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Volume 4, Number 39
27 September 2004

"The Pop Reporter" (R) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs INFO Project. When you click on any link below, your Internet browser will access a Web site not connected to "The Pop Reporter." Information accessed through these links and contained in this issue of "The Pop Reporter" does not necessarily state or reflect the views of the INFO Project, Johns Hopkins University, or the US Agency for International Development. All links were verified at the date of mailing. Your computer and/or network configuration regarding Java script, cookies, and other security issues may not allow you to view certain Web sites. Consult your computer technician if you are having problems.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH

Are Partner and Relationship Characteristics Associated With Condom Use in Zambian Nonmarital Relationships? (research article)
This study looks at if and how partner and relationship characteristics are independently associated with condom use within nonmarital, noncohabiting relationships. It was found that condom promotion programs and interventions in Africa must take into account the relationship characteristics of intended participants, paying special attention to gender differences.

Thinking Ahead about Reproductive Health: Contingency Planning and Emergency Preparedness in Crisis Situations (Iraq and West Africa) (news article)
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) coordinated efforts to integrate RH into contingency planning for the 2003 Iraq crisis and the 2003 regional response for displaced populations in West Africa. UNFPA's experiences show that contingency planning requires committing resources for crises, some of which will not occur; new staff skills; and follow-up.

Effects of Social Interaction between Afghan Refugees and Iranians on Reproductive Health Attitudes (research abstract)
This paper reports the findings of focus group studies carried out among Afghan refugee men in two communities in Iran. The findings indicate that exposure to Iranian life, especially the rulings of Iranian clerics, have influenced Afghans' views on family planning. The findings also indicate that a system of justification is needed to help people avoid both social sanctions and individual stresses resulting from a controversial practice regarded as a sin for centuries.

Liberia: NPC Begins Deliberations to Revise National Population Policy Act (news article)
The National Population Commission has begun to seek ways of making relevant amendments in the act on national policy on population.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

Birth Control Patch: Call for Increased Warning (news article)
Related: news article: Birth Control Patch 'Safe to Use'
Related: news article: 17 Deaths Related to Contraceptive Patch; Report Spurs Debate Among Doctors
According to adverse event reports received by the Food and Drug Administration, 17 deaths and 62 life-threatening complications like blood clots might be related to Ortho Evra birth control patch use. Though the FDA has not concluded its investigation, consumer advocates are pressing for improvements in warning of potential risks associated with the use of the patch. Meanwhile, UK experts said the patch, called Evra in Europe, was no riskier than oral contraceptive pills and advised women not to panic or stop using it abruptly.

Bangladesh: Major Population Control Targets Still Beyond Reach (news article)
Despite spending Tk 3,384 crore (~US$737 million) on family planning during 1998-2003, the government has failed to achieve major population control targets, experts said. They pointed out that because of the absence of door-to-door family planning services during the period, rural population grew unexpectedly, total fertility rate remained stagnant at around 3.0 and contraceptive acceptance (prevalence) rate declined.

Viet Nam: More Money Poured into Population Work (news article)
The state will spend 400 billion VND (~US$26 million) on reducing the country's birth rate by 0.4 per thousand by 2005 and the number of disabled, malnourished, and homeless children and the third child birth rate by 2005.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

A Test of Inequality: Discrimination against Women Living with HIV in the Dominican Republic (report)
This report by Human Rights Watch links the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Dominican Republic to entrenched inequality between men and women and significant levels of high-risk behavior, such as low condom use, multiple sex partners, and early sexual activity. This situation has put women at increased risk of HIV infection. The Dominican Republic’s government has taken steps to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in the country - in 2002, it created a multi-sector body—called the Presidential AIDS Council (Consejo Presidencial del SIDA, COPRESIDA), which coordinates and monitors national public and private sector efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The government has also implemented a national program to reduce parent-to-child HIV transmission and has sought international funding for long-term AIDS treatment programs. However, the connection between gender inequality and the spread of HIV/AIDS has yet to be tackled successfully.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

HIV/AIDS among Conflict-affected and Displaced Populations: Dispelling Myths and Taking Action (research abstract)
This paper explores and explains the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in conflict and addresses the unique characteristics that must be addressed when planning and implementing HIV/AIDS interventions among populations affected by conflict as compared with those in resource-poor settings. These include targeting at-risk groups, protection, programming strategies, coordination and integration and monitoring and evaluation. Areas for future HIV/AIDS operational research in conflict are discussed.

Determinants of HIV Antibody Testing among Selected Groups of Chinese Residents in Hong Kong (research abstract)
To describe the prevalence and determinants of HIV antibody testing amongst the Hong Kong Chinese, a cross-sectional anonymous survey was carried out among 1,027 subjects. Findings indicate that awareness among the public about the risk behaviors for HIV should be enhanced and efforts should be made to reduce high-risk behaviors among those tested by emphasizing the importance of maintaining safer sex behavior and having follow-up tests during post-test counselling.

Ethical and Programmatic Challenges in Antiretroviral Scaling-up in Malawi: Challenges in Meeting the World Health Organization’s “Treating 3 Million by 2005” Initiative Goals (PubMed abstract)
This paper explores the World Health Assembly's resolution, taking Malawi as the case study, to identify the difficulties a Southern African country may face in reaching the goal to "Treat 3 Million by 2005" will be achieved or not. The challenges southern countries may be facing are presented in this paper to create an awareness of these factors and initiate the appropriate action that would surmount the challenges and achieve the goals set. Full text of this article requires brief user registration.

Alcohol Use and Sexual Risks for HIV Infection among Men and Women Receiving Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic Services in Cape Town, South Africa (PubMed abstract)
This study examined the association of alcohol use and sexual risks for HIV infection in South Africa. Findings parallel those from other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Although limited to STI clinic patients, the results suggest that effective HIV risk reduction interventions will require attention to alcohol use, particularly among South Africans at highest risk for HIV infection.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Kenyan Firm to Make AIDS Drugs (news article)
A Kenyan firm has signed an agreement to make it the first African company outside South Africa to produce anti-retroviral drugs. The firm, Cosmos, says it will sell the drugs for around half the current cost of $38 a month. It will make patented copies of the drugs under licence from British company GlaxoSmithKline and sell them in five East African countries.

South African AIDS Rate May Be Stabilizing (news article)
The number of South Africans carrying the virus that causes AIDS rose in 2003, but the rate of infection, especially among teenagers, was stabilizing, the government said in a report released last week. The Department of Health estimated that 5.6 million of the country's 45 million population carried HIV, the virus that causes AIDS -- up 6% from 5.3 million in 2002.

Combining TB Treatment with HIV Testing and Treatment Could Save Lives of Up to 500 000 HIV-positive Africans Every Year (news article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Related: news article: TB Care Will Save 500,000 Lives in Africa-Experts
Health experts meeting in Ethiopia say combined efforts to fight the HIV virus and tuberculosis could save the lives of up to a half-million Africans every year. The head of the UN program on HIV/AIDS, Peter Piot, says the combined treatment is much more effective in controlling both HIV and tuberculosis, or TB. Health experts say about 4 million Africans with HIV will develop active TB, which is the leading cause of death among HIV-infected patients. But experts say national health programs in Africa are treating only half of those who need the low-cost drug regime.

Uganda's HIV Success Questioned (news article)
Uganda is often held up as a success story and the government lauded for the progress it has made with the official prevalence rate put at only 6%. But after conducting research in districts across Uganda, an NGO suggests the real picture is far worse. They found prevalence rates as high as 30% and bad access to anti-retrovirals.

India: AIDS Getting Out of Control (news article)
AIDS could well be getting out of hand in five states in the country. HIV has penetrated every district in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Manipur, and Nagaland with a prevalence rate of 1% or more among pregnant women in most areas, causing national and international concern.

UNICEF Seeks One Billion Dollars to Help AIDS Orphans (news article)
The UN children's agency UNICEF plans to launch a major campaign to raise one billion dollars to help AIDS orphans, whose numbers are expected to continue to swell until 2010.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

Averting Maternal Deaths in Spite of Resource Constraints: An Indian Rural Experience Over Two Decades (research abstract)
This study analyzed the changing trends in maternal deaths and the factors affecting them in a rural institution in India. It appears that even with resource constraints, maternal mortality can be reduced by improving peripheral services and individualised evidence-based appropriate interventions at referrals.

The Value of a Mother's Life: What Will It Take to Meet WHO Standards? (report)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
The authors review the economic feasibility of the WHO's mother–baby package (MBP) as a means of reducing previous maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity in Tanzania. They examine the costs of previous maternal health care in Tanzania and how much one can expect households to contribute to these expenses, if the MBP were implemented.

Effect of Perinatal Zidovudine Prophylaxis on the Evolution of Cell-Free HIV-1 RNA in Breast Milk and on Postnatal Transmission. (news article)
This study explores the relationship between perinatal Zidovudine and levels of HIV-1 RNA in breast milk and postnatal transmission in breast-fed African children. The rebound in levels of HIV-1 RNA in breast milk after discontinuation of maternal antiretrovirals, as discovered here, needs to be further explored and may justify prolonging antiretroviral prophylaxis during the entire breast-feeding period.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

Ghana: Infant Mortality Worsens (news article)
The 2003 Demographic and Health Survey for the country has estimated that there has been an increase in infant mortality since the last survey in 1998. In 1998, the ratio of infant mortality was 57 children per 1,000 live births, whereas the 2003 survey revealed an infant mortality ratio of 64 children per 1,000.

U.S. Team Takes Aim at Tibet's Maternal Death Rate (feature article)
US health workers in Tibet are training maternal and child health specialists, including midwives, but find Tibetan beliefs and superstitions about birth and pregnancy - some traditional, some religious - can impede women from seeking birth attendants or midwives and can hinder sanitation.

Uganda Makes New Efforts to Eliminate Maternal, Neo-natal Tetanus (news article)
Ugandan Minister of Health Jim Muhwezi launched a campaign to eliminate maternal and neo-natal tetanus at a health center in Luwero district, some 80 km north of Kampala, hoping to reduce infant deaths drastically, Radio Uganda reported.

MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Condom Use and Other Factors Affecting Penile Human Papillomavirus Detection in Men Attending a Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic (research abstract)
The goal of this study was to identify correlates of penile HPV detection in ethnically diverse men attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Results suggest that circumcision was associated with reduced risk for oncogenic, nononcogenic, and overall HPV. Regular condom use was associated with reduced risk for oncogenic and overall HPV.

Trichomoniasis in Men and HIV Infection: Data from 2 Outpatient Clinics at Lilongwe Central Hospital, Malawi (news article)
Little is known about the epidemiologic profile of trichomoniasis in men and its relationship to HIV infection. Among men presenting for care for symptomatic STIs in Malawi, trichomoniasis is not considered for first-line treatment. Given its high prevalence and the increased risk for HIV transmission, T. vaginalis infection should be reconsidered for inclusion in the Malawi STI-treatment regimen for men.

High-risk Sexual Behaviours among Drug Users in Pakistan: Implications for Prevention of STDs and HIV/AIDS (research abstract)
This study describes HIV/STD sexual risk behaviours and awareness among a community-based sample of drug users in Pakistan. It finds high-risk sexual behaviours are prevalent among male drug users in Pakistan, and awareness of transmission risks is low. These data attest to the urgent need for effective and specific interventions in Pakistan to prevent transmission of HIV and STDs among drug users and their sex partners.

MEN'S HEALTH NEWS

UK: City Team Hails 'Male Pill' Trials (news article)
Scientists revealed they have successfully trialled a safe "male pill". The progesterone rod implanted under the skin is set to be available from GPs surgeries and family planning clinics within 3 years following trials by Edinburgh University’s Contraceptive Development Network. More than 30 volunteers took part in the tests on the implant, which prevents sperm production.

Zambia: Sugar Daddies Are a Danger to Society, Warns Mumba (news article)
Sugar daddies are a danger to society, Vice-President Nevers Mumba has said. And engaging men in the fight against HIV and AIDS is the surest way to change the course of the disease.

Canada: STD Rates Rise as More Men Get Tested (news article)
Reported cases of the sexually-transmitted disease chlamydia have spiked by 60% in Fredericton and Moncton regions during the past 6 years.

POPULATION RESEARCH

Demographic Significance of Sterilization in Three Indian States (research abstract)
This paper studies the demographic significance of female family planning sterilization in three Indian states -Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Kerala - using the National Family Health Survey, 1992–1993. The study finds that the prevalence of contraceptive sterilization in India is very high and sterilization use varies across social, economic, and demographic characteristics, making the need for temporary contraceptive methods necessary in key areas.

Effect of World Fertility Scenarios on International Living Standards (research abstract)
This paper applies a two good, multi-region Ramsey-Solow model of the world economy to determine the impact that alternative world fertility rates would have on international capital markets and living standards.

POPULATION NEWS

Viet Nam: Experts Meet to Curb Population Growth (news article)
Vietnamese experts began discussing solutions to curb the rising Vietnamese population at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City. The vice chairman of the National Committee on Population, Family and Children said the Vietnamese population is growing dramatically in 38 populous cities and provinces across the country. The Committee is reinforcing reproductive healthcare campaigns in these cities and provinces by providing family planning packages for local people in 2004 and 2005.

Forecast of Population Trends in South Africa (news article)
While South Africa's black population groups will either increase or remain fairly constant in the next decade, the country's white population is expected to shrink from 11.5% to 9.4%.

WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

The Future of Female-controlled Barrier Methods for HIV Prevention: Female Condoms and Lessons Learned (research abstract)
This paper draws on lessons from the past decade of female condom (FC) programming. Interviews with 34 professional stakeholders in FC programming from the US and South Africa highlight a number of factors that can help create public and institutional cultures, in which barrier methods can be considered feasible and can be put into use.

Awareness and Practices of Contraception among Pakistani Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital (news article)
This study was designed to investigate contraceptive knowledge and practice in Pakistani women attending a tertiary care hospital. Results suggest a need for further development of women's knowledge in this area through effective government and non-govermental sponsorship of contraceptive programs.

Factors that Influence Vulnerability to STDs and HIV/AIDS Among Hispanic Women (research abstract)
Self-esteem, motivation for sexual health, and sexual risk behaviors as indicated by condom use and number of sex partners was explored in a sample of 140 Hispanic women of childbearing age (18-44 years). The research finds that despite public information about STDs, including HIV/AIDS, a proportion of these women and their partners are vulnerable to these diseases.

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Half of Indian Women Married Off by 15 (news article)
The government has banned child weddings but half of the nation's women are still married off before the age of 15, according to a new government report. "Half of all women aged 20-24 years were married by the time they were 15 years and in contrast few young males are married in adolescence," the Health Ministry said in its "Report on Population and Development". The legal age for marriage in the country is 18 years for females and 21 years for males. "In the large north Indian states such as Rajasthan and Bihar, 68% to 71% of girls were married off by age 18, but in Kerala and Tamil Nadu this percentage was 17% and 25%, respectively," the report said.

South African Leader Urges Virginity Tests (news article)
Jacob Zuma, South African's deputy president, has said it is an African custom for a woman to value her virginity and that early pregnancy leads to children being abandoned. But human rights groups say the practice of virginity testing is a human rights violation.

Ethiopia Tolerates Abduction Marriages (feature article)
According to this article, abducting young girls for marriage is a tradition as arcane as it is commonplace in this corner of the Horn of Africa, where male dominance and a strong stigma against the victims mostly allow the perpetrators to go unpunished. The United Nations Children's Fund estimates that more than 70% of marriages in Ethiopia are by abduction.

Swaziland: 'Rape a Suitable Punishment for Mini-skirts' (news article)
Bus conductors in Swaziland have vowed to assault and rape female passengers who wear mini-skirts, sparking outrage among women's groups in the conservative African kingdom. The threat followed this week's arrest of two conductors and a bus driver who were charged with indecently assaulting an 18-year-old high school pupil. The pupil was attacked at a bus rank in Manzini, Swaziland's commercial centre, by a group of men who shouted at her for wearing a miniskirt, cut it off and then gangraped her, witnesses told local media. About 1,000 women marched on the bus rank to protest against the attack.

YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH

Exploring the Socioeconomic Dimension of Adolescent Reproductive Health: A Multicountry Analysis (research article)
Nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey data for 12 developing countries were used to assess socioeconomic differentials in reproductive health outcomes and service utilization among young women. The study found that poor adolescents may be overlooked by current service delivery modes that rely solely on mass media, clinics, or schools. The authors suggest that alternative strategies, such as community-based outreach programs, must be implemented to serve the needs of poor young women.

Young, Unmarried Men and Sex: Do Friends and Partners Shape Risk Behaviour? (research abstract)
This paper describes a study of 8,068 men in Mexico City that takes an interaction-orientated approach to sexual health that focuses on partners and on the social context, rather than on the individual alone. Multivariate techniques were used to examine use of contraception for pregnancy prevention and for sexually transmitted disease prophylaxis among unmarried, heterosexually active men aged 15-24.

Needs and Preferences Regarding Sex Education Among Chinese College Students: A Preliminary Study (research article)
In 2002, students at a large Chinese university completed surveys about their history of school-based sex education and their other sources of information on sexuality.
Results of this investigation show more comprehensive school-based sex education is needed for Chinese youth. The authors suggest that, when developing and implementing such programs, health educators should consider differences between males' and females' preferred ways for receiving information on sexuality.

Cultural Sensitivity in Providing Reproductive Care to Adolescents (research abstract)
This study provides an exploration of the global attitudes towards reproductive healthcare by adolescent patients and reviews key points in promoting healthy sexual development among adolescents and appropriate guidelines for communicating within the adolescent population.

Sexual Risk Attitudes and Behaviours among Young Adult Indonesians (research abstract)
This research explored the beliefs of 18- to 24-year-old Indonesians of Javanese and Chinese background regarding perceptions of sexual behaviour and condom use. Perceptions of the acceptability of use of sex workers amongst more affluent young males, and the negative attitudes towards condom use under these circumstances, suggest prevention interventions should particularly address this dangerous combination.

A Holistic Approach in Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections Among First Nations and Inuit Adolescents in Canada (research article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This article outlines strategies that may assist holistic health nurses in delivering health education to aboriginal
youth (First Nations, Inuit) concerning the prevention of STIs. Such strategies include participatory action research, the use of peer leaders, and the development of self-advocacy skills. The author presents these health education strategies within the overarching framework
of empowering health promotion.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

Thailand: Government Targets Teen HIV Boom (news article)
Almost 60,000 Thai teenagers are living with HIV/AIDS, prompting the government to work to reduce the number of new HIV infections among youths starting next year, said Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan. This year, 71,157 Thais ages 10-24 will become infected with HIV, said Sudarat. In 2005, the ministry aims to reduce that number to below 17,000.

India: Schoolgirls Lack Sex Education (news article)
A recent health awareness program conducted by the BMC's teachers' union in India shows shocking low awareness about reproductive health among adolescent girls.

India: Sex in the City Schools (feature article)
Sex education is hesitantly finding a place in Mumbai's schools.

SPECIAL REPORTS/PROFILES/RESOURCES

Fulfilling Reproductive Rights for Women Affected by HIV: A Tool for Monitoring Achievement of Millennium Development Goals (resource material)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
A practical tool for use by NGOs interested in monitoring policy and program implementation of (often neglected) reproductive health services in relation to HIV/AIDS. Prepared by four international NGOs – the Center for Health and Gender Equity, International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, Ipas, and the Pacific Institute for Women's Health.

Youth-Friendly Services: An Annotated Web-Based Guide to Available (resource material)
This guide describes the 14 major existing global resources for building stronger youth-friendly services, with URL links to the available documents. The resources are grouped into advocacy/planning, assessment/implementation, provider training curricula, job aids, and evaluation. The guide is presented in two forms: as a quick, Web-based reference tool and also as a short publication that can be downloaded and used in planning meetings. EngenderHealth, YouthNet/Family Health International, PATH, and the World Health Organization developed these resources.

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Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

Volume 4, Number 3927 September 2004