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Volume 2, Number 15
15 April 2002
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
Implanon
Contraceptive Implant Approved for Use in New Zealand
(news article)
Long-term progestogen implants are now available to
women in New Zealand.
Nigeria
Promises Free Antiretroviral Drugs to HIV Positive
Soldiers (news article)
Nigeria's defense minister says it is imperative for
the Nigerian military to do everything it can to prevent
the rise in HIV cases among the soldiers.
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
Male
Circumcision, Penile Human Papillomavirus Infection,
and Cervical Cancer in Female Partners (research
abstract)
Male circumcision is associated with a reduced risk
of penile human papillomavirus infection, and, in
the case of men with a history of multiple sex partners,
a reduced risk in cervical cancer in their current
female partners.
Related News Article: Circumcision
Cuts Cervical Cancer Rates
Chlamydial
Infection in Males and Conseqences for Their Female
Sexual Partners, an Example from Rural Kilimanjaro,
Tanzania (research abstract)
In rural Tanzania, the prevalence rate for chlamydial
infection was 9.6% for men and 6.9% for women. Men
reported more sexual partners than women and were
considered the index case for the chlamydial infection.
Contraceptive Method Choice in Developing Countries
(research article)
HTML
or PDF
An analysis on the relationship between access to
contraceptives and patterns of use finds that as access
to methods increases, contraceptive prevalence increases.
Yet full choice among a variety of contraceptive offerings
is yet to be attained in many countries, restricting
personal access to each method and the use of all
methods in the population.
Comparison
of Cycle Control With a Combined Contraceptive Vaginal
Ringand Oral Levonorgestrel/Ethinyl Estradiol
(research abstract)
Irregular bleeding was lower among women using the
contraceptive vaginal ring compared to oral contraceptive
users.
Related news article: Vaginal Contraceptive
Ring Controls Menstrual Cycle
The
Diaphragm With and Without Spermicide for Contraception:
A Cochrane Review (review abstract)
While diaphragms are usually used in conjunction with
spermicide, some practitioners have argued that a
diaphragm alone can sufficiently prevent pregnancy.
A review of the literature indicates that more research
is needed in order to assess the effectiveness of
a diaphragm without spermicide.
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS
Dutch
GPs Warned Against New Contraceptive Pill (news
article)
The Dutch Medicines Evaluation Agency, in response
to the death of a 17-year-old Dutch girl who had been
taking Yasmin, asked that the drug carry a warning
that the risk of venous thrombosis from using it remains
unknown.
Health
Workers Want Special Femidom (news article)
Health workers are planning to request the manufacturers
of the female condom (femidom) to modify it to suit
the sex-style preferences of western Uganda.
Brazil's
Passion for Football Condoms (news article)
Brazilians are passionate about football. A new line
of condoms, carrying the logos of the most important
Brazilian teams, went on sale at the beginning of
February this year, already becoming one of the year's
commercial success stories.
HIV / AIDS RESEARCH
Morbidity
and Mortality in South African Gold Miners: Impact
of Untreated Disease Due to Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (research abstract)
Cryptococcosis caused 44% of deaths among HIV-infected
South African gold miners receiving no treatment for
their HIV. Numerous other infections also contributed
to morbidity and mortality.
Counting the Cost of HIV in Southern
Africa (research summary)
The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a huge burden on the health
sector in southern Africa, one likely to become worse
as more people living with HIV will become ill. Potential
policy actions to address the impact of the disease
on countries with few resources are presented.
Tracking
the Birth Defects Caused by HIV Meds (news article)
The Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry attempts to
document experiences of HIV-positive women and their
children. Analysis of the data in the voluntary registry
shows that compared to the general HIV-negative population,
birth defects were no more common in babies whose
mothers took anti-HIV medications during the first
trimester of pregnancy.
Consensus
Advice on Treating HCV/HIV Coinfection (research
abstract)
Thirteen experts on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection
in people with HIV agreed on recommendations for treating
the two viruses in the sameperson.
Induction
of Mucosal Protection against Primary, Heterologous
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus by a DNA Vaccine
(research abstract)
This is the first report of mucosal protection against
a primary pathogenic, heterologous isolate of SIV
by using a commercially viable vaccine approach. These
results support further development of a DNA vaccine
for protection against HIV.
Related News Article: Vaccine for
HIV-like Monkey Virus Has Some Success
HIV / AIDS NEWS
Iran Begins AIDS Awareness (news
article)
In an Islamic nation where talk of anything related
to sex is largely taboo, the Education Ministry previously
had shunned proposals to include AIDS awareness in
schools on grounds that it promotes corruption among
young people. But now, Iranian children will be taught
about AIDS and how to avoid it for the first time
starting in September.
AIDS Cases Nearly Triple in Russia
(news article)
The number of Russians infected with the virus that
causes AIDS has nearly tripled since last year to
more than 250,000 registered cases. But because few
people undergo regular AIDS testing, the number of
actual cases has been estimated to be as high as 1
million people.
U.S. Activists Demand More Funds
To Combat AIDS (news article)
With a rallying cry of "Donate the Dollars, Treat
the People, Drop the Debt," AIDS activists gathered
Wednesday to demand that the United States Congress
increase its contributions to a global fund aimed
at combating the spread of AIDS, tuberculosis, and
malaria, and eliminating the debt burdens carried
by some of the poorest African nations.
Memorable
Patients: Zambia Needs Basic Medicines and HIV Education
(opinion)
A physician in Zambia argues, "Zambia's population
needs to be educated about HIV and AIDS and how HIV
spreads. They do not need to hear about "cures"
from the industrialized world that they cannot afford."
Edible
HIV Vaccine Breakthrough (news article)
Maize genetically modified to contain a key protein
found on the urface of the monkey form of HIV may
help in one day bringing an effective, edible HIV
vaccine to the world.
HIV/AIDS:
Number of AIDS Orphans Could Double By 2010, UNICEF
Says (news article)
Most of the affected orphans live in sub-Saharan Africa,
where a conference on dealing with this problem is
underway.
China
Admits AIDS Rising Sharply (news article)
The government of China estimates that 850,0000 people
are infected with the HIV virus, more than double
the figure given in 1999, but much lower than what
UN health experts estimate: as many as 1.5 million
HIV cases.
Pakistan:
Focus on HIV/AIDS Prevention (news article)
The HIV/AIDS epidemic threatening many other countries
has not yet hit Pakistan with full force, though the
risk of transmission remains high. The biggest dangers
are male and female sex workers, truck drivers, unscreened
blood transfusions, and needle sharing among IV drug
users.
HIV/AIDS:
Botswana Expands Nationwide Treatment Program
(news article)
Botswana will become one of the first countries on
the continent to commit to a nationwide HIV treatment
program through its public health system.
Gel
to Protect Women Against HIV/AIDS Virus (news
article)
Microbicides--substances that can be applied to a
woman's vagina to kill, inactivate or block the human
immunodeficiency virus--may be available in five years
time, according to a series of reports.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH
Postpartum
Consequences of an Overlap of Breastfeeding and Pregnancy:
Reduced Breast Milk Intake and Growth During Early
Infancy (research abstract)
Despite cultural pressure to wean when a new pregnancy
occurs, some women choose to continue breastfeeding.
In this Peruvian study, a lactation-pregnancy overlap
had a negative effect on early infant outcomes.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS
Big Weight Gain in Pregnancy Ups
Breast Cancer Risk (news article)
Women who gain more than 38 pounds during pregnancy
are at greater risk for breast cancer than those who
gain less weight, researchers have found.
MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
The
Effects of Workplace Hazards on Male Reproductive
Health (research report)
This document provides general information about reproductive
healthhazards, an explanation of how substances in
the workplace can cause reproductive health problems
in men, and suggestions for preventing exposure to
reproductive health hazards.
MEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Campaign
to Deter Men From Having Sex With Animals (news
article)
A growing number of men in rural Limpopo, South Africa
say they would rather have sex with dogs and goats
than with women, to avoid contracting HIV/AIDS.
POPULATION RESEARCH
Analyzing
the Contribution of Community Change to Population
Health Outcomes in an Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention
Initiative (research abstract)
This article describes an analysis of the contribution
of community changes facilitated by a community health
initiative to prevent adolescent pregnancy to the
population-level outcome of birth rates for teens.
The authors reported reductions in birth rates in
a targeted area, where there was a greater concentration
of community changes, and a slight increase where
there were far fewer changes.
Fertility
Decline in the Philippines: Current Status, Future
Prospects 
(research
paper)
Fertility levels in the Philippines remain considerably
higher than the rates in other East and Southeast
Asian countries. A discussion on the economic, social,
cultural, and programmatic factors that have influenced
fertility decline in the Philippines is presented,
with thoughts to what the future might hold.
Colombia
Faces Prospects of More Population Displacement
(research summary)
Already one of the world's major centers of displaced
people, Colombia faces the likelihood that the latest
escalation of a multifaceted civil war will force
even more people from their homes and increase the
risks of illness and death.
The
Proximate Determinants During the Fertility Transition
(research paper)
In countries with intermediate levels of fertility
(from 2.3 to 5.2 children per woman), future fertility
declines will be more receptive to changes in the
proximate determinants of fertility, rather than intermediate
determinants.
POPULATION NEWS
Population
Aging Threatens Wealthier Asian Countries (news
article)
Fourteen countries and cities in Asia have below replacement
fertility levels.
Commission
on Population and Development Calls For Continued
Research on Population, Reproductive Rights, Reproductive
Health (press release)
As 35th session ends, commission adopts agenda of
"population, education, development" for
the next session.
Minister
Says Increasing Population is a Challenge to Rwanda
(newsletter article)
Rwanda's population is set to double to 16 million
by 2020.
Ageing
Must Be Placed At Centre of Global Development Agenda
Say UNFPA, UNDP (press release)
Challenge is balancing increasing number of older
people with the largest youth population ever and
addressing their needs simultaneously.
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
A Study on Female Sex Workers in
Southern China (Shenzhen): HIV-related Knowledge,
Condom Use and STD History (research abstract)
Of 701 female sex workers interviewed for this study,
prevalence of using condoms with clients was low (22%
reported not using condoms consistently). Significant
predictive factors associated with consistency of
condom use with clients were age, educational background,
average number of client intakes per day, capacity
in determining the use of condoms, and past STD history.
A Gender-specific HIV/STD Risk Reduction
Intervention for Women in a Health Care Setting: Short-
and Long-term Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial
(research abstract)
This study assessed the short- and long-term effect
of a gender-specific group intervention for women
on unsafe sexual encounters and strategies for protection
against HIV/STD infection among family planning clients
in New York City. The authors conclude that gender-specific
interventions of sufficient intensity can promote
short- and long-term sexual risk reduction among women
in a family planning setting.
Breast
Cancer Health Promotion Model for Older Puerto Rican
Women: Results of a Pilot Program (research abstract)
Results of the program found a slight increase in
knowledge after the health education sessions. Interventions
in breast cancer early detection practices showed
significant changes for mammogram and clinical breast
examination.
WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Rage
Against Female Genital Mutilation (news article)
"Women are very powerful people today. They are
no longer as powerless as they used to be in the past.
They can eliminate this barbaric cultural practice
if they are organized," said a circumcised speaker
at an African conference on FGM.
New Treatment for Uterine Fibroids
a Success (news article)
Uterine fibroid embolization may become the new gold
standard for treating uterine fibroids: It is minimally
invasive, has almost no complication rate, and women
are back on their feet in about one week. Currently,
women with uterine fibroids are treated with hysterectomies.
Soy Doesn't Ease Cancer Survivors'
Hot Flashes (news article)
A soy drink appears to be no better than a placebo
when it comes to relieving hot flashes in postmenopausal
women treated for breast cancer.
YOUTH RESEARCH
Self-Esteem
as a Predictor of Initiation of Coitus in Early Adolescents
(research abstract)
Self-esteem, regardless of pubertal status, predicted
coitus differently in boys and girls. Males with higher
levels of self-esteem were more likely to have initiated
sexual activity at follow-up, while females with higher
levels of self-esteem were more likely to remain virgins
than females with low levels of self-esteem.
YOUTH NEWS
Activists
Infiltrate Child Sex Rings (news article)
Activists who infiltrated child trafficking, prostitution
and pornography networks in Central America and Mexico
painted a sordid picture in a new report on the growing
commercial sexual exploitation of children in the
region.
Young
Refugees Receive Training in Prevention of HIV/AIDS
and STIs (newsletter article)
Young Tajik refugees in Kyrgyzstan participate in
workshops that include discussion about preventing
pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV.
PROFILES / SPECIAL REPORTS
!BASTA!:
A newsletter on integrating gender-based violence into sexual and
reproductive health.
This issue provides tips on setting up support groups
for providers where they can talk about the issues
that they encounter in their work and where they can
receive emotional support. In addition, it explores
the factors that contribute to a woman's decision
to stay in a violent relationship, the different types
of risks faced by survivors, and the steps to and
benefits of setting up support groups for victims
of violence.
Methods
for Program Design and Evaluation in Sexual and Reproductive
Health Programs for Youths
This paper (a zip file that needs to be downloaded
onto your computer) includes questionnaire samples,
case studies, and a comprehensive bibliography. It
will be of use to all those interested in project
planning, design of baseline studies and monitoring,
and may equally be applied to projects beyond the
field of youth and reproductive health.
HIV/AIDS
in Indonesia and USAID Involvement
(USAID project report)
HIV/AIDS
in Lao PDR [Laos] and USAID Involvement
(USAID project report)
An
Assessment of Youth Centres in South Africa
(USAID project report)
Extending
Operations Research to Social Marketing Programs
(USAID project report)
Enhancing
NGO-LGU Collaboration in Family Planning: Using Community
Workers to Reach Men in an Agrarian Setting
(USAID project report)
How
Can Young Adult Reproductive Health (YARH) Surveys
Play a Role in Program Design and Evaluation?
(USAID project report)
Program
Examples: Involving Men in Reproductive Health in
Low-Resource Settings
Case studies from programs in India, Mexico, Nicaragua,
and Thailand show innovative ways of reaching out
to men, improving their own lives and well-being,
as well as the health and well-being of their wives
and family.
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