Women & Health最新文献

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a deeply ingrained cultural practice in many regions of sub-Saharan Africa, involving the partial or complete removal of external genitalia for non-medical purposes. It is estimated that millions of women are affected by this. Despite global attempts to eradicate this behavior, it continues to be prevalent, causing severe psychological and social repercussions for those affected. Noteworthy effects encompass anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, infections, and complications related to childbirth. The purpose of this scoping review, conducted against this background, was to comprehensively examine and synthesize the available research on the psychosocial effects of FGM in sub-Saharan Africa, while also identifying key themes and gaps in the literature. To incorporate the latest research, the review encompassed a ten-year period from 2014 to 2024. The study adopted the Arksey and O'Malley methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines for comprehensive analysis and reporting. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, Boolean keywords, and truncations were utilized to search relevant studies in selected databases. The consulted databases included Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, Global Health, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, and Taylor and Francis Online. The identified studies were crosschecked by conducting a manual search on Google Scholar and Google. The results showed that victims of FGM experience numerous negative psychosocial consequences. Community-based education programs, support groups for victims, increased resources, sensitively trained healthcare professionals, and strict enforcement of FGM laws are all essential in addressing this conundrum. Conducting longitudinal studies is suggested to track victims' long-term psychosocial effects.

Fear of childbirth is a common concern among primiparous women and may negatively affect their confidence and birth preferences. This randomized controlled trial examined the effects of positive birth story videos on childbirth fear, self-efficacy, and birth beliefs. A total of 120 primiparous women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 60), which attended four weekly digital storytelling workshops featuring positive birth videos, or a control group (n = 60), which received routine antenatal education. Measures were taken at baseline, four weeks post-intervention, and within 24 hours postpartum. At baseline, both groups had similar scores in fear of childbirth, childbirth self-efficacy, and birth beliefs (p > .05). After the intervention, the intervention group had significantly lower mean scores for fear of childbirth (18.17 ± 3.51) compared to the control group (55.12 ± 7.23). Their beliefs in a medicalized birth process were also lower (22.12 ± 4.19 vs. 24.87 ± 2.91), while childbirth self-efficacy (288.77 ± 13.49 vs. 248.13 ± 15.30) and beliefs in a natural birth process (24.73 ± 3.46 vs. 18.27 ± 2.73) were significantly higher (p < .001 for all). These findings suggest that integrating digital storytelling with positive birth narratives into antenatal education may effectively reduce fear of childbirth and enhance women's self-efficacy and preference for physiological birth.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of zinc supplementation for alleviating premenstrual symptoms (PMS) in women of reproductive age. A literature search was conducted across six electronic databases. Five randomized controlled trials were included in the qualitative synthesis and four were eligible for meta-analysis. All studies had some concerns for risk of bias. The certainty of the evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Zinc supplementation reduced total PMS scores and emotional symptoms with moderate certainty of evidence, while physical symptoms were supported by low certainty of evidence. Meta-analyses revealed that zinc supplementation significantly reduced total PMS scores (Hedges's g =  -0.384), emotional symptoms (g =  -0.347), and physical symptoms (g =  -0.512), all favoring the intervention. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of results for the total and emotional domains, but the effect sizes for physical symptoms were moderately influenced by individual studies. In conclusion, zinc supplementation shows promise as a non-pharmacological intervention for reducing PMS. However, its generalizability is limited by the small number of trials and methodological heterogeneity. Further, multicenter RCTs with standardized protocols are warranted to establish clinical utility and explore dose - response relationships.

This study analyzes the media coverage of HPV vaccines in Taiwan from 2005 to 2018, with a focus on adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) media guidelines and the influence of election cycles on reporting patterns. A content analysis of 911 articles from four major newspapers revealed peaks in 2008, 2014, and 2018 election years, coinciding with vaccines policy rollouts. Most articles (78 percent) appeared in national news sections, with medical professionals cited in 36.3 percent of cases. Coverage primarily emphasized vaccine policy (36.3 percent) and health education (36.4 percent), with 83 percent of articles portraying HPV vaccination positively and 88 percent explicitly endorsing it. However, only 42 percent adhered to WHO's media communication guidelines, and headlines often misaligned with article content. These findings highlight the media's advocacy role during key political and public health events, while underscoring the need for improved journalistic practices to ensure accurate, guideline-consistent vaccine communication.

Endometriosis affects approximately 10 percent of women of reproductive age. Although physical activity has shown beneficial effects for managing endometriosis-related symptoms, women with this condition often engage in lower levels of activity. This study aimed to assess physical activity levels and identify perceived barriers to exercise among women diagnosed with endometriosis. A cross-sectional study was conducted using online questionnaires distributed through endometriosis associations in Spain. Participants (n = 154, mean age: 39 ± 7 years) completed the Barriers to Being Active Quiz (BBAQ) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Sociodemographic and clinical data were also collected to explore potential associations between symptoms and activity patterns. The most prevalent barriers were lack of energy (68.2 percent) and lack of willpower (50.0 percent). Lack of energy was significantly associated with pain, dysmenorrhea, fatigue, and depression, and emerged as the primary limiting factor. Despite reporting moderate-to-high levels of physical activity, as defined by IPAQ criteria - moderate (≥600 MET-min/week) or high (≥1,500 MET-min/week with vigorous activity ≥ 3 days/week, or ≥ 3,000 MET-min/week with activity on ≥ 7 days/week) - symptoms such as pain (79.2 percent) and fatigue (79.9 percent) remained prevalent. Psychological and physical symptoms, especially fatigue and depression, significantly influence exercise participation among women with endometriosis. These findings underscore the need for tailored strategies to address perceived barriers and promote sustained physical activity in this population. Integrating psychological support and individualized exercise guidance, and pain management interventions, may enhance adherence and long-term outcomes.

Digital health resources can provide an effective way for women to seek advice and share information. The aim of the current review is to understand the role of digital technologies in accessing digital menopause information. Six databases were examined for papers considering the use of digital technology in accessing digital information on menopause, published before March 2025. From 1970 papers identified, 14 papers were included in the review. Digital technologies are used to seek further information on the menopause, whether in addition to information provided by healthcare professionals, or to track symptoms or to normalize personal experiences. Trust in the source of the digital menopause information impacts whether it is accessed and how the information received is appraised. The impact of using digital technologies for menopause information was positive, including increased feelings of empowerment, decision making satisfaction, and the facilitation of conversations with others around menopause. However, representation of those who experience menopause was imperative. Overall, women find using digital technologies for menopause to be a positive experience. Future research should address the unique and complementary value of different types of digital technology to support menopause and understand how technologies can be better integrated into discussions with healthcare professionals.

The healthcare workforce in the United States (US) has an inequitable representation of women and Underrepresented in Medicine (URIM) groups, including Black or African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders, Hispanic or Latinos, and Asians. Despite almost three decades of equal representation of women students in medical school, the gender disparity persists throughout leadership ranks. Studies have shown that residency recruitment is a limiting factor in diversity in surgery, and systemic changes are needed to increase the representation of minorities and women in the medical and surgical disciplines.Our study used data from the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) to analyze the demographic distribution of surgical faculty at medical schools from 1971 to 2021. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel and JupyterLab programs, and a t-test was used to determine significant changes over time. The categories with significant changes were reported, and proportion bar graphs were created. Data was classified into multiple categories.URIM Surgeons have seen an increased representation in Surgical faculty during our study over the past five decades. Still, these trends have not brought them in line with their proportion among the US population. Significant trends in surgical chair positions included a 21% decrease in Whites, a 15% increase in Asians, a 2.4% increase in Blacks, and a 3.8% increase in Hispanics. There were no significant trends for Natives. Significant trends in the academic rank of Professor included a 14% increase in Asians, a 1.1% increase in Blacks, a 1.5% increase in Hispanics, and an 18.4% decrease in Whites. A slight increase among URIM Surgeons is concerning when considering that these trends span from 1971 to 2021.The data showed that White and Asian Surgeons were overrepresented in surgical discipline compared to their proportions among the US population, while Black, Hispanic, and Native Surgeons were underrepresented. This was especially true in higher academic ranks and chair positions. Women were also underrepresented in surgery, with the slowest growth in higher academic ranks and leadership positions.Al.

Body image may play a significant role in the development of perinatal depression; however, its relevance remains controversial. This study aimed to elucidate the association between body shape dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy and depressive symptoms during the perinatal period among Japanese women. This study used secondary data. Women with singleton pregnancies were recruited from March to December 2020 in Osaka, Japan. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Participants were classified into three groups according to their body shape satisfaction before and during pregnancy; satisfied, dissatisfied, and neither. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Of the 230 participants, 33 (14.3 percent) had depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Of the 221 participants assessed at 1 month postpartum, 20 (9.0 percent) had depressive symptoms. Women with body shape dissatisfaction during pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and at 1 month postpartum than those with body shape satisfaction. Furthermore, women who were body shape dissatisfied both before and during pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms than those whose satisfaction improved during pregnancy. These findings suggest the importance of focusing on body dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy in relation to perinatal depressive symptoms.

The immune system plays a crucial role in determining the resolution or development of cervical pre-malignant lesions that culminate in cervical cancer (CC). A microenvironment with low inflammatory patterns is often associated with a worse prognosis.

Aim: To evaluate polymorphisms rs3087465 in the TGFBR2 and rs3761548 in the FOXP3 genes, as well as sociodemographic, reproductive, and sexual behavior data which may be associated with CC development.

Methods: In this cross-sectional case-control study conducted in the northern region of Paraná, Brazil, 134 women (41 cervical cancer patients and 93 controls) were recruited from public health services. DNA samples were extracted from cervical cells, peripheral blood, and tumor tissues and subjected to PCR for confirmation of HPV presence and subsequent genotyping of TGFBR2 (rs3087465) and FOXP3 (rs3761548) polymorphisms.

Results: Women with limited HPV knowledge, low income, and infrequent preventive exams were at higher risk of CC. Smoking and high parity were also associated with increased risk. Notably, TGFBR2 rs3087465 AG/GG genotypes were initially associated with increased risk of CC development. However, these associations were attenuated after adjusting for confounding variables.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that understanding genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors is essential for the prevention and effective treatment of CC.