Volume 5, Number 1
3 January 2005

"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

Effects of Oral Versus Intravaginal Hormonal Contraception On the Sexual Life of Women and their Partners (research abstract)
This randomized, controlled, prospective study compared the effect of an intravaginal hormonal contraceptive with the effect of a combined oral contraceptive on sexual function. Both hormonal contraceptives tested were seen to have a positive effect on some aspects of sexual function.

Investigating Access to Reproductive Health Services Using GIS in Malawi. (research abstract)
A geographic information system (GIS) was employed to integrate health facility data from the Malawi health facilities inventory and global positioning data from the 2000 Malawi demographic and health survey. After controlling for background variables traditionally associated with use of modern contraception, access could not be shown to explain use of modern contraception in Malawi.

Neisseria Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia Trachomatis, and Treponema Pallidum Infection in Antenatal and Gynecological Patients at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana (PubMed abstract)
A high transmissible risk of T. pallidum infection was observed among our study population and in particular among our pregnant women. The absence of association between the presenting symptoms, clinical findings, and specific pathogens has implications for the syndromic approach to STI case management. The low prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoea may be due to self medication and requires further research in primary health institutions in rural areas to compare rates.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

Birth Control: Everything Old Is New Again (news article)
More and more choices are being made available to women, and on a regular basis. Within the choices there are choices. And although some of these may seem like the same old thing, in some cases, everything old is new again. This article describes the various birth control methods available to women.

Cambodia's First Soap Mixes Health Education With Drama (news article)
"Taste of Life," Cambodia's first soap opera, has all the usual fodder -- bad girls, do-gooders, love, temptation and numerous "coincidences" -- but it's not just suds galore. The creators are weaving messages through the plot lines to help Cambodians improve their health, teach them about HIV/AIDS and fight stigmas associated with the disease.

Egypt: Nice Day for a Mass Wedding (news article)
Last month, the Upper Egyptian governorate of Minya’s stadium hosted a gigantic wedding reception to focus the public’s attention on family health and encourage young couples to adopt healthy practices.

Hypertension: On The Pill? Tell Your Dentist (news article)
The most common cause of secondary hypertension in women is oral contraceptive use. Monitoring blood pressure at the dental office helps dentists become part of a patient's health care team. Dentists want to educate the public to pay attention to and manage their blood pressure before complications occur.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

Boosting Rights of HIV Victims (news article)
Speaking at the first-of-its-kind seminar in China, a professor of public policies said that few people in China would say they did not respect the human rights of others. "But when it comes to HIV/AIDS, neglect and violation of human rights still occur." Discussing human rights and legal issues related to HIV/AIDS with scholars on law, public policies, medical science and media were representatives of non-government organizations of AIDS patients, as well as gays and lesbians from different parts of China. For the first time this usually invisible group of people had their voices heard in public.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

Self-Disclosure of HIV Serostatus in Recently Diagnosed Patients with HIV in South Africa (PubMed abstract)
This study examined HIV serostatus disclosure and its relationship to risky sexual behaviours in 69 sexually active, heterosexual, married or cohabiting South Africa patients recently diagnosed as HIV positive. Results show that 78% had not disclosed their HIV serostatus to their sexual partners and 46% had no knowledge of their sexual partner's serostatus.

Understanding and Addressing AIDS-Related Stigma: From Anthropological Theory to Clinical Practice in Haiti (PubMed abstract)
Preliminary data from research in rural Haiti suggest that the introduction of quality HIV care can lead to a rapid reduction in stigma, with resulting increased uptake of testing. Rather than stigma, logistic and economic barriers determine who will access such services.

HIV and Syphilis Infection among Elderly People in Northwest Ethiopia (PubMed abstract)
The data from this study indicate that the prevalence of HIV among elderly people in Northwest Ethiopia was high. This indicates the importance of involving the elderly in HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs.

Are Public Antenatal Clinics in Blantyre, Malawi, Ready to Offer Services for the Prevention of Vertical Transmission of HIV? (PubMed abstract)
This study was conducted to describe the perceptions of midwives towards selected issues regarding prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in eleven public health centres in Blantyre, Malawi. Less than half (40.7%), of them reported working at a baby friendly hospital initiative health facility, while 96.3% reported that they would advise an HIV infected woman to breastfeed her infant. There was lack of appropriate clinic space and sterile gloves for the proper delivery of maternity services. Midwives in Malawi need training, supervision and other support to provide adequate health care services to antenatal women.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Pathogens among HIV-Positive Individuals in Iran (PubMed abstract)
The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites among HIV-infected Iranians was 18%. This study highlights the importance of testing for intestinal parasites among Iranian HIV-positive patients, especially those with low immunity presenting with diarrhea.

Acceptance Rate of HIV Testing Among Women Seeking Induced Abortion in Benin City, Nigeria (PubMed abstract)
Of 1051 women attending private clinics in Benin City, 95% had multiple sexual partners and 69% regularly practiced unprotected sex. All were aware of HIV/AIDS. Yet only 13% accepted HIV testing. The older women were more likely to accept voluntary HIV testing than the younger ones. We therefore recommend that HIV campaign programmes should include strategies aimed at arousing public interest in voluntary HIV testing.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Swaziland: Army Unveils HIV/AIDS Policy (news article)
The Swazi army has unveiled a new policy that rejects HIV-positive recruits, while acknowledging that its ranks of enlisted men and officers have been badly affected by the disease.

A Silent Killer Threatens Central Asia (First in a Four-Part Series) (news article)
Experts estimate there may be more than 500,000 intravenous drug users in Central Asia. Many of them share needles, a practice that places users at a high risk of contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which causes AIDS.

HIV Infections Build in Uzbekistan as Prostitution Rises (Second in a Four-Part Series) (news article)
The 30-year-old prostitute refuses to give her name. She says she discovered she was infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, roughly two years ago. She doesn’t know when she contracted the disease, or from whom. But she says she has no one to blame but herself: "There were some clients who didn’t want to use condoms. They were drunk. Men usually buy [sexual services] when they’re drunk."

Nigeria Probes Use of Suspended AIDS Drugs (news article)
The National Agency for Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian's food and drug production and consumption regulatory agency, has begun investigations into the administration of some suspended anti-retroviral drugs on some people living with HIV/AIDS.

Cuba Keeps AIDS in Check Despite Sex Tourism (news article)
A decade after an economic collapse forced thousands of young women and men into prostitution, Cuba has still kept its HIV infection rates among the lowest in the world.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

Health Benefits of Selected Global Breastfeeding Recommendations Among Children 0-6 Months in Nigeria (PubMed abstract)
This study assessed the implications of pre-lacteal feeding, feeding of colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and the use of feeding bottles for child health. Mothers who reported compliance with the recommendations also reported fewer episodes of the common signs of illnesses surveyed. The study confirmed the appropriateness and relevance of the selected recommendations in the study area.

Reducing Postpartum Hemorrhage in Africa (PubMed abstract)
In low-income settings, the prostaglandin misoprostol should be considered. It is low-cost, stable at room temperature and easy to administer.

Effect of Prolonged Birth Spacing on Maternal and Perinatal Outcome (PubMed abstract)
This study exammined the reasons for prolonged birth spacing and to compare the maternal and perinatal outcome compared to shorter than normal birth spacing in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The commonest reason for prolonged birth spacing was found to be failed contraception (56%), followed by secondary infertility (24%). There was no significant difference in maternal and perinatal outcome in pregnancy between women with prolonged birth spacing and those with normal shorter birth spacing.

Pregnancy, Delivery, and Neonatal Complications in a Population Cohort of Women With Schizophrenia and Major Affective Disorders (research abstract)
Both schizophrenic and affective disorder patients had increased risks of pregnancy, birth, and neonatal complications, including placental abnormalities, antepartum hemorrhages, and fetal distress. Women with schizophrenia were significantly more likely to have placental abruption, to give birth to infants in the lowest weight/growth population decile, and to have children with cardiovascular congenital anomalies. Risk reduction in these vulnerable groups may be achievable through antenatal and postnatal interventions.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

Southern Africa: Rising Child Deaths Illustrate Region's Health Crisis (news article)
While child mortality rates continue to decline in some countries in sub-Saharan Africa, death rates are on the rise in many others. Revealing an abrupt reversal in development in the last decade, the latest figures on childhood deaths are a new illustration of the escalating public health crisis.

Gabon: Illegal Abortions Cause One in Four Pregnancy-Related Deaths (news article)
Illegal abortions accounted for more than one in four pregnancy-related deaths in Gabon in 2001, according to a Health Ministry survey which has just been released. Many of them were teenagers.

MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Unprotected Anal Intercourse Among HIV-Positive Men Who Have a Steady Male Sex Partner With Negative or Unknown HIV Serostatus. (PubMed abstract)
This study sought to determine the prevalence and predictors of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among HIV-positive men who have a single steady male partner with negative or unknown HIV serostatus. Even after learning of their infection, one fifth of HIV-positive men who had a single steady male partner with negative or unknown serostatus engaged in UAI, underscoring the need to expand HIV prevention interventions among these men.

Fifty Ways to Leave Your Rubber: How Men in Mombasa Rationalise Unsafe Sex (research article)
Some of the reasons men say they do not use condoms would be difficult to affect directly. Others are the result of gaps in knowledge and have not been impacted through better communication strategies. Finally, some of the reasons for not using condoms, such as men’s weaknesses, and the loss of pleasure, could possibly be addressed through the introduction of female controlled devices. However, the most important conclusion of this paper is that men who pay for sex do so because it is pleasurable and many men do not find the male condom pleasurable. Therefore, messages targeted at men who have sex with sex workers may not be 100% successful if they only emphasise the benefits of condom use as disease control.

MEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Birth-Control Pill for Men Could Be A Reality 'Soon' (news article)
The day when men can take a pill or rely on an implant to keep them from fathering a child may only be a few years away, experts say. And, contrary to popular belief, most men say they would welcome some form of long-term, but easily reversible, contraception.

To Circumcise or Not to Circumcise (Opinion) (news article)
Circumcision has many health benefits including protection against AIDS, STDs and cervical cancer in women, but it is not a magic bullet against Aids. It does not prevent AIDS but reduces it. Circumcision is not the panacea for AIDS, which requires abstinence and self control.

Patients Should Be Certain Before Having Vasectomy (news article)
Common questions about vacectomy are answered, including how long the procedure takes, pain, recovery period, and reversal.

When Men Say 'Ladies First' (news article)
When do men happily say ladies first? In Uttar Pradesh, where else but a family planning queue? Generally, women far outnumber men in sterilisation rates. Sitapur, however, is proving to be a striking exception. Men here have created history of sorts by having the largest number of No Scalpel Vasectomy procedures in the world last month.

POPULATION RESEARCH

Fertility Trends and Patterns in a Rural Area of South Africa in the Context of HIV/AIDS. (research abstract)
This study presents trends and patterns of fertility observed in a rural South African population. Fertility patterns among a population of 21,847 women in a rural KwaZulu-Natal demographic surveillance area were compared with patterns seen in another South African rural population using data from the 1998 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey.

Adult Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys (PubMed abstract)
This article reports levels, trends, and age patterns of adult mortality in 23 sub-Saharan Africa countries, based on the sibling histories and orphanhood data collected by the countries' Demographic and Health Surveys. Adult mortality has risen sharply since HIV became prevalent, but the size and speed of the mortality increase varies greatly among countries.

POPULATION NEWS

Vietnam Seeks to Reduce Population Growth Rate in 2005 (news article)
The National Committee for Population, Family and Children will pour 50bn dong into population growth control programs in 2005 in the hope of reducing the birth rate that has risen slightly in recent years.

Population Study: Mexico is World's 11th Most Populous Country, With 105 Million People in 2004 (news article)
Mexico's population increased by almost 1.1 million in 2004 to reach an estimated 105,909,000, allowing the country to maintain its place as the 11th largest in the world in terms of population, the government reported Tuesday.

Viet Nam's Population Estimated at 88 Million By 2010 (news article)
Viet Nam's population strategy is to aim to have a population of 88 million people by 2010, with each couple having two children at most. The strategy will also call for increasing the number of people using modern birth control methods to 70 percent, halving the number of abortions as compared with 1998 when almost 1 million abortions were recorded, and raising the human development index to the world's average standard of 0.75 points. Under the stragegy, Viet Nam's population is forecast to grow 1.22 percent to peak at 82,493,000 people in 2005.

Yemen: First Census in 10 Years Underway (news article)
More than 23,000 data-collectors have set out with huge ledgers (data books) this week to each and every household in the country to count the population, in Yemen's first census in 10 years. The results will be used as the basis for developing social policy and allocating new schools, hospitals and other facilities.

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Speculoscopy Directly After a Pap Smear May Detect More Cervical Lesions Than the Pap Test Alone (news article)
Inspecting the cervix with a bright light technology called speculoscopy directly after a Pap smear may detect more cervical lesions than the Pap test alone, according to a new review of studies about the procedure. But the higher detection rates come at a cost: More potentially cancerous lesions will be caught with the combination of technologies, but the process also increases the risk of "false positives," or cells wrongly identified as lesions.

Big Rise in Pregnancy Risk for Larger Women on Pill (news article)
Being overweight greatly increases the chances of women on the Pill getting pregnant.

Vietnam Focuses on Women’s Role in AIDS Prevention (news article)
Women’s participation in the fight against HIV/AIDS should be considered as important as women’s role in running family affairs, said the President of the Vietnam Women’s Union Ha Thi Khiet.

Scrap Obnoxious Widowhood Practices, Igbos Urged (news article)
THE prevailing widowhood practices in Igboland have been described as "not only obnoxious but also a very bad testimonial for Ndigbo". The Dean, Faculty of Law, Imo State University, Owerri, Professor Uba Nnabue, who stated this during a ceremony organized in Owerri by Widows Rights Advocate (WIRAD), a non-governmental organization, also appealed to traditional rulers to help wipe out the obnoxious practices.

FDA Panel Rejects Testosterone Patch for Women on Safety Grounds (news article)
A panel of advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration last week unanimously rejected an experimental testosterone patch as a treatment for women with sexual difficulties.

YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH

Missed Opportunities: Emergency Contraception Utilisation by Young South African Women (news article)
This paper analyses awareness and utilisation of emergency contraception amongst 193 young women (aged 15-24 years) attending public sector health facilities in South Africa. Only 17% had ever heard of emergency contraception, although significantly more in the urban area had heard of it.

A Longitudinal Study of Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection in a Cohort of Closely Followed Adolescent Women (research article)
Related: news article: Very High Prevalence Of Virus Linked To Cervical Cancer Found In Adolescent Women
The cumulative prevalence of HPV infection in sexually active adolescent women is extremely high, involves numerous HPV types, and frequently results in cervical dysplasia. Exceeding rates observed in previous research, a new study found four out of five sexually active adolescent women infected with human papillomavirus, a virus linked to cervical cancer and genital warts.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

South Asia: Youth Forum on HIV/AIDS (news article)
100 scouts, aged between nine to 16 years, from Nepal, India and Bhutan took part in a day-long youth forum on HIV/AIDS.

BOOKS/BOOK REVIEWS

Fewer: How the New Demography of Depopulation Will Shape Our Future (book)
Never before have birth rates fallen so far, so fast, so low, for so long, in so many places, so surprisingly. In Fewer, Ben Wattenberg attempts to show how and why this has occurred, and how these stark demographic changes will affect commerce, the environment, public financing, and geo-politics in the new century.

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Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

Volume 5, Number 1 3 January 2005