Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2025
Breastfeeding Among First-Time Mothers Reporting Housing Insecurity and Food Insecurity.
Background: Despite health benefits to both infants and mothers, many are not breastfeeding as recommended by national guidelines. Prior studies examining the effects of housing insecurity and food insecurity on breastfeeding intention and duration have been limited and yielded mixed findings. Methods: To assess the relationship among housing insecurity, food insecurity, and breastfeeding, we conducted a secondary analysis of a cohort of nulliparous U. ⋯ In both bivariate and multivariable models, housing insecurity was significantly associated with cessation of breastfeeding before 12 months. Food insecurity was not significantly associated with breastfeeding duration or exclusivity. Conclusions: Housing insecurity is associated with and may adversely impact infant feeding, highlighting the need for screening and accessible and affordable family housing, with further investment in food assistance programs such as WIC.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2025
The Association of Menopausal Age with Sex Hormones and Anthropometric Measures Among Postmenopausal Women in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Study.
Introduction: We investigated associations of menopausal age category with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, and waist-height ratio. We also explored the moderating effect of anthropometric measures on associations of menopausal age category with prespecified sex hormones: estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), sex hormone-binding globulin, bioavailable testosterone, and total testosterone-estradiol (T/E) ratio. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included 2,436 postmenopausal women from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis who had menopausal age, anthropometric, and sex hormone data at baseline. ⋯ When compared with the referent category, T/E ratio was 21% (4.72 - 39.8%) higher among women with late menopause while DHEA levels were 9% (1 - 16%) higher among women who experienced menopause between 45 and 49 years in multivariable adjusted models. Conclusion: Women with late menopause had higher abdominal adiposity but not generalized adiposity when compared with those who experienced menopause between 50 and 54 years of age. Androgenicity was higher among women who experienced menopause between 45 and 49 years of age and those with late menopause, based on DHEA and T/E ratios, respectively.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2025
Health Care Utilization Among Post-Stroke Women: Associations with Perceived Racism.
Purpose: Post-stroke health care is crucial for recovery and preventing complications. This study explored the association between perceived racism and health care utilization among post-stroke women, highlighting the disparate utilization patterns of marginalized racial/ethnic women. Methods: The 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey was used to characterize health care utilization among women with stroke diagnoses across different racial groups: White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Asian, Islander, Alaska Native/Other/Multiracial. ⋯ Black women were less likely to have a routine checkup (OR = 0.51, CI = 0.14, 0.77), but those receiving similar or better treatment had higher odds (OR = 2.72, CI = 1.64, 11.63). Women from other racial/ethnic groups, Black, and Hispanic women had lower odds of having a personal provider (ORs ranging from 0.17 to 0.69), though those receiving similar or better treatment had higher odds (ORs ranging from 1.79 to 3.39). Conclusions: Perceived differences in treatment in the medical sector among marginalized post-stroke women were significantly associated with lower health care utilization.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2025
Intent to Leave Associated More Strongly with Workplace Belonging Than Leadership Behaviors of Supervisor in Women Health Care Professionals.
Background: The attrition of health care professionals from institutions has historically been high, with reports of higher rates in women than men. High attrition jeopardizes the institution's financial stability, quality of patient care, and scholarly contributions to advancing health care. The disproportionate loss of women reduces the diversity of perspectives and skills needed to meet patient needs. ⋯ In the regression analysis, lower ITL was associated strongly with more frequent experiences of institutional culture supporting workplace belonging, modestly with more favorable perceptions of supervisor's leadership behaviors, and not with frequency of experiences of interpersonal relationships supporting workplace belonging. Conclusions: An institutional culture that supports workplace belonging is particularly important for reducing attrition risk in health care professionals. For health care institutions seeking to improve retention of its professionals and women in particular, our findings point to investing in a culture of workplace belonging that involves a diverse workforce, an environment in which its professionals feel heard, supported, and empowered and are provided strong career advancement opportunities.