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Background: A vast literature has associated height with numerous factors, including biological, psychological, socioeconomic, anthropologic, genetic, environmental, and ecologic, among others. The aim of this study is to examine, among U.S. women, height factors focusing on health, income, education, occupation, social activities, religiosity and subjective well-being., Methods/findings: Data are from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study. Participants are 93,676 relatively healthy women ages 49-79; 83% of whom are White, 17% Non-White. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square and multivariable covariance analyses. The mean height of the total sample is 63.67 inches. White women are significantly taller than Non-White women, mean heights 63.68 vs. 63.63 inches (p= 0.0333). Among both Non-White and White women height is associated with social behavior, i.e. attendance at clubs/lodges/groups. Women who reported attendance 'once a week or more often' were taller than those who reported 'none' and 'once to 3 times a month'. Means in inches are respectively for: White women-63.73 vs. 63.67 and 63.73 vs. 63.67, p = 0.0027. p = 0.0298; Non-White women: 63.77 vs. 63.61 and 63.77 vs. 63.60, p = 0.0050, P = 0.0094. In both White and Non-White women, income, education and subjective well-being were not associated with height. However, other factors differed by race/ethnicity. Taller White women hold or have held managerial/professional jobs-yes vs. no-63.70 vs. 63.66 inches; P = 0.036; and given 'a little' strength and comfort from religion' compared to 'none' and 'a great deal', 63.73 vs. 63.66 P = 0.0418 and 63.73 vs. 63.67, P = 0.0130. Taller Non-White women had better health-excellent or very good vs. good, fair or poor-63.70 vs. 63.59, P = 0.0116., Conclusions: Further research in diverse populations is suggested by the new findings: being taller is associated with social activities -frequent attendance clubs/lodges/groups", and with 'a little' vs. 'none' or 'great deal' of strength and comfort from religion.

Objective: Diabetes has been increasing in incidence and prevalence in the United States. Physical activity and exercise have been shown to lower the risk of noninsulin-dependent diabetes (NIDD), and family history and genetic factors are associated with both insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD) (type 1) and NIDD. The objective of this paper is to examine risk factors for diabetes in female college graduates as part of a study designed to determine the long-term health of former college athletes compared with nonathletes. The study was first conducted in 1981-1982, and a follow-up study was conducted in 1996-1997., Methods: The subjects for this paper are 3940 college alumnae (1945 former athletes and 1995 nonathletes), who participated in the follow-up study by responding to a self-administered questionnaire on medical history, health, family history, and behavioral practices., Results: About 1.3% of the women reported physician-diagnosed diabetes, 0.9% of the former athletes, and 1.7% of the nonathletes. Former athletes had a significantly lower risk of NIDD, with an age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.41, 95% confidence level (CL) 0.2, 0.9. IDD was associated with a history of paternal diabetes (OR = 4.7, 95% CL 1.5, 14.9) and also with a history of diabetes in siblings (OR = 6.7, 95% CL 1.5, 30.1). NIDD was associated with a history of maternal diabetes (OR = 8.0, 95% CL 3.6, 17.8). Behavioral factors showed no association with IDD but were inversely associated with NIDD. The OR for being an athlete was 0.4, 95% CL 0.2, 0.9; for current regular exercise, OR = 0.4, 95% CL 0.2, 0.9; low body mass index (BMI) compared to high BMI, OR = 0.2, 95% CL 0.05, 0.60., Conclusions: The findings that IDD is associated with paternal diabetes and that NIDD may be maternally transmitted are not widely known, although the mode of transmission of diabetes is receiving increasing attention in the medical and genetic literature. This study confirms that modifiable behavioral practices, such as physical activity and weight control (i.e., optimal BMI), reduce the risk of NIDD.

In 1981-1982 we first studied the long-term health of women college graduates, college athletes, and a comparison group of nonathletes; the women's average age was 39 years. In a 15-year follow-up we investigated changes in health, behavioral practices, and mortality. Smoking was a highly significant risk factor for mortality: The hazard ratio was 2.2. Other behavioral risk factors were ever-smoking and not currently engaging in regular exercise. Behavioral practices that include not smoking, doing regular exercise, and consuming moderate amounts of alcohol may lead to lower mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper examines health perception as an outcome in relation to physician-diagnosed illnesses, vitality, mental health and well-being, physical activities, and social and behavioral factors among women, ages late 30's to 80 and older, whose responses were obtained in non-medical settings.Subjects and Methods: 3940 college alumnae responded to a self-administered mailed questionnaire, which covered personal and behavioral factors; physical activity; diet; medical history; mental health; physical limitations, and health perception.Results: The prevalence of medical diagnoses, physical limitations, and health rating (good, fair, poor vs. excellent, very good) increased by age. Measures of low vitality and psychological distress varied by age, but not linearly. Stress declined dramatically by age. Irrespective of age, vitality and psychological distress were important predictors of health rating. The multivariate odds ratios (ORs) were, respectively, OR: 3.3, 95% CI (2.6, 4.1), and OR: 1.6, 95% CI (1.3, 2.0). Other predictors of health rating included physical limitations and medical diagnoses of breast and reproductive cancers, respiratory conditions, and chronic back problems.Conclusion: For women across the age span, who rated their health and health-related quality of life in a non-medical setting, having low vitality was a major factor in predicting their perceived health, even when adjusting for medical conditions and physical limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to bring attention to the epidemic proportions and the burden of disease from the overlapping health and social problems of violence, psychiatric or psychological distress, and substance abuse. Research is needed to prevent, alleviate, and treat these global problems, particularly for women because, although these problems affect the entire population, there are more problems for women. An overview from diverse national and international literature on the three areas is presented. Among health care professionals--physicians, nurses, and others--there is a great need for increased awareness of the problems and culturally sensitive research to understand better the interrelations among violence and anger and mental disorders and substance abuse, not only in high-risk subgroups of the population such as inner-city youths, but also among women and others in the general population globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the problematic effects of tubal sterilization is menstrual changes or disorders, although the results of studies in this area have been inconsistent and inconclusive. Recently, there has been growing evidence that tubal sterilization protects against ovarian cancer, possibly through physiological transformations that result in ovarian dysfunction and decline. This report explores the possibility that the biological mechanism of ovarian dysfunction and decline may affect the menstrual and menopausal changes that result from hormonal imbalances. Using data from a homogeneous population of college alumnae assessed for health status, athletic history, and lifestyle characteristics, we focused on a premenopausal subgroup of women in the age range of 40-44 years and with at least one pregnancy. Multivariate analyses were performed to compare sterilized women (n = 56/516, 11%) in this subgroup with nonsterilized women (89%). The two groups were alike in mean age, mean parity, body mass index, smoking history, physical activity levels, and athletic status. Factors that significantly distinguished sterilized women from nonsterilized women were perimenopausal symptoms, such as flushing, sweating, breast pain, vaginal dryness, and pain associated with menstrual cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the frequency of reproductive system diseases and disorders among 206 female patients with dysplastic nevi (DN), and/or melanoma, in comparison with random samples of women of comparable age without melanoma. The highest odds ratio (OR) for these age-related diseases and reproductive disorders occurs among the youngest age group of the patients with DN alone (mean age 35.1 ± 1.2 yr): 44.2% of the DN subjects had one or more reproductive disorders compared with 19.8% of the random sample (OR 3.2, 95% CL (1.6, 6.5), P < 0.001). The patients with melanoma and DN (mean age 41.5 ± 1.4 yr) also had a significantly greater Percentage of subjects with one or more reproductive disorders, though less so than the DN subjects: 49.4% compared to 33.7% (OR 1.9, 95% CL (1.1, 3.3), P = 0.02). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]