Search

The article presents a report showcasing that Telemedicine for medication abortion could greatly improve accessibility to rural women and expand abortion accessibility to reproductive aged women. It mentions that how Covid-19 pandemic has shifted a lot of healthcare to telemedicine direct-to-patient services.

Socioeconomic status (SES) was a crucial influencing factor of household air pollution (HAP). However, few studies have explored the potential effect modification of SES on the associations of HAP with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and glucose homeostasis. A total of 20900 participants were obtained from the Henan Rural Cohort. HAP reflected by cooking fuel type and cooking duration was assessed via questionnaire. SES was evaluated by two dimensions: educational level and average monthly income. Associations of cooking fuel type, cooking duration with T2DM and glucose homeostasis indices (insulin, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and HOMA- β) were assessed by the generalized linear model. Analyses were also conducted in different SES groups to explore the potential effect modification. Significant negative association of cooking fuel type and cooking duration with T2DM, FPG, and HOMA- β was not observed. However, cooking with solid fuel and long-duration cooking were associated with decreased insulin level in women, and the adjusted coefficients were − 0.35 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): − 0.53, − 0.17) and − 0.36 (95% CI: −0.50, −0.21), respectively. Results from stratified analyses showed that these associations were more prominent in women with low average monthly income, with corresponding coefficient of − 0.57 (95% CI: −0.77, −0.37) for cooking with solid fuel and − 0.34 (95% CI: −0.52, −0.16) for long-duration cooking. Among women with low average monthly income, the largest decreased insulin level was observed in those who cooked with solid fuel, long-duration and poor kitchen ventilation, while the negative association of cooking fuel type and cooking duration with insulin level was slightly alleviated in the good kitchen ventilation group. Low average monthly income aggravated the negative association of HAP and insulin level among rural women, while improving kitchen ventilation may be a practical intervention. The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 06 July, 2015. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj= 11375. [Display omitted] • Cooking with solid fuel and long-duration was associated with insulin level. • Low average monthly income aggravated the association of HAP and decreased insulin. • Kitchen ventilation slightly offset the association of HAP and decreased insulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Heart Disease (HD) remains the leading cause of mortality among women. Improvement of outcomes for morbidity and mortality in females with HD has not occurred at the same rate as in males. Rural populations often have more barriers to seeking timely intervention than their urban counterparts. Purpose: To test the efficacy of using acronyms to educate rural women on female MI and prodromal symptoms as well as the appropriate response to these symptoms and to assess if knowledge gained was sustained for a 2-month period of time. Method: A quasi-experimental design with two groups with site randomization of educational intervention with N = 137 rural women (RUCC codes of 5 or higher). Factor analysis, validity and reliability testing for the 23 item Matters of Your Heart Scale (v. 2) are discussed. Findings: Comparing the two educational formats of acronym vs. no acronym showed no statistically significant difference on the Knowledge score t = .26, df = 134, p = .80 by group. Similar non-significant findings occurred for the major subscales. Some demographic groups did achieve significantly higher scores on the MOYH v. 2. A multiple regression indicated that the final model explained 90% of the variance in the dependent variable of Knowledge of female MI symptoms including the appropriate response to those symptoms (R² = .90, adj R², se = 1.65). Conclusions: Educating rural women to recognize gender specific heart attacks symptoms, possible warning symptoms, and the need to respond appropriately is an area where rural nurses can make a difference whether or not an acronym educational approach is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saúde e Sociedade is the property of Universidade de Sao Paulo, Faculdade de Saude Publica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to characterize nursing care provided by the research nurses from the Baby Behavioral Educational Enhancement of Pregnancy (Baby BEEP) study as they delivered a telephone social support intervention to low-income, pregnant women in the Midwestern United States. Study Design and Methods: This was a descriptive qualitative study that used Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations to frame and interpret the analysis. Results: Research nurses from the Baby BEEP study found a novel way to reach a vulnerable population through weekly telephone interactions. Acting in several of Peplau's nursing roles, the care they provided led to a remarkable retention rate and therapeutic nurse-patient relationships. The Baby BEEP study demonstrated the provision of a well-received psychosocial support intervention that can be used to help underserved women throughout pregnancy. Clinical Implications: Telenursing care provided to low-income, rural women was well received and reflected the principles in Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations. Nurses may use this type of nursing care to support women who are difficult to reach and typically experience low levels of support. This article describes the nursing care provided by the Baby BEEP nurses and provides a model for future, novel approaches to social support in a vulnerable and difficult- to-reach population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a doctoral research project of the Graduate Nursing Program of the University of Brasilia. Aims: To identify rural women's perceptions of experiences of violence in marital relationships, their experiences of abortion and access to health services. Method: This is a transversal and exploratory social research project based on Feminist Bioethics theory. Data were collected in two phases: phase I - at the Daisies' March, which occurred in 2011; phase II - at meetings with leaders of the National Rural Women Workers Confederation - CONTAG. We have used a self-administered instrument specially developed for this study, which contained questions validated in other studies. Results: This is an ongoing research. The participants include 800 women from phase I and 130 women from phase II. The results of this study will provide the basis for the development of a monitoring system with the aim of establishing equality and social justice among rural women workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Obesity is a multivariate syndrome which can negatively affect whole body functioning. It is most common in highly developed countries, and in recent years a progressive increase in obesity occurrence is noticeable. The aim of the study was to assess serum lipid profile and metabolic syndrome occurrence among obese rural women from Lublin Region in Eastern Poland. The study was conducted in the Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin (LAM). All subjects had a negative history of diseases and treatment that could affect serum lipid profile or glucose measurements. The inclusion criterion for the study group was overweight and obesity, defined as a body mass index above 25 (BMI>25) and living in a rural area. 44 women participated in the study. There were no women fulfilling the criteria or who had a history of incorrect fasting glucose (IFG) or incorrect glucose tolerance (IGT). In contrast, the prevalence of arterial hypertension (or treatment) was high - 53%. 22.7% women had normal serum IC values. The proportion of those with hyper-LDL-C was 38.6% and with hyper-IG - 18.2%. 20.5% of studied women had incorrect serum HDL-C levels, and in 15.9% hypo- HDL-C was accompanied by high serum IC levels. Analysis of correlation showed that serum IC was positively correlated with both LDL- and HDL- C. 55% of the studied obese or overweight women had at least 2 additional components of the metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity rates in rural women are very low. The purpose of this study was to explore the determinants of physical activity in rural women aged 20 to 44 years. A survey was used to collect data on a cluster sample of 184 participants. This study was guided by Self-Determination Theory. Survey data suggest that the highest type of motivation was identified regulation, and husband's support had the strongest effect on physical activity. Findings suggest that a history of sports participation can lead to the formation of intrinsic motivation. The results will assist in developing effective physical activity interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to determine which characteristics the student population, especially student rural population, perceives as typical of women and men entrepreneurs, respectively, their grouping into latent factors, and the identification of possible differences in attitudes of respondents with regard to their demographic variables. Methodology: An indicative survey was conducted on a sample of 1,157 respondents of the student population in Croatia by a questionnaire as a research tool. Descriptive statistical data analysis, inferential statistics, simple analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and exploratory factor analysis were used in the research. Results: The results show that there are differences in attitudes towards the characteristics of women entrepreneurs and men entrepreneurs, with particular emphasis on differences in the perception of women's entrepreneurship in rural areas. Conclusion: Positive trends in thinking about women's entrepreneurship in rural areas are very interesting and promising, which may eventually result in a reduction in the women's unemployment rate in rural areas and in valuing women as capable entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual victimization is associated with risky sexual behaviors. Limited research has examined mechanisms via which victimization affects risk behaviors, particularly following different types of sexual victimization. This study examined self-worth as a mediator of the relationship between sexual victimization history: contact childhood sexual abuse (CSA), completed rape in adolescence/adulthood (adolescent/adulthood sexual assault [ASA]), and combined CSA/ASA, and two sexual risk behaviors: past year partners and one-time encounters. Participants were diverse (57.9% African American), low-income women recruited from an OB-GYN waiting room (n = 646). Women with a history of sexual victimization, 29.8% (n = 186) reported lower self-worth, t(586) = 5.26, p < .001, and more partners, t(612) = 2.45, p < .01, than nonvictims. Self-worth was a significant mediator only among women with combined CSA/ASA histories in both risk behavior models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent and disabling condition, specially in rural areas, due to the economic, social and environmental determinants that impact health and disability in these regions. Furthermore, in terms of accessibility to services, rural areas are at a disadvantage in comparison with urban areas, where accessing services beyond the basics is within reach. Due to barriers associated with isolation, residents in rural areas face greater difficulties in having an appointment with healthcare professionals and even the recognition of the need to seek this care, due to the long-standing consequences of the diagnosis. Exercise and education programs represent core interventions for the management of knee OA and digital technologies have been used to disseminate these programs, with favorable outcomes. Nevertheless, individuals that live in rural areas may have difficulty in accessing these kinds of programs, which can increase segregation and inequity in healthcare. Sou+ aims to create a solution that engages patients, social entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, health institutions and the community in the mission of successful implementation of an innovative program for patients with knee osteoarthritis in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality in natural resource management is a matter of sustainability and democracy for Sweden's government, however the country's forest remains a highly gender-segregated sector. We examine how gender inequality is problematized within Swedish forest and rural policy documents using the What's the problem represented to be? (WPR) approach. We build on previous efforts to investigate gender inequality in the forest sector by expanding the critical analysis to rural development policy. We conduct interviews with forest experts, owners, and practitioners to shed light on where there are gaps within the policy representations and uncover alternative policy options that are presented. Our findings corroborate that gender inequality is represented to be a technical problem, with policy measures aiming to increase the number of women within a forest sector that continues to maintain rigid conceptions about forestry production values. While there are claims of success in the increase of women within the sector in aggregate, there is little change in the numbers of women in decision-making positions. Forest policy relies upon women to bring growth and sustainability to the forest industry, while rural policy expects women to halt rural population decline. Our findings suggest that merely trying to fit more women into a mold that has been shaped for and by inflexible forestry and masculine values is an impediment not only to gender equality but also to the inclusion of other social groups and ideas in the changing rural landscapes of Sweden. • Forest policy equates gender equality with technical metrics of female representation. • Women are expected to spur the forest industry's profitability and sustainability, but not in decision-making. • Women are welcome in the forest sector as long as they do not challenge existing values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; however, women and rural residents face notable health disparities compared with male and urban counterparts. Community-engaged programs hold promise to help address disparities through health behavior change and maintenance, the latter of which is critical to achieving clinical improvements and public health impact.Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial of Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities-2.0 conducted in medically underserved rural communities examined health outcomes and maintenance among women aged ≥40 years, who had a body mass index >30 or body mass index 25 to 30 and also sedentary. The multilevel intervention provided 24 weeks of twice-weekly classes with strength training, aerobic exercise, and skill-based nutrition education (individual and social levels), and civic engagement components related to healthy food and physical activity environments (community, environment, and policy levels). The primary outcome was change in weight; additional clinical and functional fitness measures were secondary outcomes. Mixed linear models were used to compare between-group changes at intervention end (24 weeks); subgroup analyses among women aged ≥60 years were also conducted. Following a 24-week no-contact period, data were collected among intervention participants only to evaluate maintenance.Results: Five communities were randomized to the intervention and 6 to the control (87 and 95 women, respectively). Significant improvements were observed for intervention versus controls in body weight (mean difference: -3.15 kg [95% CI, -4.98 to -1.32]; P=0.008) and several secondary clinical (eg, waist circumference: -3.02 cm [-5.31 to -0.73], P=0.010; systolic blood pressure: -6.64 mmHg [-12.67 to -0.62], P=0.031; percent body fat: -2.32% [-3.40 to -1.24]; P<0.001) and functional fitness outcomes; results were similar for women aged ≥60 years. The within-group analysis strongly suggests maintenance or further improvement in outcomes at 48 weeks.Conclusions: This cardiovascular disease prevention intervention demonstrated significant, clinically meaningful improvements and maintenance among rural, at-risk older women.Registration: URL: https://www.Clinicaltrials: gov; Unique identifier: NCT03059472. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ager: Journal of Depopulation & Rural Development Studies / Revista de Estudios sobre Despoblación y Desarrollo Rural is the property of Rolde de Estudios Aragoneses and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: A recent American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) consensus statement on levels of maternity care lays out designations that correspond to specific capacities available in facilities that provide obstetric care. Pregnant women in rural and remote areas receive particular attention in discussions of regionalization and levels of care, owing to the challenges in assuring local access to high-acuity services when necessary. Currently, approximately half a million rural women give birth each year in US hospitals, and whether and which of these women give birth locally is crucial for successfully operationalizing maternal levels of care.Objective: We sought to characterize rural women who give birth in nonlocal hospitals and measure local hospital characteristics and maternal diagnoses present at childbirth that are associated with nonlocal childbirth.Study Design: This was a repeat cross-sectional analysis of administrative hospital discharge data for all births to rural women in 9 states in 2010 and 2012. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to predict the odds of childbirth in a nonlocal hospital (at least 30 road miles from the patient's residence). We examined patient age, race/ethnicity, payer, rurality, clinical diagnoses (diabetes, hypertension, hemorrhage during pregnancy, placental abnormalities, malpresentation, multiple gestation, preterm delivery, prior cesarean delivery, and a composite of diagnoses that may require MFM consultation), as well as local hospital characteristics (birth volume, neonatal care level, ownership, accreditation, and system affiliation).Results: The rate of nonlocal childbirth among 216,076 rural women was 25.4%. It varied significantly by primary payer (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-0.86 for Medicaid vs private insurance) and by clinical conditions including multiple gestation (AOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.58-2.1), preterm deliveries (AOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 2.17-2.67), and conditions that may require MFM services or consultation (AOR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.22-1.35). Rural women whose local hospital did not have a neonatal intensive or intermediate care unit had nearly double the odds of giving birth at a nonlocal hospital (AOR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.64-2.31).Conclusion: Approximately 75% of rural women gave birth at local hospitals; rural women with preterm births and clinical complications, as well as those without local access to higher-acuity neonatal care, were more likely to give birth in nonlocal hospitals. However, after controlling for clinical complications, rural Medicaid beneficiaries were less likely to give birth at nonlocal hospitals, implying a potential access challenge for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Following the well-established literature on women’s fear in urban contexts, a small but important literature has also begun to document accounts of boldness, fearlessness and empowerment. We extend this work by considering ways in which women live with, and beyond, experiences of fear. We argue that fear and fearlessness are not discrete and separate states, but rather they are often simultaneous conditions that women negotiate in complex ways. Moving away from a sense of victims and passivity, we suggest that women have spatial and social strategies that can be adopted when they face fear or take up forms of action that might be termed ‘bold’ or ‘courageous’. Consequently, this work draws on Koskela’s [Gender, Place and Culture 4 (1997) 301] previous discussion of ‘bold women’ in Finland to develop a notion of agency and highlight strategies that some rural women adopt in New Zealand. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rural, older adults experience marked disparity in access to quality health care when compared to their urban counterparts. One aspect of promoting health access to these individuals that has received little attention is rural cultural competence. Semi-structured interviews and review of cultural artifacts informed this case study of a rural, community-dwelling, 83 year old woman who is co-managing her chronic disease with the formal healthcare system. The purpose of the study was to situate the life story of one rural, elderly woman within the context of the rural culture that she has experienced, and, through the application of Bonder, Martin, and Miracle's (2002) Culture Emergent Theory, illuminated the theoretical and practical aspects of how dynamic culture influences health care practices and nurse-client encounters. Recommendations discussed include individual and system level strategies for developing cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, methods for participating in cultural encounters, and considerations for growing cultural desire. These strategies are considered imperative for the promotion of culturally competent rural nursing, nursing education, and rural patient advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture & Food is the property of Research Committee on Sociology of Agriculture & Food and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sociological research informs us that urban areas are more likely than rural areas to witness the blight of violent crime. This likelihood is borne out by crime statistics that show that violent crime is much lower in rural areas. However, violence against women within families does not seem to follow this pattern. Using an ethnostatistical approach that combines ethnography and more traditional statistical methods, we report on 510 woman-to-woman interviews with urban and rural battered women and include a selection of qualitative findings. In interpreting and explaining our statistical findings, we reinvoke the ethnographic work from which die survey derived and conclude that the forms and levels of woman battering vary link between rural and urban areas. Our research therefore empirically highlights the much neglected problem of rural woman battering. We also explore the social forces and cultural meanings that appear to influence the parity in forms and levels of woman battering in rural and urban communities. In particular we focus on rural and urban forms of patriarchy and their relationship to Durkheimian notions of the rural collective conscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rural cardiovascular outcomes research is scant, and attention must be focused on evidenced-based interventions to better inform policy for population-based care and distribution of rural healthcare resources. Objective: This review explores the current state of clinical trial cardiovascular literature with samples that included rural women and men. Methods: A systematic review was conducted of cardiovascular disease research from 2010 through 2022. The search included PubMed, Medline, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature through EbscoHost databases, as well as a hand search of rural specific journals. Search terms included cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and rural. The final review included 25 cardiovascular research articles. Results: Synthesis by modifiable risk factors, cardiovascular outcomes, general findings, and social determinates of health are presented. Anthropomorphic measures and biomarkers were provided in 11 studies. Data on hospitalizations, admissions, emergency department use, length of stay, and hospital protocols were analyzed in nine studies. Mortality rates were analyzed in six of the 25 studies. Modifiable risk factors synthesis indicates mixed findings in the research. A previously unreported finding was that all but five articles reported sample recruitment entirely from a rural place. Conclusions: Research involving rural communities is essential to understanding the unique characteristics of rural populations that influence their cardiovascular health and mortality risk. Exploration of the social determinants of health that increase cardiovascular disease risk is necessary to inform policy driving public health interventions that aim to reduce health disparities in rural populations. The findings update the evidence-base available for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sharp fertility decline in rural Iran asks. How, in an international context of isolation, great prevalence of religion, rural populations have reduced their fertility? To answer this, the question of the women's status is posed: Does there has been greater equality between the sexes? Is the fertility decline occurred as the gender imbalance still prevails? we will study those questions through three dimensions of women status: education, work and within the family, the entry into married life and contraceptive use. Based on census and surveys data the study will be focused on rural society, where changes have been most spectacular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During COVID-19 pandemic, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test surveillance of pregnant women visiting antenatal care (ANC) clinics was used to estimate participation of pregnant women in HIV testing. Socio-demographic recording of HIV patients was conducted to gain a better knowledge of the disease profile, and to aid into the development of more effective HIV prevention and care strategies. Demographic studies of pregnant women who test positive for HIV can serve as proxies for targeted HIV interventions in a wider community as well as mother-to-child transmission prevention. Material and methods: A total of 607 pregnant women, aged 15-49 years, who first visited ANC clinic during a period of January-March 2020 were enrolled. Samples were gathered for three months, or until target sample size was met. Chi-square test was performed to determine various age factors. Link between demographic characteristics and risk of HIV infection was determined using logistic regression approach with SPSS version 26.0. Results: Overall, no demographic variables were found to be substantially associated with HIV prevalence. However, research on demographic characteristics, history of HIV testing, and COVID-19 pandemic revealed that the most conducted tests were among young, less educated, primigravida, and rural women with poor socio-economic status. Conclusions: There is a relationship between parity, employment status, education level, and age and HIV testing among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Evidence on rural-urban differences in adult mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited and mixed. We examined the size of and factors contributing to rural-urban life expectancy differences among adults in Indonesia, the third most populous LMIC.Methods: Data come from the 2000, 2007, and 2014/2015 waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey, a population-representative longitudinal study with mortality follow-up. We used Poisson regression and life tables to estimate rural-urban differences in life expectancy among 18,867 adult respondents ≥30 years. We then used a novel g-formula-based decomposition to quantify the contribution of rural-urban differences in blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), and smoking to life expectancy differences.Results: Compared with urban adults, life expectancy at age 30 was 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.4, 3.9) years higher for rural men and 1.2 (95% CI = -0.4, 2.7) years higher for rural women. Setting the BMI and systolic BP distribution equal in urban and rural adults reduced the urban mortality penalty by 22% for men and 78% for women, with the majority of this reduction coming from the contribution of rural-urban differences in BMI. Smoking did not contribute to the urban mortality penalty for either men or women.Conclusions: Adult life expectancy is lower in urban than in rural areas in Indonesia and we estimate that this difference is partly related to differences in BMI and systolic BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saúde e Sociedade is the property of Universidade de Sao Paulo, Faculdade de Saude Publica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: If clinicians and researchers are aware of specific cardiovascular risks associated with women's rural status, whether it be large or small/isolated rural areas, it may help in developing more relevant rural resources. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there were differences in modifiable cardiovascular risk factors of overweight and obese rural women living in large or small/isolated rural areas. Sample: This secondary analysis examined baseline cross-sectional data from the "Web-based Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Intervention for Older Rural Women" clinical trial. Analysis included data from 299 rural Midwestern women, ages 40-69 years with a baseline body mass index of 28-45 kg/m², who provided rural classification data and were randomized into groups. Methods: Demographic and biomarker baseline data were used. Chi-square and independent t- tests were used for data analyses. Findings: There are no significant differences found in overweight and obese women with cardiovascular risk factors when compared to rural classification, with one exception. Total cholesterol was associated with rural classification (p=0.047), where women living in large rural areas were more likely to have elevated total cholesterol levels (240 mg/dL) compared to women living in small/isolated areas (18.5% vs. 10.0%, respectively). Demographic characteristics such as age and education demonstrated no significant differences by rural classification; however, the majority of women in this study were of high socioeconomic status. Conclusions: Although this secondary analysis found that rural women have similar cardiovascular risk factors and demographic characteristics, this study highlights the need for clinicians to carefully consider the rural community characteristics for primary prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grandmothers provide more childcare for their daughters' children than for those of their sons, almost everywhere. Exceptions occur where virilocal (patrilocal) postmarital residence makes the children of sons more accessible, but even under virilocality, preferential care of daughters' children, net of the effects of proximity, is often demonstrable. A unique counter-example has been reported by Pashos (2000, Evolution & Human Behavior , 21 , 97–109) who found that rural Greek grandmothers cared more for their sons' children even when effects of proximity were controlled; however, this result was based on an analysis in which everything from living in the same household to living in nearby villages was treated as equally close. Here, we present new analyses that replicate Pashos's result, based on a large European survey with a finer differentiation of residential proximity. In interviews conducted in 2004–2007, rural, but not urban, Greek women indeed reported more care of sons' than of daughters' children, net of the effects of proximity and other variables, This rural reversal of the usual uterine (matrilateral) bias was not observed elsewhere in Europe. Greeks were not surveyed again until 2015, whereupon the pattern had disappeared, with rural women now exhibiting a strong uterine bias in grandchild childcare. It seems likely that the financial crisis of 2008–2009, which hit Greece especially hard, played some role in this dramatic change, but it cannot readily be traced to increases in either unemployment or multigenerational households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To discuss findings from research in Ontario, Canada, that addresses the following objectives: 1) identify organizational attributes and local and provincial health policies that enable or impede the work of Ontario public health nurses to improve rural women's health, and 2) critically examine roles, job descriptions, and practices of Ontario PHNs that will improve rural women's health. Sample: 20 frontline PHNs and 14 supervisors and managers in three Ontario public health units that serve people who live in rural locations. Method: Six focus group interviews were conducted with PHNs and PHN managers in three rural Ontario public health units. Study participants were asked to describe policies and practices that guided their practice regarding rural women's health, identify organizational attributes that enable or impede public health nursing practice regarding rural women's health, and indicate roles and practices for PHNs to improve rural women's health. Findings: 1) Policies address rural women's health and rural public health minimally or not at all, 2) PHN practice is primarily focused on child bearing women and children to the exclusion of other populations of rural women such as seniors, 3) PHNs work through and around policies to address rural women's health more effectively, and 4) institutional, government, community, professional, and personal factors play significant roles in shaping public health nursing practice and policy regarding rural women's health. Conclusions: This research facilitates understanding regarding policies, contexts, and values that shape rural PHN practice, and provides evidence for policies and practices that enhance and support public health nursing for more effective promotion of rural women's health. Clearly, more investigation is needed; this research forms the basis for ongoing inquiry in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Investigacion en Enfermeria: Imagen y Desarrollo is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND Scientists disagree on whether prenatal malnutrition has long-term influences on women's reproductive function, and empirical evidence of such long-term effects remains limited and inconsistent. METHODS Using the retrospective pregnancy history of 12,567 Chinese women collected in a nationally representative sample survey in 2001, this study conducted difference-indifferences analyses to investigate the relationship between prenatal exposure to the 1959-1961 Great Leap Forward Famine in China and the subsequent risk of involuntary foetal loss, including miscarriage and stillbirth, and how this relationship changes between the rural and urban populations. RESULTS Prenatal exposure to the Great Leap Forward Famine had no long-term effect on women's risk of miscarriage. Such an exposure increased the risk of stillbirth among urban women but not among rural women. CONCLUSIONS The results support the foetal origins hypothesis. The significant urban-rural difference in the effect of prenatal famine exposure on stillbirth suggests the presence of a long-term negative foetal origins effect and a strong selection effect caused by famine-induced population attrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of stress, social support, and marital satisfaction between married immigrant women living in urban areas and women living in rural areas to identify ways to improve their mental health. Methods: Two hundred married immigrant women were recruited from multicultural family-support centers located in Daejeon City and Chungcheong Province. From July, 2009 to January, 2010, data were collected using self- administered questionnaire. Study instruments were scales for acculturative stress, housewives life stress, support from spouse, and marital satisfaction. Results: Urban married immigrant women had lower levels of acculturative stress and higher levels of support from spouse and more positive marital satisfaction compared to rural women. Both groups reported similar levels of stress in life as a housewife. Factors influencing marital satisfaction in both group were lower levels of acculturative and housewives life stress, higher levels of support from spouse, and living with parents-in-law. Conclusion: Rural married immigrant women may have more problems in adjusting to Korean culture and marriage compared to urban women. Therefore, to improve the physical and psychological wellbeing and marital adjustment of married immigrant women, development of nursing strategies according to area of residence is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the psychological aspects of Swedish midwifery in the late 19th century in order to examine the state of academic medicine in Sweden's rural areas, especially the Sundsvall region. More specifically, the author explains the ways in which trained midwives worked to gain the trust of rural women, who were largely resistant to modern scientific medicine. Public health legislation enacted by the Swedish government promoting the use of midwives and other medical practitioners is analyzed. The economic conditions of farmers and laborers from different villages are detailed in order to explain the salaries received by midwives. The author also notes a decrease in infant mortality due to improved midwife training methods.

In the context of a society structured, in part, on unequal relations of gender, we present in this paper, a case of what we term 'gender-nuanced' behaviour characterised by gender relations of relative equality between rural women and men in the Fancy community of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is a relationship in which men treat their women as equals and unconditionally support their women's efforts at personal advancement and community development. Specifically, we speak to the way in which men support their women's thrust towards broadening their knowledge through enhancing their access to information via the use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs), the potential of which has significant implications for technology enabled. Open and Distance Learning (ODL). This is an interesting situation precisely because feminists, community development workers and women's activists all indicate that in situations where women pursue an interest which is not related to their domestic life and which have the potential to erode unequal power relations, they often meet with strong resistance from their men. This is not the case in Fancy where the Women and Development Unit (WAND), University of the West Indies, has been involved in community development activity since 1997. Its Distance Education Centre could draw on this experience to further innovate their ODL programmes. In Fancy, a socially cohesive society where there is little gendered division of labour, women and men find strength in each other as they work towards a common goal, that of improving the lives of their family and the condition of their community. This can be extended to their education too, with the backing of ICTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis and osteoarthrosis are the most common diseases of bone tissue affecting both rural and urban populations. The aim of the study was to investigate the level of education and requirement for health promotion within the scope of common diseases of the skeletal system among rural population in Poland. This was an exploratory study with a cross-sectional design performed between May 2004- September 2005 in rural areas of 16 Voivodeships (main provinces) of Poland. The study population comprised of 404 (62.9%) rural women and 238 (37.1%) rural men (total 642). All subjects were randomly sampled and recruited by personal contact in primary health care centres. Study data were obtained using a specially prepared questionnaire. The most commonly reported diseases were: arterial hypertension (26.1%), joint degenerative disease (24.6%) and osteoarthritis (14.7%). The occurrence of osteoarthritis and joint degenerative disease increased with age and was highest in the group aged over 50 (21% and 38.7% respectively). Osteoarthitis was more frequent in women compared to men (16% and 12.2% respectively). In most cases, the basic information about methods of prevention and treatment given by a General Practitioner or a specialist was characterized as "satisfactory" (73.6% and 62.9% respectively). The most popular prophylactic action performed in local communities was bone densitometry (14.1%), and the most important source of knowledge - TV and radio (65%). Populations living in rural areas have limited access to health education and health prophylaxis actions, irrespective of the geographical region of Poland. Inhabitants with secondary or higher education, as well as those with a higher household income, have better knowledge about skeletal system diseases compared to those with a lower educational level. The practical implications of this study suggest the necessity for paying more attention to etiology, symptoms and methods of prevention and treatment of bone diseases when attending to patients in specialist practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because the global disease burden of cervical cancer is greatest in Africa, the World Health Organization has endorsed visual inspection with acetic acid screening with cryotherapy triage for the screen-and-treat approach. With the lowest doctor-to-patient ratio worldwide (1:50,000), Tanzania has nearly 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer and 7000 deaths annually.Objective: We report on the feasibility of visual inspection with acetic acid in the severely resource-limited Mwanza district and on the impact of intervening education on baseline human papillomavirus and cervical cancer knowledge.Study Design: Two 5-day free visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) clinics in urban Buzuruga and rural Sangabuye on the shores of Lake Victoria were approved by our university institutional review board and local Tanzanian health authorities. Participants completed a demographic survey and a 6-question (1 point per question) multiple choice test written in Kiswahili to assess baseline knowledge. A 15-minute educational video in Kiswahili (MedicalAidFilms: Understanding screening, treatment, and prevention of cervical cancer) was followed by repeated assessment using the same test, visual inspection with acetic acid screening, and optional HIV testing. Pre- and postvideo scores and change of score were analyzed via t test, analysis of variance, and multivariate regression. Significance was considered at P<.05.Results: From July 2, 2018 to July 6, 2018, 825 women were screened, and 207 women (25.1%) were VIA positive (VIA+). One hundred forty-seven VIA+ nonpregnant women received same-day cryotherapy. Seven hundred sixty women participated in an educational intervention-61.6% of whom were from an urban site and 38.2% from a rural site. The mean age was 36.4 (standard deviation, 11.1). Primary languages were Kiswahili (62.2%) and Kisukuma (30.6%). Literacy was approximately 73%, and average education level was equivalent to the seventh grade (United States). Less than 20% of urban and rural women reported access to healthcare providers. Mean score of the participants before watching the video was 2.22 (standard deviation, 1.76) and was not different between VIA+ and VIA negative groups. Mean score of the participants after watching the video was 3.86 (standard deviation, 1.78). Postvideo scores significantly improved regardless of age group, clinic site, primary language, education level, literacy, or access to healthcare provider (P<.0001). Change of score after watching the video was significantly greater in participants from urban areas (1.99±2.07) than in those from rural areas (1.07±1.95) (P<.0001). Multivariate analysis identified urban site as an independent factor in change of score (P=.0211).Conclusion: Visual inspection with acetic acid screening for cervical cancer is feasible and accepted in northern Tanzania. Short video-based educational intervention improved baseline knowledge on the consequences of human papillomavirus infection in the studied populations. The impact was greater in the urban setting than in the rural setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]