Women & Health

Duvall, Jamieson L.; Oser, Carrie B.; Mooney, Jenny; Staton-Tindall, Michele; Havens, Jennifer R.; Leukefeld, Carl G.

doi: 10.1080/03630242.2012.750260pmid: 23421336

Although negative racial stereotypes may affect the mental and physical health of African Americans, little research has examined the influence of positive or complimentary racial stereotypes on such outcomes. More specifically, this study explored the relationship between African American women's endorsement of complimentary stereotypes about their sexuality and attitudes/behaviors that have been associated with sexual risk. Data were gathered from 206 African American women as part of the Black Women in the Study of Epidemics project. Multivariate regression models were used to examine associations between women's endorsement of complimentary stereotypes about their sexuality and selected sex-related attitudes and behaviors. Participants' endorsement of complimentary sexual stereotypes was significantly positively associated with beliefs that having sex without protection would strengthen their relationship (B = .28, SE = .10, p < .01) and that they could use drugs and always make healthy choices about using protection (B = .31, SE = .09, p < .01). Significant positive associations were also found between complimentary sexual stereotypes and the number of casual sexual partners women reported in the past year (B = .29, SE = .15, p = .05) as well as their willingness to have sex in exchange for money or drugs during that time (B = .78, OR = 2.18, p < .05). These findings suggest that endorsement of complimentary sexual stereotypes by African American women can lead to increased risk behavior, particularly relating to possible infection with HIV or other sexually transmitted infections.

Wang, Lee; Liao, Wen-Chun; Tsai, Chung-Jung; Wang, Li-Rong; Mao, I-Fang; Chen, Chun-Chieh; Kao, Pan-Fu; Yao, Chung-Chin

doi: 10.1080/03630242.2012.732680pmid: 23421337

Researchers conducted a study in a Taiwanese medical center from June 2009 to June 2011 to investigate the relations of perceived stress and lifestyle to breast cancer. A total of 157 cases and 314 controls completed a structured questionnaire. Using multiple logistic regression models, high perceived stress (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10–2.47), less than 1,000 kcal of physical activity expenditure per week (AOR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.39–3.39), and high intake of fried and stir-fried food (AOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.24–2.77) were positively associated with breast cancer. Breast cancer was related to joint interactions between high perceived stress and alcohol intake of 11.0 g or more per day (AOR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.23–6.86), smoking at least one cigarette per day (AOR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.16–5.47), intake of less than 100 ml of green tea per day (AOR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.40–4.38), physical activity of less than 1,000 kcal per week (AOR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.77–6.36), high fried and stir-fried food intake (AOR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.79–5.63), and high meat and seafood intake (AOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.09–3.27). Perceived stress, when combined with potentially risky lifestyle behaviors, may be a contributing factor to breast cancer.

Austin, Erika Laine

doi: 10.1080/03630242.2012.743497pmid: 23421338

Concerns regarding sexual orientation disclosure to health care providers have been suggested as a barrier to care which may account for documented differences in the health care utilization of lesbians relative to heterosexual women. This study explored the correlates of sexual orientation disclosure to health care providers among 934 lesbian women living in urban and non-urban areas of the South. Psychosocial resources, such as self-esteem, social support, and mastery, along with several lesbian-specific experiences (proportion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender friends, access to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender community, degree of being “out”), were all independently associated with greater likelihood of having disclosed to a health care provider. Internalized homophobia and lesbian-related stigma decreased the likelihood of disclosure. Lesbians living in non-urban areas were significantly less likely to have disclosed than women in urban areas, suggesting that disclosure may present a special concern for populations in non-urban areas.

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

doi: 10.1080/03630242.2012.739271pmid: 23421339

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.

Razurel, Chantal; Kaiser, Barbara; Sellenet, Catherine; Epiney, Manuela

doi: 10.1080/03630242.2012.732681pmid: 23421340

The objective of this work was to review published articles on the impact of perinatal stress on mothers' medium- or long-term psychological health and the efficacy of coping strategies, to determine if social support plays a role in the interaction between birth events and mothers' psychological experiences, and to identify the tools used for these measurements. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases were searched for English and French language articles from 2000 through 2010 inclusive. Thirty-seven articles fulfilled the selection criteria. The results of this review highlight an association between perceived stress and postpartum depressive symptoms. However, because perceived stress has been evaluated in a general manner, it was not possible to identify events having more or less relation to postpartum depressive symptoms in mothers. Social support also appeared to be related to mothers' psychological health. Coping strategies were difficult to analyze because of the lack of homogeneity in their definition across studies. The comparison among studies of social support and coping strategies was also difficult due to the diversity of tools used and their lack of specificity. New tools should be specifically developed for the perinatal period, and further research should be performed to understand better the events and adequacy of social support.

Khalil, Joanna; Afifi, Rima; Fouad, Fouad M.; Hammal, Fadi; Jarallah, Yara; Mohamed, Mostafa; Nakkash, Rima

doi: 10.1080/03630242.2012.753978pmid: 23421341

The prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking is increasing worldwide, despite evidence indicating its adverse health effects. Women and young people seem more likely to be choosing waterpipe tobacco smoking over cigarettes. The objective of this qualitative study was to understand better whether and why waterpipe smoking is a more acceptable form of tobacco use than cigarettes for women in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and to understand whether the strategies used by multi-national corporations to attract women to cigarette smoking were perceived to be relevant in the context of waterpipe tobacco use. Focus groups (n = 81) and in-depth interviews (n = 38) were conducted with adults in Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. Discussions were thematically analyzed and recurrent themes identified. One of the themes which emerged was the negative image of women smoking waterpipes. Moreover, the sexual allure conveyed through waterpipe smoking as well as waterpipe tobacco smoking as a symbol of emancipation was illustrated. The latter was mainly expressed in Lebanon, in contrast with Egypt where traditional gender roles depict women smoking waterpipes as disrespectful to society. Understanding the social aspects of waterpipe tobacco smoking is crucial to planning future interventions to control waterpipe tobacco smoking among women and in society at large.