Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
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Womens Health Issues · Jul 2011
Tailoring VA primary care to women veterans: association with patient-rated quality and satisfaction.
Primary care delivery models tailored to women's needs and preferences are associated with higher quality and satisfaction. Therefore, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommends adoption of designated providers for women in primary care clinics or women's health centers as the optimal models for women's primary care. We assessed women veterans' ratings of their VA health care quality, gender-related satisfaction, gender appropriateness, and VA provider skills in treating women, in relation to primary care model at VA sites nationwide. ⋯ VA sites with primary care models tailored to women were rated higher on most dimensions of care. Facilitating establishment of these optimal care models at other sites is one strategy for improving women veterans' experiences with VA care. Research to identify other features of care associated with quality could inform ongoing VA quality transformation efforts.
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Womens Health Issues · Mar 2011
Applying an expanded social determinant approach to the concept of adherence to treatment: the case of Colombian women living with HIV/AIDS.
The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze social determinants that influence adherence among Colombian women living with HIV/AIDS in poverty conditions. ⋯ These findings underscore the need to understand the social determinants that facilitate and/or hinder adherence among women in poverty-associated conditions. Results indicate the need to facilitate access to treatment on a timely and continual basis; provide economic resources, including support to meet basic needs as well as subsidies for transportation to health care centers; and explore mechanism for supporting the care of their offspring.
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Womens Health Issues · Jan 2011
The burden of illness in the first year home: do male and female VA users differ in health conditions and healthcare utilization.
we sought to describe gender differences in medical and mental health conditions and health care utilization among veterans who used Veterans Health Administration (VA) services in the first year after combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. ⋯ female veterans had similar rates of physical conditions, but higher rates of some mental health disorders and additionally, used the VA for reproductive health needs. They also had slightly greater rates of health care service use. These findings highlight the complexity of female Veteran health care and support the development of enhanced comprehensive women's health services within the VA.
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Womens Health Issues · Jan 2011
ReviewRelevance of gender-sensitive policies and general health indicators to compare the status of South Asian women's health.
despite goals for gender equity in South Asia, the relationship between gender-sensitive policies and the empowerment of women is complex and requires an analysis of how policies align with a broad set of social, cultural, political, and economic indicators that relate to women's health. ⋯ in many cases, the presence of gender-sensitive policies did not reflect the realization of gender equity over a wide range of indicators. Although the economic, political, social, and cultural climates of the five countries may differ, the integration of women's needs into the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of policies is a universal necessity to achieve positive outcomes.