Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2020
Observational StudyThe Humanistic and Economic Impact of Vaginal Dryness in Premenopausal, Perimenopausal, and Postmenopausal Women.
Background: Vaginal dryness is a highly prevalent condition. Much of previous research has focused on postmenopausal women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of vaginal dryness on a predominantly premenopausal sample of women. Methods: The study was conducted online. ⋯ Of those women in employment (n = 369), 16.5% (SD: 24.3%) of their working hours were lost due to vaginal dryness; work impairment level was 34.4% (SD: 31.8%). The average lost weekly wage was £67.82 (SD: £130.88). The estimated average loss to employers was £82.56 (SD: £109.38) with a total weekly loss of £31,622. Conclusions: This study has shown the significant impact vaginal dryness has on premenopausal and postmenopausal women in terms of quality of life and economic burden, as well as the potential cost of this condition to society.
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Background: Hemorrhoids are a common anal disorder and are more frequent in women than in men. Urinary incontinence (UI) also occurs more frequently in women than in men. Although both diseases share similar risk factors, research on the association between the two diseases is lacking. ⋯ The prevalence of UI was significantly high in the hemorrhoid group, regardless of whether it was self-reported or diagnosed by a physician. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between the prevalence of UI and hemorrhoids, both of which were found to peak at 19-39 years of age. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that hemorrhoids are significantly correlated with UI in adult Korean women. When treating adult women with hemorrhoids, it is, therefore, necessary to consider other pelvic floor diseases such as UI.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2020
Lack of Gender Disparity Among Administrative Leaders of Canadian Health Authorities.
Background: Gender distribution within the managing bodies of the Canadian health authorities has not been studied despite their integral role in the health care system. The purpose of this study is to quantify gender differences and to craft a geographic gender analysis of such distribution. Methods: Retrospective data collection of all Canadian health authorities at the provincial, territorial, regional, and first nations levels was conducted. The dependent variable was gender, and other covariates, where applicable, included province/territory, region, leadership position, education (PhD or Master's), honorary degree, and primary occupation. ⋯ Thematic distribution showed no significant difference in the gender distribution by provinces/territories (chi square = 14.248; p = 0.28), by leadership position (chi square = 1.88; p = 0.75), by education (chi square = 1.85; p = 0.17), or by primary occupation (chi square = 1.53; p = 0.46). Conclusion: The overall number of females exceeded that of males and there were no gender disparities. Critical analysis of probable causes was discussed. Further studies should be conducted to examine the policies and programs within the Canadian health authorities that successfully tackle the retention, recruitment, and promotion of females.
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2020
Application of the Principles of Biomedical Ethics to the Labor and Delivery Unit During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
After its identification as a human pathogen in 2019, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has spread rapidly around the world. Health care workers worldwide have had the task of preparing and responding to the pandemic with little evolving data or guidelines. ⋯ We also considered the downstream effect of our decisions in labor and delivery on other disciplines of medicine, including pediatrics, anesthesiology, and critical care. This article focuses on how these prima facie principles helped guide our recommendations in this unprecedented time.