Chen Juhua. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-133). / Abstract --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter One: --- Background and Literature Review / Chapter Part One: --- Population at Risk --- p.3 / Chapter Part Two: --- Review of Physiology of the Menopause --- p.5 / Chapter Part Three: --- Review of the Definition of Terms --- p.7 / Chapter Part Four: --- Significance of Menopausal Age --- p.8 / Chapter Part Five: --- Symptoms Associated with the Menopause --- p.11 / Chapter Part Six: --- Disturbance in Sexuality --- p.13 / Chapter Part Seven: --- Implication on the Health Status --- p.14 / Chapter Part Eight: --- Contraception for Perimenopausal Women --- p.18 / Chapter Part Nine: --- Significance and Objectives of This Study --- p.22 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- Methodology / Chapter Part One: --- Method of Data Collection --- p.23 / Chapter Part Two: --- Method of Data Analyses --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter Three: --- Results / Chapter Part One: --- Sociodemographic Characteristic --- p.36 / Chapter Part Two: --- Age at Natural Menopause --- p.38 / Chapter Part Three: --- Symptoms Associated with the Menopause --- p.41 / Chapter Part Four: --- Disturbance in Sexuality --- p.51 / Chapter Part Five: --- Illness Results from the Menopause --- p.60 / Chapter Part Six: --- Contraceptive Status --- p.66 / Chapter Chapter Four: --- Discussion / Chapter Part One: --- Age at Natural Menopause --- p.74 / Chapter Part Two: --- Symptoms Associated with the Menopause --- p.78 / Chapter Part Three: --- Disturbance in Sexuality --- p.82 / Chapter Part Four: --- Illness Results from Menopausal Transition --- p.86 / Chapter Part Five: --- Contraception for Perimenopausal Women --- p.91 / Conclusion --- p.99 / Implication and Recommendation --- p.100 / Limitation --- p.102 / Appendix --- p.105 / Reference --- p.114

Thesis advisor: Richard McGowan / This paper addresses the disparities in the quality of women’s health across the United States in order to determine which factors are causing these disparities and what policies and actions can be taken to improve the quality of women’s health. In order to construct a comprehensive measure of women’s health quality, a model based on Morgan and Morgan (2010) is used to assign each state an individual quality rating. Regression analysis points to a wide range of factors as being statistically significant in determining the quality of a woman’s health in America. The data suggests that exercise rates, preventive screenings, primary care coverage, the level of emotional support, and regular oral care positively influence the level of health. Factors such as the caesarian section delivery rate, the uninsured rate, unemployment rate, and pollution levels are shown to negatively influence overall health. Concrete policies and actions can be taken to positively alter the statistically significant factors. It is my hope that this paper contributes to the field of women’s health and to the work that aims to improve the quality of women’s health in the United States. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program. / Discipline: Economics.

archives@tulane.edu / Drawing on a set of examples from the media giant Globo, this dissertation analyzes how Brazilian telenovelas and miniseries have dramatized women’s health concerns over the past thirty years. It argues that despite their overtly progressive social merchandising (public service) messages, these novelas often transmit contradictory ideas about women and fail to adequately address structural inequalities within Brazilian society, thereby reinforcing and perpetuating existing social norms and hierarchies that are detrimental to women’s health. Examining five melodramas that have been acclaimed and studied for their treatment of women’s health issues, and analyzing a conflicting set of representations of women—as mother, sexual object, fighter, victim—through the lens of feminist film theory, this work explores how health messages are diluted by visual patterns that over-sexualize women’s bodies and by the romanticization of socio-economic factors. Globo’s telenovelas lack diverse representations of women and their lived experiences on screen. Success of female characters in overcoming health obstacles within the plots of the telenovelas in question is determined by two factors only: individual economic ascension, and an adherence to traditional gender roles. This simplified formula for the attainment of good health largely places the onus on individual women for improving their personal health outcomes, disregarding socio-economic realities and disguising underlying social values communicated by the television network that reinforce health inequities. Closely examining the model of corporate responsibility assumed by Globo, which uses merchandising social to “educate” consumers about social issues through mainstream entertainment, this work challenges the consensus that social messages about women’s health delivered by the network are as progressive as they seem. / 1 / M. Stramel

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [152]-166).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-140).

The origins of the recent interest in gender and mental health are discussed, and in this context the controversy over the meaning of the apparent higher incidence of mental illness in women is examined. Several approaches are distinguished in the current investigation into the differential incidence of mental illness, both between and within the sex groups. Work reviewed here includes attempts to establish links between the mental health of women and: their reproductive system; their gender roles; and the ways that they structure and define their identities. The community studies reported here are part of the latter inquiry, and specifically address the way that women's mental health may be affected by the extent to which they define themselves in terms of gender stereotypes. Some insights are gained into the processes which mediate the relationship between femininity, masculinity, and mental health. However, only equivocal support was found for the advantages of an androgynous self-definition. Furthermore, for these women their femininity was a more important predictor of their mental health than their masculinity. It is noted, that the relative importance of masculinity and femininity is opposite to that found in other studies carried out within this paradigm. However, these studies have typically been carried out with students, whereas this research was carried out with samples of women drawn from the general population. This observation, in conjunction with other findings reported here, is used as a basis for arguing the importance of including contextual factors whenexamining the issue of sex-typing and mental health. More specifically, it is suggested to be crucial for this literature's development to take full account of the fact that gender stereotypes are not just a source of self-definition. They are part of a dynamic process by which inequalities between the sexes are maintained and changed at both the intergroup and interpersonal level

The purpose of this study was to investigate women's knowledge and attitudes regarding genital human papillomavirus (n=100). Using a descriptive design, the Health Education Questionnaire was administered to 100 female patients (Mean Age = 33, SD = 7.17) at a physicians office in South Florida. The results indicated a lack of knowledge regarding genital human papillomavirus with 21 patients (21%) reported having knowledge and 79 (79%) having never heard of this disease. In addition, the group familiar with genital human papillomavirus also possessed a low level of knowledge with only 57% acknowledging an association of genital human papillomavirus and cervical cancer, 52% aware that a pap smear can detect the virus, 42% knowing that antibiotics can not treat the disease and 57% aware that it is not associated with a family history. An association was found between attitudes and health seeking behaviors. Subjects stating that they would take all measures to prevent genital human papillomavirus, were more likely to have a pap smear within the last year (Chi-square (1) = 4.33, p < .05). Higher levels of education and income were associated with increased knowledge regarding genital human papillomavirus when subjects were categorized according to sociodemographic characteristic (Chi-square (1) =9.45, p < .05; Chi-square (1) = 6.75, p < .05). There was no significant correlation between knowledge and ethnicity, marital status or age. Findings indicated the need for improved education and promotion of positive attitudes regarding human papillomaviurs in order to improve health seeking behaviors among women.

The intrauterine device (IUD) is a safe, effective, convenient, reliable, inexpensive, and cost-effective form of reversible contraception. It rivals female sterilization, injectables, and implants with respect to effectiveness in pregnancy prevention. Once inserted, IUDs are nearly maintenance free; some IUDs can even be used for over a decade. In many settings however, the utilization of this form of contraception is poor and a number of barriers to usage exist. These barriers often relate to lack of knowledge and misperceptions among both potential users and healthcare providers. The IUD is a reliable option that may be an ideal form of contraception for many women in South Africa. In order to make this method available on a wider scale, it is necessary to provide correct information to women and health care professionals and to increase the availability and use of this highly effective method. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study designed to assess the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of potential users and health care providers with respect to the IUD. We recruited 205 women between 15 to 49 years of age who were attending family planning and ST! care services at four primary level public clinics (two in the more urban Western Cape Province and two in the rural Eastern Cape Province in South Africa). In addition, we interviewed 32 providers from 12 clinics (six clinics per province). Ethical approval for this research was obtained from both the University of Cape Town and Walter Sisulu University (formerly the University of the Transkei). Permission was also given by the local and provincial health services. Among clients, knowledge of the IUD was poor. About 26% of women had heard of the IUD. After the method was explained to them, 89.7% of women believed that there were advantages to using the IUD and 72.7% of women said that they would consider using the JUD in the future. Also, women thought the IUD was an easier contraceptive method to use than oral contraceptive pills, injectables, male and female condoms, and female sterilization. Logistic regression modelling showed that, after adjusting for level of education, being from the Western Cape, older age, and having heard of emergency contraception all independently predicted awareness of the IUD method. For the most part, providers knew how the IUD worked to prevent pregnancy; however, providers were lacking in more detailed knowledge about the method and had misinformation about the IUD. Almost all (93 .6%) of providers recognized their need for more information and training about the IUD. Providers reported that barriers to IUD usage in South Africa were lack of knowledge of the method on the part of providers (84.4%), a lack of trained providers to insert or remove the IUD (62.5%), limited availability of the device at health facilities (56.3%), and a lack of knowledge on the part of potential users (46.9%). Despite these barriers, 81 % of providers believed women would be interested in the IUD if they knew about it and 73.3% believed the IUD should be promoted in South Africa. Our results suggest that the IUD would be a welcome addition to the contraceptive method mix in South Africa and that both clients and providers would be interested in this method. It is clear that awareness campaigns among women seeking contraception would be necessary for building support and publicizing the IUD. It will also be necessary to train and educate providers, focusing on up to date information, dispelling myths, and proper insertion and removal techniques. South Africa could re-introduce the IUD into the contraceptive method mix and increase women's choice by adding this valuable, viable, and sustainable option to the contraceptive method mix. The findings of this study, which was requested by the provincial health services, will be used to inform policy and as a starting point for assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a greater role for the IUD in the contraceptive method mix in South Africa.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in United States women, estimated to be diagnosed in 1 out of 8 women in their lifetime. Screening mammography detects breast cancer in its pre-clinical stages when treatment strategies have the greatest chance of success, and is currently the only population-wide prevention method proven to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer. Research has shown that the majority of women are not screened annually, with estimates ranging from 6% - 30% of eligible women receiving all available annual mammograms over a 5-year or greater time frame. Health behavior theorists believe that perception of risk/susceptibility to a disease influences preventive health behavior, in this case, screening mammography. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the association between breast cancer risk perception and repeat screening mammography using a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. A series of SEM multivariate regressions were conducted using selfreported, nationally representative data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey. Interaction contrasts were tested to measure the potential moderating effects of variables which have been shown to be predictive of mammography use (physician recommendation, economic barriers, structural barriers, race/ethnicity) on the association between breast cancer risk perception and repeat mammography, while controlling for the covariates of age, income, region, nativity, and educational level. Of the variables tested for moderation, results of the SEM analyses identify physician recommendation as the only moderator of the relationship between risk perception and repeat mammography, thus the potentially most effective point of intervention to increase mammography screening, and decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer. These findings expand the role of the physician from recommendation to one of attenuating the effect of risk perception and increasing repeat screening. The long range application of the research is the use of the SEM methodology to identify specific points of intervention most likely to increase preventive behavior in population-wide research, allowing for the most effective use of intervention funds.

No description available.