Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2014
Exploring sex and gender differences in sleep health: a Society for Women's Health Research Report.
Previous attempts have been made to address sleep disorders in women; however, significant knowledge gaps in research and a lack of awareness among the research community continue to exist. There is a great need for scientists and clinicians to consider sex and gender differences in their sleep research to account for the unique biology of women. To understand the role of sex differences in sleep and the state of women's sleep health research, the Society for Women's Health Research convened an interdisciplinary expert panel of well-established sleep researchers and clinicians for a roundtable meeting. ⋯ Differences in sleep behavior and sleep disorders may not only be driven by biological factors but also by gender differences in the way women and men report symptoms. Progress has been made in identifying sex and gender differences in many areas of sleep, but major research gaps in the areas of epidemiology, sleep regulation, sleep quality, diagnosis, and treatment need to be addressed. Identifying the underlying nature of sex and gender differences in sleep research has potential to accelerate improved care for both men and women facilitating better diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately prevention of sleep disorders and related comorbid conditions.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2014
ReviewOsteoporosis prevention, screening, and treatment: a review.
Osteoporosis, defined as low bone mass leading to increased fracture risk, is a major health problem that affects approximately 10 million Americans. The aging U. S. population is predicted to contribute to as much as a 50% increase in prevalence by 2025. ⋯ Moreover, optimization of bone health throughout life can help prevent osteoporosis. Current guidelines recommend screening women by age 65 years, but because no guidelines for screening intervals exist, decisions are made on the basis of clinical judgment alone. Although the recent literature provides some guidance, this review further explores current recommendations in light of newer evidence to provide more clarity on prevention, screening, and management strategies for patients with osteoporosis in the primary care setting.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2014
Gender differences in awareness and outcomes during acute traumatic brain injury recovery.
Recent literature on traumatic brain injury (TBI), though mixed when reporting outcomes, seems collectively to suggest possible gender advantage for women in postinjury recovery, especially in executive functions. Hormonal neuroprotection, through female reproductive hormones, is often proposed as an underlying factor in these results. We explored potential gender differences in an aspect of executive functions, self-awareness (SA), which is often impaired after TBI, limits patient effort in critical rehabilitation, and increases caregiver burden. ⋯ Mixed findings in this study mirror the pattern of results that dominate the published literature on gender and TBI. Gender differences in executive dysfunction may not be as large or robust as some researchers argue. In addition, complex interplays of socialization, gender-role expectations, naturally occurring male and female ability differences, and differences in access to postinjury rehabilitation are understudied potential moderators.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2014
Association of serum vitamin D with symptoms of depression and anxiety in early pregnancy.
Abstract Objective: To evaluate associations between early pregnancy 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and antepartum depression and anxiety symptoms and potential modifiers thereof. ⋯ Our study provides modest evidence for inverse cross-sectional associations of early pregnancy maternal vitamin D concentrations with antepartum depression symptoms. We also observed that these associations may be modified by physical activity.
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Journal of women's health · Jul 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialThe influence of oral contraceptive knowledge on oral contraceptive continuation among young women.
Using a multidimensional approach, we assessed young women's knowledge of oral contraceptives (OC) and its influence on OC continuation rates. ⋯ OC knowledge, which was low among young women in our study, was associated with OC continuation and common reasons for discontinuation. Continued efforts to characterize relationships between OC knowledge and behavior and to test the effectiveness of different components of interventions aimed at increasing knowledge, addressing side effects, and improving use of OCs are warranted.