Journal of women's health
-
Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Multicenter StudySelf-Reported Sexually Transmitted Infections After Incarceration in Women with or at Risk for HIV in the United States, 2007-2017.
Background: U. S. women who have been incarcerated report high rates of sexual risk behavior and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Materials and Methods: We estimated the effect of incarceration on the time to first incident STI in a multicenter cohort of U. ⋯ The crude incidence of STIs was 3.7 per 100 person-years for incarcerated women and 1.9 per 100 person-years for nonincarcerated women. The weighted hazard ratio for incident STIs was 4.05 (95% confidence interval: 1.61-10.19). Conclusion: Women with or at risk for HIV in the United States who have recently experienced incarceration may be at increased STI risk.
-
Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
ReviewA Closer Look at Women's Health Centers: Historical Lessons and Future Aims.
Women's Health Centers (WHC) have evolved over the last few decades as comprehensive centers for women's health care. This article reviews the history and evaluation of WHC, as well as opportunities for women's health training. Prior studies comparing WHC with traditional primary care and obstetrics/gynecology clinics have found that WHC offer at least similar levels of preventative care, may increase access to care for a more diverse patient population, and improve patient/provider relationship satisfaction. ⋯ WHC can provide comprehensive, convenient, and single-site care for women. The increased opportunities for women's health training through WHC give rise to more representation in leadership and investment in women's health. New research is needed to reassess and further evaluate health outcomes of WHC compared with traditional care models.
-
Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Oral Health Knowledge, Barriers to Dental Care, and Awareness of a Medicaid Pregnancy Dental Coverage Among Reproductive-Age Women.
Objectives: Oral health is an integral part of women's health, yet many women face barriers and go without necessary dental care. The objectives of this study were to (1) examine and compare pregnancy-related oral health knowledge and barriers to dental care access during pregnancy among women with private and public insurance and (2) estimate awareness of available Medicaid pregnancy dental benefit among Medicaid-enrolled women and explore associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to a convenience sample of 21- to 45-year-old women (n = 187) visiting a large urban academic health center in Virginia. ⋯ Benefit awareness was associated with the receipt of health information from a health care source (p = 0.030) and a high oral health knowledge score (p = 0.018). Conclusions: There was a significant gap in dental care use and knowledge between Medicaid-enrolled and private-insured women in our study sample. Targeted programs should be developed to educate women about the importance of oral health and share information about available Medicaid dental coverage to reduce barriers to dental care during pregnancy.
-
Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Assessing Preconception Wellness in the Clinical Setting Using Electronic Health Data.
Background: One key strategy to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality involves optimizing prepregnancy health. Although nine core indicators of preconception wellness (PCW) have been proposed by clinical experts, few studies have attempted to assess the preconception health status of a population using these indicators. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review study of patients who received prenatal or primary care, identified by pregnancy-related ICD-10 codes, at either of two health systems in geographically and socioeconomically different areas of North Carolina between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2018. ⋯ The indicators most likely to be documented and to meet the preconception health goal at each site were avoidance of teratogenic medications (98.8% and 98.3% at Sites 1 and 2, respectively) and entry to care in the first trimester (64.5% and 73.5% at Sites 1 and 2, respectively), whereas our measures of folic acid use, depression screening, and discussion of family planning were documented less than 20% of the time at both sites. Conclusions: Differences in measuring and documenting PCW indicators across the two health systems in our study presented barriers to monitoring and optimizing PCW. Efforts to address health and wellness before pregnancy will likely require health systems and payors to standardize, incorporate, and promote preconception health indicators that can be consistently measured and analyzed across health systems.
-
Journal of women's health · Mar 2022
Drugs and Drug Classes Involved in Overdose Deaths Among Females, United States: 1999-2017.
Background: Drug overdose deaths among U. S. women have risen steadily from 1999 to 2017, especially among certain ages. Various studies report involvement of drugs and drug classes in overdose deaths. ⋯ Two of the top five drug/drug class combinations included benzodiazepines ("natural and semisynthetic opioids"/"benzodiazepines" and "methadone"/"benzodiazepines"). Conclusions: Analyzing trends in drugs and drug classes involved in female drug overdose deaths is a critical foundation for developing gender-responsive public health interventions. Reducing high-risk drug use by improving prescribing practices, preventing drug use initiation, and addressing use of multiple drugs can help prevent overdose deaths.