Search

There is limited information on alcohol problem drinking, which has been associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, among female bar/hotel workers in Africa. This paper aimed to identify the individual- and facility-level determinants of alcohol problem drinking in this setting. Problem drinking was defined based on the CAGE alcohol screening scale. Multi-level logistic regression was used to identify individual- and facility-level factors associated with problem drinking. About 37.3% of women ( N = 1629) were classified as having probable or definite problem drinking. In multi-level analysis, main characteristics associated with problem drinking included: having 3-4 partners in the past 5 years compared to having 1-2, used a condom in the last sex comparing to non-use, history of transactional sex, having more pregnancies, and facilities whose employees do not live on the premises. Interventions which combine alcohol and sexual risk reduction counseling are urgently needed in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the 1994 UN International Conference on Population and Development, there was a shift in emphasis on women's reproductive health and there emerged a need for more knowledge about levels and differentials of infertility. Using the data from the 1988 National Two-Per-Thousand Sample Survey on Fertility and Contraception, this paper estimated the prevalence of primary infertility in China. To determine the predictors of primary infertility, multiple logistic regression analyses were done on three minority province/autonomous regions where primary infertility was the highest. A non-contracepting, sexually active woman was considered to have primary infertility if she had not reported a recognized pregnancy after at least seven years of marriage. The analysis shows that the national level of primary infertility was relatively low (1.3%). Primary infertility was higher in Qinghai (2.3%), Tibet (3.7%) and Xinjiang (3.7%) compared with other provinces. Tibetans in Qinghai and Uygurs in Xinjiang had a higher level of primary infertility than the Han Chinese. Ethnic differences remained after adjusting for other background characteristics. Divorced and remarried women had significantly higher odds of primary infertility compared with first-married women in Qinghai and Xinjiang. The elevated level of primary infertility in Qinghai, Tibet and Xinjiang and its disproportionate prevalence among Tibetans and Uygurs highlight the need for further work to understand the causes and social consequences of infertility for the minority population in China. [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]

A higher risk of reproductive system disorders, (which include benign tumors, endometriosis, dilation and curettage, hysterectomy and other disorders requiring gynecologic biopsies) exist among women with cutaneous melanoma as compared to women with skin cancers: The odds ratio (OR) is 3.2, 95% confidence limits (1.0, 10.1), p = 0.049; as compared to a random sample of women with no melanoma or skin cancers, the OR is 3.9, 95% confidence limits (1.2, 12.4), p = 0.021. Confirming the observations of others, the authors found that melanoma was associated with red hair. The data also confirmed the finding that melanoma is associated with significantly fewer pregnancies. The mean numbers of pregnancies in the melanoma group is 1.83 ± 1.6 (mean and standard deviation) compared to 2.99 ± 1.9 in the skin cancer group and 2.93 ± 1.9 in the random sample (p ≤ 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data routinely collected by nursing homes were used to examine the relationship between hip fracture and reproductive history as reflected by total number of living children. Recently interest has centered on exogenous estrogens and their effect on fractures in post-menopausal women; little attention has been given to endogenous factors. Among ever married women 65 years of age and older, a statistically significant inverse relationship between number of living children and the diagnosis of hip fracture was found. Among those of high parity (4 or more living children) the risk of hip fracture is 8% compared with 16% among those with 0 to 3 living children. The relative odds are 2.08 with 95% confidence interval (1.12, 3.84). These preliminary results using nursing home data have encouraged us to pursue the investigation of reproductive characteristics and their relation to fractures in post-menopausal women, using more refined measures than total number of living children, as well as taking into account possibly confounding factors such as race, weight, diet, smoking, activity level and use of exogenous estrogens. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Patterns of utilization and effects of participation in Overeaters Anonymous (OA) in 40 individuals meeting DSM-III criteria for bulimia are described. All were abstinent from compulsive overeating for a mean of 3 years, with 21 (52.5%) initiating sustained abstinence within the first month of membership. Most attended meetings 5 times per week and called their sponsors daily, and 25 (62.5%) were in psychotherapy concurrently. The authors describe the nature and philosophy of OA and discuss factors which might explain the symptomatic control achieved by this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study that compares the occurrence of breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive system in former college athletes and nonathletes. Topics include precollege athletic training, cancers of reproductive system and association of the characteristics of the former athletes with a lower risk of sex hormone-sensitive cancers.

More than 700,000 refugees from Southeast Asia have settled in the United States since 1975. Although many have suffered serious trauma, including torture, few clinical reports have described their trauma-related symptoms and psychosocial problems. The authors conducted a treatment study of 52 patients in a clinic for Indochinese. They found that these patients were a highly traumatized group; each had experienced a mean of 10 traumatic events and two torture experiences. Many of the patients had concurrent diagnoses of major affective disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder as well as medical and social disabilities associated with their history of trauma. The authors also found that Cambodian women without spouses demonstrated more serious psychiatric and social impairments than all other Indochinese patient groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States is accepting the largest number of displaced persons since World War II. Over 70% are Southeast Asians; many have suffered serious war trauma and torture. Cultural differences in health-seeking behavior and lack of specialized mental health services make the recognition of psychiatric distress in Southeast Asian refugees difficult for American health care providers. The authors describe the development and validation of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese versions of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25. This brief, simple, and reliable instrument is well received by refugee patients, offers an effective screening method for the psychiatric symptoms of anxiety and depression, and is especially helpful for evaluating trauma victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Overweight, weight cycling, and obesity are major health risks with psychological effects that should not be overlooked by mental health professionals. METHOD: This article examines behavioral and other factors associated with weight, weight changes, and obesity in 3940 college-educated women, using data from responses to self-administered mailed questionnaires received from fall 1996 to winter 1997. RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 53.6 years, SD = 12.2. Body mass indexes, prevalence of obesity, and behavioral practices were more favorable than those of women in the general U.S. population. The mean body mass index of the sample was 23.3; median, 22.5; 6.5% were obese, 5% currently smoked, and 68% exercised regularly. Over the past 10 years, 31% maintained the same weight, 11% lost weight, 48% gained weight, and 10% gained and lost weight. Women who both gained and lost weight were more likely to report physician-diagnosed depression, alcoholism, and/or drug dependencies compared to women in the other 3 categories; the multivariable odds ratios are 1.48 (95% CI = 1.07, 2.05) versus those who maintained their weight, 1.38 (95% CI = 1.06, 1.80) versus those who gained weight, and 1.53 (95% CI = 1.06, 2.21) versus those who lost weight. Those who both lost and gained weight were also more likely to report having to forgo mental health care for financial reasons; the respective multivariable odds ratios versus those who maintained their weight, gained weight, and lost weight are 2.01 (95% CI = 1.28, 3.16), 2.21 (95% CI = 1.52, 3.22), and 2.19 (95% CI = 1.23, 3.89). CONCLUSION: These findings affirm the view that mental health care deserves attention in the treatment of patients with problems with weight changes and weight control.

A growing body of evidence indicates that physical activity is protective against breast cancer. In 1996-97, we conducted a 15-year follow-up of 5398 college alumnae comprised of former college athletes with their non-athletic classmates. Participants completed a detailed mailed questionnaire on their health history from 1981-82 to the present. Excluding women who had died and non-deliverable questionnaires, 84.7% (n = 3940) of the participants in our earlier study responded to the questionnaire; the response rate for former athletes was 86.6% (n = 1945), for non-athletes, 83.0% (n = 1995). Results confirmed our earlier findings. Based on self-reports, former college athletes had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer than the non-athletes. The OR for the 15-year incidence of breast cancer is 0.605 with 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.438-0.835); the 15-year incident breast cancers were 64 among the athletes and 111 among the non-athletes. Among women under 45 the protective effect of physical activity on the risk of breast cancer is considerably greater; odds ratio (OR) = 0.164, 95% CI (0.042-0.636). Athletic activity during the college and pre-college years is protective against breast cancer throughout the life span, and more markedly among women under 45. These results confirm our earlier findings and the findings of other investigators.