Cognitive Appraisal and Adjustment to InfertilityStanton, Annette
L.; Tennen, Howard; Affleck, Glenn; Mendola, Richard
doi: 10.1300/J013v17n03_01pmid: 1957527
We examine adults' cognitive appraisals of their infertility and how these appraisals relate to each other and to psychological adjustment. In two samples, 76 women and 54 men rated their appraisals of threat, challenge, and control connected with infertility and completed measures of global and infertility-specific distress. Couples appraised their infertility as both harmful and beneficial, and as relatively uncontrollable. Partners did not differ in their appraisals or global distress, although wives reported more infertility-specific distress than their husbands. Women who were more threatened by their infertility were more distressed, as were those who felt less challenged and those who perceived less control over infertility outcomes. Males' appraisals were unrelated to distress, although men whose wives were more challenged by their impaired fertility were less distressed than their counterparts.
Prevalence of Perimentrual Symptoms in Employed WomenLee, Kathryn
A.; Rittenhouse, C.
Amanda
doi: 10.1300/J013v17n03_02pmid: 1957529
The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of perimenstrual symptoms in professionally employed women. Questionnaires were administered to all female nurses working at least 32 hr/wk in 7 different hospitals on the West Coast between October, 1987 and June, 1988. Of the 760 respondents, 594 were currently menstruating and met inclusion criteria. Symptoms frequently experienced by a majority of women included weight gainlswelling, anxiety/tension/irritability, fatigue, cramps, breast pain, mood swings, and food cravings. Symptoms were more prevalent in women under 30 years. Compared to white women, fewer Asians reported cramps and weight gain/swelling. More single women reported food cravings and depression/crying. Parity, cycle regularity, menses duration, and endometriosis were associated with perimenstmal cramps. Fewer women over 30 yrs experienced skin disorders and depression/crying. The only symptom experienced by more than 60% of women in all age groups was weight gain/swelling.
Tensions Between Career and Interpersonal Commitments as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease Among WomenDixon, John
P.; Dixon, Jane
K.; Spinner, Janet
C.
doi: 10.1300/J013v17n03_03pmid: 1957530
For professional women, the tension between the career world and the world of interpersonal commitments to spouses, children and friends is thought to be particularly stressful, and a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The Career-Life Balance Inventory (CLBI) was created to survey a wide variety of these tensions among a group of 202 professional women. In a discriminant analysis, two scales from the CLBI (Career-Sacrifices and Interpersonal Sacrifices) appeared to play an important role in distinguishing those women experiencing serious cardiovascular disease. This model for the discrimination of cardiovascular disease was significant to the .01 level. This result suggests the need for more refined study of the tensions between career and interpersonal commitments, as these may relate to risk for cardiovascular disease.
Breast Self-Examination and Mammography Among University Staff and FacultyHailey, B.
Jo; Bradford, Amy
C.
doi: 10.1300/J013v17n03_04pmid: 1957531
Women faculty and staff (N = 201) answered a series of questions about breast self-examination (BSE) and mammography. Although all subjects indicated familiarity with BSE, and two-thirds of them knew it should be practiced monthly, only 31% actually did so. Women who learned BSE from physicians or other health professionals reported more frequent BSE than those who learned from other sources. About one-third of respondents indicated that they would like to learn more about BSE; women health professionals were the most preferred learning source. Respondents indicated that they fail to do BSE because they do not remember to do it and reported that reminders would increase their likelihood of compliance. Of subjects age 40 and older, about four-fifths had had a mammogram. Those who had not had one reported that the cost of mammography was a significant barrier for them. These results are discussed and recommendations for practice and for future research are made.
The Psychological Background of Pregnancy OutcomeWestlander, Gunnela
doi: 10.1300/J013v17n03_05pmid: 1957532
This paper concentrates on the scientific attempts to find psychological interpretations of pregnancy outcome. The author presents a critical discussion of the literature based on an extensive evaluation undertaken during 1988. The aim of the analysis was to clarify the state-of-the-art and choices of methodologies in studies exploring and identifying the nonmedical factors behind pregnan outcome. Three distinctive psychology based approaches an founy which are based on personality theory, psychosocial theory and lifeevent theory. These bases argue for very different causal contexts of pregnancy outcome and are, therefore, according to the author's view, very important to recognize, articularly when it comes to occupational health research on wor environment and pregnancy outcome.
Differences in Leading Causes of Death, Hospitalization and General Practice Visits Among Dutch Women and Menvan der Waals, Fransje
W.
doi: 10.1300/J013v17n03_06pmid: 1957528
Mortality differences between Dutch women and men were compared to differences in hospitalization and general practitioner visits. Ranks for the top fifteen diagnoses per sex as well as absolute and relative (to total of sex-specific diagnoses per group) sex ratio's were computed for the age groups 15-44 years, 45-64 years and over 65 years. To enhance comparability all procreative and contraceptive management data were excluded. Twice as many men compared to women die in all. age groups, resulting in a surviving excess of women in the oldest age group (male/female ratio: 0.67). As expected from these mortality figures relatively more men than women are hospitalized, in particular in the oldest age group, 26.4 versus 19.5/100,000 (relative malelfemale ratio: 1.35). In a study population of twelve general practices, representative of the total Dutch population, more women sought medical care from the general practitioner than men and the individual women visited the general practitioner more frequently than men, resulting in a relative male/female ratio of 0.6 for general practice visits. Men visit the general practitioner for diseases for which they are also hospitalized and also often die from. Women visit the generalpractitioner for a wide range of ailments only in part representative of diseases for which they are hospitalized or die from. During aging, women-tend to visit primary health care facilities more frequently for chronic, non-fatal disease, which can be explained partly by the absolute longer lifespan of women than men.