and acute bronchitis. Leading RFEs for chronic care among males were hypertension uncomplicated, heart burn, low back pain, whereas among females, hypertension and heartburn were mostly seen. Conclusion: Primary care settings are experiencing both communicable

Politicy of care in the criticism towards gender stereotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pires, Maria Raquel Gomes Maia; Fonseca, Rosa Maria Godoy Serpa da; Padilla, Beatriz

2016-01-01

analyze gender inequalities among Brazilian women in Portugal and in contemporary nursing based on care politicity in the light of gender; disclose oppression of the female produced by the stereotypes that look upon women as natural caregivers; point out politicity to deconstruct gender stereotypes. theoretical reflection with narrative review of literature to analyze classic references in the feminist epistemology combined with the care politicity thesis. the similarities between the stereotypes of the Brazilian Eves and the Portuguese Maries as either the sexualized or sanctified nurse are inserted in the Jewish-Christian moral genealogy that reaffirms the subservience of the female to the male. by attaching priority to care that needs non-care to expand the possibilities of care giving, the theoretical assumption of politicy of care can contribute to subvert the stereotypical images of Brazilian women in Portuguese lands and in contemporary nursing.

Implementing a psycho-educational intervention for care assistants working with people with dementia in aged-care facilities: facilitators and barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbosa, Ana; Nolan, Mike; Sousa, Liliana; Figueiredo, Daniela

2017-06-01

Many intervention studies lack an investigation and description of the factors that are relevant to its success or failure, despite its relevance to inform future interventions. This study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a psycho-educational intervention for care assistants caring for people with dementia in aged-care facilities. A process evaluation was carried out alongside a pretest/post-test controlled study conducted in aged-care facilities. Seven focus-group interviews involving 21 care assistants (female; mean age 43.37 ± 10.0) and individual semi-structured interviews with two managers (female; mean age 45.5 ± 10.26) were conducted 2 weeks and 6 months after the intervention, in two aged-care facilities. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and submitted to content analysis by two independent researchers. Results were organised into implementer, participant and organisation level hindered and facilitator factors. Findings enable the interpretation of the experimental results and underscore the importance of collecting the perception of different grades of staff to obtain information relevant to plan effective interventions. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Comparison of job burnout and life satisfaction between native and foreign female direct care workers in disability institutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Lan-Ping; Wu, Tzu-Ying; Lin, Jin-Ding

2015-01-01

There is little information about the burnout and wellbeing of institutional caregivers working for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; information is particularly limited in the understanding of experiences of direct care workers. The aims of the study were to provide a profile of self-perceived burnout and wellbeing of direct-care caregivers working in disability institutions, and to compare the difference between native- and foreign caregivers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. We recruited 46 female living assistants of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in two disability institutions in Taiwan. There were 23 subjects who were local residents and 23 subjects who were foreign providers of labor. A self-administered questionnaire which included scale of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were employed in the survey. Findings revealed the local caregivers were slightly higher than foreign caregivers in personal burnout score (PBS) and work-related burnout score (WBS), although there were no significant differences. Those caregivers from foreign countries seem to be slightly happier and have higher life satisfaction than native caregivers. In order to decrease the burnout and improve wellbeing of caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, service providers should understand the experiences which caregivers encounter in their workplaces. Caregivers can benefit if they receive appropriate support to improve positive health while working for their service clients.

FEMALE PREFERENCE FOR NESTS WITH EGGS IS BASED ON THE PRESENCE OF THE EGGS THEMSELVES

NARCIS (Netherlands)

KRAAK, SBM; GROOTHUIS, TGG; Kraak, Sarah B.M.; Groothuis, Ton G.G.

1994-01-01

In many fish species of which males care for eggs in a nest, including Aidablennius sphynx, females prefer to mate with males that already guard eggs. In this paper we present two aquarium experiments with this Mediterranean blenny to determine whether the females actually use the presence of eggs

Health services for reproductive tract infections among female migrant workers in industrial zones in Ha Noi, Viet Nam: an in-depth assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Le

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rural-to-urban migration involves a high proportion of females because job opportunities for female migrants have increased in urban industrial areas. Those who migrate may be healthier than those staying in the village and they may benefit from better health care services at destination, but the 'healthy' effect can be reversed at destination due to migration-related health risk factors. The study aimed to explore the need for health care services for reproductive tract infections (RTIs among female migrants working in the Sai Dong industrial zone as well as their services utilization. Methods The cross sectional study employed a mixed method approach. A cohort of 300 female migrants was interviewed to collect quantitative data. Two focus groups and 20 in-depth interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data. We have used frequency and cross-tabulation techniques to analyze the quantitative data and the qualitative data was used to triangulate and to provide more in-depth information. Results The needs for health care services for RTI were high as 25% of participants had RTI syndromes. Only 21.6% of female migrants having RTI syndromes ever seek helps for health care services. Barriers preventing migrants to access services were traditional values, long working hours, lack of information, and high cost of services. Employers had limited interests in reproductive health of female migrants, and there was ineffective collaboration between the local health system and enterprises. These barriers were partly caused by lack of health promotion programs suitable for migrants. Most respondents needed more information on RTIs and preferred to receive these from their employers since they commonly work shifts - and spend most of their day time at work. Conclusion While RTIs are a common health problem among female migrant workers in industrial zones, female migrants had many obstacles in accessing RTI care services. The findings

Health complications of female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjälkander O

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Owolabi Bjälkander,1 Laurel Bangura,2 Bailah Leigh,3 Vanja Berggren,1 Staffan Bergström,1 Lars Almroth11Division of Global Health, Department of Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 2Inter Africa Committee, Sierra Leone; 3Department of Community Health, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Sierra LeoneAbstract: Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation (FGM in the world, and yet little is known about the health consequences of the practice.Purpose: To explore whether and what kind of FGM-related health complications girls and women in Sierra Leone experience, and to elucidate their health care-seeking behaviors.Patients and methods: A feasibility study was conducted to test and refine questionnaires and methods used for this study. Thereafter, a cross-section of girls and women (n = 258 attending antenatal care and Well Women Clinics in Bo Town, Bo District, in the southern region and in Makeni Town, Bombali District, in the northern region of Sierra Leone were randomly selected. Participants answered interview-administrated pretested structured questionnaires with open-ended-questions, administrated by trained female personnel.Results: All respondents had undergone FGM, most between 10 and 14 years of age. Complications were reported by 218 respondents (84.5%, the most common ones being excessive bleeding, delay in or incomplete healing, and tenderness. Fever was significantly more often reported by girls who had undergone FGM before 10 years of age compared with those who had undergone the procedure later. Out of those who reported complications, 187 (85.8% sought treatment, with 89 of them visiting a traditional healer, 75 a Sowei (traditional circumciser, and 16 a health professional.Conclusion: The high prevalence rate of FGM and the proportion of medical complications show that FGM is a matter for public health concern in Sierra Leone. Girls who

Sex differences in life history drive evolutionary transitions among maternal, paternal, and bi-parental care.

Science.gov (United States)

Klug, Hope; Bonsall, Michael B; Alonzo, Suzanne H

2013-04-01

Evolutionary transitions among maternal, paternal, and bi-parental care have been common in many animal groups. We use a mathematical model to examine the effect of male and female life-history characteristics (stage-specific maturation and mortality) on evolutionary transitions among maternal, paternal, and bi-parental care. When males and females are relatively similar - that is, when females initially invest relatively little into eggs and both sexes have similar mortality and maturation - transitions among different patterns of care are unlikely to be strongly favored. As males and females become more different, transitions are more likely. If females initially invest heavily into eggs and this reduces their expected future reproductive success, transitions to increased maternal care (paternal → maternal, paternal → bi-parental, bi-parental → maternal) are favored. This effect of anisogamy (i.e., the fact that females initially invest more into each individual zygote than males) might help explain the predominance of maternal care in nature and differs from previous work that found no effect of anisogamy on the origin of different sex-specific patterns of care from an ancestral state of no care. When male mortality is high or male egg maturation rate is low, males have reduced future reproductive potential and transitions to increased paternal care (maternal → paternal, bi-parental → paternal, maternal → bi-parental) are favored. Offspring need (i.e., low offspring survival in the absence of care) also plays a role in transitions to paternal care. In general, basic life-history differences between the sexes can drive evolutionary transitions among different sex-specific patterns of care. The finding that simple life-history differences can alone lead to transitions among maternal and paternal care suggests that the effect of inter-sexual life-history differences should be considered as a baseline scenario when attempting to understand how other

32 CFR 728.12 - Extent of care.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... § 728.12 Extent of care. Members who are away from their duty stations or are on duty where there is no... providing authorization for non-Federal care at DHHS expense. (b) Maternity episode for active duty female... facilities (once the mother has been admitted to the USMTF) from funds available for care of active duty...

Child Care Teaching as Women's Work: Reflections on Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Miai; Reifel, Stuart

2010-01-01

Child care teachers' experiences and their gendered understandings of their work were explored in this study. Two female child care teachers were interviewed individually and asked to describe their work as women's work. Analysis showed that teachers essentialized child care teaching, recognized the paradoxes of being a child care teacher,…

Caring stress, suicidal attitude and suicide care ability among family caregivers of suicidal individuals: a path analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, C-Y; Lu, C-Y; Lin, Y-H; Lin, H-Y; Sun, F-K

2015-12-01

What is known on the subject? Suicide is a global mental health issue. Taking care of suicidal individuals is a substantial challenge. Most studies emphasize the suicidal individual. Few studies have emphasized the family caregivers of suicidal individuals. No study has explored the relationship between family caregivers' caring stress with suicidal attitudes and suicide care ability. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? The main results indicated that the older family caregivers tended to have a more negative attitude towards suicidal individuals. Female family caregivers' stress was higher than that of male family caregivers. A mild level of caring stress would help family caregivers have a more positive attitude towards suicidal individuals. Furthermore, a positive attitude would help family caregivers improve their caring ability. What are the implications for practice? Mental health nurses could help family caregivers, especially female family caregivers, reduce their holistic caring burden by looking for support resources and enhancing their coping strategies. Mental health nurses could help family caregivers promote positive attitudes towards suicidal relatives by understanding suicidal individuals' suffering. Suicide is a global mental health issue. Family caregivers play a key role in preventing suicide attempts. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship among stress due to the family caregiver's role, suicidal attitude of the family caregiver and suicide care ability among family caregivers. Additionally, instruments of caring stress, attitudes towards suicidal relatives and caring abilities used in the study were tested to measure construct validity. A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 164 family caregivers of people who are suicidal. The following three questionnaires were used: the Caring Stress Scale, the Suicidal Attitudes Scale and the Suicidal Caring Ability Scale. Structural equation modelling was performed

Vocal neighbour-mate discrimination in female great tits despite high song similarity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blumenrath, Sandra H.; Dabelsteen, Torben; Pedersen, Simon Boel

2007-01-01

Discrimination between conspecifics is important in mediating social interactions between several individuals in a network environment. In great tits, Parus major, females readily distinguish between the songs of their mate and those of a stranger. The high degree of song sharing among neighbouring...... males, however, raises the question of whether females are also able to perceive differences between songs shared by their mate and a neighbour. The great tit is a socially monogamous, hole-nesting species with biparental care. Pair bond maintenance and coordination of the pair's reproductive efforts...... are important, and the female's ability to recognize her mate's song should therefore be adaptive. In a neighbour-mate discrimination playback experiment, we presented 13 incubating great tit females situated inside nestboxes with a song of their mate and the same song type from a neighbour. Each female...

Self-care among caregivers of people living with HIV and AIDS in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Microsoft Excel was used to produce tables and graphs. Majority of the respondents 124 (82.7%) were female, while 26 (17.3%) were male. Self-care elements most practiced by the respondents in all the age categories were infection prevention and nutritional care. Female respondents had the highest proportions in all the ...

Factors Promoting Tubal Ligation in Females Presenting to Tertiary Care Centers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hammad Ali Qazi

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: Despite development of new contraceptive methods, sterilization remained the most widely used method. Our objective was to determine the factors contributing to decision making for tubal ligation in females.Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Jinnah Post graduate Medical Centre (JPMC between March - November 2008. About 505 Females using contraceptive measures were consecutively included. Those having any severe debilitating disease and unfamiliar with “urdu” language were excluded. Three trained co researchers conducted structured interviews to determine the frequency and factors associated with tubal ligation.Results: The final multiple logistic regression showed illiteracy [AOR 2.91 95% CI 1.53-5.53], number of children < 3 [AOR 6.15 95% CI 2.61-14.50], age of women < 30 [AOR 0.12 95% CI 0.06-0.22] years and information gained through health worker [AOR 3.04 95% CI 1.60-5.80] to be statistically significant.Conclusion: This highlights tubal ligation was more common in uneducated women of age > 35 years having <3 children. The most common means of promoting tubal ligation was information gained through health workers.

Trisomy 15 with loss of the paternal 15 as a cause of Prader-Willi syndrome due to maternal disomy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cassidy, S.B.; Lai, Li-Wen; Erickson, R.P. (Univ. of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ (United States)); Magnuson, L.; Thomas, E.; Herrmann, J. (Great Lakes Genetics, Milwaukee, AZ (United States)); Gendron, R. (Great Lakes Genetics, Kingsport, TN (United States))

1992-10-01

Uniparental disomy has recently been recognized to cause human disorders, including Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). The authors describe a particularly instructive case which raises important issues concerning the mechanisms producing uniparental disomy and whose evaluation provides evidence that trisomy may precede uniparental disomy in a fetus. Chorionic villus sampling performed for advanced maternal age revealed trisomy 15 in all direct and cultured cells, though the fetus appeared normal. Chromosome analysis of amniocytes obtained at 15 wk was normal in over 100 cells studied. The child was hypotonic at birth, and high-resolution banding failed to reveal the deletion of 15q11-13, a deletion which is found in 50%-70% of patients with PWS. Over time, typical features of PWS developed. Molecular genetic analysis using probes for chromosome 15 revealed maternal disomy. Maternal nondisjunction with fertilization of a disomic egg by a normal sperm, followed by loss of the paternal 15, is a likely cause of confined placental mosaicism and uniparental disomy in this case of PWS, and advanced maternal age may be a predisposing factor. 38 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Influence of women health care adoption on contraceptive use: utilization of prenatal and postnatal care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehman, S.U.; Abbasi, S.

2007-01-01

The effect of women heat seeking behaviour during pregnancy and post delivery period on contraceptive use and family size are important dimension of female fertility. These determinants of female fertility have rarely been explored, particularly in developing countries confronting problems of rising population growth. A study was conducted in district Faisalabad, Pakistan to explore the influence of pre and postnatal care on contraceptive use. A random sample of 1051 married women was studied from the urban and rural areas of the district through formal survey. It was found that contraceptive use is associated with pre-and postnatal care. Minimum of 5-7 prenatal and at least 2 postnatal visit have been identified as effective to promote contraceptive use. Involvement of health professional, motivation through mass media and improved access to health care services during the period of pregnancy and after childbirth are the measures suggested to enhance contraceptive use in the society to curtail family size. (author)

Male sexual harassment alters female social behaviour towards other females.

Science.gov (United States)

Darden, Safi K; Watts, Lauren

2012-04-23

Male harassment of females to gain mating opportunities is a consequence of an evolutionary conflict of interest between the sexes over reproduction and is common among sexually reproducing species. Male Trinidadian guppies Poecilia reticulata spend a large proportion of their time harassing females for copulations and their presence in female social groups has been shown to disrupt female-female social networks and the propensity for females to develop social recognition based on familiarity. In this study, we investigate the behavioural mechanisms that may lead to this disruption of female sociality. Using two experiments, we test the hypothesis that male presence will directly affect social behaviours expressed by females towards other females in the population. In experiment one, we tested for an effect of male presence on female shoaling behaviour and found that, in the presence of a free-swimming male guppy, females spent shorter amounts of time with other females than when in the presence of a free-swimming female guppy. In experiment two, we tested for an effect of male presence on the incidence of aggressive behaviour among female guppies. When males were present in a shoal, females exhibited increased levels of overall aggression towards other females compared with female only shoals. Our work provides direct evidence that the presence of sexually harassing males alters female-female social behaviour, an effect that we expect will be recurrent across taxonomic groups.

Where Do Female Sex Workers Seek HIV and Reproductive Health Care and What Motivates These Choices? A Survey in 4 Cities in India, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yves Lafort

Full Text Available A baseline cross-sectional survey among female sex workers (FSWs was conducted in four cities within the context of an implementation research project aiming to improve FSWs' access to HIV, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH services. The survey measured where FSWs seek HIV/SRH care and what motivates their choice.Using respondent-driven sampling (RDS, FWSs were recruited in Durban, South Africa (n = 400, Tete, Mozambique (n = 308, Mombasa, Kenya (n = 400 and Mysore, India (n = 458 and interviewed. RDS-adjusted proportions were estimated by non-parametric bootstrapping, and compared across cities using post-hoc pairwise comparison tests.Across cities, FSWs most commonly sought care for the majority of HIV/SRH services at public health facilities, most especially in Durban (ranging from 65% for condoms to 97% for HIV care. Services specifically targeting FSWs only had a high coverage in Mysore for STI care (89% and HIV testing (79%. Private-for-profit clinics were important providers in Mombasa (ranging from 17% for STI care and HIV testing to 43% for HIV care, but not in the other cities. The most important reason for the choice of care provider in Durban and Mombasa was proximity, in Tete 'where they always go', and in Mysore cost of care. Where available, clinics specifically targeting FSWs were more often chosen because of shorter waiting times, perceived higher quality of care, more privacy and friendlier personnel.The place where care is sought for HIV/SRH services differs substantially between cities. Targeted services have limited coverage in the African cities compared to Mysore. Convenience appears more important for choosing the place of care than aspects of quality of care. The best model to improve access, linking targeted interventions with general health services, will need to be tailored to the specific context of each city.

Reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health in the community: Task-sharing between male and female health workers in an Indian rural context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara J Elazan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Male community health workers (CHWs have rarely been studied as an addition to the female community health workforce to improve access and care for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH. Objective: To examine how male health activists (MHAs coordinated RMNCH responsibilities with existing female health workers in an Indian context. Materials and Methods: Interviews from male and female CHWs were coded around community-based engagement, outreach services, and links to facility-based care. Results: Community-based engagement: MHAs completed tasks both dependent and independent of their gender, such as informing couples on safe RMNCH care in the antenatal and postnatal periods. MHAs motivated males on appropriate family planning methods, demonstrating clear gendered responsibility. Outreach services: MHAs were most valuable traveling to remote areas to inform about and bring mothers and children to community health events, with this division of labor appreciated by female health workers. Link to facility-based services: MHAs were recognized as a welcome addition accompanying women to health facilities for delivery, particularly in nighttime. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the importance of gendered CHW roles and male-female task-sharing to improve access to community health events, outreach services, and facility-based RMNCH care.

Demographic characteristics associated with homelessness and risk among female and male veterans accessing VHA outpatient care.

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Ann Elizabeth; Dichter, Melissa E; Thomasson, Arwin M; Fu, Xiaoying; Roberts, Christopher B

2015-01-01

This study explored demographic influences on veterans' reports of homelessness or imminent risk of homelessness with a particular focus on gender. We analyzed data for a cohort of veterans who responded to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) universal screener for homelessness and risk during a 3-month period. Multinomial mixed effects models-stratified by gender-predicted veterans' reports of homelessness or risk based on age, race, marital status, and receipt of VA compensation. The proportion of positive screens-homelessness or risk-was 2.7% for females and 1.7% for males. Women more likely to report being at risk of homelessness were aged 35 to 54 years, Black, and unmarried; those more likely to experience homelessness were Black and unmarried. Among male veterans, the greatest predictors of both homelessness and risk were Black race and unmarried status. Among both genders, receiving VA disability compensation was associated with lesser odds of being homeless or at risk. The findings describe the current population of veterans using VHA health care services who may benefit from homelessness prevention or intervention services, identify racial differences in housing stability, and distinguish subpopulations who may be in particular need of intervention. Interventions to address these needs are described. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Gender perspective in health care teaching: a pending task].

Science.gov (United States)

Arcos, Estela; Poblete, Johanna; Molina Vega, Irma; Miranda, Christian; Zúñiga, Yanira; Fecci, Ester; Rodríguez, Laura; Márquez, Myriam; Ramírez, Miguel

2007-06-01

Gender must be considered in the design and implementation of health policies to safeguard equity and accomplish sanitary objectives. To identify gender perspective in the curricula of five health care careers in the Universidad Austral de Chile. To identify the situation of women in the teaching profile of such curricula. An exploratory and descriptive study with a critical reading of the structure of the programs of 217 courses. Revision of official academic registries. Gender is usually not included in the curricula of health care careers. The generic language conceals female academics and students. There was a scarce inclusion of cross sectional issues such as collaborative work, interpersonal and democratic relationship, equity and critical analysis. There were no differences in academic achievements between female and male students. The contractual profile of female academics reproduces the gender inequity of the work market. The inclusion of gender is a pending task in the training of health care professionals.

The Impact of Institutions on the Destandardization of Female Employment Patterns in the Services Sector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leschke, Janine

Increasing female labour market participation is arguably one of the decisive factors in explaining a destandardisation of the European employment model. Due to a lack in institutions that allow combining wage and care work and in light of unequal gender distribution of care work women...... of women in specific occupations with the services sector. This paper makes use of the cross-country variation in terms of destandardisation of female employment as compared to male employment and tries to explain the country differences by way of institutions (particularly child- and elderly care but also...... at the country level the OECD family data base is used. Besides presenting descriptive statistics on the gender gaps in the services sector with regard to flexible forms of work, including their overlaps, the paper also makes use of multilevel analysis to explain the country differences in the gender gaps...

Work of female rural doctors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wainer, Jo

2004-04-01

To identify the impact of family life on the ways women practice rural medicine and the changes needed to attract women to rural practice. Census of women rural doctors in Victoria in 2000, using a self-completed postal survey. General and specialist practice. Two hundred and seventy-one female general practitioners and 31 female specialists practising in Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Area Classifications 3-7. General practitioners are those doctors with a primary medical degree and without additional specialist qualifications. Interaction of hours and type of work with family responsibilities. Generalist and specialist women rural doctors carry the main responsibility for family care. This is reflected in the number of hours they work in clinical and non-clinical professional practice, availability for on-call and hospital work, and preference for the responsibilities of practice partnership or the flexibility of salaried positions. Most of the doctors had established a satisfactory balance between work and family responsibilities, although a substantial number were overworked in order to provide an income for their families or meet the needs of their communities. Thirty-six percent of female rural general practitioners and 56% of female rural specialists preferred to work fewer hours. Female general practitioners with responsibility for children were more than twice as likely as female general practitioners without children to be in a salaried position and less likely to be a practice partner. The changes needed to attract and retain women in rural practice include a place for everyone in the doctor's family, flexible practice structures, mentoring by women doctors and financial and personal recognition. Women make up less than a quarter of the rural general practice workforce and an even smaller percentage of the specialist rural medical workforce. As a result their experiences are not well articulated in research on rural medical practice and their needs are

Frequency of candidemias in a tertiary care intensive care unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaqub, K.M.; Usman, J.; Zaidi, S.B.H.; Khalil, A.; Noor, N.; Gill, M.M.

2013-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency of fungal infections in intensive care unit (ICU) of Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, a tertiary care health facility. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Intensive Care Department of Military Hospital Rawalpindi from 01 Jan 2012 to 30 Jun 2012. Methodology: A total of 89 patients were screened with stay of more than 5 days in intensive care unit. Thirty cases were enrolled in the study for investigation of fungal infections that had fever even after 05 days of being on broad spectrum antibiotics. Culture was done on blood, urine and catheter tip samples as per clinical condition of a patient. Results: Candida infection was found in 23.4% of study cases. The mean age of study patients was 41.2 +- 20.0 years while 63.4% were female patients as compared to 36.7% males. Conclusion: Fungal infections especially candidemias are quite frequent in the intensive care units. (author)

A five-year review of female genital tract malignancies in Sokoto ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It is recommended that this process is accelerated through heightened awareness of the female genital cancers among members of the community and health care providers. In addition, innovative approaches to screening and treatment of precancerous cervical lesions and improved service delivery systems are required.

Professional Values Among Female Nursing Students in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Allari, Rabia S; Ismaile, Samantha; Househ, Mowafa

2017-01-01

Professional values are essential to nursing practice because they guide standards for working, provide a structure for evaluating behavior, and influence decisions making. The purpose of this study is to explore the perception of Saudi female nursing students on professional values and to assess the correlation between their perception of professional values in relation to their year of academic studies. We used a cross-sectional descriptive study where a survey was administered to 150 Saudi female nurses living in Riyadh. Results show that Saudi female nurses have a high perception of professional values relating to confidentiality, privacy, moral and legal rights, health and safety, and the work environment. Whereas Saudi nursing students have a low perception for participating in professional nursing activities, utilizing research in practice, peer review, public policy, and engaging in on-going self-evaluation. There was positive correlation between different professional values and academic years. The highest correlations were for the items related to caring and trust more than activism because nursing students at higher academic levels viewed the relationship with patients as more important than advancing health care systems through public policy, research, and professional organizations. In conclusion, nursing program administrators should put emphasis on improving the development of professional values through a role modeling approach to promote activism and professional values through the arrangement of meetings, exchange forums, and conferences with other nurses, managers, policy makers, innovators, and researchers within the nursing field.

[Accomplices under influence, teachers-lovers, "Incestigators" or pimps… Who are females child abusers?

Science.gov (United States)

Cailleau, Virginie; Thirioux, Bérangère; Harika-Germaneau, Ghina; Jaafari, Nematollah

2017-12-01

According to victimization surveys, the percentage of females among child abusers is much higher than 2 or 5% as usually reported in the devoted literature. The under-estimated percentage of child sexual abuses committed by females would result from the dissimulation of sexual acts within nursing care, a gender bias in favor of women among child protection system professionals and low disclosures. Sexual abuses committed by females are often more harmful for children than sexual abuses committed by males. Although a few female child abusers suffers from psychiatric disorders, most of them are psychologically and emotionally dependent from a man or have psychopathic, manipulative and sometimes sadistic personality traits. Female child abusers are a heterogeneous population either acting under the influence of a man or initiating actively the offending for pedophile or financial motivations. Deconstructing the persistent myths about female child abusers is necessary to better identify these women, treat them and prevent relapse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

An experimental test of condition-dependent male and female mate choice in zebra finches.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie-Jeanne Holveck

Full Text Available In mating systems with social monogamy and obligatory bi-parental care, such as found in many songbird species, male and female fitness depends on the combined parental investment. Hence, both sexes should gain from choosing mates in high rather than low condition. However, theory also predicts that an individual's phenotypic quality can constrain choice, if low condition individuals cannot afford prolonged search efforts and/or face higher risk of rejection. In systems with mutual mate choice, the interaction between male and female condition should thus be a better predictor of choice than either factor in isolation. To address this prediction experimentally, we manipulated male and female condition and subsequently tested male and female mating preferences in zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata, a songbird species with mutual mate choice and obligatory bi-parental care. We experimentally altered phenotypic quality by manipulating the brood size in which the birds were reared. Patterns of association for high- or low-condition individuals of the opposite sex differed for male and female focal birds when tested in an 8-way choice arena. Females showed repeatable condition-assortative preferences for males matching their own rearing background. Male preferences were also repeatable, but not predicted by their own or females' rearing background. In combination with a brief review of the literature on condition-dependent mate choice in the zebra finch we discuss whether the observed sex differences and between-studies differences arise because males and females differ in context sensitivity (e.g. male-male competition suppressing male mating preferences, sampling strategies or susceptibility to rearing conditions (e.g. sex-specific effect on physiology. While a picture emerges that juvenile and current state indeed affect preferences, the development and context-dependency of mutual state-dependent mate choice warrants further study.

Men Who Stop Caring: The Exit of Men from Caring Occupations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenn Warming

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In recent years, initiatives have been taken to attract more men into caring occupations. However, there has been much less focus on retaining these new male workers. This article builds on qualitative interviews with 11 Danish men who after working in the caring sector decided to leave for other occupations. A factor often presented as influential for the men’s exit concerns the social working environment. In the interviews, the men discuss the pressure to assimilate to the existing and established female-dominated culture. They feel excluded and socially isolated. Several of them have been directly criticized or disqualified as not being “real” men by their female colleagues. As a result of a growing bureaucratic demand for control and registration of work procedures, several men feel that they do not have adequate resources and time to provide the level of care that is needed. They become disillusioned and frustrated and choose to seek employment elsewhere. Some men cannot come to terms with close physical contact and “smells,” for example, changing diapers on infants or bathing old people. They cannot handle the thought of having their intentions misinterpreted, for example, when playing and being physical with children, and being potentially seen as sexually abhorrent. Finally, some men never intended to remain permanently in caring occupations. Their exit is driven by an ambition to pursue a career in another field or at what they view as a more challenging career level.

Squat Winnowing: Cause of Meniscus Injuries in Non-Athletic Females.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamal, Younis; Ahmad Khan, Hayat; Ahmad Latoo, Irfan; Gani, Naseemul; Farooq, Munir; Gul, Snobar

2016-02-01

Sports activities were thought to be the major cause of meniscus injury in both men and woman, but our observations of non-athletic females show that the cause of meniscus injury was unrelated to any type of sports activity. This study revealed squat winnowing to be a major cause of meniscus injury in non-athletic females. This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care orthopaedic hospital which caters to a population of 10 million people. We assessed 120 non-athletic females who had received treatment in our hospital over a period of 2 years. The most probable cause of knee injury, per initial patient history, was recorded for all non-athletic females who presented clinical signs and symptoms of meniscus injury. The diagnoses were confirmed by relevant MRI and arthroscopy of patients' knees. All females who engaged in athletic activity and other females with unrelated, non-traumatic knee pathologies were excluded from the study. Through our study, we found that 42% (n = 50) of females suffered an injury during squat winnowing of rice, either at home or at work. Another 29% (n = 35) of females cited a history of slipping and spraining their knee as a cause of knee injury, while 19% (n = 16) of females suffered a knee injury during complex accidents such as a traffic accident. Finally, 13% (n = 16) of the females had no definite history of knee injury. Our observations add to the knowledge base of the various causes of meniscus tears; this study also revealed that socio-cultural factors influence and contribute to the mechanism of various types of knee injury.

Being female in a health care hierarchy. On the social construction of gender and leader identity in a work organization having a predominance of women.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebrant, U

1999-01-01

The aim of this paper is to illuminate the situation of women working in hierarchical organizations--patriarchal systems where male values and characteristics are normative--especially when the majority of employees in the organization are female. Do organizations where women make up the majority of the work force offer specific opportunities for women? How does the predominance of women affect the social construction of gender and leader identity? These questions are examined from a feminist perspective. Two concepts, gender system and the logic of personal relationships, provide the point of departure. Empirical support is drawn from studies, primarily of health care institutions, one of them an ongoing study by the author. The conclusion is that the hierarchical system seems to be self-generating among both women and men. A more flexible and anti-authoritarian work organization gives greater opportunities for women to develop in their work and to accept leading positions. The benefits of certain female characteristics, summarized in the concept of responsible rationality, in organizational life are discussed.

THE MEANING OF ALPHA FEMALE IN FEMALE LIBRARIAN: Building a Positive Image of Libraries through Female Librarians as Alpha Female

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunus Winoto

2017-08-01

Full Text Available MAKNA DIRI ALPHA FEMALE PADA PUSTAKAWAN PEREMPUAN: Membangun Citra Positif Perpustakaan Melalui Kiprah Pustakawan Perempuan Sebagai Alpha Female Abstract The profession of librarians is often associated with women. This can be justified if we refer to data and research results that have been done in several countries. However, many women who work in the library, this does not necessarily describe that library work is a simple and easy job. However, on the contrary, work in the field of library is increasingly complex and demands the competence and mastery of information technology. Moreover, the expectations of some users who demand a fast and quality service. Therefore to answer this problem required a female librarian who has the competence, intelligent and able to become a leader for his group and can show the characteristics as a professional. As for the description of people like this people call it with the term alpha female. With the birth of alpha female figures among female librarians is expected to change the positive image of librarians and library institutions. This is because the female alpha figure in the female librarian is a figure of women who are considered "perfect" are still rare today. Keywords: library, librarian, symbolic interaction, alpha female. Abstrak Profesi pustakawan kerapkali dikaitkan dengan kaum perempuan. Hal ini dapat dibenarkan jika kita merujuk pada data dan hasil riset yang telah dilakukan di beberapa negara. Namun demikian banyaknya kaum perempuan yang bekerja di perpustakaan, ini tidak serta merta menggambarkan bahwa pekerjaaan perpustakaan merupakan pekerjaan yang sederhana dan mudah. Namun justru sebaliknya pekerjaaan di bidang perpustakaan saat ini semakin kompleks dan menuntut kompetensi dan penguasaan teknologi informasi. Apalagi harapan sebagian pengguna yang menuntut suatu pelayanan ayang cepat dan berkualitas. Oleh karena demikian untuk menjawab permasalahan ini diperlukan sosok pustakawan

Female Physicians and the Future of Endocrinology.

Science.gov (United States)

Pelley, Elaine; Danoff, Ann; Cooper, David S; Becker, Carolyn

2016-01-01

Given that approximately 70% of current endocrinology fellows are women, female physicians will compose the majority of the future endocrinology workforce. This gender shift partly reflects an apparent waning of interest in endocrinology among male trainees. It also coincides with a projected shortage of endocrinologists overall. Female physicians face unique challenges in the workplace. To continue to attract trainees to the specialty and support their success, it is imperative that these challenges be recognized, understood, and addressed. A PubMed search using the terms "female physician" and "physician gender" covering the years 2000-2015 was performed. Additional references were identified through review of the citations of the retrieved articles. The following topics were identified as key to understanding the impact of this gender shift: professional satisfaction, work-life balance, income, parenthood, academic success, and patient satisfaction. Several changes can be predicted to occur as endocrinology becomes a female-predominant specialty. Although professional satisfaction should remain stable, increased burnout rates are likely. Work-life balance challenges will likely be magnified. The combined effects of occupational gender segregation and a gender pay gap are predicted to negatively impact salaries of endocrinologists of both genders. The underrepresentation of women in academic leadership may mean a lesser voice for endocrinology in this arena. Finally, gender biases evident in patient satisfaction measures--commonly used as proxies for quality of care--may disproportionately impact endocrinology. Endocrinology is predicted to become the most female-predominant subspecialty of internal medicine. The specialty of endocrinology should take a lead role in advocating for changes that support the success of female physicians. Strengthening and supporting the physician workforce can only serve to attract talented physicians of both genders to the

Mental health of female foreign spouses in transnational marriages in southern Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lung For-Wey

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health status, and the risk factors associated with mild psychiatric disorders, of female foreign spouses (from Vietnam, Indonesia, and mainland China in southern Taiwan, and to understand the mental health needs of these women. Methods One hundred and twenty nine participants were willing to participate in this study. All participants fulfilled all questionnaires which included demographic information, the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ, and the Mental Health Care Needs Questionnaire (MHCNQ. Results By multiple linear regression, neuroticism characteristics (p = 0.000, the dimension of knowledge of the level of their own psychological disturbance (p = 0.001, dimension of friends assistance (p = 0.033, and dimension of religion comfort (p = 0.041 in mental health care needs could be used to predict possible mild psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, SEM model showed that Indonesian or Vietnamese spouses have more likely degree in mental health care needs (β = -0.24, p = 0.003, compared with Chinese ones. A higher level of neuroticism was associated with a greater likelihood of mild psychiatric disorder (β = 0.54, p p = 0.013. A higher degree of mental health care needs was related to a greater likelihood of mild psychiatric disorder (β = 0.14, p = 0.05. Conclusion In conclusion, we have obtained a better understanding of the mental health status of female foreign spouses in transnational marriages, who face many difficulties. Indonesian or Vietnamese spouses tend to more likely degree in mental health care needs than Chinese spouses, and then indirectly influenced their mental health status. Some individuals with a neurotic personality are exposed to high risk and might suffer from mild psychiatric symptoms. The needs for psychological counseling and religion therapy were the first priority for these women, particularly the

Perception of breast health amongst Malaysian female adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Che, Chong Chin; Coomarasamy, Jeya Devi; Suppayah, Balakrishnan

2014-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Malaysia, about one in 19 women being at risk. This study aimed to investigate knowledge and practice of breast self-examination (BSE), as well as knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer amongst female adolescents in Malaysia. Subsequently, relationships between demographic characteristics and knowledge level of BSE, risk factors for breast cancer and BSE practice were assessed. A descriptive, cross sectional survey was conducted using a sample of 500 Malaysian adolescents from the age of 15 to 19 years. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather socio- demographic characteristics, knowledge of BSE, knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer and BSE practices. The findings of this study indicated that female adolescents in Malaysia demonstrated an inadequate knowledge level of BSE and risk factors for breast cancer. Only 27.8% of female adolescents performed BSE regularly. BSE practice, knowledge of BSE and knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer showed significant positive relationships. The study highlighted the importance of planning and implementing breast health education programs for female students in secondary schools in Malaysia. It will also provide the health care providers an avenue to stress on the importance of imparting breast health education to adolescents.

Plumage brightness as an indicator of parental care in northern cardinals

Science.gov (United States)

Linville; Breitwisch; Schilling

1998-01-01

Good parent and differential allocation models predict relationships between degree of sexual ornamentation and parental care, but relatively few studies have tested these models. The northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, is a sexually dichromatic species in which both sexes are ornamented. Males have red plumage, and females have tan plumage with limited areas of red feathering. Cardinals were used to address the two models and determine whether plumage brightness signals level of parental care by both sexes. Absolute effort in feeding nestlings by males was not correlated with male breast plumage colour, but effort by females was positively correlated with female underwing plumage colour. Absolute feeding effort by females was also inversely related to brightness of the mate's breast colour. As a consequence, the proportion of a pair's total feedings provided by the male was positively correlated with male breast colour. Proportion of total feedings provided by the female was positively correlated with female wing colour. Feeding efforts (both per nest and per nestling) were correlated between mates, but birds did not mate assortatively in relation to colour. These results support the good parent hypothesis, suggesting colour brightness is a signal of parental care. The results also indicate that ornamentation of both members of the pair may be important determinants of relative efforts in provisioning nestlings by parent birds. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Choosy but not chaste: multiple mating in human females.

Science.gov (United States)

Scelza, Brooke A

2013-01-01

When Charles Darwin set out to relate his theory of evolution by natural selection to humans he discovered that a complementary explanation was needed to properly understand the great variation seen in human behavior. The resulting work, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, laid out the defining principles and evidence of sexual selection. In brief, this work is best known for illuminating the typically male strategy of intrasexual competition and the typically female response of intersexual choice. While these sexual stereotypes were first laid out by Darwin, they grew in importance when, years later, A. J. Bateman, in a careful study of Drosophila mating strategies, noted that multiple mating appeared to provide great benefit to male reproductive success, but to have no such effect on females. As a result, female choice soon became synonymous with being coy, and only males were thought to gain from promiscuous behavior. However, the last thirty years of research have served to question much of the traditional wisdom about sex differences proposed by Darwin and Bateman, illuminating the many ways that women (and females more generally) can and do engage in multiple mating. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prevalence and types of sexual dysfunction amongst female with diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unadike, B.C.; Eregie, A.; Ohwovoriole, A.E.

2009-01-01

To determine the prevalence and types of sexual dysfunction (SD) amongst female with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in Benin City, Nigeria. This is a cross sectional study. A total of 225 female with DM and 225 female without DM who served as controls were studied. Data obtained included age, anthropometric indexes, presence and type of sexual dysfunction. Fifteen (6.6%) subjects with DM had sexual dysfunction and four (1.7%) in the control group had SD with sexual pain disorder being the commonest SD, seen in both groups. Other SD seen was lubrication disorder and sexual arousal disorder. The prevalence of SD in diabetic female was significantly higher than in the control group (6.6% vs. 1.7% p < 0.05). Sexual Dysfunction appears to be relatively uncommon amongst Nigerian women with Diabetes Mellitus. However diabetes care providets should address this issue during consultations with patients and provide treatment as this is a treatable condition. (author)

Female burying beetles benefit from male desertion: sexual conflict and counter-adaptation over parental investment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Boncoraglio

Full Text Available Sexual conflict drives the coevolution of sexually antagonistic traits, such that an adaptation in one sex selects an opposing coevolutionary response from the other. Although many adaptations and counteradaptations have been identified in sexual conflict over mating interactions, few are known for sexual conflict over parental investment. Here we investigate a possible coevolutionary sequence triggered by mate desertion in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, where males commonly leave before their offspring reach independence. Rather than suffer fitness costs as a consequence, our data suggest that females rely on the male's absence to recoup some of the costs of larval care, presumably because they are then free to feed themselves on the carcass employed for breeding. Consequently, forcing males to stay until the larvae disperse reduces components of female fitness to a greater extent than caring for young singlehandedly. Therefore we suggest that females may have co-evolved to anticipate desertion by their partners so that they now benefit from the male's absence.

Female Burying Beetles Benefit from Male Desertion: Sexual Conflict and Counter-Adaptation over Parental Investment

Science.gov (United States)

Boncoraglio, Giuseppe; Kilner, Rebecca M.

2012-01-01

Sexual conflict drives the coevolution of sexually antagonistic traits, such that an adaptation in one sex selects an opposing coevolutionary response from the other. Although many adaptations and counteradaptations have been identified in sexual conflict over mating interactions, few are known for sexual conflict over parental investment. Here we investigate a possible coevolutionary sequence triggered by mate desertion in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, where males commonly leave before their offspring reach independence. Rather than suffer fitness costs as a consequence, our data suggest that females rely on the male's absence to recoup some of the costs of larval care, presumably because they are then free to feed themselves on the carcass employed for breeding. Consequently, forcing males to stay until the larvae disperse reduces components of female fitness to a greater extent than caring for young singlehandedly. Therefore we suggest that females may have co-evolved to anticipate desertion by their partners so that they now benefit from the male's absence. PMID:22355390

Collaborative care management effectively promotes self-management: patient evaluation of care management for depression in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

DeJesus, Ramona S; Howell, Lisa; Williams, Mark; Hathaway, Julie; Vickers, Kristin S

2014-03-01

Chronic disease management in the primary care setting increasingly involves self-management support from a nurse care manager. Prior research had shown patient acceptance and willingness to work with care managers. This survey study evaluated patient-perceived satisfaction with care management and patient opinions on the effectiveness of care management in promoting self-management. Qualitative and quantitative survey responses were collected from 125 patients (79% female; average age 46; 94% Caucasian) enrolled in care management for depression. Qualitative responses were coded with methods of content analysis by 2 independent analysts. Patients were satisfied with depression care management. Patients felt that care management improved their treatment above and beyond other aspects of their depression treatment (mean score, 6.7 [SD, 2]; 10 = Very much), increased their understanding of depression self-management (mean score, 7.2 [SD, 2]; 10 = Very much), and increased the frequency of self-management goal setting (mean score, 6.9 [SD, 3]; 10 = Very much). Predominant qualitative themes emphasized that patients value emotional, motivational, and relational aspects of the care manager relationship. Patients viewed care managers as caring and supportive, helpful in creating accountability for patients and knowledgeable in the area of depression care. Care managers empower patients to take on an active role in depression self-management. Some logistical challenges associated with a telephonic intervention are described. Care manager training should include communication and motivation strategies, specifically self-management education, as these strategies are valued by patients. Barriers to care management, such as scheduling telephone calls, should be addressed in future care management implementation and study.

Educating about female genital mutilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Victoria; Farrington, Rebecca; Mulongo, Peggy

2017-01-01

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is illegal in the UK but nevertheless practised in some immigrant communities. Effective educational approaches are required to inform policy and to direct resources, often in the voluntary sector. The opinions in this article arise from discussions with professionals and members of FGM-practising communities. We highlight the importance of sharing experiences and expertise across health and social care professionals as well as working in partnership with culturally sensitive Non-Governmental Organisations. Enlisting the support of men and religious leaders is crucial to breaking down barriers in male-dominated communities and dispelling myths about FGM being a 'requirement' of faith.

COMMUNITY HEALTH & PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

the_monk

one strategy that could be conducted anywhere, if the health care workers are trained and positively disposed ... places; regulate advertising, manufacturing. 13 .... Gender. Male. 52 (46.0). 61 (54.0). 0.0001. Significant. Female. 82 (73.2).

[Effects on female healthcare workers of the ministry of health campaign against tobacco smoking.

Science.gov (United States)

La Torre, Giuseppe; Guastamacchia, Sergio; Barbagallo, Alfio; Mannocci, Alice

2017-11-01

Smoking prevalence among health care workers is higher in comparison with general population and the prevalence of women who smoke is higher than among men. In the prevention strategies the multimedia campaign may be a positive impact on the fight against tobacco. Objective. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the last Italian campaign against smoking (Il fumo fammale) in the health care women workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Latium and Sicily (Italy) in 2015, through an interview on memories and impressions about the spots and after a new vision of the spot and eventually other comments. 357 individuals entered the study, 204 female health care workers and 153 from the general population. The female health care workers were more skeptical than the general population. The impressions aroused in the healthcare workers versus the general population were: sadness (OR=2.96;IC95%:1.17-7.49), indifference (OR=5.57;IC95%:2.43-12.77); while a cue to reflect was more considered from general population than health care workers (OR=0.13;IC95%:0.07-0.23). The female professionals health referred the main characteristics of the spot as no original, no impactful, no persuasive and boring too. In conclusion the multimedia campaign to fight against the smoking should be useful, but the psico-behavioural factors have applied and considered when it is implemented; to reduce the tobacco consumption in the healthcare workers can make them an example for the people of healthy life styles and they are a start up of prevention mechanism too. Furthermore it is important to consider the healthcare professional's opinions for future healthy communications and multimedia campaign on tobacco harm. Copyright© by Aracne Editrice, Roma, Italy.

Recommendations for Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Surveillance for Female Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer: A Report From the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group in Collaboration With the PanCareSurFup Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

van Dorp, Wendy; Mulder, Renée L.; Kremer, Leontien C.M.; Hudson, Melissa M.; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M.; van den Berg, Marleen H.; Levine, Jennifer M.; van Dulmen-den Broeder, Eline; di Iorgi, Natascia; Albanese, Assunta; Armenian, Saro H.; Bhatia, Smita; Constine, Louis S.; Corrias, Andreas; Deans, Rebecca; Dirksen, Uta; Gracia, Clarisa R.; Hjorth, Lars; Kroon, Leah; Lambalk, Cornelis B.; Landier, Wendy; Levitt, Gill; Leiper, Alison; Meacham, Lillian; Mussa, Alesandro; Neggers, Sebastian J.; Oeffinger, Kevin C.; Revelli, Alberto; van Santen, Hanneke M.; Skinner, Roderick; Toogood, Andrew; Haupt, Riccardo

2016-01-01

Purpose Female survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer who were treated with alkylating agents and/or radiation, with potential exposure of the ovaries, have an increased risk of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Clinical practice guidelines can facilitate these survivors’ access to optimal treatment of late effects that may improve health and quality of survival; however, surveillance recommendations vary among the existing long-term follow-up guidelines, which impedes the implementation of screening. Patients and Methods The present guideline was developed by using an evidence-based approach and summarizes harmonized POI surveillance recommendations for female survivors of CAYA cancer who were diagnosed at age < 25 years. The recommendations were formulated by an international multidisciplinary panel and graded according to the strength of the evidence and the potential benefit gained from early detection and intervention. The harmonized POI surveillance recommendations were developed by using a transparent process and are intended to facilitate care for survivors of CAYA cancer. Results and Conclusion The harmonized set of POI surveillance recommendations is intended to be scientifically rigorous, to positively influence health outcomes, and to facilitate the care for female survivors of CAYA cancer. PMID:27458300

Pharmacy Students' Attitudes Toward Death and End-of-life Care

Science.gov (United States)

Broeseker, Amy E.

2010-01-01

Objectives To assess pharmacy students' attitudes toward death and end-of-life care. Methods Third-year pharmacy students enrolled in the Ethics in Christianity and Health Care course were administered a survey instrument prior to introduction of the topic of end-of-life care. Students' attitudes toward different professions' roles in end-of-life care and their comfort in discussing end-of-life issues were assessed. The survey instrument was readministered to the same students at the end of their fourth year. Results On most survey items, female students responded more favorably toward death and end-of-life care than male students. One exception was the perceived emotional ability to be in the room of a dying patient or loved one. Post-experiential survey responses were generally more favorable toward death and end-of-life care than were pre-discussion responses. Conclusions In general, when surveyed concerning death and end-of-life care, female students responded more favorably than male students, and responses at the end of the fourth year were more favorable than at the beginning of the course. PMID:21045946

Comparison of four diagnostic techniques for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in females attending tertiary care hospital of North India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Razia Khatoon

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Trichomonas vaginalis causes a common sexually transmitted disease trichomoniasis, which may lead to increased risk of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus infection and other pelvic inflammatory diseases. Wet mount examination is the most common test for diagnosis, but it has low sensitivity. Acridine orange staining can be used for diagnosis, but it requires special microscopic facility. Culture is considered as the gold standard, but it takes a long time for diagnosis. OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test is a recently introduced rapid method based on immunochromatographic assay of trichomonal protein antigens. Hence, the present study was done to compare these four diagnostic techniques for detection of trichomoniasis in females with vaginal discharge. Materials and Methods: Vaginal swabs were taken from 835 female patients and wet mount examination, acridine orange staining, culture in Kupferberg medium, and OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test, were performed. Results: Out of 835 patients included in our study, 68 (8.1% positive cases of trichomoniasis were detected by culture. OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test detected 63 (7.5% cases, acridine orange staining detected 53 (6.3% cases, whereas, wet mount examination detected only 45 (5.4% positive cases. OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test performed well and showed high sensitivity and specificity of 88.2% and 99.6%, respectively. Conclusion: As OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test is a point of care test and gave better results than both wet mount examination and acridine orange staining; it can be used as a routine test in peripheral areas lacking laboratory facilities.

Working Conditions and Lifestyle of Female Surgeons Affiliated to the Japan Neurosurgical Society: Findings of Individual and Institutional Surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimaki, Takamitsu; Shibui, Soichiro; Kato, Yoko; Matsumura, Akira; Yamasaki, Mami; Date, Isao; Hongo, Kazuhiro; Kuroda, Satoshi; Matsumae, Mitsunori; Nakao, Naoyuki; Sakurada, Kaori; Shimokawa, Shoko; Kayama, Takamasa

2016-11-15

To investigate the working conditions of female neurosurgeons in Japan, two surveys were conducted by The Japan Neurosurgical Society: one involving female neurosurgeons themselves and the other involving the chiefs of neurosurgical departments. The responses were received from 224 (43.8%) female neurosurgeons and 496 (61.2%) departmental chiefs. About half (50.2%) of the female neurosurgeons were married and 39.2% had children (average number of children, 1.27). Their work was full-time in 80.6% of cases; on average, they worked 51.9 h per week, had night duty 2.8 times per month, and had 5.7 days off per month. Many of them stated that they were satisfied with their job status, but about half of them reported difficulty in maintaining a correct work-life balance. Among the institutions surveyed, 29% had female neurosurgeons. The survey of departmental chiefs revealed that the proxies for maternity leave were not available at most institutions, and that there was only limited availability of night child care (41%) or sick child care (39%); female neurosurgeons did not appear to be well-informed of these support systems. These findings suggest that apart from systematic approaches already in place, female neurosurgeons would prefer to have more understanding from their peers and chiefs.

Coping strategies for domestic violence against pregnant female adolescents: integrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Macedo, Cibele Monteiro; Miura, Paula Orchiucci; Barrientos, Dora Mariela Salcedo; Lopes, Gisele Almeida; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa

2018-01-01

To investigate and analyze in the scientific literature coping strategies for domestic violence against pregnant female adolescents. This is an integrative literature review, conducted from July to August 2017 on LILACS, SciELO and PubMed, using the descriptors and the MeSH terms: confrontation, violence, adolescent, pregnant women, prenatal care. The sample comprised 9 articles that were organized and characterized according to year, country of study and coping strategy used. The main forms of coping involved the active search for cases and the primary care approach with all family members. Individualized prenatal care, the change in professional training and networking activities were pointed out as important components of the strategies for coping with violence against pregnant adolescents.

Sexual conflict between parents: offspring desertion and asymmetrical parental care.

Science.gov (United States)

Székely, Tamás

2014-09-25

Parental care is an immensely variable social behavior, and sexual conflict offers a powerful paradigm to understand this diversity. Conflict over care (usually considered as a type of postzygotic sexual conflict) is common, because the evolutionary interests of male and female parents are rarely identical. I investigate how sexual conflict over care may facilitate the emergence and maintenance of diverse parenting strategies and argue that researchers should combine two fundamental concepts in social behavior to understand care patterns: cooperation and conflict. Behavioral evidence of conflict over care is well established, studies have estimated specific fitness implications of conflict for males or females, and experiments have investigated specific components of conflict. However, studies are long overdue to reveal the full implications of conflict for both males and females. Manipulating (or harming) the opposite sex seems less common in postzygotic conflicts than in prezygotic conflicts because by manipulating, coercing, or harming the opposite sex, the reproductive interest of the actor is also reduced. Parental care is a complex trait, although few studies have yet considered the implications of multidimensionality for parental conflict. Future research in parental conflict will benefit from understanding the behavioral interactions between male and female parents (e.g., negotiation, learning, and coercion), the genetic and neurogenomic bases of parental behavior, and the influence of social environment on parental strategies. Empirical studies are needed to put sexual conflict in a population context and reveal feedback between mate choice, pair bonds and parenting strategies, and their demographic consequences for the population such as mortalities and sex ratios. Taken together, sexual conflict offers a fascinating avenue for understanding the causes and consequences of parenting behavior, sex roles, and breeding system evolution. Copyright © 2014 Cold

Differences in postural disturbances between female adolescents handball players and nontraining peers.

Science.gov (United States)

Jandrić, Slavica Đ

2016-04-01

Physical activity and sport can influence the extent of the presence of the postural disturbances in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of differences in the postural disturbances in female adolescents in relation to team handball training. This investigation involved 150 female adolescents with the average age of 13.4 ± 1.5 years divided into two groups (50 adolescents trained handball and 100 did non train it). The study determined a statistically significant difference in the total number of postural disturbances between the two groups of adolescents (p 0.05). Handball adolescents players have less postural disturbances than untrained adolescents. Flat foot is significantly less frequent in female adolescents handball players than in untrained ones. Findings obtained in this investigation can help us in planning continuous prevention, observation and care for untrained and trained team handball female adolescents with postural disturbances.

Underreporting of Concussions and Concussion-Like Symptoms in Female High School Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Tracy; Burghart, Mark A; Nazir, Niaman

2016-01-01

Underreporting of concussions and concussion-like symptoms in athletes continues to be a serious medical concern and research focus. Despite mounting worry, little evidence exists examining incidence of underreporting and documenting characteristics of head injury in female athletes participating in high school sports. This study examined the self-reporting behaviors of female high school athletes. Seventy-seven athletes participated, representing 14 high school sports. Nearly half of the athletes (31 participants) reported a suspected concussion, with 10 of the 31 athletes refraining from reporting symptoms to training staff after injury. Only 66% reported receiving concussion education. Concussion education appeared to have no relationship with diagnosed concussion rates in athletes, removing athletes from play, or follow-up medical care after injury. In conclusion, female high school athletes underreport signs and symptoms of concussions. Concussion education should occur at higher rates among female athletes to influence reporting behaviors.

Romance tourism or female sex tourism?

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Irmgard L

2014-01-01

Love, sex and the female traveller: romance tourism or female sex tourism? The phenomenon of women travelling in search of relationships with local men in developing countries has been studied for the last 20 years. However, it appears little known in travel medicine. Relevant literature was found through PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest and Google Scholar. The reference lists of selected articles identified further sources. Historical records of women travellers to far-away countries abound. Then, as now, women not only searched for the erotic 'other' but made romance and sex the purpose of their trip. Today, increasing numbers of women travel to destinations in developing countries where sex with local men is the main attraction. This pastime raises concerns not only for the women themselves but for the local men involved as well as their sex partners and the local communities. Although more research is necessary, comparing the criteria that describe men travelling for sex and relationships and women travelling for sex and relationships appears to suggest that there is very little difference between the two, regardless of what the pursuit is called. Women looking for sex with local men are sex tourists, too. Recognition of this fact needs to influence the pre and post travel care of female travellers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement and correlates of empathy among female Japanese physicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kataoka Hitomi U

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The measurement of empathy is important in the assessment of physician competence and patient outcomes. The prevailing view is that female physicians have higher empathy scores compared with male physicians. In Japan, the number of female physicians has increased rapidly in the past ten years. In this study, we focused on female Japanese physicians and addressed factors that were associated with their empathic engagement in patient care. Methods The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE was translated into Japanese by using the back-translation procedure, and was administered to 285 female Japanese physicians. We designed this study to examine the psychometrics of the JSE and group differences among female Japanese physicians. Results The item-total score correlations of the JSE were all positive and statistically significant, ranging from .20 to .54, with a median of .41. The Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was .81. Female physicians who were practicing in “people-oriented” specialties obtained a significantly higher mean empathy score than their counterparts in “procedure-” or “technology-oriented” specialties. In addition, physicians who reported living with their parents in an extended family or living close to their parents, scored higher on the JSE than those who were living alone or in a nuclear family. Conclusions Our results provide support for the measurement property and reliability of the JSE in a sample of female Japanese physicians. The observed group differences associated with specialties and living arrangement may have implications for sustaining empathy. In addition, recognizing these factors that reinforce physicians’ empathy may help physicians to avoid career burnout.

Understanding the motivations of health-care providers in performing female genital mutilation: an integrative review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Doucet, Marie-Hélène; Pallitto, Christina; Groleau, Danielle

2017-03-23

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional harmful practice that can cause severe physical and psychological damages to girls and women. Increasingly, trained health-care providers carry out the practice at the request of families. It is important to understand the motivations of providers in order to reduce the medicalization of FGM. This integrative review identifies, appraises and summarizes qualitative and quantitative literature exploring the factors that are associated with the medicalization of FGM and/or re-infibulation. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL and grey literature databases. Hand searches of identified studies were also examined. The "CASP Qualitative Research Checklist" and the "STROBE Statement" were used to assess the methodological quality of the qualitative and quantitative studies respectively. A total of 354 articles were reviewed for inclusion. Fourteen (14) studies, conducted in countries where FGM is largely practiced as well as in countries hosting migrants from these regions, were included. The main findings about the motivations of health-care providers to practice FGM were: (1) the belief that performing FGM would be less harmful for girls or women than the procedure being performed by a traditional practitioner (the so-called "harm reduction" perspective); (2) the belief that the practice was justified for cultural reasons; (3) the financial gains of performing the procedure; (4) responding to requests of the community or feeling pressured by the community to perform FGM. The main reasons given by health-care providers for not performing FGM were that they (1) are concerned about the risks that FGM can cause for girls' and women's health; (2) are preoccupied by the legal sanctions that might result from performing FGM; and (3) consider FGM to be a "bad practice". The findings of this review can inform public health program planners, policy makers and researchers to adapt or create strategies to end

Health care for immigrant women in Italy: are we really ready? A survey on knowledge about female genital mutilation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuele Caroppo

2014-03-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Because of immigration, female genital mutilation (FGM is an issue of increasing concern in western countries. Nevertheless operators without a specific training may ignore the health condition of women subjected to this practice and fail to provide them adequate assistance. The purpose of the study was to estimate the current knowledge about FGM among social and health care assistants working with asylum seeker. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From October to December 2012, a questionnaire was used to interview 41 operators working in CARA (Shelter for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in central and southern Italy. RESULTS: Only 7.3% of respondents states to know well FGM, while 4.9% do not know it at all. 70.7% declare to have never met or assisted a woman with FGM, nevertheless all respondents work with asylum seeker from countries where FGM are performed. CONCLUSIONS: Migration fluxes to Italy over the past decade created a healthcare challenge: women with FGM have specific medical and psychological problems that doctors, nurses and social assistants without specific training are not usually able to manage.

Gender difference in utilization willingness of institutional care among the single seniors: evidence from rural Shandong, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Yangyang; Chu, Jie; Ge, Dandan; Zhang, Li; Sun, Long; Zhou, Chengchao

2017-05-12

Institutional care has become an urgent issue in rural China. Rural single seniors, compared with their counterparts, have lower income and are more vulnerable. Gender is also a significant factor determining long-term institutional care. This study is designed to examine the gender difference towards utilization willingness of institutional care among rural single seniors. A total of 505 rural single seniors were included in the analysis. Binary logistic regression model was used to examine the gender difference towards utilization willingness for institutional care, and also to identify the determinants of the utilization willingness for institutional care among rural single male and female seniors. Our study found that about 5.7% rural single seniors had willingness for institutional care in Shandong, China. Single females were found to be less willing for institutional care than single males in rural areas (OR = 0.19; 95 CI 0.06-0.57). It's also found that psychological stress was associated with institutionalization willingness in both single males (P = 0.045) and single females (P = 0.013) in rural China. The rural single seniors who lived alone were found to be more willing for institutional care both in males (P = 0.032) and females (P = 0.002) compared with those who lived with children or others. This study found that there was a gender difference towards utilization willingness for institutional care among single seniors in rural China. Factors including psychological stress and living arrangements were determinants of institutionalization willingness both in single males and females. Targeted policies should be made for rural single seniors of different gender.

Doing the Same and Earning Less: Male and Female Physicians in a New Medical Specialty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy J. Hoff

2004-09-01

Full Text Available This study presents findings from a national survey of physicians working in the emerging career of hospital medicine. It finds that female hospitalists earn significantly less annually than male hospitalists, despite similar work schedules and commitments; that these similarities in work and differences in pay remain even for male and female hospitalists who are married and have children; and that female hospitalists maintain positive feelings toward their work careers despite assuming multiple work and nonwork roles simultaneously. The results present a unique picture of female physicians career experiences in toto. They have implications for how health care organizations and managers should think about the contemporary female physician (e.g., her career development needs and workplace challenges; for female physicians need to gain greater equity vis-à-vis men within the profession; and for the kinds of questions researchers should raise around physician gender in their work.

Female Athletes Facing Discrimination: Curriculum Regarding Female Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Palis, Regina

There continues to be oppression among female athletes, even after the enactment of Title IX in 1972. Female athletes in secondary schools deal with low self-esteem, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, and depression. Female athletes struggle with societal pressures to maintain a model-like figure, while trying to train and perform for…

Female Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan seeking care from VA specialized PTSD Programs: comparison with male veterans and female war zone veterans of previous eras.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontana, Alan; Rosenheck, Robert; Desai, Rani

2010-04-01

Differences in the characteristics and mental health needs of female veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan war compared with those of veterans of other wars may have useful implications for VA program and treatment planning. Female veterans reporting service in the Iraq/Afghanistan war were compared with women reporting service in the Persian Gulf and Vietnam wars and to men reporting service in the Iraq/Afghanistan war. Subjects were drawn from VA administrative data on veterans who sought outpatient treatment from specialized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment programs. A series of analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to control for program site and age. In general, Iraq/Afghanistan and Persian Gulf women had less severe psychopathology and more social supports than did Vietnam women. In turn, Iraq/Afghanistan women had less severe psychopathology than Persian Gulf women and were exposed to less sexual and noncombat nonsexual trauma than their Persian Gulf counterparts. Notable differences were also found between female and male veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan war. Women had fewer interpersonal and economic supports, had greater exposure to different types of trauma, and had different levels of diverse types of pathology than their male counterparts. There appear to be sufficient differences within women reporting service in different war eras and between women and men receiving treatment in VA specialized treatment programs for PTSD that consideration should be given to program planning and design efforts that address these differences in every program treating female veterans reporting war zone service.

[The family. The poorest households with female heads].

Science.gov (United States)

Acosta Diaz, F

1992-01-01

Data from the household questionnaire of the 1987 Mexican Fertility and Health Survey were the basis for an analysis of the characteristics of households headed by women. 14.1% of households were headed by women in 1987, of which 14% were in rural and 86% in urban areas. 41.9% of the households headed by women contained only a woman and her children. Child care responsibilities are the main determinant of discrimination in the labor market for these women and oblige them to accept jobs that are not adequately paid. The social disadvantage of households headed by women is also related to their age and marital and educational status. Among male and female household heads respectively, 16.3% and 36.5% were over age 60, 16.4% and 27.5% were illiterate, and 92.7% and 8.4% were married or in union. 15.5% of the female heads were single, 24.7% were divorced or separated, and 51.4% were widows. Among employed female household heads, 49.2% were salaried, 36.5% were self-employed, and 10.1% were domestic workers. 63.8% of female and 46.3% of male household heads earned one minimum salary or less per month. The average size of households headed by women was 3.9 members, compared to 5.4 for households headed by men.

Trochanteric Stress Fracture in a Female Window Cleaner

OpenAIRE

Lee, Bong-Jin; Song, Jyewon

2016-01-01

Stress fractures may occur at various sites in the femur including the head, neck, shaft, supracondylar and condylar regions. To the best of our knowledge, stress fracture occurring in the trochanteric region has not been previously reported. We report here a case of trochanteric stress fracture in a 53-year-old female window cleaner treated with hip nailing without adverse consequences. Careful consideration of this entity is needed when evaluating patients who have repetitive jumping up and...

SUPPLY-SIDE EFFECT OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ON PRODUCTIVITY AMONG THE FEMALE WORKER IN THE READYMADE GERMENT SECTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md Aminul Haque

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted in 4 selected garment factories within Dhaka city. The objectives of this study were to find out health care access (Supply-side effect in the garments factory for the women workers and their relation to the productivity. A total of 300 women garment workers were included in this study. Most (60.0% of the respondents were adolescents, unmarried and having only primary level education (5 years of school education. Their average take home monthly salary was 1791.7 taka which was spent mostly on food. They passed a tight work schedule from 6 AM to 11.30 PM without any rest. Hundred percent of female workers had no previous idea about garments nor had any formal training, but they produced on an average 1016 garment pieces a day. They did not get any vaccine, health education or health related knowledge from the garments factory. There was no provision of health care centre or doctor, treatment for fire burn (other than gas, medicine and support in chronic, severe illness for themselves or their family members. More than half (63.0% of the respondents mentioned about loss of time due to illness. There was a strong correlation (r=0.858 between sickness and production loss, between hour loss and production loss (r=0.9283, between production loss and percentage loss (r=0.871. Though there was loss due to illness, no health access or facility for women workers in the garments factory was available. To overcome the situation and improve the productivity, owners have to provide health access and women workers have to come forward for their rights. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2008; 2(1: 4-8

Evidence to inform education, training and supportive work environments for midwives involved in the care of women with female genital mutilation: a review of global experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Angela; Turkmani, Sabera; Fray, Shairon; Nanayakkara, Susie; Varol, Nesrin; Homer, Caroline

2015-01-01

to identify how midwives in low and middle income countries (LMIC) and high income countries (HIC) care for women with female genital mutilation (FGM), their perceived challenges and what professional development and workplace strategies might better support midwives to provide appropriate quality care. an integrative review involving a narrative synthesis of the literature was undertaken to include peer reviewed research literature published between 2004 and 2014. 10 papers were included in the review, two from LMIC and eight from HIC. A lack of technical knowledge and limited cultural competency was identified, as well as socio-cultural challenges in the abandonment process of the practice, particularly in LMIC settings. Training in the area of FGM was limited. One study reported the outcomes of an education initiative that was found to be beneficial. professional education and training, a working environment supported by guidelines and responsive policy and community education, are necessary to enable midwives to improve the care of women with FGM and advocate against the practice. improved opportunities for midwives to learn about FGM and receive advice and support, alongside opportunities for collaborative practice in contexts that enable the effective reporting of FGM to authorities, may be beneficial and require further investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do (Female) Founders Influence (Female) Joiners to Become Founders too?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rocha, Vera; Van Praag, Mirjam

-founder (gender) homophily affects the likelihood of female and male joiners to become founders themselves. We find a relatively large and robust positive effect among female joiners that can be attributed to the role modeling function of female founders. Female entrepreneurs hiring personnel may thus have...

Differences in postural disturbances between female adolescents handball players and nontraining peers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jandrić Slavica Đ.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Physical activity and sport can influence the extent of the presence of the postural disturbances in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of differences in the postural disturbances in female adolescents in relation to team handball training. Methods. This investigation involved 150 female adolescents with the average age of 13.4 ± 1.5 years divided into two groups (50 adolescents trained handball and 100 did non train it. Results. The study determined a statistically significant difference in the total number of postural disturbances between the two groups of adolescents (p 0.05. Conclusion. Handball adolescents players have less postural disturbances than untrained adolescents. Flat foot is significantly less frequent in female adolescents handball players than in untrained ones. Findings obtained in this investigation can help us in planning continuous prevention, observation and care for untrained and trained team handball female adolescents with postural disturbances.

Physical and physiological attributes of female volleyball players--a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lidor, Ronnie; Ziv, Gal

2010-07-01

The main objective of this article was to review a series of studies (n = 31) on physical attributes, physiological attributes, and on-court performances of female volleyball players. Empirical and practical knowledge emerging from studies on training-related issues in volleyball, such as body mass, fat-free mass, aerobic profile, strength, and agility and speed, should be integrated and applied when planning annual training programs for volleyball players. Based on our review, it was found that (a) players of a higher skill level are taller, somewhat heavier, and have higher vertical jump values than players of a lower level; (b) the aerobic profile of female volleyball players is similar to that of female basketball players; (c) ballistic resistance training can increase vertical jump values in female volleyball players; and (d) preseason conditioning should be conducted to prevent fatigue and reduced performance at the beginning of the season. Among the research concerns discussed in the article are that there is a lack data for on-court performance and time-motion analysis in female volleyball players and that more experimental/manipulative studies are needed to examine the effectiveness of different training programs on physiological attributes of female volleyball players. Two practical implications are suggested for volleyball and strength and conditioning coaches: (a) functional and nonfunctional overreaching should be carefully monitored when planning strength and conditioning programs, and (b) volleyball programs should include ballistic-type training.

Coping strategies for domestic violence against pregnant female adolescents: integrative review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cibele Monteiro Macedo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate and analyze in the scientific literature coping strategies for domestic violence against pregnant female adolescents. Method: This is an integrative literature review, conducted from July to August 2017 on LILACS, SciELO and PubMed, using the descriptors and the MeSH terms: confrontation, violence, adolescent, pregnant women, prenatal care. Result: The sample comprised 9 articles that were organized and characterized according to year, country of study and coping strategy used. The main forms of coping involved the active search for cases and the primary care approach with all family members. Conclusion: Individualized prenatal care, the change in professional training and networking activities were pointed out as important components of the strategies for coping with violence against pregnant adolescents.

Utilization of Routine Primary Care Services Among Dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Alimena, Stephanie; Air, Mary E; Gribbin, Caitlin; Manejias, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This study examines the current utilization of primary and preventive health care services among dancers in order to assess their self-reported primary care needs. Participants were 37 dancers from a variety of dance backgrounds who presented for a free dancer health screening in a large US metropolitan area (30 females, 7 males; mean age: 27.5 ± 7.4 years; age range: 19 to 49 years; mean years of professional dancing: 6.4 ± 5.4 years). Dancers were screened for use of primary care, mental health, and women's health resources using the Health Screen for Professional Dancers developed by the Task Force on Dancer Health. Most dancers had health insurance (62.2%), but within the last 2 years, only approximately half of them (54.1%) reported having a physical examination by a physician. Within the last year, 54.1% of dancers had had a dental check-up, and 56.7% of female dancers received gynecologic care. Thirty percent of female participants indicated irregular menstrual cycles, 16.7% had never been to a gynecologist, and 16.7% were taking birth control. Utilization of calcium and vitamin D supplementation was 27.0% and 29.7%, respectively, and 73.0% were interested in nutritional counseling. A high rate of psychological fatigue and sleep deprivation was found (35.1%), along with a concomitant high rate of self-reported need for mental health counseling (29.7%). Cigarette and recreational drug use was low (5.4% and 5.4%); however, 32.4% engaged in binge drinking within the last year (based on the CDC definition). These findings indicate that dancers infrequently access primary care services, despite high self-reported need for nutritional, mental, and menstrual health counseling and treatment. More studies are warranted to understand dancers' primary health care seeking behavior.

Mitigating Mitochondrial Genome Erosion Without Recombination.

Science.gov (United States)

Radzvilavicius, Arunas L; Kokko, Hanna; Christie, Joshua R

2017-11-01

Mitochondria are ATP-producing organelles of bacterial ancestry that played a key role in the origin and early evolution of complex eukaryotic cells. Most modern eukaryotes transmit mitochondrial genes uniparentally, often without recombination among genetically divergent organelles. While this asymmetric inheritance maintains the efficacy of purifying selection at the level of the cell, the absence of recombination could also make the genome susceptible to Muller's ratchet. How mitochondria escape this irreversible defect accumulation is a fundamental unsolved question. Occasional paternal leakage could in principle promote recombination, but it would also compromise the purifying selection benefits of uniparental inheritance. We assess this tradeoff using a stochastic population-genetic model. In the absence of recombination, uniparental inheritance of freely-segregating genomes mitigates mutational erosion, while paternal leakage exacerbates the ratchet effect. Mitochondrial fusion-fission cycles ensure independent genome segregation, improving purifying selection. Paternal leakage provides opportunity for recombination to slow down the mutation accumulation, but always at a cost of increased steady-state mutation load. Our findings indicate that random segregation of mitochondrial genomes under uniparental inheritance can effectively combat the mutational meltdown, and that homologous recombination under paternal leakage might not be needed. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

The growing number of female physicians: meanings, values, and outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Susan P

2013-12-19

Throughout the developed world the proportion of women in professions such as medicine is increasing. This commentary uses Haklai et al's nuanced report on the feminization of medicine in Israel as a starting point. I discuss whether gender shifts are an outcome of more egalitarian attitudes towards women overall, or instead arise from men choosing other professions, the extent of the shift, and its meaning for the quantity and quality of medical care. The discussion is embedded in more fundamental concepts such as the aims of medical practice and the best indicators of effective care. I reflect on concerns about lower female physician productivity at a time when the proportion of female physicians still remains below parity in almost all countries. Medicine is embedded in the principles and expectations of the community being served. The profession's values and practices both shape and are shaped by those of that larger community. As cultures move toward equality, proportional representation of women and men in medicine will follow, while remaining limitations to gender equality will be mirrored in opportunities and restrictions for women in medicine. This is a commentary on http://www.ijhpr.org/content/2/1/37/.

Hierarchization and segmentation of informal care markets in Slovenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hrženjak, Majda

2012-01-01

The article is the result of qualitative research of informal care markets in Slovenia in the field of childcare, elder care, and cleaning. The author assesses Slovenia's position in the “global care chain” and finds that “local care chains” prevail in the field of childcare and elder care, while a co-occurrence of female gender, “other” ethnicity, and poverty is typical in the field of household cleaning. The main emphasis of the article is on the analysis of hierarchization of the informal market of care work according to following two criteria: social reputation of individual type of care work and citizenship status of care workers.

Development and Validation of the Spiritual Care Needs Inventory for Acute Care Hospital Patients in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Li-Fen; Koo, Malcolm; Liao, Yu-Chen; Chen, Yuh-Min; Yeh, Dah-Cherng

2016-12-01

Spiritual care is increasingly being recognized as an integral aspect of nursing practice. The aim of this study was to develop a new instrument, Spiritual Care Needs Inventory (SCNI), for measuring spiritual care needs in acute care hospital patients with different religious beliefs. The 21-item instrument was completed by 1,351 adult acute care patients recruited from a medical center in Taiwan. Principal components analysis of the SCNI revealed two components, (a) meaning and hope and (b) caring and respect, which together accounted for 66.2% of the total variance. The internal consistency measures for the two components were 0.96 and 0.91, respectively. Furthermore, younger age, female sex, Christian religion, and regularly attending religious activities had significantly higher mean total scores in both components. The SCNI was found to be a simple instrument with excellent internal consistency for measuring the spiritual care needs in acute care hospital patients. © The Author(s) 2015.

What explains the different rates of human papillomavirus vaccination among adolescent males and females in the United States?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoonyoung Choi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To identify factors that explain differences in HPV vaccination rates for male and female adolescents and to determine self-reported barriers by parents affecting vaccination decisions. Methods: The sample included adolescents 13–17 years old with a vaccination record documented in the 2012 and 2013 National Immunization Survey-Teen dataset. A logistic regression model was developed with 13 socio-demographic factors and survey year, along with significant interaction pairs with gender. Results: Subjects included 20,355 and 18,350 adolescent boys and girls, respectively. About half of the females (56% received at least one dose of HPV vaccine, compared to 28% of males. Several factors differed between males and females, including higher vaccination rates among non-Hispanic Black males and lower vaccination rates for non-Hispanic Black females compared to Whites; and a stronger association with health care provider recommendation among males. The most common parental reasons for not vaccinating their children included ‘not recommended by a health care provider’ for males (24%, and ‘unnecessary’ for females (18%. Conclusion: We found a significant gender interaction with several socio-demographic variables in predicting vaccination uptake. These gender differences may be partially an artifact of timing, because male vaccination became routine approximately five years after female vaccination. Keywords: Human papillomavirus, Adolescent health, Vaccination, NIS-Teen, Gender interaction

German diabetes disease management programs are appropriate for restructuring care according to the chronic care model: an evaluation with the patient assessment of chronic illness care instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Szecsenyi, Joachim; Rosemann, Thomas; Joos, Stefanie; Peters-Klimm, Frank; Miksch, Antje

2008-06-01

With the introduction of diabetes disease management programs (DMPs) in Germany, there is a necessity to evaluate whether patients receive care that is congruent to the Chronic Care Model (CCM) and evidence-based behavioral counseling. We examined differences as perceived and experienced by patients with type 2 diabetes between those enrolled in a DMP compared with patients receiving usual care in two federal states of Germany. A random, heterogeneous sample of 3,546 patients (59.3% female) received a mailed questionnaire from their regional health fund, including the German version of the Patient Assessment of Chonic Illness Care (PACIC) instrument, which had additional items for behavioral advice (5A). Two weeks later, a general reminder was sent out. A total of 1,532 questionnaires were returned (response rate 42.2%), and valid data could be obtained for 1,399 patients. Mean age of responders was 70.3 years, of which 53.6% were female. Overall, patients enrolled in a DMP scored significantly higher (3.21 of a possible 5) than patients not enrolled in a DMP (2.86) (P < 0.001). Significant differences in the same direction were found on all five subscales of the PACIC. For the 5A scales, similar differences were found for all five subscales plus the sum score (P < 0.001; mean for DMP = 3.08, mean for non-DMP = 2.78). DMPs, as currently established in primary care in Germany, may impact provided care significantly. The changes in daily practice that have been induced by the DMPs are recognized by patients as care that is more structured and that to a larger extent reflects the core elements of the CCM and evidence-based counseling compared with usual care.

[Interpretation of consensuses on treatment of female patients with periodontal disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Y F

2017-02-09

Periodontal tissue is the target tissue of sex hormone, physiological change of sex hormones affects the response of periodontal tissue to bacterial plague. The treatment of periodontal disease of female patients in special periods such as adolescence, menstruation, prepregnancy, pregnancy, puerperium, and menopause should be chosen carefully and correctly. This article attempts to expound these issues.

Effects of health education for migrant females with psychosomatic complaints treated by general practitioners. A randomised controlled evaluation study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kocken, P.L.; Zwanenburg, E.J.-v.; Hoop, T.de

2008-01-01

Objective: : The effectiveness of use of migrant health educators in the general practitioners' care for female migrants with psychosomatic problems was evaluated to contribute to the improvement of the care for these patients. Methods: : A randomised controlled trial (RCT) design was used. A total

Estrategia educativa para cuidadoras de familiares con enfermedad terminal Educational strategy for female care givers who attend terminally ill relatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yamilé Benítez Lambert

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Se realizó una intervención educativa desde julio de 2008 hasta enero de 2010 en el Policlínico Docente "Ramón López Peña" de Santiago de Cuba para aplicar una estrategia capacitante sobre cuidados paliativos, dirigida a 24 mujeres encargadas de atender a igual número de familiares con enfermedad terminal. Antes de ser instruidas al efecto, la mayoría de las cuidadoras desconocían cómo controlar los síntomas en sus parientes y su propio estrés, carecían de preparación psicológica para enfrentar el duelo, no habían adquirido las habilidades comunicativas necesarias y muchas se mostraban insatisfechas con el apoyo profesional recibido, entre otros factores; sin embargo, los encuentros programados permitieron brindarles la orientación y el asesoramiento requeridos para asumir con seguridad y confianza el rol que debían desempeñar responsablemente en esa humana labor.An educational intervention was carried out from July, 2008 to January, 2010 at "Ramóm López Peña" Teaching Polyclinic in Santiago de Cuba in order to apply an effective strategy on hospice care so as to train 24 women in charge of attending the same number of terminally ill family members. Before the training, most of female care givers did not know how to control symptoms of their ill relatives, not even their own stress; they had no psychological training to face the challenge; they had not developed the necessary communicative skills; and most of them were not satisfied with the professional aid received; among other factors. However, the scheduled meetings allowed health workers to offer the required orientation and expert advice to these care givers so they could assume their roles with confidence and security taking into account they had to perform a human task with a lot of responsibility.

Gender Difference in Health-Care Expenditure: Evidence from India Human Development Survey.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nandita Saikia

Full Text Available While the gender disparity in health and mortality in various stages of life in India is well documented, there is limited evidence on female disadvantage in health-care expenditure (HCE.Examine the gender difference in HCE in short-term and major morbidity in India, and understand the role of factors underlying the difference.Using two rounds of nationally representative panel data-the India Human Development Survey (IHDS 2004-2005 and 2011-2012 (IHDS I & II-we calculate morbidity prevalence rate and mean HCE by gender, and examine the adjusted effect of gender on major morbidity-related HCE by using a two-part regression model. Further, we performed Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition of the gender gap in HCE in major morbidity to understand the contribution of demographic and socio-economic factors.Health-care expenditure on females was systematically lower than on males across all demographic and socio-economic groups. Multivariate analysis confirms that female HCE is significantly lower than male HCE even after controlling demographic and socio-economic factors (β = -0.148, p = 0.000, CI:-0.206-0.091. For both short-term and major morbidity, a female disadvantage on HCE increased from IHDS I to IHDS II. For instance, the male-female gap in major morbidity related expenditure increased from INR 1298 to INR 4172. A decomposition analysis of gender gap in HCE demonstrates that about 48% of the gap is attributable to differences in demographic and socio-economic factors (endowment effect, whereas 50% of the gap is due to the differential effect of the determinants (coefficient effect.Indians spend less on female health care than on male health care. Most of the gender gap in HCE is not due to differential distribution of factors affecting HCE.

A sexually dimorphic hypothalamic circuit controls maternal care and oxytocin secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Niv; Prigge, Matthias; Yizhar, Ofer; Kimchi, Tali

2015-09-24

It is commonly assumed, but has rarely been demonstrated, that sex differences in behaviour arise from sexual dimorphism in the underlying neural circuits. Parental care is a complex stereotypic behaviour towards offspring that is shared by numerous species. Mice display profound sex differences in offspring-directed behaviours. At their first encounter, virgin females behave maternally towards alien pups while males will usually ignore the pups or attack them. Here we show that tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) of the mouse hypothalamus are more numerous in mothers than in virgin females and males, and govern parental behaviours in a sex-specific manner. In females, ablating the AVPV TH(+) neurons impairs maternal behaviour whereas optogenetic stimulation or increased TH expression in these cells enhance maternal care. In males, however, this same neuronal cluster has no effect on parental care but rather suppresses inter-male aggression. Furthermore, optogenetic activation or increased TH expression in the AVPV TH(+) neurons of female mice increases circulating oxytocin, whereas their ablation reduces oxytocin levels. Finally, we show that AVPV TH(+) neurons relay a monosynaptic input to oxytocin-expressing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus. Our findings uncover a previously unknown role for this neuronal population in the control of maternal care and oxytocin secretion, and provide evidence for a causal relationship between sexual dimorphism in the adult brain and sex differences in parental behaviour.

Female condom awareness, use and concerns among Nigerian female undergraduates.

Science.gov (United States)

Okunlola, M A; Morhason-Bello, I O; Owonikoko, K M; Adekunle, A O

2006-05-01

A cross-sectional study of female condom awareness, usage and concerns among the female undergraduates of the University of Ibadan was conducted in September 2004. The results of 850 out of the 879 female students interviewed were used for analysis (96.6%). Over 80% had knowledge of the female condom as a form of modern contraception and the majority of them learnt about it through the mass media (39.9%) and health workers (34.4%). However, only 11.3% had ever used the female condom, with most (40%) using it to prevent both unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections including HIV (STI/HIV). The sexual partners' approval was appreciable, accounting for about 42.7% among those that had experience of the female condom usage. Major concerns mentioned such as difficulty of inserting it into the vagina and lack of sexual satisfaction, were not different from those in earlier studies. The result of this study looks promising judging from a high awareness level of the female condom, even though its usage is low. The female condom may be an alternative strategy to combat unsafe sexual practises and its sequelae in a country like Nigeria that is male dominated.

Cholecystokinin in plasma predicts cardiovascular mortality in elderly females

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gøtze, Jens P.; Rehfeld, Jens F; Alehagen, Urban

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin are related gastrointestinal hormones with documented cardiovascular effects of exogenous administration. It is unknown whether measurement of endogenous CCK or gastrin in plasma contains information regarding cardiovascular mortality. METHODS......: Mortality risk was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Elderly patients in a primary care setting with symptoms of cardiac disease, i.e. shortness of breath, peripheral edema, and/or fatigue, were evaluated (n=470). Primary care patients were followed for 13years...... information was obtained from 4th quartile gastrin concentrations on 5-year cardiovascular mortality risk. CONCLUSIONS: CCK in plasma is an independent marker of cardiovascular mortality in elderly female patients. The study thus introduces measurement of plasma CCK in gender-specific cardiovascular risk...

Anxiety about starting three-shift work among female workers: findings from the Female Shift Workers' Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubo, Tatsuhiko; Maruyama, Takashi; Shirane, Kiyoyumi; Otomo, Hajime; Matsumoto, Tetsuro; Oyama, Ichiro

2008-03-01

In 1999, the Japanese Law on Equal Employment Opportunity and Conditions was amended and the previous prohibition of the assignment of female workers to night work was abolished. Subsequently, the number of female shift workers has been increasing in Japan, necessitating greater attention to the health care of this population. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the relationship between anxiety expressed about starting three-shift work and background characteristics among female workers who were being assigned to three-shift work for the first time. The subjects were 38 middle-aged female workers (age range: 44 to 59 years) who were working at a chemical plant. The women completed a self-administered questionnaire before starting three-shift work. Levels of anxiety about starting three-shift work were assessed by the question 'Do you feel anxious about starting three-shift work?' The available responses were: 'Very agree', 'Considerably agree', 'Rather agree', 'Slightly agree' and 'Not agree at all', and 63% of the subjects gave one of the first two answers, which were defined as indicating anxiety. We also acquired information regarding lifestyle and occupation for each subject, including the following factors: frequency of breakfast consumption, subjective sleep insufficiency, previous experience of similar work before beginning shift work, previous experience of two-shift work, and responsibility for household duties. In the study, we found a marginally statistically significant trend association between frequent breakfast consumption and anxiety about starting three-shift work (P(trend) = 0.09). Anxiety was also high among subjects with sleep disorders, especially those suffering from subjective sleep insufficiency (P = 0.08). Due to the small study population, these results should be interpreted with caution and confirmed by future studies.

Clear cell carcinoma of female urethral diverticulum—A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Ching Weng

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Primary malignancies of female urethral diverticulum are rare. A well-documented female patient with primary clear cell carcinoma of the urethral diverticulum is presented here. A 65-year-old woman presented with frequency and voiding difficulty for 2 months. Physical examination showed a 4-cm mass protruding from anterior vaginal wall. Intravenous urography, magnetic resonance imaging, and cystoscopy showed a polypoid mass in urethral diverticulum. She then underwent anterior exenteration with ileal conduit diversion and urethrectomy. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of clear cell adenocarcinoma with bladder neck invasion. She had no disease recurrence at 2-year follow-up. Careful clinical examination and image studies are helpful in making the preoperative diagnosis for the rare disease. Early radical surgery can achieve better survival.

Hormesis and Female Sex Hormones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elvar Theodorsson

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Hormone replacement after menopause has in recent years been the subject of intense scientific debate and public interest and has sparked intense research efforts into the biological effects of estrogens and progestagens. However, there are reasons to believe that the doses used and plasma concentrations produced in a large number of studies casts doubt on important aspects of their validity. The concept of hormesis states that a substance can have diametrically different effects depending on the concentration. Even though estrogens and progestagens have proven prone to this kind of dose-response relation in a multitude of studies, the phenomenon remains clearly underappreciated as exemplified by the fact that it is common practice to only use one hormone dose in animal experiments. If care is not taken to adjust the concentrations of estrogens and progestagens to relevant biological conditions, the significance of the results may be questionable. Our aim is to review examples of female sexual steroids demonstrating bidirectional dose-response relations and to discuss this in the perspective of hormesis. Some examples are highlighted in detail, including the effects on cerebral ischemia, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases and anxiety. Hopefully, better understanding of the hormesis phenomenon may result in improved future designs of studies of female sexual steroids.

Female all cancer incidence in medical radiation workers in Latvia 1982-2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matisane, L.; Carpenter, L.; Venables, K.

2005-01-01

Medical radiation workers belong to one of the oldest occupational groups exposed to external radiation. Since the various radiological protection recommendations have been introduced, now ths process has resulted in low-dose exposure, regular monitoring of exposure and establishment of national dose registration bodies. In order to provide additional information to studies on cancer incidence among medical radiation workers (specially female workers) and in order to assess all cancer incidence in female medical radiation workers in Latvia, a retrospective cohort study based on the National Dose Register was set up in Latvia. The study cohort consisted of all workers employed in health care, occupationally exposed to ionising radiation for more than one year in any of the public health care establishments in Latvia, except military ones, between 1 January 1972 and 1 January 2002 and who were registered in the National Dose Register of Latvia. The cohort consisted of 1416 female medical radiation workers either in hospitals or outpatient departments, or both. The cohort included diagnostic and therapeutic radiologists with predominantly medical qualification, it also included radiotechnologits, nurses, junior nurses, but it did not include academic, physicists and dentists. In all cases the calculated SIR was over than expected or close to expected. Several major differences in study design makes ir difficult to compare the results of this study with the results of the studies carried out in other countries

A case with concurrent duplication, triplication, and uniparental isodisomy at 1q42.12-qter supporting microhomology-mediated break-induced replication model for replicative rearrangements.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohmoto, Tomohiro; Okamoto, Nana; Naruto, Takuya; Murata, Chie; Ouchi, Yuya; Fujita, Naoko; Inagaki, Hidehito; Satomura, Shigeko; Okamoto, Nobuhiko; Saito, Masako; Masuda, Kiyoshi; Kurahashi, Hiroki; Imoto, Issei

2017-01-01

Complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) consisting of interstitial triplications in conjunction with uniparental isodisomy (isoUPD) have rarely been reported in patients with multiple congenital anomalies (MCA)/intellectual disability (ID). One-ended DNA break repair coupled with microhomology-mediated break-induced replication (MMBIR) has been recently proposed as a possible mechanism giving rise to interstitial copy number gains and distal isoUPD, although only a few cases providing supportive evidence in human congenital diseases with MCA have been documented. Here, we report on the chromosomal microarray (CMA)-based identification of the first known case with concurrent interstitial duplication at 1q42.12-q42.2 and triplication at 1q42.2-q43 followed by isoUPD for the remainder of chromosome 1q (at 1q43-qter). In distal 1q duplication/triplication overlapping with 1q42.12-q43, variable clinical features have been reported, and our 25-year-old patient with MCA/ID presented with some of these frequently described features. Further analyses including the precise mapping of breakpoint junctions within the CGR in a sequence level suggested that the CGR found in association with isoUPD in our case is a triplication with flanking duplications, characterized as a triplication with a particularly long duplication-inverted triplication-duplication (DUP-TRP/INV-DUP) structure. Because microhomology was observed in both junctions between the triplicated region and the flanking duplicated regions, our case provides supportive evidence for recently proposed replication-based mechanisms, such as MMBIR, underlying the formation of CGRs + isoUPD implicated in chromosomal disorders. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of CGRs + isoUPD observed in 1q and having DUP-TRP/INV-DUP structure with a long proximal duplication, which supports MMBIR-based model for genomic rearrangements. Molecular cytogenetic analyses using CMA containing single

Acute care in Tanzania: Epidemiology of acute care in a small community medical centre

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel M. Little

2013-12-01

Discussion: Respiratory infections, malaria, and skin or soft tissue infections are leading reasons for seeking medical care at a small community medical centre in Arusha, Tanzania, highlighting the burden of infectious diseases in this type of facility. Males may be more likely to present with trauma, burns, and laceration injuries than females. Many patients required one or no procedures to determine their diagnosis, most treatments administered were inexpensive, and most patients were discharged home, suggesting that providing acute care in this setting could be accomplished with limited resources.

Outpatients’ Perspectives on Problems and Needs Related to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Qualitative Study from Somaliland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Fried

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To explore female outpatients’ perspectives on problems related to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C and their views on information, care, and counseling. Setting. An FGM/C support center at a maternity clinic in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Methods. A qualitative, descriptive study, using content analysis of seven semistructured interviews with female outpatients. Results. All participants had been ignorant of the etiology of their FGM/C-related complications and hesitant to seek care. All had undergone infibulation but did not wish the same for their daughters. In recent years they had learnt through religious leaders and media campaigns that infibulation was unapproved by Islam. A less severe FGM/C type, “Sunna,” was more accepted; however, few could define what “Sunna” meant. Condemning and ridiculing attitudes against uncircumcised women prevailed in their community. Conclusions. New ideas and concepts related to FGM/C enter the common discourse in the Somali society while traditional norms and values still prevail. Religion was shown to have a strong impact on FGM/C practices and beliefs. Interventions aiming to raise awareness of health consequences of all types of FGM/C, as well as where to seek care for complications, are needed in Somaliland. Involvement of religious leaders in anti-FGM/C programs is essential.

Female Sexual Dysfunction Among Muslim Women: Increasing Awareness to Improve Overall Evaluation and Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Sameena

2018-04-17

Muslim women are an increasingly underserved population in the United States and worldwide. Diagnosis and treatment of female sexual dysfunction bring unique challenges because of the conservative nature of those practicing the religion. Several cultural and religious codes of conduct affect sexual behavior and the dysfunction that can ensue. To assess and describe the types of sexual dysfunction that have been found in Muslim women internationally and encourage a better understanding of their issues to enhance health care delivery. A comprehensive review of the literature through Ovid and PubMed was performed in search of articles reviewing female sexual dysfunction, Muslim women, and Islam. A brief explanation and review of the interpretations of sexuality within Islam are discussed. The link is made between conservative sexual relations and interpretations and the types of sexual dysfunction experienced. Female sexual dysfunction is explored in relation to how female chastity is extolled and how cultural procedures continue despite the ethical and health concerns related to them. Most Muslim women experience sexual dysfunction similar to other women, including arousal, desire, and orgasmic disorders related to organic and psychologic factors. Sexual pain disorders might be more prevalent in this population, particularly concerning unconsummated marriage. There are special concerns related to maintaining virginity and preserving the hymen until marriage. Female genital cutting, practiced by some Muslim countries, has potential sexual consequences. Understanding Islamic views on sexuality and how they can affect sexual dysfunction in Muslim women is critical in opening lines of communication with patients and approaching female sexual dysfunction impartially. Although some issues that arise might introduce ethical dilemmas for the provider, having the cultural competence to address these issues will facilitate improved health care delivery. Rahman S. Female Sexual

Parental care buffers against inbreeding depression in burying beetles.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilakouta, Natalie; Jamieson, Seonaidh; Moorad, Jacob A; Smiseth, Per T

2015-06-30

When relatives mate, their inbred offspring often suffer a reduction in fitness-related traits known as "inbreeding depression." There is mounting evidence that inbreeding depression can be exacerbated by environmental stresses such as starvation, predation, parasitism, and competition. Parental care may play an important role as a buffer against inbreeding depression in the offspring by alleviating these environmental stresses. Here, we examine the effect of parental care on the fitness costs of inbreeding in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, an insect with facultative parental care. We used a 2 × 2 factorial design with the following factors: (i) the presence or absence of a caring female parent during larval development and (ii) inbred or outbred offspring. We examined the joint influence of maternal care and inbreeding status on fitness-related offspring traits to test the hypothesis that maternal care improves the performance of inbred offspring more than that of outbred offspring. Indeed, the female's presence led to a higher increase in larval survival in inbred than in outbred broods. Receiving care at the larval stage also increased the lifespan of inbred but not outbred adults, suggesting that the beneficial buffering effects of maternal care can persist long after the offspring have become independent. Our results show that parental care has the potential to moderate the severity of inbreeding depression, which in turn may favor inbreeding tolerance and influence the evolution of mating systems and other inbreeding-avoidance mechanisms.

Sex-dependent foraging effort and vigilance in coal-crested finches, Charitospiza eucosma (Aves: Emberizidae during the breeding season: evidence of female-biased predation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Diniz

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Sexual dimorphism in birds is often attributed to sexual selection, but another interpretation suggests the evolution of this phenomenon by natural selection. Predation may be an important selective pressure, acting mainly on females. In this study, I tested the latter hypothesis on the coal-crested finch (Charitospiza eucosma Oberholser, 1905 in a neotropical savanna of the Central Brazil (Cerrado. I used capture methods for ascertaining the sex ratio in the population, and focal observations to gather behavioral data. My results show that the sex ratio is skewed toward males (1:1.39. Males were more vigilant, vocalized for longer periods of time, and used higher perches than females. Females foraged more, spent more time on parental care and remained on the ground for longer periods than males. These results support the 'foraging effort hypothesis, suggesting that females are more preyed upon because they spend more time foraging. Ultimately, this may reflect the fact that females invest more on parental care than males. The sex-dependent parental investment may favor the evolution of different antipredator strategies in males and females: the camouflage in females as a less efficient strategy than vigilance in males.

Design of the study: How can health care help female breast cancer patients reduce their stress symptoms? A randomized intervention study with stepped-care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nordin Karin

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A life threatening illness such as breast cancer can lead to a secondary diagnosis of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder with intrusive thoughts and avoidance as major symptoms. In a former study by the research group, 80% of the patients with breast cancer reported a high level of stress symptoms close to the diagnosis, such as intrusive thoughts and avoidance behavior. These symptoms remained high throughout the study. The present paper presents the design of a randomized study evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a stress management intervention using a stepped-care design. Method Female patients over the age of 18, with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer and scheduled for adjuvant treatment in the form of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or hormonal therapy are eligible and will consecutively be included in the study. The study is a prospective longitudinal intervention study with a stepped-care approach, where patients will be randomised to one of two interventions in the final stage of treatment. The first step is a low intensity stress-management intervention that is given to all patients. Patients who do not respond to this level are thereafter given more intensive treatment at later steps in the program and will be randomized to more intensive stress-management intervention in a group setting or individually. The primary out-come is subjective distress (intrusion and avoidance assessed by the Impact of Event Scale (IES. According to the power-analyses, 300 patients are planned to be included in the study and will be followed for one year. Other outcomes are anxiety, depression, quality of life, fatigue, stress in daily living and utilization of hospital services. This will be assessed with well-known psychometric tested questionnaires. Also, the cost-effectiveness of the intervention given in group or individually will be evaluated. Discussion This randomized clinical trial will provide

Analgesia, sedation, and memory of intensive care.

Science.gov (United States)

Capuzzo, M; Pinamonti, A; Cingolani, E; Grassi, L; Bianconi, M; Contu, P; Gritti, G; Alvisi, R

2001-09-01

The purpose of this article was to investigate the relationship between analgesia, sedation, and memory of intensive care. One hundred fifty-two adult, cooperative intensive care unit (ICU) patients were interviewed 6 months after hospital discharge about their memory of intensive care. The patient was considered to be cooperative when he/she was aware of self and environment at the interview. The patients were grouped as follows: A (45 patients) substantially no sedation, B (85) morphine, and C (22) morphine and other sedatives. The patients having no memory of intensive care were 38%, 34%, and 23% respectively, in the three groups. They were less ill, according to SAPS II (P memories was not different among the three groups. Females reported at least one emotional memory more frequently than males (odds ratio 4.17; 95% CI 10.97-1.59). The patients receiving sedatives in the ICU are not comparable with those receiving only opiates or nothing, due to the different clinical condition. The lack of memory of intensive care is present in one third of patients and is influenced more by length of stay in ICU than by the sedation received. Sedation does not influence the incidence of factual, sensation, and emotional memories of ICU admitted patients. Females have higher incidences of emotional memories than males. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

Toward a More Evidence-Based Nosology and Nomenclature for Female Sexual Dysfunctions—Part II

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parish, Sharon J; Goldstein, Andrew T; Goldstein, Sue W

2016-01-01

to definitions of female sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm disorders and persistent genital arousal disorder. The attendees consisted of 10 psychiatrists and psychologists; 12 health care providers in specialties such as gynecology, internal medicine, and sexual medicine; three basic scientists; and one...

Controversies in faith and health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomkins, Andrew; Duff, Jean; Fitzgibbon, Atallah; Karam, Azza; Mills, Edward J; Munnings, Keith; Smith, Sally; Seshadri, Shreelata Rao; Steinberg, Avraham; Vitillo, Robert; Yugi, Philemon

2015-10-31

Differences in religious faith-based viewpoints (controversies) on the sanctity of human life, acceptable behaviour, health-care technologies and health-care services contribute to the widespread variations in health care worldwide. Faith-linked controversies include family planning, child protection (especially child marriage, female genital mutilation, and immunisation), stigma and harm reduction, violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and HIV, gender, end-of-life issues, and faith activities including prayer. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and traditional beliefs have similarities and differences in their viewpoints. Improved understanding by health-care providers of the heterogeneity of viewpoints, both within and between faiths, and their effect on health care is important for clinical medicine, public-health programmes, and health-care policy. Increased appreciation in faith leaders of the effect of their teachings on health care is also crucial. This Series paper outlines some faith-related controversies, describes how they influence health-care provision and uptake, and identifies opportunities for research and increased interaction between faith leaders and health-care providers to improve health care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burnout among female emergency medicine physicians: A nationwide study.

Science.gov (United States)

Soltanifar, Atefeh; Pishbin, Elham; Attaran Mashhadi, Negin; Najaf Najafi, Mona; Siahtir, Maryam

2018-02-13

The challenging and stressful nature of emergency medicine place the practitioners of this young branch of medicine at risk of burnout. In Iran, the number of women choosing the specialty of emergency medicine has been increasing in recent years. No studies have focused on burnout among female emergency medicine physicians. We conducted this study to evaluate the level of burnout in female emergency medicine physicians in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, all Iranian female emergency medicine physicians with more than 2 years of work experience as specialists, received a questionnaire containing 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory scales and 7-item Cassidy social support scale, as well as questions about workload and career satisfaction. In total, 77 questionnaires were analysed (response rate: 75%; median age: 36 years, median for work experience = 3 years). A total of 34% of participants were academic faculties. The level of burnout in three subscales of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and perceived low personal accomplishment was moderate to high in 84.5, 48.1 and 80.5% of participants respectively. A total of 94.8% of female emergency medicine physicians perceived their workload to be moderate to high and only 1.3% of them had high job satisfaction. Alarming high rate of burnout and job dissatisfaction among female emergency medicine physicians in our study requires careful attention. Further investigations are suggested to identify the contributory factors to burnout and the probability of some gender disparities in this field. © 2018 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Female reproductive disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crain, D Andrew; Janssen, Sarah J; Edwards, Thea M

2008-01-01

To evaluate the possible role of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) on female reproductive disorders emphasizing developmental plasticity and the complexity of endocrine-dependent ontogeny of reproductive organs. Declining conception rates and the high incidence of female reproductive disrupti......To evaluate the possible role of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) on female reproductive disorders emphasizing developmental plasticity and the complexity of endocrine-dependent ontogeny of reproductive organs. Declining conception rates and the high incidence of female reproductive...... disruptions warrant evaluation of the impact of EDCs on female reproductive health....

Female sexual dysfunction: a focus on flibanserin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lodise NM

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Nicole M Lodise Department of Pharmacy Practice, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, NY, USA Abstract: Flibanserin is the first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA-approved option for sexual dysfunction, specifically low sexual desire. Until recently, there were no FDA-approved medication options to assist the ~40% of women affected by female sexual dysfunction (FSD. Often, patients report feeling uncomfortable discussing sexual health, identifying a strong need for health care professionals (HCPs to proactively reach out to patients to identify concerns and initiate a discussion about sexual health and the available treatment options. Within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DMS-5, the criteria of female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD are outlined, encompassing one of the most common sexual concerns, formerly in its own category defined as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD or low sexual desire. HSDD is the absence or deficiency of sexual interest and/or desire leading to significant distress and interpersonal difficulties. HCPs offer an important service in assessing their patients and providing information about treatment considerations while ensuring patient comfort with this topic. This article provides an overview of the types and potential causes associated with FSD and the role of flibanserin in practice as a treatment option. Despite a need for additional study in diverse populations, flibanserin has demonstrated efficacy with increased female sexual function index (FSFI total and desire domain scores in clinical studies indicating benefit in sexual desire. Common patient or provider-administered assessment tools to assist in identifying affected patients and patient counseling strategies are reviewed. Keywords: female sexual dysfunction, low sexual desire, hypoactive sexual desire disorder, pharmacotherapy, flibanserin

The female body in early Buddhist literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Céline Grünhagen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper the author presents Theravāda Buddhist perceptions of the female body and their impact on sexuality, gender equality and salvation. In doing so the author draws on a selection of texts from the Buddhist canonical literature, which are relevant to the Theravāda tradition. Early Buddhist literature reflects an understanding of the female body as being more closely connected to the material world and the cycle of reincarnation, due to its biological qualities. This has a severe impact on the woman’s status and her chances of attaining enlightenment. Considering the early teaching of individuals possessing equal capacities to attain liberation, no matter what sex or social background, Buddhism as it developed over time failed to translate the equality of the sexes into a social reality. In fact, the perception of a distinct female ‘nature’ which was deemed a hindrance could not easily be erased from the collective consciousness. It is, however, important to note that Buddhist countries are subject to diverse influences that affect attitudes towards the female body, sexuality and the status of women—thus one has to be very careful with generalizations regarding norms and practices. Over time the negative attitudes and restrictions have been questioned; social changes have given way to new interpretations and perspectives. Pondering religious and cultural implications of the Buddhist attitude towards the body and its sex while also considering, for example, modern Mahayana Buddhist interpretations—especially by Western Buddhists and Buddhist Feminists—can lead to an acknowledgement of its potential of interpreting anattā, selflessness and an equality of capacity to practice Dhamma in favour of a general sex and gender equality.

The pregnant female surgical resident

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shifflette V

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Vanessa Shifflette,1 Susannah Hambright,2 Joseph Darryl Amos,1 Ernest Dunn,3 Maria Allo4 1Associates in Surgical Acute Care, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; 2Methodist Surgical Associates, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; 3Graduate Medical Education - General Surgery, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; 4Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA, USA Background: Surgery continues to be an intense, time-consuming residency. Many medical students decide against surgery as a profession due to the long work hours and family strain. The pregnant female surgical resident has an added stress factor compared to her male counterpart. Methods: We distributed an electronic, online 26-question survey to 32 general surgery programs in the southwestern region of the United States. Each program distributed our survey to the female surgical residents who had been pregnant during residency in the last 5 years. Each program was re-contacted 6 weeks after the initial contact. Most questions were in a 5-point Likert scale format. The responses were collected and analyzed using the Survey Monkey website. Results: An unvalidated survey was sent to 32 general surgery programs and 26 programs responded (81%. Each program was asked for the total number of possible responses from female residents that met our criteria (60 female residents. Seven of the programs (27% stated that they have had zero residents pregnant. We had 22 residents respond (37%. Over half of the residents (55% were pregnant during their 2nd or 3rd year of residency, with only 18% pregnant during a research year. Thirty-one percent had a lower American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam (ABSITE score. Ninety percent of the residents were able to take 4 weeks or more for maternity leave. Most of the residents (95% stated that they would do this again during residency given the opportunity, but many of the residents felt that returning back to work

Interrelationships between romance, life quality, and medical training of female residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu-Jung; Hsu, Kan-Lin; Chang, Chin-Sung; Wu, Chih-Hsing

2012-08-01

For the past 30 years, there has been a steady increase in the number of female physicians, but the relationship between their romantic lives and their pattern of training has been inadequately reported. This study was designed to investigate the interrelationships between medical training, quality of life, and the attitudes that female residents have toward romance. Of the 106 female medical residents at our medical center in 2009, a total of 78 residents (73.6%) were enrolled for the study. Structured questionnaires (Cronbach α = 0.878), which included questions about female resident quality of life, attitude toward spousal choice, and the impact of programmed professional medical training, were self-administered through an anonymous process. Female residents, especially ward-care specialists, were determined to have excessively long working hours (84.6% > 88 work hours/week), insufficient and irregular sleep (44.9%), and inadequate personal time (73.1% friends, differences in values, and work-related stress. Those presumptive factors influencing romance between the assumed partner being a doctor or a "nondoctor" were significantly different with regard to lack of time (p = 0.002), values (p work-related stress (p life were significantly influenced by the pattern of medical training in female residents. Setting duty-hour limits and initiating a new hobby were determined to be potentially beneficial to their quality of life and attitudes toward romance. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Transsexuality--standards of care].

Science.gov (United States)

Eicher, W

1995-01-01

After the description of transsexualism as a nosological entity by Harry Benjamin standards of care emerged which are useful and protective for patients and doctors involved in treatment. The diagnosis is established by the finding of an irreversibly transposed gender identity. This has to be confirmed by an expert who is competent in counselling gender identity problems. He will give his written opinion which is the indication for the hormonal treatment to be done at least for half a year prior to operation and which leads to virilization or effeminization and which is the preparation for genital surgery. Standards of female-to-male surgery are: 1. Breast-transformation 2. Colpohysterectomy with adnexectomy, possibly by the vaginal route. Surrogates for testes and phalloplasties are only in the experimental stage and not standard. Standards of male-to-female surgery are: 1. Castration by extirpation of testes. 2. Resection of penis shaft with total resection of the spongy bodies. 3. Neovagina by inverted penis-skin technique. 4. Plasty of labia majora and minora and a clitoris. 5. In case of insufficient gynecomastia breast-augmentation. After the operation, follow-up examinations are necessary by the surgeon until complete healing. A supportive psychological care by the expert who has evaluated the transposition of gender identity would be useful. It could be done also by the gynecologist who makes the follow-up examinations in male to female transsexuals. He is also competent for the life-long hormonal substitution.

Evidence-based policy responses to strengthen health, community and legislative systems that care for women in Australia with female genital mutilation / cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Varol, Nesrin; Hall, John J; Black, Kirsten; Turkmani, Sabera; Dawson, Angela

2017-05-18

The physical and psychological impact of female genital mutilation / cutting (FGM/C) can be substantial, long term, and irreversible. Parts of the health sector in Australia have developed guidelines in the management of FGM/C, but large gaps exist in community and professional knowledge of the consequences and treatment of FGM/C. The prevalence of FGM/C amongst Australian women is unknown. Our article reviews the literature on research on FGM/C in Australia, which focuses on health system response to women and girls with FGM/C. Recommendations are made for policy reform in health, legislation, and community programs to provide the best healthcare, protect children, and help communities abandon this harmful practice. Midwives and doctors in Australia acknowledged a lack of knowledge on FGM/C, clinical guidelines and consequences for maternity care. In a metropolitan Australian hospital with specialised FGM/C care, women with FGM/C had similar obstetric outcomes as women without FGM/C, underlining the importance of holistic FGM/C clinics. Greater focus on integration of refugee and migrant populations into their new cultures may be an important way of facilitating the abandonment of this practice, as is education of communities that practise FGM/C, and experts involved in the care and protection of children. Men could be important advocates for protecting women and girls from violence and FGM/C through a man-to-man strategy with programs focussing on men's health and other personal issues, education, and communication. The Australian Government has identified gender-based violence as an area of priority and has been implementing a National plan to reduce violence against women and their children 2010-2022. A multidisciplinary network of experts on FGM/C could be established within this taskforce to develop well-defined and rapid referral pathways to care for and protect these children, as well as coordinate education and prevention programs to help communities

Perception and practices on screening and vaccination for carcinoma cervix among female healthcare professional in tertiary care hospitals in Bangalore, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Swapnajaswanth, M; Suman, G; Suryanarayana, S P; Murthy, N S

2014-01-01

Cervical cancer is potentially the most preventable and treatable cancer. Despite the known efficacy of cervical screening, a significant number of women do not avail themselves of the procedure due to lack of awareness. This study was conducted to elicit information on the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding screening (Pap test) and vaccination for carcinoma cervix among female doctors and nurses in a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore and to assess barriers to acceptance of the Pap test. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted with semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire among female health professionals. The study subjects were interviewed for KAP regarding risk factors for cancer cervix, Pap test and HPV vaccination for protection against carcinoma cervix. Higher proportion of doctors 45 (78.9%) had very good knowledge as compared to only 13 (13.3%) of the nurses, about risk factors for cancer cervix and Pap test (p=0.001). As many as 138(89.6%) of the study subjects had favorable attitude towards Pap test and vaccination, but 114 (73.6%) of the study subjects never had a Pap test and the most common reason 35 (31%) for not practicing was absence of disease symptoms. In spite of good knowledge and attitudes towards cancer cervix and Pap test being good, practice remained low among the study subjects and most common reasons for not undergoing Pap test was absence of disease symptoms. The independent predictors of ever having a Pap test done was found to be the occupation and duration of married life above 9 yrs. Hence there is a strong need to improve uptake of Pap test by health professionals by demystifying the barriers.

Papain-induced experimental pulmonary emphysema in male and female mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, Mariana Nascimento; Figueirôa, Silviane Fernandes da Silva; Mazzoli-Rocha, Flavia; Valença, Samuel dos Santos; Zin, Walter Araújo

2014-08-15

In papain-induced models of emphysema, despite the existing extensive description of the cellular and molecular aspects therein involved, sexual hormones may play a complex and still not fully understood role. Hence, we aimed at exploring the putative gender-related differences in lung mechanics, histology and oxidative stress in papain-exposed mice. Thirty adult BALB/c mice received intratracheally either saline (50 μL) or papain (10 U/50 μL saline) once a week for 2 weeks. In males papain increased lung resistive and viscoelastic/inhomogeneous pressures, static elastance, and viscoelastic component of elastance, while females showed higher static elastance and resistive pressure only. Both genders presented similar higher parenchymal cellularity and mean alveolar diameter, and less collagen-elastic fiber content and body weight gain than their respective controls. Increased functional residual capacity was more prominent in males. Female papain-treated mice were more susceptible to oxidative stress. Thus, male and female papain-exposed mice respond differently, which should be carefully considered to avoid confounding results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-characterizations of adult female informal caregivers: gender identity and the bearing of burden.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Maeona K

2005-01-01

Gender identity is a powerful aspect of self that shapes values, attitudes, and conduct. Family caregivers, particularly women, tend to forgo institutionalization of care recipients even when care demands are overwhelming. The reluctance of women to relinquish care raises questions about the relationship between gender identity and the bearing of burden. To illuminate the relationship between gender and burden, 36 adult women caring for highly dependent adults were asked to describe the nature of "self"; that is, how they characterized themselves as a person. Results were tabulated and critically examined in relation to stereotypical gender traits, as well as social and political processes that create gender dichotomies. Overall, self-characterizations indicated caregivers had internalized stereotypical female gender traits that support and facilitate the enduring of burden.

Care of women with XY karyotype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jorgensen, Pernille Bach; Kjartansdóttir, Kristín Rós; Fedder, Jens

2010-01-01

OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Evaluation of etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and associated disorders in XY women. RESULT(S): Many gene mutations can cause abnormal fetal development leading to androgen insensitivity syndrome or gonadal dysgenesis disorders. Females with these disorders have an XY karyotype but look...... like girls. They are mostly diagnosed at puberty, and the condition will often lead to serious psychological problems. Increased risk of malignancies and problems with pregnancy and infertility are other aspects that should be considered. This guideline will aid doctors in caring for XY females...

Publicizing female athletes' weights: implications for female psychology undergraduates acting as spectators.

Science.gov (United States)

Holm-Denoma, Jill; Smith, April; Waesche, Matthew

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of including female athletes' weights in athletic event programs on female spectators' body image, eating disorder symptoms, self-esteem, and affective state and to investigate whether the magnitude of the athletes' reported weights had differential effects on female spectators (i.e., do female spectators who view heavier athletes respond differently than those who view less heavy athletes?). We used an experimental design to examine hypotheses derived from competing theories to determine whether exposure to female athletes of varying weight would adversely or beneficially impact female undergraduates (N = 152) who served as athletic event spectators. Analyses indicated that in this simulated study, female spectators' body image, eating disorder symptoms, self-esteem, and affective states were not impacted by the presence or by the magnitude of female athletes' weights in athletic event programs. The results imply that including athletes' weights in game-day programs at women's athletic events does not affect female spectators on an individual level.

Individual and Familial Correlates of Body Satisfaction in Male and Female College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Sira, Natalia; White, Carmel Parker

2010-01-01

Objective: This study investigates the relative contributions of global self-esteem, body mass index (BMI), dieting behaviors, and perceived parental control and care on body satisfaction among a nonclinical sample of college students. Participants and Methods: Participants (49 males and 299 females) reported weight and height (to calculate BMI)…

Female migrant sex workers in Moscow: gender and power factors and HIV risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Weine, Stevan; Golobof, Alexandra; Bahromov, Mahbat; Kashuba, Adrianna; Kalandarov, Tohir; Jonbekov, Jonbek; Loue, Sana

2013-01-01

This study aimed to build formative knowledge regarding HIV risks in female migrant sex workers in Moscow, focusing on gender and power. This was a collaborative ethnographic study, informed by the theory of gender and power, in which researchers conducted minimally structured interviews with 24 female sex workers who were migrants to Moscow and who provided sexual services to male migrant laborers. Overall, the female migrant sex workers engaged in HIV risk behaviors and practiced inadequate HIV protection with their clients. These behaviors were shaped by gender and power factors in the realms of labor, behavior, and cathexis. In the labor realm, because some female migrants were unable to earn enough money to support their families, they were pushed or pulled into sex work providing service to male migrants. In the behavior realm, many female migrant sex workers were intimidated by their male clients, feared violence, and lacked access to women's health care and prevention. In the cathexis realm, many had a sense of shame, social isolation, emotional distress, and lacked basic HIV knowledge and prevention skills. To prevent HIV transmission requires addressing the gender and power factors that shape HIV/AIDS risks among female migrant sex workers through multilevel intervention strategies.

Trade-offs between energy maximization and parental care in a central place forager, the sea otter

Science.gov (United States)

Thometz, N M; Staedler, M.M.; Tomoleoni, Joseph; Bodkin, James L.; Bentall, G.B.; Tinker, M. Tim

2016-01-01

Between 1999 and 2014, 126 archival time–depth recorders (TDRs) were used to examine the foraging behavior of southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) off the coast of California, in both resource-abundant (recently occupied, low sea otter density) and resource-limited (long-occupied, high sea otter density) locations. Following predictions of foraging theory, sea otters generally behaved as energy rate maximizers. Males and females without pups employed similar foraging strategies to optimize rates of energy intake in resource-limited habitats, with some exceptions. Both groups increased overall foraging effort and made deeper, longer and more energetically costly dives as resources became limited, but males were more likely than females without pups to utilize extreme dive profiles. In contrast, females caring for young pups (≤10 weeks) prioritized parental care over energy optimization. The relative importance of parental care versus energy optimization for adult females with pups appeared to reflect developmental changes as dependent young matured. Indeed, contrary to females during the initial stages of lactation, females with large pups approaching weaning once again prioritized optimizing energy intake. The increasing prioritization of energy optimization over the course of lactation was possible due to the physiological development of pups and likely driven by the energetic deficit incurred by females early in lactation. Our results suggest that regardless of resource availability, females at the end of lactation approach a species-specific ceiling for percent time foraging and that reproductive females in the central portion of the current southern sea otter range are disproportionately affected by resource limitation.

Mitochondrial DNA inheritance in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zixuan; Wilson, Amanda; Xu, Jianping

2015-02-01

The inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is predominantly uniparental in most sexual eukaryotes. In this study, we examined the mitochondrial inheritance pattern of Cryptococcus gattii, a basidiomycetous yeast responsible for the recent and ongoing outbreak of cryptococcal infections in the US Pacific Northwest and British Columbia (especially Vancouver Island) in Canada. Using molecular markers, we analyzed the inheritance of mtDNA in 14 crosses between strains within and between divergent lineages in C. gattii. Consistent with results from recent studies, our analyses identified significant variations in mtDNA inheritance patterns among strains and crosses, ranging from strictly uniparental to biparental. For two of the crosses that showed uniparental mitochondrial inheritance in standard laboratory conditions, we further investigated the effects of the following environmental variables on mtDNA inheritance: UV exposure, temperature, and treatments with the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and with the ubiquitination inhibitor ammonium chloride. Interestingly, one of these crosses showed no response to these environmental variables while the other exhibited diverse patterns ranging from complete uniparental inheritance of the MATa parent mtDNA, to biparental inheritance, and to a significant bias toward inheritance of the MATα parental mtDNA. Our results indicate that mtDNA inheritance in C. gattii differs from that in its closely related species Cryptococcus neoformans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation Of The Overload Of Care In Families Of Psychiatric Patients In Psychosocial Care Center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayron Morais Almeida

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The burden of care in family refers to the weight caused by the primary caregiver role to psychiatric patients and the difficulties encountered in performing this function in daily life. Objectives: Assessing the objective and subjective overload of family members who live with the reality of psychiatric disorder in a child day-care psychosocial care center. Methods: Cross-sectional study, descriptive-exploratory, of quantitative approach, with non-probabilistic samples of accidental type with 80 families of psychiatric patients held in a Psychosocial Care Center. For overload evaluation, the subscales "B" and "D" of the Family Overload Rating Scale (FBIS-BR were used. Results: The study was conducted with 80 families of psychiatric patients. The average age of female caregivers was 39,6 years old, and 40,7 years old for male caregivers, with female predominance (87,5% compared to men (12,5%, with low education for both genres. Family caregivers presented high objective burden due to excessive demand attention (p<0,001, heteroaggressiveness (p<0,001 and perplexing behavior of psychiatric patients regarding the supervision of problematic behaviors (p<0,001. The items on the impact on the family's daily routine have not helped to generate objective overload for the family members. On subjective overload, it was clear to observe familiar members with high degree of disturbance in all the dimensions assessed (p < 0,001. Conclusion: The high degree of care overload observed in family members indicates the need to develop contacts with the family of the psychiatric patient to answer questions, offer support and assistance to the family caregiver. Keywords: Caregivers. Patients. Mental Health Services.

Mouthpart dimorphism in male and female wasps of Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica (Vespidae, Hymenoptera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bianca Baranek

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Social wasps perform a variety of tasks with their mouthparts. Female workers use them to feed on carbohydrate-rich fluids, to build nests by collecting wood fibers and forming paper, to hunt and manipulate insect prey for feeding larvae as well as for brood care. Since male wasps neither feed on insects nor participate in nest building, sex-specific differences in mouthpart morphology are expected. Despite these different applications, general mouthpart morphology of male and female wasps from the genus Vespula was similar. However, males possessed significantly shorter mandibles with fewer teeth than females. Furthermore, the adductor muscles of the mandibles were distinctly smaller in males than in females. Male wasps showed a higher number of sensilla on the mandibles and the labial palpi. Mouthpart dimorphism and functional morphology of fluid uptake are discussed.

Obesity and female fertility: a primary care perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkes, Scott; Murdoch, Alison

2009-07-01

Infertility affects approximately one in six couples during their lifetime. Obesity affects approximately half of the general population and is thus a common problem among the fertile population. Obese women have a higher prevalence of infertility compared with their lean counterparts. The majority of women with an ovulatory disorder contributing to their infertility have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and a significant proportion of women with PCOS are obese. Ovulation disorders and obesity-associated infertility represent a group of infertile couples that are relatively simple to treat. Maternal morbidity, mortality and fetal anomalies are increased with obesity and the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments is significantly reduced for obese women. Body mass index (BMI) treatment limits for ART throughout the UK vary. The mainstay for treatment is weight loss, which improves both natural fertility and conception rates with ART. The most cost-effective treatment strategy for obese infertile women is weight reduction with a hypo-caloric diet. Assisted reproduction is preferable in women with a BMI of 30 kg/m(2) or less and weight loss strategies should be employed within primary care to achieve that goal prior to referral.

Dealing with Health and Health Care System Challenges in China: assessing health determinants and health care reforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H. Zhang (Hao)

2017-01-01

markdownabstractThis dissertation investigates the challenges faced by China around 2010 in two domains – population health and the health care system. Specifically, chapters 2 and 3 are devoted to health challenges, explaining the female health disadvantage in later life and assessing the effect

Facing medical care problems of victims of sexual violence in Goma/Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dünser Martin W

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Since 1998, the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has been torn by a military conflict. A particular atrocity of the war is widespread sexual violence. Methods In this combined retrospective analysis and prospective survey, we sought to identify hospital facilities and resources available to treat victims of sexual violence in Goma, the capital city of the North Kivu province. Results Of twenty-three acute care hospitals registered in the area of Goma, four (17% regularly cared for victims of sexual violence. One hospital had all resources always available to appropriately care for victims of sexual violence. From Jan 2009 until Oct 2010, 7,048 females sought medical care because of physical or psychological sequelae from sexual violence in the four hospitals of Goma. Only half of the hospitals had physicians specialized in gynaecology or gynaecological surgery available. Similarly, anaesthetists and psychiatrists/psychologists were available in two (50% and one (25% hospital, respectively. Post-discharge care facilities, material resources, such as surgical and anaesthesiological equipment and drugs, were inconsistently available in the hospitals caring for sexually abused females. At one selected hospital, acyclovir and/or antibiotics were administered to 1,202 sexually abused females (89.5%, whereas post-exposure HIV prophylaxis and surgery because of vesico-vaginal fistula was provided to only 75 (5.6% and 121 (9% patients, respectively. Conclusions This study provides data that only few hospitals in Goma care for victims of sexual violence. In addition, these hospitals suffer from a relevant shortage of human and material resources to provide adequate care for sexually abused females. Aside from establishment of adequate protection strategies, steps must be taken to increase the availability of trained health care professionals and resources to provide adequate care for victims of sexual violence in Goma and the

Dental caries experience and treatment needs of an adult female population in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawal, Folake; Alade, Omolola

2017-09-01

Experience and awareness of adult females concerning dental caries is important in its prevention particularly in children because of their natural role as care givers. To determine the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in an adult female Nigerian population. In this cross-sectional study, adult females attending outreach programmes were examined for dental caries using the Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth caries index (DMFT). Socio-demographic variables were also recorded and statistical analysis done with SPSS software. A total of 430 females aged 16 to 59 years participated in the outreach programme out of which 109 (25.3%) had a DMFT score > 0. Mean DMFT was 0.7 ± 1.6. Fifty-five (12.8%) participants had decayed teeth, 78 (18.1 %) had missing teeth and 10(2.3%) had filled teeth. The treatment need was 34.3%, restorative index was 13.3% and significant caries index was 2.0. There were significant differences in caries experience based on age, marital status and educational qualifications of participants p caries among the study group was low but the treatment need was high. Younger females, singles and those with lower educational qualifications had a higher dental caries experience.

Childcare needs of female street vendors in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, P; Zetina, A; Tapia, M; Ortiz, C; Soto, I C

1996-06-01

This article reports on strategies developed by female street vendors (vendedoras ambulantes) in Mexico City to ensure the care of their young children in the absence of a specific and operational government policy to fulfil this need. The information concerning child care and health was gathered by a survey of 426 street traders selected by multi-stage random cluster sampling in four of the administrative districts (delegaciones politicas) of Mexico City during 1990. It was found that, as mothers of young children, street vendors most frequently looked after their children personally on the street or left them with other members of the family. Related factors were availability of alternative child care providers in the family, the age of the children and working conditions of the mother. Children who remained on the streets with their mothers suffered more frequently from gastro-intestinal diseases and accidents than the national average. The incidence of acute respiratory diseases, however, was similar in the cases of maternal care in the street and care by family members in another environment. Existing public health measures show a greater concern for the health of food consumers than that of workers in this area. Current public policy seeks to regulate street vending activities and to concentrate traders in ad hoc areas and facilities. Our research results document the need for actions that can contribute to an improvement in the care and health conditions of these young children.

Patient's Satisfaction with Health Care: a Questionnaire Study of Different Aspects of Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Spasojevic, Nada; Hrabac, Boris; Huseinagic, Senad

2015-08-01

To determine the influence of sociodemographic factors on patients´ satisfaction with health care system. In a cross-sectional study, 1,995 patients from 12 municipalities of Zenica-Doboj Canton were interviewed after a visit to the practice. Individual interviews were conducted and the questionnaire was made on the basis of EUROPEP (European Task Force on Patient Evaluations of General Practice Care) standardized questionnaire. Out of the total number patients, 47.1% were females, 47.9% were from urban population and median of age was 42.0 years (IQR = 30.0 to 53.0 years). The rural population was more likely to buy drugs for medical treatment (p buy drugs for medical treatment (p = 0.001), to buy parenteral injections in primary care practice (p buy drugs for medical treatment (p = 0.004); more likely to buy parenteral injections in primary care practice (p < 0.001). The following variables: gender, age, overall perception of health status and financial status appear to be predictors of patients´ satisfaction.

Knowledge of primary care nurses regarding domestic violence

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nagham N. Alsafy

2011-06-12

Jun 12, 2011 ... Conclusion: Overall, primary care nurses had poor knowledge regarding DV. Although female ... Physical abuse is defined as any behavior in which the body ... activity.5 Psychological abuse essentially and significantly dif-.

[Does public health insurance improve health care? The case of prenatal care for adolescents in Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Saavedra-Avendaño, Biani; Darney, Blair G; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Serván-Mori, Edson

2016-01-01

To test the association between public health insurance and adequate prenatal care among female adolescents in Mexico. Cross-sectional study, using the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2000, 2006, and 2012.We included 3 978 (N=4 522 296) adolescent (12-19) women who reported a live birth.We used logistic regression models to test the association of insurance and adequate (timeliness, frequency and content) prenatal care. The multivariable predicted probability of timely and frequent prenatal care improved over time, from 0.60 (IC95%:0.56;0.64) in 2000 to 0.71 (IC95%:0.66;0.76) in 2012. In 2012, the probability of adequate prenatal care was 0.54 (IC95%:0.49;0.58); women with Social Security had higher probability than women with Seguro Popular and without health insurance. Having Social Security is associated with receipt of adequate prenatal care among adolescents in Mexico.

Sexual Harassment towards Newcomers in Elder Care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krøjer, Jo; Lehn-Christiansen, Sine; Nielsen, Mette Lykke

2014-01-01

Sexual harassment is illegal and may have very damaging effects on the people exposed to it. One would expect organizations, employers, and institutions to take very good care to prevent employees from exposure to sexual harassment from anyone in their workplace. And yet, many people, mostly women...... institutions might act to prevent sexual harassment toward caregivers......., are exposed to sexual harassment at work. In care work, such behaviour is often directed toward their female caregiver by elderly citizens in need of care. Contemporary Nordic studies of working life and work environment have primarily investigated the interpersonal dimensions of sexual harassment, thus...

Developing a Strong Direct Care Workforce.

Science.gov (United States)

Stear, Lynda A

The aging population of the United States has led to a need for more direct care workers to provide personal care to older adults and disabled people in their homes. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of paraprofessionals in home care will grow 49% between 2012 and 2022 as the baby boomer generation ages and requires more assistance in activities of daily living. The typical direct care worker is a female aged 25 to 54 years old, a demographic that is projected to remain flat in the coming years. Direct care workers typically are poorly paid for work that is labor-intensive and often work in less than optimal working conditions. It is important that agencies hiring direct care workers understand the challenges these workers face and institute sound hiring practices and provide proper training and ongoing supervision. It is possible to have a quality direct care team. Proper training, role modeling, and supervision will improve employee satisfaction, decrease turnover, and improve care outcomes for patients.

Religious Involvement and Adaptation in Female Family Caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Koenig, Harold G; Nelson, Bruce; Shaw, Sally F; Saxena, Salil; Cohen, Harvey Jay

2016-03-01

To examine the relationship between religious involvement (RI) and adaptation of women caring for family members with severe physical or neurological disability. Two-site cross-sectional study. Community. A convenience sample of 251 caregivers was recruited. RI and caregiver adaptation (assessed by perceived stress, caregiver burden, and depressive symptoms) were measured using standard scales, along with caregiver characteristics, social support, and health behaviors. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify relationships and mediating and moderating factors. Religious involvement (RI) was associated with better caregiver adaptation independent of age, race, education, caregiver health, care recipient's health, social support, and health behaviors (B = -0.09, standard error = 0.04, t = -2.08, P = .04). This association was strongest in caregivers aged 58-75 and spouses and for perceived stress in blacks. Religious involvement (RI) in female caregivers is associated with better caregiver adaptation, especially for those who are older, spouses of the care recipients, and blacks. These results are relevant to the development of future interventions that provide support to family caregivers. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Influence of women health care adoption on contraceptive use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbasi, S.U.R.S.; Zafar, M.I.; Batool, Z.

2008-01-01

The effect of woman heath seeking behaviour during pregnancy and post delivery period on contraceptive use and family size are important dimensions of female fertility. These determinants of female fertility have rarely been explored, particularly in developing countries confronting problems of rising population growth. A study was conducted in district Faisalabad, Pakistan to explore the influence of pre and postnatal care on contraceptive use. A random sample of 1051 married women was studied from the urban and rural areas of the district through formal survey. It was found that contraceptive use is associated with pre. and postnatal care. Minimum of 5-7 prenatal and at least 2 postnatal visits have been identified as effective to promote contraceptive use. Involvement of health professionals, motivation through mass media and improved access to health care services during the period of pregnancy and after childbirth are the measures suggested to enhance contraceptive use in the society to curtail family size. (author)

High rate of smoking in female patients with Mondor's disease in an outpatient clinic in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okumura T

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Toshikatsu Okumura,1 Masumi Ohhira,1 Tsukasa Nozu21Department of General Medicine, 2Department of Regional Medicine and Education, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, JapanPurpose: Little is known about the epidemiology of Mondor's disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical features of Mondor's disease in an outpatient clinic where primary care physicians are working in Japan, to better understand the epidemiological characteristics of the disease.Patients and methods: The data for consecutive outpatients who were new visitors to the Department of General Medicine in the teaching hospital (Asahikawa Medical University Hospital at Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, between April 2004 and March 2012 were analyzed. Parameters such as age, sex, diagnosis, and clinical presentation were investigated.Results: During the 8-year period covered in this study, six (0.07% out of 8767 patients were diagnosed as having Mondor's disease. All of these patients with Mondor's disease were female, and the mean age was 41 plus or minus 12 years; the overall rate of Mondor's disease in all female patients involved in this study was 0.12%. The patients complained of pain and a cord-like structure in the anterolateral thoracoabdominal wall. The painful mass had persisted for 1–4 weeks before presenting at the Department of General Medicine and it disappeared within a couple of weeks. Current smoking was significantly higher in the patients with Mondor's disease than in the age-matched female patients without Mondor's disease who were also evaluated in this study.Conclusion: These results suggest that a high rate of smoking in middle-aged females may be a characteristic feature of Mondor's disease. These epidemiological data may be useful in detection of the disease in the primary care setting in Japan.Keywords: primary care, epidemiology, current smoking, women

The effect of informal care on work and wages.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Houtven, Courtney Harold; Coe, Norma B; Skira, Meghan M

2013-01-01

Cross-sectional evidence in the United States finds that informal caregivers have less attachment to the labor force. The causal mechanism is unclear: do children who work less become informal caregivers, or are children who become caregivers working less? Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, we identify the relationship between informal care and work in the United States, both on the intensive and extensive margins, and examine wage effects. We control for time-invariant individual heterogeneity; rule out or control for endogeneity; examine effects for men and women separately; and analyze heterogeneous effects by task and intensity. We find modest decreases-2.4 percentage points-in the likelihood of working for male caregivers providing personal care. Female chore caregivers, meanwhile, are more likely to be retired. For female care providers who remain working, we find evidence that they decrease work by 3-10hours per week and face a 3 percent lower wage than non-caregivers. We find little effect of caregiving on working men's hours or wages. These estimates suggest that the opportunity costs to informal care providers are important to consider when making policy recommendations about the design and funding of public long-term care programs. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Health Screening Behaviour among Female Urban Dwellers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nik Nairan Abdullah

2016-01-01

Full Text Available An ageing population is a public health challenge, affects most countries. Health screenings are able to detect diseases at the earliest stage. A cross-sectional study in December 2014 conducted among 643 older women who randomly interviewed using structured questionnaire from two urban governmental health centres in Malaysia. Aims of the study were to describe health screening services behaviour and health care accessibility among women aged 50 and above. Factors such as living arrangement and age played important roles in health screening execution among older female community dwellers. Advocacy on health screening is vital as to reduce the morbidity and mortality among them.

The genetic basis of parental care evolution in monogamous mice

OpenAIRE

Bendesky, Andres; Kwon, Young-Mi; Lassance, Jean-Marc; Lewarch, Caitlin L; Yao, Shenqin; Peterson, Brant K; He, Meng Xiao; Dulac, Catherine; Hoekstra, Hopi E

2017-01-01

Summary Parental care is essential for the survival of mammals, yet the mechanisms underlying its evolution remain largely unknown. Here we show that two sister species of mice, Peromyscus polionotus and P. maniculatus, have large and heritable differences in parental behaviour. Using quantitative genetics, we identify 12 genomic regions that affect parental care, eight of which have sex-specific effects, suggesting that parental care can evolve independently in males and females. Furthermore...

FEMALE SEXUAL AUTONOMY: THE FEMALE CONDOM IN EROTIC PRACTICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grayce Alencar Albuquerque

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The objective was to learn about the experiences of women from a Health Strategy in view of the experience of sexual autonomy in the face of the female condom. It is an exploratory and qualitative study, completed in April 2010, which used semi-structured interview as data collection technique and the theory of social constructionism to aid in data analysis. Of the total of 25 women participants, after six months, only 12 were still in continuous use of the female condom. They pointed out the female condom as able to provide them with bargaining power, since it is inserted into their bodies. For some, the difficulty of trading remained for failure partner's approval. It is observed that in practice, the female condom becomes hostage of gender relations.

Should I stay or should I go? Female brood desertion and male counterstrategy in rock sparrows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Griggio, Matteo; Matessi, Giuliano; Pilastro, Andrea

2005-01-01

petronia), a species in which females can desert their first brood before the nestlings from the first brood leave the nest. We predicted that the male would either desert the brood first or stay even if this implied the risk of caring for the brood alone. We found that males mated to loaded females did...... not leave but stayed and significantly increased their courtship rate and mate guarding. Unexpectedly, they also increased their food provisioning to the nestlings, even though loaded females did not reduce their nestling-feeding rate. The increase in male feeding rate may be explained as a way for the male...... to reduce the female's propensity to switch mate and desert or to increase her propensity to copulate with the male to obtain paternity in her next brood. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the perception of the risk of being deserted by the female does not necessarily induce males to desert first...

Female reproductive disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crain, D Andrew; Janssen, Sarah J; Edwards, Thea M

2008-01-01

To evaluate the possible role of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) on female reproductive disorders emphasizing developmental plasticity and the complexity of endocrine-dependent ontogeny of reproductive organs. Declining conception rates and the high incidence of female reproductive...... disruptions warrant evaluation of the impact of EDCs on female reproductive health....

Conflicts, Competition and Social Support in Female-Dominated Vocational Education--Breaking or Reaffirming Stereotypical Femininity?

Science.gov (United States)

Hegna, Kristinn

2017-01-01

One in four upper secondary school students in Norway experience nearly single-sex classrooms, an unintended consequence of choosing certain vocational study programmes, such as "Health care, childhood and youth development" or "Building and construction". This raises a question about how female students describe their…

DNA fingerprint similarity between female and juvenile brown-headed cowbirds trapped together

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, D.C.; Fleischer, R.C.

1995-01-01

This DNA fingerprinting study investigates whether females of the brood parasite brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater, associate with their own juvenile offspring at feeding sites more often than would be expected by chance. Cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of a variety of host species and, as far as is known, leave them to the care of foster parents. Using baited walk-in funnel traps, 36 adult female-juvenile pairs (or trios) of cowbirds were trapped. Blood samples were collected from these individuals to conduct DNA fingerprinting analyses, calculate similarity indices, and to compare S-values for the 11 comparisons of juveniles and the females with which they were caught with S-values of random pairings of juveniles and the females in adjacent gel lanes with which they were not caught. Overall band-sharing was significantly higher for the individuals trapped together than for the random pairings. These associations between juvenile cowbirds and their mothers could occur as a result of female cowbirds monitoring the development of their young in the nests where they have laid. Alternatively, nestling cowbirds in the nest could become familiar visually and locally with a female parent that is frequently in their territory and could follow her when she departs for feeding grounds. In either case these data suggest that adult cowbirds associate with juveniles, in some cases their own offspring, and that offspring may learn to function as cowbirds in part from this association.

Paternal care and male mate-attraction effort in the European starling is adjusted to clutch size.

Science.gov (United States)

Komdeur, Jan; Wiersma, Popko; Magrath, Michael

2002-06-22

In facultative polygynous birds with biparental care, a trade-off may occur between male parental care and attraction of additional mates. If there is a cost associated with reduced male parental care, the relative benefit of mate attraction may be predicted to decrease as the size of a male's clutch or brood increases. We tested this prediction in monogamous pairs of facultatively polygynous European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). The larger the clutch, the more time the male spent incubating and the less time he spent attracting an additional female (i.e. singing near and carrying green nesting material into adjacent empty nest-boxes). Reduced paternal incubation resulted in lower overall incubation (the female did not compensate) and lower hatching success. Immediately after experimental reduction of clutches, males spent significantly less time incubating and more time singing and carrying greenery, and vice versa for experimentally enlarged clutches. Males with experimentally reduced clutches attracted a second female more often than males with experimentally enlarged clutches. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to provide experimental evidence for an adjustment of paternal care and male mate-attraction effort to clutch size. However, a trade-off between paternal nestling provisioning and mate attraction was not revealed, probably due to the absence of unpaired females by that time in the breeding season. Experiments showed that the relative contribution of the male and female to nestling provisioning was unrelated to brood size.

No evidence for punishment in communally nursing female house mice (Mus musculus domesticus).

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Manuela; König, Barbara

2017-01-01

Punishment is claimed as an important mechanism to stabilise costly cooperation in humans, but its importance in social animals has been questioned recently due to both conceptual considerations and a lack of empirical evidence (only few published studies). We empirically tested whether there is evidence for punishment in communally nursing house mice (Mus musculus domesticus, direct descendants of "wild" animals). Communally breeding females pool their litters and raise all offspring together, indiscriminately caring for own and other offspring. Such a situation resembles a public good and provides scope for exploitation if females vary in their relative contributions to the joint nest (offspring number). We allowed two females to communally breed and conducted removal experiments both in the presence and absence of pups. We aimed to test whether reduced investment by one of the females (induced through separation from the partner and their combined offspring for 4 or 12 hours) leads to increased aggression by the other female after the reunion. We found no evidence for punishment, on the contrary, females increased socio-positive behaviours. The costs of losing a partner in a communally breeding species might be too high and hinder the evolution of punishment. Our findings add to a growing list of examples questioning the role of punishment in cooperating non-human animals and emphasise the importance of empirical testing of its assumptions and predictions.

Asthma management in pregnancy: young female doctors knowledge and practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Younis, M.; Anwar, S.; Aneela, I.; Saeed, M.S.

2012-01-01

Background: Optimal asthma control in pregnant women is very much essential for the good health of both mother and the fetus. Maternal and fetal complications occur due to poor control of asthma. There are concerns that management of bronchial asthma in pregnant women should be optimal by the health professionals. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge and practices of young female doctors about the bronchial asthma management in pregnancy. Study Design: Randomized evidence based. Study Setting: Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) interviews for women medical officers and female doctors working in different medical units and chest unit of Mayo Hospital a tertiary care hospital affiliated with King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire based survey of knowledge and practices of one hundred and one female doctors in the management of bronchial asthma was made. Amongst these, 32 doctors were FCPS 1 in medicine and gynecology. Remaining 69 doctors were in the pipeline and they have completed one year house job in different specialties. The case scenario was Asthma management approach during pregnancy in a stable patient of moderate severity. Inclusion Criteria 1. All those female doctors who have completed one year house job. 2. Female doctors working in gynecology, medicine, surgery and allied specialties. Results: Overall 14 (13.6%) doctors (5 (35.7%) PGs and 9 (64.3%) Non PGs) have the standard prescription of inhaled corticosteroids with long acting inhaled B2 agonists and montelukast as controller medication and short acting inhaled B2 agonist as needed as reliever medication according to the standard guidelines. Conclusion: The majority of young female doctors had the suboptimal knowledge and practice of asthma management in pregnancy. We suggest initiating the training programs to optimize their knowledge and practices. (author)

Gender difference of knowledge and attitude of primary health care staff towards domestic violence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saadoun F. Alazmi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Cultural and traditional norms in the community can have an impact on gender equity. This can be reflected on attitude of both men and women towards domestic violence against women. Gender differences in knowledge and attitude of medical staff about domestic violence can affect their role dealing with battered women. Objective: The current study was formulated to compare knowledge and attitude of male and female medical staff about domestic violence against women. Methods: To achieve this aim, a sample of 1553 health care workers was interviewed out of 2516 allocated for this study with an overall response rate of 61.7%. The target population for this study was all physicians and nurses in the primary health care centers in Kuwait. Results: The results of the current study revealed that female medical primary health care workers tended to have a higher knowledge score about violence against women than male staff (72.8 + 9.8% compared with 68.6 + 10.3%. They also had a higher overall attitude score than males (59.9 + 13.7% compared with 57.8 + 22.4%. Multivariate analysis showed that gender was a significant predictor, after adjusting for other confounding factors, of the overall knowledge, attitude and outcome scores of violence against women. No significant difference was revealed between gender and the barrier domain of violence. Conclusion: Female health care workers tended to have a better knowledge score about definition of domestic violence against women than male medical staff. Females also tended to accept hitting of wives by their husbands if there was a good reason more than males. There is a need to improve both knowledge and attitude of primary health care workers about domestic violence against women. Keywords: Domestic violence, Primary care staff, Knowledge, Attitude gender difference

Job satisfaction of primary care physicians in Switzerland: an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Goetz, Katja; Jossen, Marianne; Szecsenyi, Joachim; Rosemann, Thomas; Hahn, Karolin; Hess, Sigrid

2016-10-01

Job satisfaction of physicians is an important issue for performance of a health care system. The aim of the study was to evaluate the job satisfaction of primary care physicians in Switzerland and to explore associations between overall job satisfaction, individual characteristics and satisfaction with aspects of work within the practice separated by gender. This cross-sectional study was based on a job satisfaction survey. Data were collected from 176 primary care physicians working in 91 primary care practices. Job satisfaction was measured with the 10-item Warr-Cook-Wall job satisfaction scale. Stepwise linear regression analysis was performed for physicians separated by gender. The response rate was 92.6%. Primary care physicians reported the highest level of satisfaction with 'freedom of working method' (mean = 6.45) and the lowest satisfaction for 'hours of work' (mean = 5.38) and 'income' (mean = 5.49). Moreover, some aspects of job satisfaction were rated higher by female physicians than male physicians. Within the stepwise regression analysis, the aspect 'opportunity to use abilities' (β = 0.644) showed the highest association to overall job satisfaction for male physicians while for female physicians it was income (β = 0.733). The presented results contribute to an understanding of factors that influence levels of satisfaction of female and male physicians. Therefore, research and intervention about job satisfaction should consider gender as well as the stereotypes that come along with these social roles. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Female feticide in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Nehaluddin

2010-01-01

Women are murdered all over the world. But in India a most brutal form of killing females takes place regularly, even before they have the opportunity to be born. Female feticide--the selective abortion of female fetuses--is killing upwards of one million females in India annually with far-ranging and tragic consequences. In some areas, the sex ratio of females to males has dropped to less than 8000:1000. Females not only face inequality in this culture, they are even denied the right to be born. Why do so many families selectively abort baby daughters? In a word: economics. Aborting female fetuses is both practical and socially acceptable in India. Female feticide is driven by many factors, but primarily by the prospect of having to pay a dowry to the future bridegroom of a daughter. While sons offer security to their families in old age and can perform the rites for the souls of deceased parents and ancestors, daughters are perceived as a social and economic burden. Prenatal sex detection technologies have been misused, allowing the selective abortions of female offspring to proliferate. Legally, however, female feticide is a penal offence. Although female infanticide has long been committed in India, feticide is a relatively new practice, emerging concurrently with the advent of technological advancements in prenatal sex determination on a large scale in the 1990s. While abortion is legal in India, it is a crime to abort a pregnancy solely because the fetus is female. Strict laws and penalties are in place for violators. These laws, however, have not stemmed the tide of this abhorrent practice. This article will discuss the socio-legal conundrum female feticide presents, as well as the consequences of having too few women in Indian society.

Community-Specific BMI Cutoff Points for South Indian Females

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. B. Kishore Mohan

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To analyze multiparameters related to total body composition, with specific emphasis on obesity in South Indian females, in order to derive community-specific BMI cutoff points. Patients and Methods. A total number of 87 females (of age 37.33±13.12 years from South Indian Chennai urban population participated in this clinical study. Body composition analysis and anthropometric measurements were acquired after conducting careful clinical examination. Results. BMI demonstrated high significance when normal group (21.02±1.47 kg/m2 was compared with obese group (29.31±3.95 kg/m2, <0.0001. BFM displayed high significance when normal group (14.92±4.28 kg was compared with obese group (29.94 ± 8.1 kg, <0.0001. Conclusion. Community-specific BMI cutoffs are necessary to assess obesity in different ethnic groups, and relying on WHO-based universal BMI cutoff points would be a wrong strategy.

Relationship between patient satisfactions with diabetes care and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-08-05

Aug 5, 2013 ... Bener, et al.: Patients satisfaction evaluation and management of diabetes care. 219 ... socioeconomic status (SES), females and the elderly.[5‑8] .... the subject was standing bare feet and with normal straight posture. Weight ...

Sexual Harassment of Newcomers in Elder Care. An Institutional Practice?

OpenAIRE

Jo Krøjer; Sine Lehn-Christiansen; Mette Lykke Nielsen

2014-01-01

Sexual harassment is illegal and may have very damaging effects on the people exposed to it. One would expect organizations, employers, and institutions to take very good care to prevent employees from exposure to sexual harassment from anyone in their workplace. And yet, many people, mostly women, are exposed to sexual harassment at work. In care work, such behaviour is often directed toward their female caregiver by elderly citizens in need of care. Contemporary Nordic studies of working li...

Female song rate and structure predict reproductive success in a socially monogamous bird.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dianne Heather Brunton

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Bird song is commonly regarded as a male trait that has evolved through sexual selection. However, recent research has prompted a re-evaluation of this view by demonstrating that female song is an ancestral and phylogenetically widespread trait. Species with female song provide opportunities to study selective pressures and mechanisms specific to females within the wider context of social competition. We investigated the relationship between reproductive success and female song performance in the New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura, a passerine resident year round in New Zealand temperate forests. We monitored breeding behavior and song over three years on Tiritiri Matangi Island. Female bellbirds contributed significantly more towards parental care than males (solely incubating young and provisioning chicks at more than twice the rate of males. Female song rate in the vicinity of the nest was higher than that of males during incubation and chick-rearing stages but similar during early-nesting and post-breeding stages. Using GLMs, we found that female song rates during both incubation and chick-rearing stages strongly predicted the number of fledged chicks. However, male song rate and male and female chick provisioning rates had no effect on fledging success. Two measures of female song complexity (number of syllable types and the number of transitions between different syllable types were also good predictors of breeding success (GLM on PC scores. In contrast, song duration, the total number of syllables, and the number of ‘stutter’ syllables per song were not correlated with fledging success. It is unclear why male song rate was not associated with reproductive success and we speculate that extra-pair paternity might play a role. While we have previously demonstrated that female bellbird song is important in intrasexual interactions, we clearly demonstrate here that female song predicts reproductive success. These results, with others

Experiences of aromatherapy massage among adult female cancer patients: A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Simone S M; Kwong, Alice N L; Wan, Karen W S; Ho, Rosita M L; Chow, Ka Ming

2017-12-01

To explore the experiences towards aromatherapy massage use, and to examine the perceived benefits and adverse effects of aromatherapy massage among adult female cancer patients. A qualitative research design was used. Fifteen women with cancer were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Sample recruitment was undertaken through cancer self-help groups and referrals of a private aromatherapy clinic by convenience sampling. The interview data were analysed by thematic analysis. All participants had a positive experience towards aromatherapy massage. The perceived benefits of aromatherapy massage included physical and psychological dimensions: overall comfort, relaxation, reduced pain, muscular tension, lymphoedema and numbness, improved sleep, energy level, appetite and mood. Interestingly, a few participants reported that aromatherapy massage helped to enhance self-acceptance and coping with their altered torso. No adverse effects were reported. The findings focused on four main themes that emerged: (i) an immediate effect that brings all-round comfort and reconnection to daily life; (ii) a pleasurable moment to forget the disease with aroma as a booster; (iii) a pampering experience of being cared for with a sense of dignity preserved; and (iv) communicating with the failing body. This study contributed by providing a better understanding in aromatherapy massage from female cancer patients' perspective which adds to the existing body of knowledge. The implications for nursing practice, education and future research were suggested. Aromatherapy massage seems to have both physical and psychological benefits for women with cancer. The findings elucidated a wide range of benefits that are perceived in such complex intervention, and the contextual factors that may influence these perceived benefits. This will inform future nurse-led quantitative research in the clinical setting. The study highlights the importance of touch towards a caring relationship and the

Female sticklebacks use male coloration in mate choice and hence avoid parasitized males

Science.gov (United States)

Milinski, Manfred; Bakker, Theo C. M.

1990-03-01

AN important problem in evolutionary biology since the time of Darwin has been to understand why females preferentially mate with males handicapped by secondary sexual ornaments1-3. One hypothesis of sexual selection theory is that these ornaments reliably reveal the male's condition4-6, which can be affected for example by parasites4,7-13. Here we show that in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) the intensity of male red breeding coloration positively correlates with physical condition. Gravid females base their active mate choice on the intensity of the male's red coloration. Choice experiments under green light prevent the use of red colour cues by females, and males that were previously preferred are now chosen no more than randomly, although the courtship behaviour of the males remains unchanged. Parasitieation causes a deterioration in the males' condition and a decrease in the intensity of their red coloration. Tests under both lighting conditions reveal that the females recognize the formerly parasitized males by the lower intensity of their breeding coloration. Female sticklebacks possibly select a male with a good capacity for paternal care14 but if there is additive genetic variation for parasite resistance, then they might also select for resistance genes, as proposed by Hamilton and Zuk4.

Paternal isodisomy of chromosome 6 in association with a maternal supernumerary marker chromosome (6)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, R.S.; Crolla, J.A.; Sitch, F.L. [Salisbury District Hospital, Wiltshire (United Kingdom)] [and others

1994-09-01

Uniparental disomy may arise by a number of different mechanisms of aneuploidy correction. A population that has been identified as being at increased risk of aneuploidy are those individuals bearing supernumerary marker chromosomes (SMCs). There have been a number of cases reported of trisomy 21 in association with bi-satellited marker chromosomes have described two individuals with small inv dup (15) markers. One had paternal isodisomy of chromosome 15 and Angelman syndrome. The other had maternal heterodisomy (15) and Prader-Willi syndrome. At the Wessex Regional Genetics Laboratory we have conducted a search for uniparental disomy of the normal homologues of the chromosomes from which SMCs originated. Our study population consists of 39 probands with SMCs originating from a number of different autosomes, including 17 with SMCs of chromosome 15 origin. Using PCR amplification of microsatellite repeat sequences located distal to the regions included in the SMCs we have determined the parental origin of the two normal homologues in each case. We have identified paternal isodisomy of chromosome 6 in a female child with a supernumerary marker ring chromosome 6 in approximately 70% of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The marker was found to be of maternal origin. This is the second case of paternal isodisomy of chromosome 6 to be reported, and the first in association with a SMC resulting in a partial trisomy for a portion of the short arm of chromosome 6. In spite of this, the patient appears to be functioning appropriately for her age.

Animal Models for the Study of Female Sexual Dysfunction

Science.gov (United States)

Marson, Lesley; Giamberardino, Maria Adele; Costantini, Raffaele; Czakanski, Peter; Wesselmann, Ursula

2017-01-01

Introduction Significant progress has been made in elucidating the physiological and pharmacological mechanisms of female sexual function through preclinical animal research. The continued development of animal models is vital for the understanding and treatment of the many diverse disorders that occur in women. Aim To provide an updated review of the experimental models evaluating female sexual function that may be useful for clinical translation. Methods Review of English written, peer-reviewed literature, primarily from 2000 to 2012, that described studies on female sexual behavior related to motivation, arousal, physiological monitoring of genital function and urogenital pain. Main Outcomes Measures Analysis of supporting evidence for the suitability of the animal model to provide measurable indices related to desire, arousal, reward, orgasm, and pelvic pain. Results The development of female animal models has provided important insights in the peripheral and central processes regulating sexual function. Behavioral models of sexual desire, motivation, and reward are well developed. Central arousal and orgasmic responses are less well understood, compared with the physiological changes associated with genital arousal. Models of nociception are useful for replicating symptoms and identifying the neurobiological pathways involved. While in some cases translation to women correlates with the findings in animals, the requirement of circulating hormones for sexual receptivity in rodents and the multifactorial nature of women’s sexual function requires better designed studies and careful analysis. The current models have studied sexual dysfunction or pelvic pain in isolation; combining these aspects would help to elucidate interactions of the pathophysiology of pain and sexual dysfunction. Conclusions Basic research in animals has been vital for understanding the anatomy, neurobiology, and physiological mechanisms underlying sexual function and urogenital pain

Revolutionizing Mental Health Care Delivery in the United States Air Force By Shifting the Access Point to Primary Care

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-02

Somewhat Good Very good Extremely good 9. My gender (circle one): Male Female 10. This is my (circle one): 1st...Health Stigma One significant barrier to seeking mental health care is one’s perception of external stereotypes and prejudices about people who seek

"Do I stay or do I go?"--job change and labor market exit intentions of employees providing informal care to older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Ulrike; Trukeschitz, Birgit; Mühlmann, Richard; Ponocny, Ivo

2013-10-01

This article examines whether providing informal eldercare to an older dependent person predicts employees' intentions to change jobs or exit the labor market and, if so, which particular aspects of both caregiving (e.g. time demands, physical/cognitive care burden) and their current work environment shape these intentions. We used data from a sample of 471 caring and 431 noncaring employees in Austria and split the analyses by gender. We found different aspects of informal caregiving to be associated with the intention to change jobs and with the anticipated labor market withdrawal of male and female workers. A time-based conflict between informal eldercare and paid work was significantly and positively related to the intended job change of female workers but not of their male counterparts. Flexible work arrangements were found to facilitate the attachment of female workers to their jobs and the labor market. Intentions to exit the labor market of male workers appeared to be triggered by a physical care burden rather than time demands. We studied the effects of providing informal eldercare on the turnover intention of men and women in a group of workers who were also the main carers providing support to a dependent older person with substantial care needs. The intention of male and female workers to change jobs and exit the labor market is shaped by the different characteristics of informal caregiving. Time-based conflicts between informal care and paid work are associated with a higher relative risk of anticipating job changes for female workers. Flextime facilitates the job and labor market attachment of female workers with eldercare responsibilities. The intensity of personal care provided to an older relative is significantly positively related to male workers' relative risk of anticipated labor market exit. Care to an older person in need of supervision makes the labor market exit of female workers less likely, lending thus support to the idea of the respite

Work and life balance of female doctors in the Czech Republic

OpenAIRE

Bočková, Šárka

2014-01-01

This bachelor thesis focuses on work and life balance of female doctors in the Czech Republic. Conflicting requirements of labour market, traditional division of gender roles, lack of institutional support for parents (insufficient number of establishment providing child care et.) and specific demands of being doctor complicate work and life balance. In the theoretical part were discussed key theories based on personal freedom of choices or structural barriers of labour market, specifics of m...

Extended parental care in communal social groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen H. Forbes

2002-11-01

Full Text Available Recent developments in social insect research have challenged the need for close kinship as a prerequisite for the evolution of stable group living. In a model communal bee species, Lasioglossum (Chilalictus hemichalceum, previous allozyme work indicated that groups of cooperating adult females are not relatives. Yet at any given time, not all group members perform the risky task of foraging. We previously hypothesized that tolerance for non-foragers was a component of extended parental care, previously known only for kin based social systems. DNA microsatellites were used to study colony genetic structure in order to test this hypothesis. Microsatellite polymorphism was substantial (He = 0.775. Overall intracolony relatedness, mainly of immatures, was low but significant in nine, late season nests (r = 0.136 plus or minus0.023, indicating that broods contain five to six unrelated sib ships. Detailed analyses of kinship between pairs of individuals revealed that most pairs were unrelated and most related pairs were siblings. Mothers are absent for 89-91% of the developing immature females, and 97% of developing males. Alternatively, 46% of adult females had neither sibs nor offspring in their nests. These findings indicate that the extended parental care model applies broadly to both kin based and nonkin based social systems in the Hymenoptera.

A grounded theory of female adolescents' dating experiences and factors influencing safety: the dynamics of the Circle.

Science.gov (United States)

Toscano, Sharyl E

2007-09-20

This paper describes the nature and characteristics of the dating relationships of adolescent females, including any of their experiences of abuse. A grounded theory approach was used with 22 theoretically sampled female adolescents ages 15-18. Several important themes emerged: Seven stages of dating consistently described the relationships of female adolescents. A circle consisting of two interacting same sex peer groups provided structure for each teen as they navigated the dating course. The circle was the central factor affecting a female adolescent's potential for risk or harm in dating relationships. Teens defined abuse as an act where the intention is to hurt. Having once succumbed to sexual pressure, teens felt unable to refuse sex in subsequent situations. An awareness of both the stages of dating and the dynamics of the circle will assist health care providers to plan and implement interventions in the female adolescent population. Study findings on factors and influences that support non-abusive versus abusive relationship might help identify female teens at risk and/or support interventions aimed at preventing dating violence.

Effect of female genital mutilation on female sexual function ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

52.6% of cases were convinced with FGM. Conclusion: FGM was a risk factor for dysmenorrhea, obstructed labor and postpartum hemorrhage. Cases had lower mean sexual function; moreover, half of them convinced with FGM practice and with its continuation. Keywords: Female genital mutilation; Female sexual function; ...

Gender and Race/Ethnicity Differences in Mental Health Care Use before and during the Great Recession.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jie; Dagher, Rada

2016-04-01

This study examines the changes in health care utilization for mental health disorders among patients who were diagnosed with depressive and/or anxiety disorders during the Great Recession 2007-2009 in the USA. Negative binomial regressions are used to estimate the association of the economic recession and mental health care use for females and males separately. Results show that prescription drug utilization (e.g., antidepressants, psychotropic medications) increased significantly during the economic recession 2007-2009 for both females and males. Physician visits for mental health disorders decreased during the same period. Results show that racial disparities in mental health care might have increased, while ethnic disparities persisted during the Great Recession. Future research should separately examine mental health care utilization by gender and race/ethnicity.

Insurance coverage for male infertility care in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Dupree, James M

2016-01-01

Infertility is a common condition experienced by many men and women, and treatments are expensive. The World Health Organization and American Society of Reproductive Medicine define infertility as a disease, yet private companies infrequently offer insurance coverage for infertility treatments. This is despite the clear role that healthcare insurance plays in ensuring access to care and minimizing the financial burden of expensive services. In this review, we assess the current knowledge of how male infertility care is covered by insurance in the United States. We begin with an appraisal of the costs of male infertility care, then examine the state insurance laws relevant to male infertility, and close with a discussion of why insurance coverage for male infertility is important to both men and women. Importantly, we found that despite infertility being classified as a disease and males contributing to almost half of all infertility cases, coverage for male infertility is often excluded from health insurance laws. Excluding coverage for male infertility places an undue burden on their female partners. In addition, excluding care for male infertility risks missing opportunities to diagnose important health conditions and identify reversible or irreversible causes of male infertility. Policymakers should consider providing equal coverage for male and female infertility care in future health insurance laws.

Antenatal and obstetric care in Afghanistan--a qualitative study among health care receivers and health care providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmani, Zuhal; Brekke, Mette

2013-05-06

Despite attempts from the government to improve ante- and perinatal care, Afghanistan has once again been labeled "the worst country in which to be a mom" in Save the Children's World's Mothers' Report. This study investigated how pregnant women and health care providers experience the existing antenatal and obstetric health care situation in Afghanistan. Data were obtained through one-to-one semi-structured interviews of 27 individuals, including 12 women who were pregnant or had recently given birth, seven doctors, five midwives, and three traditional birth attendants. The interviews were carried out in Kabul and the village of Ramak in Ghazni Province. Interviews were taped, transcribed, and analyzed according to the principles of Giorgi's phenomenological analysis. Antenatal care was reported to be underused, even when available. Several obstacles were identified, including a lack of knowledge regarding the importance of antenatal care among the women and their families, financial difficulties, and transportation problems. The women also reported significant dissatisfaction with the attitudes and behavior of health personnel, which included instances of verbal and physical abuse. According to the health professionals, poor working conditions, low salaries, and high stress levels contributed to this matter. Personal contacts inside the hospital were considered necessary for receiving high quality care, and bribery was customary. Despite these serious concerns, the women expressed gratitude for having even limited access to health care, especially treatment provided by a female doctor. Health professionals were proud of their work and enjoyed the opportunity to help their community. This study identified several obstacles which must be addressed to improve reproductive health in Afghanistan. There was limited understanding of the importance of antenatal care and a lack of family support. Financial and transportation problems led to underuse of available care

Post-acute care disparities in total joint arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Roy H; Kamath, Atul F

2017-09-01

Understanding the socioeconomic factors that influence hospitalization and post-discharge metrics after joint replacement is important for identifying key areas of improvement in the delivery of orthopaedic care. An institutional administrative data set of 2869 patients from an academic arthroplasty referral center was analyzed to quantify the relationship between socioeconomic factors and post-acute rehabilitation care received, length of stay, and cost of care. The study used International Classification of Disease, ninth edition coding in order to identify cohorts of patients who received joint arthroplasty of the knee and hip between January 2007 and May 2015. The study found that females (odds ratio [OR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.74-2.46), minorities (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.78-2.51), and non-private insurance holders (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.26-1.94) were more likely to be assigned to institutional care after discharge. The study also found that minorities (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.24-1.70) and non-private insurance holders (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.16-1.77) are more likely to exhibit longer length of stay. Mean charges were higher for males when compared to females ($80,010 vs $74,855; P total costs ($19,910 vs $18,613; P  = .001). Socioeconomic factors such as gender, race, and insurance status should be further explored with respect to healthcare policies seeking to influence quality of care and health outcomes.

Patient Activation and Mental Health Care Experiences Among Women Veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimerling, Rachel; Pavao, Joanne; Wong, Ava

2016-07-01

We utilized a nationally representative survey of women veteran primary care users to examine associations between patient activation and mental health care experiences. A dose-response relationship was observed, with odds of high quality ratings significantly greater at each successive level of patient activation. Higher activation levels were also significantly associated with preference concordant care for gender-related preferences (use of female providers, women-only settings, and women-only groups as often as desired). Results add to the growing literature documenting better health care experiences among more activated patients, and suggest that patient activation may play an important role in promoting engagement with mental health care.

Clinical care of adult Turner syndrome--new aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Trolle, Christian; Mortensen, Kristian Havmand; Hjerrild, Britta E; Cleemann, Line; Gravholt, Claus H

2012-05-01

Turner syndrome (TS) is characterized by numerous medical challenges during adolescence and adulthood. Puberty has to be induced in most cases, and female sex hormone replacement therapy (HRT) should continue during adult years. These issues are normally dealt with by the paediatrician, but once a TS female enters adulthood it is less clear who should be the primary care giver. Morbidity and mortality is increased, especially due to the risk of dissection of the aorta and other cardiovascular diseases, as well as the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, thyroid disease and other diseases. The proper dose of HRT with female sex steroids has not been established, and, likewise, benefits and/or drawbacks from HRT have not been thoroughly evaluated. The transition period from paediatric to adult care seems to be especially vulnerable and the proper framework for transition has not yet been established. Likewise, no framework is in place for continuous follow-up during adult years in many countries. Today, most treatment recommendations are based on expert opinion and are unfortunately not evidence based, although more areas, such as growth hormone and oxandrolone treatment for increasing height, are becoming well founded. Osteoporosis, diabetes, both type 1 and 2, hypothyroidism, obesity and a host of other endocrine diseases and conditions are seen more frequently in TS. Prevention, intervention and proper treatment is only just being recognized. Hypertension is frequent and can be a forerunner of cardiovascular disease. The description of adult life with TS has been broadened and medical, social and psychological aspects are being added at a compelling pace. Proper care during adulthood should be studied and a framework for care should be in place, since most morbidity potentially is amenable to intervention. In summary, TS is a condition associated with a number of diseases and conditions which need the attention of a multi-disciplinary team during

Adaptive significance of male parental care in a monogamous mammal.

OpenAIRE

Gubernick, D J; Teferi, T

2000-01-01

Paternal behaviour presumably evolved because male care of young was critical for offspring survival. We report field evidence indicating that paternal behaviour enhances offspring survival in a monogamous mammal, the biparental California mouse, Peromyscus californicus. Male removal resulted in lower offspring survival in father-absent than in father-present families. New males took up residence with widowed females, but usually after females had stopped lactating, suggesting that the import...

Are primary care practitioners in Barbados following diabetes guidelines? - a chart audit with comparison between public and private care sectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carter Anne O

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Over 19% of the population ≥ 40 years of age in Barbados are diabetic. The quality of diabetes primary care is uncertain. Findings Charts of diabetic and hypertensive patients were randomly sampled at all public and 20 private sector primary care clinics. Charts of all diabetic patients ≥ 40 years of age were then selected. Processes of care, and quality targets for blood pressure (BP, fasting blood glucose (FBG and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c were documented. 252 charts of diabetic patients (125 public and 127 private were audited. Patients had the following characteristics: mean age 64 years, female gender 61%, mean duration of diagnosis 9 years, and hypertension diagnosed 78%. Patients had an average of 4.7 clinic visits per year, 66% were prescribed metformin, 68% a sulphonylurea, 25% a statin, 21% insulin, 15% aspirin and 12% a glucosidase inhibitor. Public patients compared to private patients were more likely to be female (77% vs. 46%, p Conclusions Interventions such as body mass assessment, lifestyle advice, screening for retinopathy, monitoring blood glucose control, and achieving BP and glycaemic targets need improvement.

[Professional discourses on intimate partner violence: implication for care of immigrant women in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Briones-Vozmediano, Erica; Davó-Blanes, Ma Carmen; García-de la Hera, Manuela; Goicolea, Isabel; Vives-Cases, Carmen

2016-01-01

1) to examine the discourses of professionals involved in the care of female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), with emphasis on how they describe the immigrant women, the perpetrators and their own responsibility of care; and 2) to compare these discourses with the other professions involved in caring for these women (social services, associations and police and justice). Qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with 43 professionals from social services, associations and the police and judicial systems. A discourse analysis was carried out to identify interpretive repertoires about IPV, immigrant women and their aggressors, their culture and professional practices. Four interpretive repertoires emerged from professional discourses: "Cultural prototypes of women affected by IPV", "Perpetrators are similar regardless of their culture of origin", "Are victims credible and the perpetrators responsible?" and "Lack of cultural sensitivity of professionals in helping immigrant women in abusive situations". These repertoires correspond to preconceptions that professionals construct about affected women and their perpetrators, the credibility and responsibility they attribute to them and the interpretation of their professional roles. The employment of IPV-trained cultural mediators in the services responsible for caring for the female victims, together with cultural training for the professionals, will facilitate the provision of culturally sensitive care to immigrant female victims of intimate partner violence. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

HIV in Kenya: Sexual behaviour and quality of care of sexually transmitted diseases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H.A.C.M. Voeten (Hélène)

2006-01-01

textabstractThis thesis describes three important determinants of HIV spread in Kenya: 1. Sexual behaviour of female sex workers, their clients, and young adults 2. Health care seeking behaviour for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) 3. Quality of STD care in the public and private health

Fertility outcome in male and female patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahdi Kamoun

2014-06-01

Conclusion: Fertility in male and female patients with CAH is reduced. Early and adequate glucocorticoid therapy along with good compliance, careful monitoring of androgen levels and continuous psychological management could contribute to improved fertility rates in this population, even among those with the severe variant.

A mixed-methods exploration of the contraceptive experiences of female teens with epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Manski, Ruth; Dennis, Amanda

2014-09-01

We explored the contraceptive experiences of female teens with epilepsy, including their knowledge and perceptions of interactions between antiepileptic drugs and hormonal contraception and contraceptive decision-making processes. From November 2012 to May 2013, we conducted one online survey (n=114) and 12 online focus group discussions (n=26) with female teens with epilepsy about their contraceptive experiences and unmet needs. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and focus group transcripts were analyzed thematically using modified grounded theory methods. Both survey and focus group participants reported believing that interactions between epilepsy medications and hormonal contraceptives could lead to reductions in contraceptive efficacy and seizure control. However, their knowledge about these types of medication interactions was often incomplete. Many study participants viewed contraceptive decision making as a difficult process, and some participants reported avoiding hormonal contraceptives because of potential interactions with antiepileptic drugs. Study participants reported relying on health care providers and parents for contraceptive decision-making support. Focus group participants also reported they wanted health care providers to provide more in-depth and comprehensive counseling about contraception, and that they desired peer support with contraceptive decisions. The ability to make informed contraceptive decisions is important for teens with epilepsy as interactions between anti-epileptic drugs and hormonal contraceptives can impact seizure occurrence and lead to an increased risk of unplanned pregnancy. Guidance for providers offering contraceptive care to this population is needed, as well as a contraceptive support tool that empowers teens with epilepsy to advocate for desired health care. Copyright © 2014 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Female genital mutilation: knowledge, attitude and practices of Flemish midwives.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappon, Sien; L'Ecluse, Charlotte; Clays, Els; Tency, Inge; Leye, Els

2015-03-01

health professionals in Belgium are confronted with female genital mutilation (FGM). To date, no survey to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices on FGM was conducted among midwives in the Northern region of Belgium. the objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of Flemish midwives regarding female genital mutilation (FGM). we used a quantitative design, using KAP study (semi-structured questionnaire). labour wards, maternity wards and maternal intensive care units (MIC) in 56 hospitals in Flemish region of Belgium. 820 midwives, actively working in labour wards, maternity wards and maternal intensive care units (MIC). 820 valid questionnaires (40.9%) were returned. More than 15% of the respondents were recently confronted with FGM. They were mostly faced with the psychological and sexual complications caused by FGM. Few respondents were aware of existing guidelines regarding FGM in their hospitals (3.5%). The results also showed that only 20.2% was aware of the exact content of the law. The majority of midwives condemned the harmful traditional practice: FGM was experienced as a form of violence against women or a violation of human rights. Only 25.9% declared that FGM forms a part of their midwifery program. The vast majority of respondents (92.5%) indicated a need for more information on the subject. this study indicated that midwives in Flanders are confronted with FGM and its complications and highlighted the gaps in the knowledge of Flemish midwives regarding FGM. This may interfere with the provision of adequate care and prevention of FGM for the new-born daughter. there is an important need for appropriate training of (student)midwives concerning FGM as well as for the development and dissemination of clear guidelines in Flemish hospitals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Inquiry-Based Teaching on Male and Female Students' Motivation and Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Yen-Ruey; Tuan, Hsiao-Lin; Chin, Chi-Chin

2018-03-01

This study aims to examine the influence of inquiry-based instruction on eighth-grade male and female students' motivation and engagement in science learning in two public junior high schools in central Taiwan. Mixed-methods methodology was adopted with 60 students (32 males and 28 females) in the experimental group and 56 students (28 males and 28 females) in the control group. The study lasted for one semester and six units using inquiry-based teaching (90-180 min each) were implemented in the experimental group. Questionnaires used for measuring students' motivation and engagement in science learning were administered as pre- and post-tests. In addition, eight to ten male and female students from both experimental and control groups, as well as two instructors were interviewed four times throughout the semester. Quantitative data were analyzed with t test and the interview data were fully transcribed and coded. Results show that male and female students under intervention expected to do more experiments because it improved their understanding. Male and female students under intervention also used more learning strategies. However, males benefited more than females from the intervention in regard to their motivation and engagement in learning science. Males improved more in motivational constructs, recognized the value of learning science, and increased their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement because what they learned applied to real life. In contrast, females had higher exam anxiety and lower cognitive engagement due to mathematics fear, stronger sense of pride in class, and caring too much about the right answers.

Maternal care, mother-offspring aggregation and age-dependent coadaptation in the European earwig.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, Y; Kölliker, M

2013-09-01

Benefits and costs of parental care are expected to change with offspring development and lead to age-dependent coadaptation expressed as phenotypic (behavioural) matches between offspring age and parental reproductive stage. Parents and offspring interact repeatedly over time for the provision of parental care. Their behaviours should be accordingly adjusted to each other dynamically and adaptively, and the phenotypic match between offspring age and parental stage should stabilize the repeated behavioural interactions. In the European earwig (Forficula auricularia), maternal care is beneficial for offspring survival, but not vital, allowing us to investigate the extent to which the stability of mother-offspring aggregation is shaped by age-dependent coadaptation. In this study, we experimentally cross-fostered nymphs of different age classes (younger or older) between females in early or late reproductive stage to disrupt age-dependent coadaptation, thereby generating female-nymph dyads that were phenotypically matched or mismatched. The results revealed a higher stability in aggregation during the first larval instar when care is most intense, a steeper decline in aggregation tendency over developmental time and a reduced developmental rate in matched compared with mismatched families. Furthermore, nymph survival was positively correlated with female-nymph aggregation stability during the early stages when maternal care is most prevalent. These results support the hypothesis that age-related phenotypically plastic coadaptation affects family dynamics and offspring developmental rate. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2013 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

What proof is in your Christmas pudding? Is caring under the influence possible?

Science.gov (United States)

Brieger, Daniel G; Amir, Amaleena B; Punch, Gratian J; Lim, Christopher S H; Toh, James

2014-12-11

To determine the ethanol concentration of commonly available Christmas puddings, and to extrapolate the blood alcohol content (BAC) of typical health care professionals after Christmas lunch at the hospital. We conducted fractional distillation of Christmas puddings and analysed the distillate for ethanol content. We then applied standard pharmacological and physiological assumptions to assess predicted BAC in typical male and female health care professionals at our hospital. Ethanol concentration of each pudding; estimated BAC of health care professionals after ingestion and at the end of a 30-minute lunch break. The concentration of ethanol in common Christmas puddings ranged from 0.260 to 1.685 g per 125 mg slice. The concentration of ethanol per pudding was not greater than the stipulated specifications on the packaging, where shown. After pudding ingestion, the theoretical BAC of a typical 70 kg male and 60 kg female health care professional ranged from 0.001 to 0.004 g/dL and from 0.001 to 0.006 g/dL, respectively. Neither male nor female staff had a predicted BAC > 0.000 g/dL by the end of the lunch break. Christmas puddings contain ethanol that does not all evaporate during the cooking process. However, the rise in BAC after ingestion of a typical slice of Christmas pudding was negligible and unlikely to affect work performance or safety or impair a health care worker's ability to make complex decisions.

Prevalence and epidemiological correlates of bacterial vaginosis among nonpregnant females at a tertiary care center in Assam, India

OpenAIRE

Frincy Khandelwal Baruah; Ajanta Sharma; Chanakya Das; Naba Kumar Hazarika; Rashmi Agarwalla

2014-01-01

Purpose: Bacterial vaginosis is the most common type of vaginal infection among women of reproductive age and accounted for at least one-third of all vulvovaginal infections. The main aim of this prospective study was to determine the risk factors that may be associated with the occurrence of bacterial vaginosis among the reproductive age group females in Assam. Materials and Methods: A total of two hundred married, nonpregnant females in the reproductive age group who complained of one or mo...

Icabod Crane in Day Care II: Teachers' Concerns about Male Caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Tom; Draper, Thomas W.

To explore the issue of prejudice against male participation in child care professions, a study was conducted with 13 female students in the process of completing 2-year associate degrees in child care. Subjects responded to a projective measure on which they were asked to inspect a list of nine personal "deficiencies" and rate, on a…

[High prevalence of job dissatisfaction among female physicians: work-family conflict as a potential stressor].

Science.gov (United States)

Adám, Szilvia; Gyorffy, Zsuzsa; László, Krisztina

2009-08-02

Due to the family-centric nature of Hungarian society and to the high proportion of women in the medical profession, more female than male physicians may experience work-family conflict. The authors hypothesized that work-family conflict may reduce job satisfaction among female physicians. However, there is limited information about the prevalence of work-family conflict and job dissatisfaction as well as their associations among female physicians. To explore the prevalence of work-family conflict and its relations to job dissatisfaction among Hungarian physicians. Cross-sectional study with 219 female and 201 male physicians using self-report questionnaires. As hypothesized, female physicians reported significantly higher level of work-family conflict compared to male physicians (3.0 (SD 0.9) vs. 2.6 (SD 0.9); t (df): -3.8 (418); p conflict often or extremely often [56% vs. 41%, respectively; chi 2 (df) = 9.3 (1); p conflict predicts job dissatisfaction among female and all physicians (beta = -0.17, 95% CI -0.31 - -0.04 and beta = -0.14, 95% CI -0.22 - -0.04, respectively). These results show that the level and prevalence of work-family conflict experienced by female physicians in Hungary is significantly higher than that among male physicians. Furthermore, these findings suggest that work-family conflict as a stressor may contribute to the development of job dissatisfaction and hence may adversely impact the well-being of female and male physicians and consequently the quality of patient care.

Missed nursing care: the impact on intention to leave and turnover.

Science.gov (United States)

Tschannen, Dana; Kalisch, Beatrice J; Lee, Kyung Hee

2010-12-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between missed nursing care, nurse turnover, and intention to leave. A cross-sectional study using the MISSCARE Survey was conducted. The sample comprised 110 patient-care units in 10 acute-care hospitals. Staffing data, turnover rates, and unit-level Case Mix Index were collected from the participating hospitals. Higher percentages of females on the unit were associated with lower turnover rates (beta = -.235, p = .010). Units with higher rates of missed care (beta = .302, p reduce intention to leave (and subsequent turnover).

Introducing the female condom through the public health sector: experiences from South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantell, J E; Scheepers, E; Karim, Q A

2000-10-01

The successful implementation of new public health policy is influenced by provider preparedness and user acceptability of the new intervention. This paper describes the development and implementation of a participatory Training of Trainers (TOT) programme as a precursor to launch the South African government's female-initiated HIV prevention strategies in public health clinics. Three hundred peer-trainees from throughout South Africa were trained through a comprehensive, modular and interactive three-day workshop. The workshop content included: HIV/AIDS knowledge, beliefs and attitudes; values clarification regarding HIV infection and sexuality; sexual desensitization; 'hands-on' training in the use of and introduction of the female condom; and counselling, communication and programme planning skills. The TOT generated a cadre of knowledgeable health care workers for training others and provided a support structure at the service delivery level for ensuring potential users' access to the female condom within each province. Qualitative assessments of the training and trainer debriefing sessions suggest that the training was successful in increasing knowledge and promoting positive attitudes about female condoms. In addition, the expanded repertoire of problem-solving approaches left providers feeling confident about recommending this method to clients.

Gender differences in functional disability and self-care among seniors in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Tareque, Md Ismail; Tiedt, Andrew D; Islam, Towfiqua Mahfuza; Begum, Sharifa; Saito, Yasuhiko

2017-08-08

Disability among older adults is a public health concern. To date there are no in-depth and comprehensive analyses on older adults' disabilities in Bangladesh. This study investigated gender differences in the prevalence of disability and the socio-demographic factors associated with disability among older adults in Bangladesh. This research used a sample of 4176 elderly males and females aged 60 years and over from a nationally representative data set- Bangladesh's 2010 Household Income and Expenditure Survey. The study used both household level and individual level data and applied a wealth index, which was constructed based on household assets using principal component analysis. The Washington Group's short set of questions on disability were used to measure disability. Chi-square tests and ordinal logistic regression models were fit. Forty-two percent of older had some form of functional disability, including 5% of elderly with severe/extreme functional disability. Seven percent of older adults had a self-care disability, including 3% of elderly with a severe/extreme form of self-care disability. Elderly females suffered from all the studied disabilities, including functional and self-care disabilities in higher percentages, and had higher odds ratios of having both functional disability and self-care disability compared to elderly males. The study also identified some significant factors affecting functional disability and self-care disability, namely age, having a chronic condition, wealth status and place of residence, including divisional differences. Programs aimed at reducing functional disability among seniors, particularly elderly females, should be granted the highest priority in Bangladesh.

Examining portrayals of female protagonists by female screenwriters using feminist critical discourse analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shapiro, B.

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This study explores the portrayals of female protagonists by female screenwriters through feminist critical discourse analysis. Specifically, this study examines the female protagonists in the four Academy-Award winning films Thelma & Louise, The Piano, Lost in Translation, and Juno. By analyzing the roles and behavior of the female protagonists in these four films, I reveal how these female protagonists each experience the Heroine’s Journey, where they transcend their gender constraints and become more independent and empowered. These portrayals by female screenwriters are vital to the off-screen sector of the film industry because of the Social Cognitive Theory of Gender Development and Differentiation, which states that human beings gain knowledge from the messages communicated to them by the media. Therefore, I conclude that the existing gap between female and male screenwriters must be closed to counter the reinforcement of gender roles and stereotypes, as well as ensure that women are inspired, not discouraged, by what they see on screen.

Complex cooperative breeders: Using infant care costs to explain variability in callitrichine social and reproductive behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Muñoz, Samuel L

2016-03-01

The influence of ecology on social behavior and mating strategies is one of the central questions in behavioral ecology and primatology. Callitrichines are New World primates that exhibit high behavioral variability, which is widely acknowledged, but not always systematically researched. Here, I examine the hypothesis that differences in the cost of infant care among genera help explain variation in reproductive traits. I present an integrative approach to generate and evaluate predictions from this hypothesis. I first identify callitrichine traits that vary minimally and traits that are more flexible (e.g., have greater variance or norm of reaction), including the number of males that mate with a breeding female, mechanisms of male reproductive competition, number of natal young retained, and the extent of female reproductive suppression. I outline how these more labile traits should vary along a continuum of infant care costs according to individual reproductive strategies. At one end of the spectrum, I predict that groups with higher infant care costs will show multiple adult males mating and providing infant care, high subordinate female reproductive suppression, few natal individuals delaying dispersal, and increased reproductive output by the dominant female -with opposite predictions under low infant costs. I derive an estimate of the differences in ecological and physiological infant care costs that suggest an order of ascending costs in the wild: Cebuella, Callithrix, Mico, Callimico, Saguinus, and Leontopithecus. I examine the literature on each genus for the most variable traits and evaluate a) where they fall along the continuum of infant care costs according to their reproductive strategies, and b) whether these costs correspond to the ecophysiological estimates of infant care costs. I conclude that infant care costs can provide a unifying explanation for the most variable reproductive traits among callitrichine genera. The approach presented can be

Corticosterone predicts foraging behavior and parental care in macaroni penguins.

Science.gov (United States)

Crossin, Glenn T; Trathan, Phil N; Phillips, Richard A; Gorman, Kristen B; Dawson, Alistair; Sakamoto, Kentaro Q; Williams, Tony D

2012-07-01

Corticosterone has received considerable attention as the principal hormonal mediator of allostasis or physiological stress in wild animals. More recently, it has also been implicated in the regulation of parental care in breeding birds, particularly with respect to individual variation in foraging behavior and provisioning effort. There is also evidence that prolactin can work either inversely or additively with corticosterone to achieve this. Here we test the hypothesis that endogenous corticosterone plays a key physiological role in the control of foraging behavior and parental care, using a combination of exogenous corticosterone treatment, time-depth telemetry, and physiological sampling of female macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) during the brood-guard period of chick rearing, while simultaneously monitoring patterns of prolactin secretion. Plasma corticosterone levels were significantly higher in females given exogenous implants relative to those receiving sham implants. Increased corticosterone levels were associated with significantly higher levels of foraging and diving activity and greater mass gain in implanted females. Elevated plasma corticosterone was also associated with an apparent fitness benefit in the form of increased chick mass. Plasma prolactin levels did not correlate with corticosterone levels at any time, nor was prolactin correlated with any measure of foraging behavior or parental care. Our results provide support for the corticosterone-adaptation hypothesis, which predicts that higher corticosterone levels support increased foraging activity and parental effort.

Gender and Sexual Health: Care of Transgender Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayon, Ronni

2016-10-01

Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals experience significant health disparities. They are more likely to use drugs and alcohol, smoke, be diagnosed with HIV infection or other sexually transmitted infections, and experience depression or attempt suicide. Many also experience discrimination within the health care system. Office-level strategies to create a safe and affirming space for gender-expansive patients include posting of a nondiscrimination statement, use of intake forms that ask about current gender identity and birth-assigned sex, provision of gender-neutral restrooms, and staff training in use of appropriate language. Hormone or surgical therapy can be initiated for patients with persistent gender dysphoria who are of age and have the capacity to make informed decisions, and have reasonable control of coexisting medical and psychiatric conditions. Estrogens, antiandrogens, and progestins are used for feminization, and testosterone for masculinization. Hormone treatment should be followed by careful monitoring for potential adverse effects. Surgical options include male-to-female and female-to-male procedures. The family physician may need to provide a referral letter, preoperative and postoperative examinations and care, and advocacy with health insurance providers. Preventive care for transgender patients includes counseling for cardiovascular health, cancer screening, provision of appropriate contraception, and screening for sexually transmitted infections. Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.

Iron status of toddlers, nonpregnant females, and pregnant females in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Priya M; Hamner, Heather C; Suchdev, Parminder S; Flores-Ayala, Rafael; Mei, Zuguo

2017-12-01

Background: Total-body iron stores (TBI), which are calculated from serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor concentrations, can be used to assess the iron status of populations in the United States. Objective: This analysis, developed to support workshop discussions, describes the distribution of TBI and the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) and ID anemia (IDA) among toddlers, nonpregnant females, and pregnant females. Design: We analyzed data from NHANES; toddlers aged 12-23 mo (NHANES 2003-2010), nonpregnant females aged 15-49 y (NHANES 2007-2010), and pregnant females aged 12-49 y (NHANES 1999-2010). We used SAS survey procedures to plot distributions of TBI and produce prevalence estimates of ID and IDA for each target population. All analyses were weighted to account for the complex survey design. Results: According to these data, ID prevalences (± SEs) were 15.1% ± 1.7%, 10.4% ± 0.5%, and 16.3% ± 1.3% in toddlers, nonpregnant females, and pregnant females, respectively. ID prevalence in pregnant females increased significantly with each trimester (5.3% ± 1.5%, 12.7% ± 2.3%, and 27.5% ± 3.5% in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively). Racial disparities in the prevalence of ID among both nonpregnant and pregnant females exist, with Mexican American and non-Hispanic black females at greater risk of ID than non-Hispanic white females. IDA prevalence was 5.0% ± 0.4% and 2.6% ± 0.7% in nonpregnant and pregnant females, respectively. Conclusions: Available nationally representative data suggest that ID and IDA remain a concern in the United States. Estimates of iron-replete status cannot be made at this time in the absence of established cutoffs for iron repletion based on TBI. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03274726. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Salary discrepancies between practicing male and female physician assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Coplan, Bettie; Essary, Alison C; Virden, Thomas B; Cawley, James; Stoehr, James D

2012-01-01

Salary discrepancies between male and female physicians are well documented; however, gender-based salary differences among clinically practicing physician assistants (PAs) have not been studied since 1992 (Willis, 1992). Therefore, the objectives of the current study are to evaluate the presence of salary discrepancies between clinically practicing male and female PAs and to analyze the effect of gender on income and practice characteristics. Using data from the 2009 American Academy of Physician Assistants' (AAPA) Annual Census Survey, we evaluated the salaries of PAs across multiple specialties. Differences between men and women were compared for practice characteristics (specialty, experience, etc) and salary (total pay, base pay, on-call pay, etc) in orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine, and family practice. Men reported working more years as a PA in their current specialty, working more hours per month on-call, providing more direct care to patients, and more funding available from their employers for professional development (p pay, overtime pay, administrative pay, on-call pay, and incentive pay based on productivity and performance (p pay (p = .001) in orthopedic surgery, higher total income (p = .011) and base pay (p = .005) in emergency medicine, and higher base pay in family practice (p discrepancies remain between employed male and female PAs regardless of specialty, experience, or other practice characteristics. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Normal Female Reproductive Anatomy

Science.gov (United States)

... historical Searches are case-insensitive Reproductive System, Female, Anatomy Add to My Pictures View /Download : Small: 720x756 ... Large: 3000x3150 View Download Title: Reproductive System, Female, Anatomy Description: Anatomy of the female reproductive system; drawing ...

Females paired with new and heavy mates reduce intra-clutch differences in resource allocation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maud Poisbleau

Full Text Available Reproductive investment affects both offspring and parental fitness and influences the evolution of life histories. Females may vary their overall primary reproductive effort in relation to the phenotypic characteristics of their mate. However, the effects of male quality on differential resource allocation within clutches have been largely neglected despite the potential implications for mate choice and population dynamics, especially in species exhibiting biparental care and brood reduction. Female southern rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome paired with heavy mates reduced intra-clutch variation in egg and albumen masses. Females paired with new mates also reduced intra-clutch variation in yolk androgen levels. Since both an increased mass and increased androgen concentrations positively influence chick survival under sibling competition, the chances of fledging the whole clutch are likely to be higher for newly formed pairs with heavy males than for previously formed pairs with light males. Interestingly, total clutch provisioning did not vary with male quality. We show for the first time that females vary intra-clutch variation in resource allocation according to male quality. In species with brood reduction, it may be more adaptive for females to modulate the distribution of resources within the clutch according to breeding conditions, than to change their total clutch provisioning.

Factors affecting patients' ratings of health-care satisfaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thygesen, Marianne K; Fuglsang, Marie; Miiller, Max Mølgaard

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Surveys that include rating scales are commonly used to collect data about patients' experiences. We studied how patients associated their ratings with their experiences of care. METHODS: A survey and a qualitative study were conducted at a Danish hospital. Initially, 19 female pati...

Media exposure, internalization of the thin ideal, and body dissatisfaction: comparing Asian American and European American college females.

Science.gov (United States)

Nouri, Mahsa; Hill, Laura G; Orrell-Valente, Joan K

2011-09-01

Internalization of the thin ideal mediates the media exposure-body dissatisfaction relation in young adult European American females. There is little related research on Asian Americans. We used structural equations modeling to test: (1) whether media exposure was associated with body dissatisfaction in Asian American young adult females, (2) internalization of the thin ideal mediated any such association, and (3) whether the mediational model provided equivalent fit for European American and Asian American samples. Participants were 287 college females (154 Asian Americans, 133 European Americans). Internalization of the thin ideal explained the media exposure-body dissatisfaction association equally well for both groups. Results suggest that Asian Americans may be employing unhealthy weight control behaviors, and may be prone to developing eating disorders, at rates similar to European American young adult females. Clinicians need to screen carefully for body dissatisfaction, unhealthy weight control behaviors, and eating disorders in Asian American females. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

To provide care and be cared for in a multiple-bed hospital room.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Eva; Määttä, Sylvia

2012-12-01

To illuminate patients' experiences of being cared for and nurses' experiences of caring for patients in a multiple-bed hospital room. Many patients and healthcare personnel seem to prefer single-bed hospital rooms. However, certain advantages of multiple-bed hospital rooms (MBRs) have also been described. Eight men and eight women being cared for in a multiple-bedroom were interviewed, and two focus-group interviews (FGI) with 12 nurses were performed. A qualitative content analysis was used. One theme--Creating a sphere of privacy--and three categories were identified based on the patient interviews. The categories were: Being considerate, Having company and The patients' area. In the FGI, one theme--Integrating individual care with care for all--and two categories emerged: Experiencing a friendly atmosphere and Providing exigent care. Both patients and nurses described the advantages and disadvantages of multiple-bed rooms. The patient culture of taking care of one another and enjoying the company of room-mates were considered positive and gave a sense of security of both patients and nurses. The advantages were slight and could easily become disadvantages if, for example, room-mates were very ill or confused. The patients tried to maintain their privacy and dignity and claimed that there were small problems with room-mates listening to conversations. In contrast, the nurses stressed patient integrity as a main disadvantage and worked to protect the integrity of individual patients. Providing care for all patients simultaneously had the advantage of saving time. The insights gained in the present study could assist nurses in reducing the disadvantages and taking advantage of the positive elements of providing care in MBRs. Health professionals need to be aware of how attitudes towards male and female patients, respectively, could affect care provision. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Patients' experiences and satisfaction about care provided by male nurses in medical surgical units in Islamabad, Pakistan: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Younas, Ahtisham; Sundus, Amara

2018-01-01

Nursing is predominantly a female profession and caring has been considered an attribute of female nurses, which could imply a noncaring image of male nurses. To determine patients' experiences and satisfaction from care provided by male nurses in a private hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. This cross-sectional study included a purposive sample of 50 patients admitted to medical surgical units for at least 2 days and who had at least three professional interactions with a male nurse. The Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The total score for experience and satisfaction was 81 and 51, respectively. A statistically significant difference existed between experience and satisfaction scores of male and female participants, indicating that males were more pleased and satisfied with their experience of receiving care from male nurses compared to the female participants. The male nurses were concerned for their patients, they were knowledgeable about the patients' condition and care, and provided them with clear explanations of the medical and nursing procedures. However, they seem to lack interpersonal relationship with patients and did not take initiative in understanding their patients. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Female professional divers. Similarities and differences between male and female professional divers.

Science.gov (United States)

Irgens, Ågot; Troland, Kari; Grønning, Marit

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the potential differences between female and male professional divers with regards to demographics, diving certificates, areas of diving, diving activity and health effects. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Diving certificate register contains data on all professional inshore divers who have held a certificate at any time since 1980. Forty nine per cent of these divers responded to the "Norwegian diver 2011" questionnaire. Of these divers 64 female and 1327 male divers completed the questionnaire about their professional diving career, certificate, year of onset and the year they stopped diving professionally if they were not still active in the diving industry. The level of general education was higher among female divers. More males than females were fully certified in diving. The mean age was lower among female than male fully certified divers. Fully certified female divers reported a lower total number of dives, shallower dives and diving for a shorter period of time than the male divers. They also had a lower percentage of work within the quay/construction sector and more often worked as teachers/instructors. A lower percentage of fully certified females than males had experienced decompression sickness (16.7% vs. 26.9%). Life-threatening events and psychologically challenging events were less common among females, as were adverse health effects. No such gender differences were seen for divers with a restricted certificate. The fully certified, female professional divers in our study had a very short diving career, reported fewer and shallower dives, and chose less physically demanding jobs than their male counterparts. They also had a higher level of education, reported less health problems and a better quality of life. The health effects seem to be related to the type of work rather than to gender.

[Immobility syndrome in patients being care for in a home care unit].

Science.gov (United States)

Vázquez Pedrazuela, C; Lázaro del Nogal, M; Verdejo Bravo, C; Royuela Arte, T; Torrijos Torrijos, M; Ribera Casado, J M

1995-10-01

to asses in a group of elderly patients included in a Home Care Unit, the level of immobility, the functional status based on the Katz's index and the Red Cross scale, and their medical, psychological and social consequences. assessment of elderly patients visited during three consecutive months, through and standardized protocol with 14 items related with the previous aspects. 114 elderly patients (71% females) were visited during this time. The mean age was 82.4 years. 71 patients (65.7%) had immobility, with a mean age of 83.4 years and females predominance. Based on the level of immobility, 24 patients were in bed and 44 patients were able to be in bed-armchair. 74% of the patients were severely disabled on the activities daily living (Katz G); 85% of the patients had a severe physical disability (Red Cross scale 4-5), whereas a lower percentage (36%) had severe mental disability (Red Cross scale 4-5). Neurological disorders were the most frequent etiology of immobility (72%), with only one cause in 27 patients, two causes in 20 patients and more than three causes in 24 patients. Medical consequences were the most frequent, mainly urinary and chest infections, pressure sores and constipation. Immobility's syndrome represents a common medical problem in the geriatric care, related specially with the neurological and osteo-articular disorders, conditioning a high mobility.

Treatment strategies for the female athlete triad in the adolescent athlete: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thein-Nissenbaum J

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Jill Thein-Nissenbaum,1 Erin Hammer2 1Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; 2Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA Abstract: Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, female sports participation has dramatically increased. The benefits of physical activity, including decreased risk for heart disease and diabetes as well as improved body image and self-esteem, far outweigh the risks. However, a select population of adolescent and young adult females may experience symptoms related to the female athlete triad (Triad, which refers to the interrelatedness of energy availability, menstrual function, and bone mineral density (BMD. These conditions often manifest clinically as disordered eating behaviors, menstrual irregularity, and stress fractures; an individual may suffer from 1 or all of the Triad components simultaneously. Because of the complex nature of the Triad, treatment is challenging and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Team members often include a physician, psychologist or psychiatrist, nutritionist or dietitian, physical therapist, athletic trainer, coach, family members, and most importantly, the patient. A thorough physical examination by a primary care physician is essential to identify all organs/systems that may be impacted by Triad-related conditions. Laboratory tests, assessment of bone density, nutritional assessment, and behavior health evaluation guide the management of the female athlete with Triad-related conditions. Treatment of the Triad includes adequate caloric consumption to restore a positive energy balance; this is often the first step in successful management of the Triad. In addition, determining the cause of menstrual dysfunction (MD and resumption of menses is very important. Nonpharmacologic interventions are the first choice; pharmacologic treatment for MD is reserved only for those patients with symptoms of

A multilevel study on the association of observer-assessed working conditions with depressive symptoms among female eldercare workers from 56 work units in 10 care homes in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Louise M.; Jorgensen, Anette F. B.; Thomsen, Birthe L.

2015-01-01

-observed individuals. We used regression models that allowed for correlations within work units and care homes and adjusted these models for demographics, job characteristics and stressful life events. RESULTS: Higher levels of regulation requirements were associated with lower depressive symptoms at the individual......OBJECTIVES: Eldercare workers in Denmark have a higher prevalence of poor psychological health than other occupational groups. We examined the association between working conditions assessed by trained observers and depressive symptoms assessed by self-report in a study of female Danish eldercare...... workers. METHODS: Working conditions were observed based on action regulation theory and defined as (1) regulation requirements, a workplace resource providing opportunity for decision-making and skill development and (2) barriers for task completion. We examined the associations of individual and work...

Professional recognition of female and male doctors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruguera, M; Arrizabalaga, P; Londoño, M C; Padrós, J

2014-03-01

The awards for the excellence of the Official College of Physicians of Barcelona (COMB) were instituted in 2004 to recognize the excellence of the professional exercise. The winners are yearly chosen by juries appointed by the board of government, whose members propose for the award doctors who, in their opinion, have an exemplary professional and human behaviour. The number of male and female doctors who have obtained this recognition has been analysed in relation with the sex distribution in the juries. Likewise it has been compared the ratios men-to-women of those who have been rewarded and this ratio among physicians of more than 45 years. Between the awarded physicians the ratio men-to-women was of 2.7/1 (range, from 1.2/1 for awardees in primary care to 6/1 in research). The men-to-women ratio among those who were awarded was in parallel to the man-to-women ratios of the juries. The ratio between men and women among members of the COMB of more than 45 years was 1.4/1, whereas in those who were awarded it was of 2.7/1. The increase in the proportion of women in the juries in the last four years has been followed by an increase in the number of female physicians awarded. This data demonstrates that the predominance of male doctors among those who were awarded does not depend so much on the age factor, but basically on the proportion of male and female doctors in the juries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Gender Differences in the Behavioral Symptom Severity of Prader-Willi Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masao Gito

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. This study measured gender differences in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS in regard to the severity of behavioral symptoms. Methods. The Food Related Problem Questionnaire (FRPQ, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist Japanese Version, the Childhood Routines Inventory, the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Autism Society Japan Rating Scale, and Japanese ADHD-RS were administered to PWS patients (45 males aged 6 to 58 and 37 females aged 6 to 45. To examine the effects that gender and genotype have on the severity of each symptom, two-way ANOVAs were conducted. Results. Significant interactions were found only in regard to FRPQ scores, such as FRPQ total score (F(1, 78 = 8.43, p<0.01. The FRPQ of male deletion (DEL individuals was higher than that of female DEL and male mUPD. The FRPQ of male maternal uniparental disomy (mUPD was lower than that of female mUPD. Conclusions. In terms of problem behaviors, routines, autistic behaviors, and hyperactivity, no significant differences were found. Food-related behaviors in DEL were more severe in males, although those in mUPD were less severe in males.

Anorexia, bulimia, and the female athlete triad: evaluation and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendelsohn, Felicia A; Warren, Michelle P

2010-03-01

The female athlete triad is an increasingly prevalent condition involving disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. An athlete can suffer from all 3 components of the triad, or just 1 or 2 of the individual conditions. The main element underlying all the aspects of the triad is an adaptation to a negative caloric balance. Screening for these disorders should be an important component of an athlete's care. Prevention and treatment should involve a team approach, including a physician, a nutritionist, and a mental health provider. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Moderating Role of Father's Care on the Onset of Binge Eating Symptoms among Female Late Adolescents with Insecure Attachment

Science.gov (United States)

Pace, Ugo; Cacioppo, Marco; Schimmenti, Adriano

2012-01-01

The present study examined the association between quality of attachment, perception of the father's bond, and binge eating symptoms in a sample of female late adolescents. In total, 233 female students aged between 18 and 20 years completed measures on binge eating, quality of attachment and parent-child relationship. Data showed that respondents…

Self catheterization - female

Science.gov (United States)

... female Images Bladder catheterization, female References Davis JE, Silverman MA. Urologic procedures. In: Roberts JR, ed. Roberts ... provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial ...

History of the Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction(s).

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinplatz, Peggy J

2018-01-22

This article reviews the history of the treatment of women's sexual problems from the Victorian era to the twenty-first century. The contextual nature of determining what constitutes female sexual psychopathology is highlighted. Conceptions of normal sexuality are subject to cultural vagaries, making it difficult to identify female sexual dysfunctions. A survey of the inclusion, removal, and collapsing of women's sexual diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders from 1952 to 2013 illuminates the biases in the various editions. Masters and Johnson's models of sexual response and dysfunction paved the way for the diagnosis and treatment of women's sexual dysfunctions. Their sex therapy paradigm is described. Conceptions of and treatments for anorgasmia, arousal difficulties, vaginismus, dyspareunia, and low desire are reviewed. The medicalization of human sexuality and the splintering of sex therapy are discussed, along with current trends and new directions in sexual health care for women. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology Volume 14 is May 7, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

A grounded theory of female adolescents' dating experiences and factors influencing safety: the dynamics of the Circle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toscano Sharyl E

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper describes the nature and characteristics of the dating relationships of adolescent females, including any of their experiences of abuse. Methods A grounded theory approach was used with 22 theoretically sampled female adolescents ages 15–18. Results Several important themes emerged: Seven stages of dating consistently described the relationships of female adolescents. A circle consisting of two interacting same sex peer groups provided structure for each teen as they navigated the dating course. The circle was the central factor affecting a female adolescent's potential for risk or harm in dating relationships. Teens defined abuse as an act where the intention is to hurt. Having once succumbed to sexual pressure, teens felt unable to refuse sex in subsequent situations. Conclusion An awareness of both the stages of dating and the dynamics of the circle will assist health care providers to plan and implement interventions in the female adolescent population. Study findings on factors and influences that support non-abusive versus abusive relationship might help identify female teens at risk and/or support interventions aimed at preventing dating violence.

Creating a Ninth-Grade Community of Care

Science.gov (United States)

Ellerbrock, Cheryl R.; Kiefer, Sarah M.

2010-01-01

This qualitative case study analyzed how one large high school created a community of care for ninth-grade students. Data were collected during the 2006-2007 school year, including observations, individual interviews, and focus group interviews of 1 female teacher and 9 of her students. Findings suggest the Freshman Focus teachers and program…

Martha Wollstein: A pioneer American female clinician-scientist.

Science.gov (United States)

Abrams, Jeanne; Wright, James R

2018-01-01

Martha Wollstein was not only the first fully specialized pediatric perinatal pathologist practicing exclusively in a North America children's hospital, she also blazed another pathway as a very early pioneer female clinician-scientist. Wollstein provided patient care at Babies Hospital of New York City from 1891 until her retirement in 1935, and also simultaneously worked for many years as a basic scientist at the prestigious Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. Wollstein published over 65 papers, many frequently cited, during her career on a wide range of topics including pediatric and infectious diseases. Wollstein was a rare female in the field of pathology in an era when just a relatively small number of women became doctors in any medical specialty. Wollstein was born into an affluent Jewish American family in New York City in 1868 and graduated from the Women's Medical College in 1889. This paper explores her family support and ethnic and religious background, which helped facilitate her professional success. During her time, she was recognized internationally for her research and was respected for her medical and scientific skills; unfortunately today her important career has been largely forgotten.

The knowledge about cervical cancer among female students of Lublin universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agata Żminda

2017-08-01

The level of knowledge of female students in Lublin about cervical cancer seems to be insufficient. There is a need to educate women in the prevention and diagnosis of this cancer. The most commonly pointed source of knowledge about cervical cancer was the Internet. This makes it possible to improve young women's knowledge by conducting large-scale information campaigns on social networking sites or on websites concerning health. Doctors should pay particular attention to the educational aspect of patient care.

High-Yield HIV Testing, Facilitated Linkage to Care, and Prevention for Female Youth in Kenya (GIRLS Study): Implementation Science Protocol for a Priority Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Inwani, Irene; Chhun, Nok; Agot, Kawango; Cleland, Charles M; Buttolph, Jasmine; Thirumurthy, Harsha; Kurth, Ann E

2017-12-13

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest HIV burden. Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in the age range of 15 to 24 years are twice as likely as their male peers to be infected, making females in sub-Saharan Africa the most at-risk group for HIV infection. It is therefore critical to prioritize access to HIV testing, prevention, and treatment for this vulnerable population. Using an implementation science framework, the purpose of this research protocol was to describe the approaches we propose to optimize engagement of AGYW in both the HIV prevention and care continuum and to determine the recruitment and testing strategies that identify the highest proportion of previously undiagnosed HIV infections. We will compare two seek recruitment strategies, three test strategies, and pilot adaptive linkage to care interventions (sequential multiple assignment randomized trial [SMART] design) among AGYW in the age range of 15 to 24 years in Homa Bay County, western Kenya. AGYW will be recruited in the home or community-based setting and offered three testing options: oral fluid HIV self-testing, staff-aided rapid HIV testing, or referral to a health care facility for standard HIV testing services. Newly diagnosed AGYW with HIV will be enrolled in the SMART trial pilot to determine the most effective way to support initial linkage to care after a positive diagnosis. They will be randomized to standard referral (counseling and a referral note) or standard referral plus SMS text message (short message service, SMS); those not linked to care within 2 weeks will be rerandomized to receive an additional SMS text message or a one-time financial incentive (approximately US $4). We will also evaluate a primary prevention messaging intervention to support identified high-risk HIV-negative AGYW to reduce their HIV risk and adhere to HIV retesting recommendations. We will also conduct analyses to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness of the seek, testing and

Online Female Escort Advertisements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James D. Griffith

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Female escorts represent an occupational group that charges a fee for sex, which can be regarded as an extreme form of short-term mating. The present study examined if the fees charged by escorts are related to traits typically associated with female short-term mate value. A total of 2,925 advertisements for female escorts offering sexual services in the United States were examined, as a customized software program was used to download all the advertisements from an online escort directory. The advertisement content was coded, and relationships between advertised physical characteristics and the hourly rate charged by female escorts were examined. The analyses showed that higher fees were associated with female escorts who advertised a waist-to-hip ratio near 0.7, lower weight and body mass index, younger age, and photographic displays of breast and buttocks nudity. The findings provide evidence that evolutionarily relevant traits associated with female short-term mate value are systematically related to fees charged for sexual services.

[The competence of a female. Battle against the rise of the female dentist].

Science.gov (United States)

Bol, P

1998-11-01

The refusal of the Dutch Dental Society in 1898 to admit three female dentists to their ranks, was the reason for a polemic. Two important male dentists both wrote a pamphlet considering the competence of women for the study and the practice of learned professions like dentistry. Moreover, they deliberated the value of study and practice for both women and society. The authors are strongly influenced by Social Darwinism and their arguments would now be described as male chauvinism. They admit that women could do the job as well as men, if only after a long evolution. But that evolution is not to be welcomed at all: the best attribute of woman (maternal love) would be frustrated and her highest task (child care) would not be fulfilled. Her femininity would disappear and the new 'man-woman' would not be desired by men, which would be detrimental to the institution of marriage. Already now, they argue, marriages are diminishing, lose quality and divorces are on the increase. They know the cause of all evil: feminism and the women's rights movements.

Invocation Receptivity in Female of Rabbit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Fik

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The target of this work was verified effect of transport females in the car for advance state of receptivity in young females broiler rabbits. We used nulliparous females of broiler hybrid HYCOLE (age 4-5 months, weight 3.5-3.8 kg. Experiment was realizated twice. First in half of November (31 females, second in half of February (32 females. Females was layed individually in boxes. After they were transported by car 1 hour (50 km. Before and after experiment we detected state of receptivity in females with coloration of vulva. The state of receptivity was determited from 1 for 4 colour of vulva. ( 1 – anemic coloration of vulva, 2- pink, 3 – red, 4- violet. We detected positive state of transport, on the receptivity. In November before transport was average of receptivity 1.87, after transport 2.25. The state of receptivity will be improve in 12 females (38.71 %. Improve from 1 to 2 was detected in 4 females, from 2 to 3 in 8 females. Improved from 2 to 4 , or from 3 to 4 wasn´t noticed in this group. The state of receptivity wasn´t changed in 19 females (61.29 %. In the state of receptivity 1 stayed 2 females, in the state 2 stayed 15 females, in the state 3 stayed 2 females and in the state 4 wasn´t any female. In February after the end of experiment, state of receptivity was improved with transport in the car from 2.19 to 2.65. The state of receptivity was improved in 13 females  (40.63 %.  Improve from 1 to 2 we detected in 1 female, from 2 to 3 we detected in 8 females, from 2 to 4 we detected in 2 females, from 3 to 4 in 2 females. In 19 females (59.38% we don´t noticed change state of receptivity. In the state of receptivity 1 were 2 females, in 2 were 11 females, in 3 were 5 females, in 4 was 1 female.

An endocrine disrupting chemical changes courtship and parental care in the sand goby

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saaristo, Minna; Craft, John A.; Lehtonen, Kari K.; Lindstroem, Kai

2010-01-01

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a diverse group of compounds that can mimic, block or modulate the synthesis of natural hormones. They are known to cause impairment of reproduction of aquatic organisms at very low concentrations. The aim of this study was to examine how exposure from 10 to 31 days to 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2, 41 ng L -1 ) affects the courtship and parental care behaviour of male sand gobies (Pomatoschistus minutus). The sand goby exhibits a polygynous mating system, where males compete for females and provide paternal care. First, male courtship performance towards a stimulus female was recorded with video camera. Secondly, after the male had received eggs his parental care behaviour was video recorded. In addition to behavioural endpoints, we measured the expression of hepatic vitellogenin (Vtg) and zona radiata protein (Zrp) mRNA, as well as common somatic indices. Our study shows that exposure to EE2 affected male fanning behaviour during both courtship and parental care. Interestingly, small exposed males increased their courtship fanning to similar levels as larger control males. However, during parental care egg fanning was not related to male size, and all exposed males fanned more than control males. The EE2-exposure induced Vtg and Zrp mRNA expression in males and decreased hepatosomatic index (HSI), and increased gonadosomatic index (GSI). Females prefer males that fan more, which will favour the small EDC exposed males. This may lead to mating that favours males that are not strong enough to tend the eggs until they hatch, thus decreasing the reproductive success of individuals.

Antidepressant-Induced Female Sexual Dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenz, Tierney; Rullo, Jordan; Faubion, Stephanie

2016-09-01

Because 1 in 6 women in the United States takes antidepressants and a substantial proportion of patients report some disturbance of sexual function while taking these medications, it is a near certainty that the practicing clinician will need to know how to assess and manage antidepressant-related female sexual dysfunction. Adverse sexual effects can be complex because there are several potentially overlapping etiologies, including sexual dysfunction associated with the underlying mood disorder. As such, careful assessment of sexual function at the premedication visit followed by monitoring at subsequent visits is critical. Treatment of adverse sexual effects can be pharmacological (dose reduction, drug discontinuation or switching, augmentation, or using medications with lower adverse effect profiles), behavioral (exercising before sexual activity, scheduling sexual activity, vibratory stimulation, psychotherapy), complementary and integrative (acupuncture, nutraceuticals), or some combination of these modalities. Copyright © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Female literacy rate is a better predictor of birth rate and infant mortality rate in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suman Saurabh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Educated women are known to take informed reproductive and healthcare decisions. These result in population stabilization and better infant care reflected by lower birth rates and infant mortality rates (IMRs, respectively. Materials and Methods: Our objective was to study the relationship of male and female literacy rates with crude birth rates (CBRs and IMRs of the states and union territories (UTs of India. The data were analyzed using linear regression. CBR and IMR were taken as the dependent variables; while the overall literacy rates, male, and female literacy rates were the independent variables. Results: CBRs were inversely related to literacy rates (slope parameter = -0.402, P < 0.001. On multiple linear regression with male and female literacy rates, a significant inverse relationship emerged between female literacy rate and CBR (slope = -0.363, P < 0.001, while male literacy rate was not significantly related to CBR (P = 0.674. IMR of the states were also inversely related to their literacy rates (slope = -1.254, P < 0.001. Multiple linear regression revealed a significant inverse relationship between IMR and female literacy (slope = -0.816, P = 0.031, whereas male literacy rate was not significantly related (P = 0.630. Conclusion: Female literacy is relatively highly important for both population stabilization and better infant health.

Inequity between male and female coverage in state infertility laws.

Science.gov (United States)

Dupree, James M; Dickey, Ryan M; Lipshultz, Larry I

2016-06-01

To analyze state insurance laws mandating coverage for male factor infertility and identify possible inequities between male and female coverage in state insurance laws. We identified states with laws or codes related to infertility insurance coverage using the National Conference of States Legislatures' and the National Infertility Association's websites. We performed a primary, systematic analysis of the laws or codes to specifically identify coverage for male factor infertility services. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. The presence or absence of language in state insurance laws mandating coverage for male factor infertility care. There are 15 states with laws mandating insurance coverage for female factor infertility. Only eight of those states (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia) have mandates for male factor infertility evaluation or treatment. Insurance coverage for male factor infertility is most specific in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, yet significant differences exist in the male factor policies in all eight states. Three states (Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York) exempt coverage for vasectomy reversal. Despite national recommendations that male and female partners begin infertility evaluations together, only 8 of 15 states with laws mandating infertility coverage include coverage for the male partner. Excluding men from infertility coverage places an undue burden on female partners and risks missing opportunities to diagnose serious male health conditions, correct reversible causes of infertility, and provide cost-effective treatments that can downgrade the intensity of intervention required to achieve a pregnancy. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-care behaviors of Filipino-American adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Deovina N; Jordan, James L

2010-01-01

To examine the diabetes self-care behaviors of Filipino-American (FA) adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The Summary of Diabetes Self Care Activities-Revised and Expanded measure was administered to 192 (74 males and 118 females) FA adult immigrants with type 2 DM. Older FAs (> or =65 years), females, those who were older when they immigrated, and participants diagnosed with type 2 DM longer were more likely to follow recommended medication regimens. Younger FAs (healthful eating plans. Likewise, females reported eating five or more servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily. Moreover, older FAs reported evenly spacing carbohydrate intake everyday. Furthermore, older participants, those with less education, participants who were older when they immigrated, and those older when diagnosed with type 2 DM ate fewer foods high in fats. As to physical activity, FA males and participants with higher education exercised more frequently. Younger FAs were less likely to perform optimum type 2 DM self-care behaviors pertaining to diet, medication taking, and blood glucose testing compared to their older counterparts. This finding suggests an increased risk for type 2 DM comorbidities and/or complications in younger FAs, which may require more intensive treatments in later years. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

FGMReview: design of a knowledge management tool on female genital mutilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Pérez, Guillermo; Turetsky, Risa

2015-11-01

Web-based literature search engines may not be user-friendly for some readers searching for information on female genital mutilation. This is a traditional practice that has no health benefits, and about 140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone it. In 2012, the website FGMReview was created with the aim to offer a user-friendly, accessible, scalable, and innovative knowledge management tool specialized in female genital mutilation. The design of this website was guided by a conceptual model based on the use of benchmarking techniques and requirements engineering, an area of knowledge from the computer informatics field, influenced by the Transcultural Nursing model. The purpose of this article is to describe this conceptual model. Nurses and other health care providers can use this conceptual model to guide their methodological approach to design and launch other eHealth projects. © The Author(s) 2014.

How the media influences women's perceptions of health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahn, C

2001-01-01

To better understand the effectiveness of media sources that marketers use to channel direct-to-consumer (DTC) campaigns to women, researchers devised a study that segmented the female participants according to their degree of involvement in health care decisions, marital status, age, employment, income, and education. The findings show that women in certain population segments reacted far differently to health care information depending on whether it was presented through the Internet, magazines, newspapers, radio, or TV.