The Pop Reporter®
– Events – Archives – Subscribe – Modify Profile – Headline Sharing Program – The Pop Reporter en Español (Spanish)
Volume 5, Number 10
7 March 2005
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
Preventing Transmission: Plant-Derived Microbicides and Mucosal Vaccines for Reproductive Health
(Abstract)
This study discusses the potential of emerging tools of plant biotechnology for complex biopharmaceutical production of low-cost and high-capacity reproductive health products such as microbicides.
Guidelines for the Care of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Conflict-affected Settings 
(Tool)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Related Tool: Guidelines, Part 2
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Related Tool: Guidelines, Part 3
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
The STI Guidelines provide a framework for clinic-based care of STIs and are aimed at individuals and organizations concerned with improving the quality of care of STIs in conflict-affected settings. The Guidelines are available in three .pdf files.
Concurrent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Sex Partners of Patients with Selected STIs: Implications for Patient-Delivered Partner Therapy
(Abstract)
Patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT) is the practice of providing disease-specific antimicrobial agents to patients for delivery to their sex partners. This study evaluated the concordance between STIs diagnosed in partners and their reported exposures for which they might have received PDPT. Results showed infrequent coinfections in female and heterosexual male partners exposed to patients with chlamydial infection or gonorrhea would not preclude use of PDPT. However, PDPT for male partners of women with trichomoniasis and for men who have sex with men requires further study.
Sexually Transmitted Infections in Rural Madagascar at an Early Stage of the HIV Epidemic: A 6-Month Community-Based Follow-Up Study
(Abstract)
This study provides complementary data related to STI prevalence in a general rural population of Madagascar. Study findings suggest that rural areas in Madagascar should be as closely monitored and assisted in STI and HIV control as their urban counterparts. Following the current consensus, young adults should constitute a priority target group in the control programs.
Efficacy and Safety of a Contraceptive Vaginal Ring (NuvaRing) Compared with a Combined Oral Contraceptive: A 1-Year Randomized Trial
(Abstract)
This open-label, randomized, Phase III study compared the efficacy and tolerability of and compliance with NuvaRing, a combined contraceptive vaginal ring releasing 15 micrograms of ethinylestradiol (EE) and 120 micrograms of etonogestrel daily, with those of and with a combined oral contraceptive (COC) containing 150 micrograms of levonorgestrel (LNG) and 30 micrograms of EE. Results show that NuvaRing has comparable efficacy and tolerability with a COC containing 150 micrograms of LNG and 30 micrograms of EE and does not require daily dosing.
Microbicides: New Potential for Protection
(Report)
This INFO Project publication concerns the protective potential of microbicides, substances that are designed, when applied vaginally, to reduce transmission of HIV or other STIs.
Valuable Safeguard or Unnecessary Burden? Characterization of Physician Consultations for Oral Contraceptive use in Mexico City
(Abstract)
Given the safety and efficacy of oral contraceptives (OCs), many health professionals believe that these should be widely available over-the-counter (OTC). Opponents of OTC availability argue that without a physician's consultation, women will not be properly screened and will not use OCs correctly, thereby compromising safety and efficacy. Trained simulated patients (SPs) attended 45 appointments with Mexico City public and private physicians to request a prescription for OCs. In general, Mexican physicians are not providing women thorough information and screening in OC consultations, calling into question the assumption that a physician's appointment is necessary for or will ensure safe, proper OC use.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS
Singapore: You're a Pain, But Let's Get Married Anyway
(News Article)
Singaporean couples may not be happy with their partners but they will still marry them anyway, a global survey on relationships shows.
India: Jayalalitha's `Reverse' Family Planning for Tsunami-Hit
(News Article)
Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha offered free reversals of birth control operations to tsunami victims who lost their children in the December disaster.
Africa: Health Ministers Pledge on Reproductive Health
(News Article)
Ministers of Health of the Southern Africa sub-region have committed themselves to working with other sub-regions on the continent to integrate sexual reproductive health and rights goals and targets into the New Partnership for Africa's Development framework.
Fifty Percent of Russian Women are Short of Men: Russian Women's Ability to Love is Directly Connected with Men's Ability to Make Money
(Feature Article)
Russian women's inability to find their lifetime partners may inevitably lead to serious demographic problems, according to Russian scientists.
Indonesia: UNFPA Supports Restoration of Family Planning Services in Aceh
(Press Release)
To ensure immediate provision of reproductive health services in tsunami-hit Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, the United Nations Population Fund allocated $400,000 to re-establish the provincial National Family Planning Coordinating Board.
Nepal: Villagers Still Shy Away from Family Planning
(News Article)
People in the remote areas of Sindhuli district are little interested in the means of permanent family planning due to the grip of superstitious tradition and lack of awareness.
Indian Male Contraceptive Injections Ready for Market
(News Article)
After years of dillydallying and crossing bureaucratic hurdles, an Indian male injectable contraceptive that can be reversed is ready to be marketed.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
US Abortion Comments Draw Jeers at UN
(News Article)
Jeers and catcalls greeted the top US delegate to a global women's conference as she stressed Washington's opposition to abortion and support for sexual abstinence and fidelity. After withdrawing an unpopular anti-abortion amendment from a key UN document, the United States joined in approving the declaration that reaffirmed a 150-page platform agreed 10 years ago at a landmark UN women's conference in Beijing.
U.S. Says Expects to Approve More Generic AIDS Drugs
(News Article)
The United States expects to approve more generic AIDS drugs in coming months, the head of US AIDS policy said on Wednesday, a move which would allow them to be included in a $15 billion U.S. anti-HIV program.
Forced Abortion Still Part of China's Population Control Regime
(News Article)
Related Report: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (China)
On February 28, 2005, the US State Department released its 2004 Human Rights Report. The report entitled "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" is submitted to Congress by the Department of State in compliance with laws requiring the department to submit "a full and complete report regarding the status of internationally recognized human rights . . . in countries that receive (US) assistance." Regarding China, the report notes that "Violence against women, including imposition of a coercive birth limitation policy that resulted in instances of forced abortion and forced sterilization, continued to be a problem, as did prostitution." The report outlines in detail the barbaric population control practices employed by the Chinese government. "Under the country's family planning law and policies, citizens in 6 of the country's 31 provinces still were required to apply for government permission before having a first child, and the Government continued to restrict the number of births."
HIV/AIDS RESEARCH
HIV Epidemics Driven by Late Disease Stage Transmission
(Abstract)
How infectious a person is when infected with HIV depends on what stage of the disease the person is in. Using three stages (primary, asymptomatic, and symptomatic) and robust modeling, high-resolution estimates of semen infectivity by HIV disease stage were provided. Outcomes show that the infectivity of the symptomatic stage is far higher, hence more potent. Infectivity estimates and modeling have implications for understanding heterosexual epidemics such as that in sub-Saharan African.
Rural Indian Tribal Communities: An Emerging High-Risk Group for HIV/AIDS
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This study sought to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding sexuality and the risk factors associated with the spread of HIV/AIDS and STDs among rural Indian tribes. Lack of awareness, permissiveness of tribal societies for premarital or extra-marital sexual relationships, and sexual mixing patterns predispose these communities to HIV/AIDS and STD infections.
Designing Equitable Antiretroviral Allocation Strategies in Resource-Constrained Countries
(Research Article)
This study presents a potential design for an equitable antiretroviral allocation strategy. The plan, which would give each individual with HIV an equal chance of receiving antiretrovirals, is based on a novel spatial model that enables the modelling of "spatial diffusion" of antiretrovirals in a resource-constrained country.
AIDS in Africa: Three Scenarios to 2025
(Report)
Related News Article: Africa: AIDS Death Toll Could Reach 80 Million by 2025, Says New Report
A new report by UNAIDS presents three possible case studies for how the AIDS epidemic in Africa could evolve over the next 20 years based on policy decisions taken today by African leaders and the rest of the world.
Navigating the AIDS Epidemic in Rural Malawi
(Research Article)
This article provides a perspective on rural Malawi during the unsettled times following the recognition by village residents that AIDS is a profound danger. It finds that in their networks of friends, relatives, and neighbors, rural Malawians are publicly discussing a range of strategies of prevention.
Interruption and Discontinuation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study
(Abstract)
This study explored the determinants and consequences of interrupting and discontinuing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) among a population-based cohort of HIV-infected men. The research showed that host characteristics play a role in short interruptions, whereas longer interruptions may be clinically indicated. These longer stoppages had further virologic and immunologic consequences, however.
HIV/AIDS Symptom Management in Southern Africa
(Abstract)
This study describes self-reported strategies used by persons living with HIV/AIDS in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland to manage common HIV-related symptoms. Overall, participants reported medications as the most frequently occurring management strategy and the most effective. A very small inventory of behavioral strategies was available to participants to help them manage their HIV-related symptoms.
No Observed Effect of GB Virus C Coinfection on Disease Progression in a Cohort of African Woman Infected with HIV-1 or HIV-2
(Abstract)
Researchers studied mortality among subjects with HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection in relation to GB virus (GBV) C coinfection. No significant differences in mortality were seen between subjects with and subjects without GBV-C coinfection who also had either HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection. No association between GBV-C and HIV plasma virus loads or CD4 cell count was observed.
HIV/AIDS NEWS
Arguing an AIDS Drug for Mothers
(Tool)
Health experts say millions of AIDS deaths in Africa can be prevented by giving mothers and newborns a drug called nevirapine at the time of birth. More than 500,000 mothers and children have taken the drug. But a debate is raging over the safety and ethics of nevirapine. In this audio file (Real Player or Windows Media Player required), a (US) National Public Radio correspondent explains the latest science on nevirapine.
Namibia: HIV/AIDS Ignorance Still Very Prevalent
(News Article)
Even though the coverage of HIV/AIDS prevention programs in Namibia is quite extensive, there are still many Namibians who do not have adequate basic knowledge about the pandemic.
New State HIV Medical Aid Plan in Namibia
(News Article)
The Namibian government recently approved a bailout package to cover escalating state medical aid costs related to the treatment of HIV/AIDS for public servants.
Botswana: 'I'm Beautiful and HIV-Positive'
(News Article)
The third "Miss HIV Stigma Free" beauty competition in Botswana encourages changing attitudes towards women with HIV.
Nigeria: Authorities Predict 250,000 People on ARVs by Mid-2006
(News Article)
The Nigerian government has said it aims to quadruple the number of people on antiretroviral drugs by mid-2006, enabling up to 250,000 HIV-positive people to receive the medication.
South African Radio Show Outs Adulterers to Fight AIDS
(News Article)
A controversial radio show in Soweto is outing adulterers with shocking techniques that the creators say are justified to combat South Africa's alarming HIV/AIDS rate.
India: AIDS Lessons for Clueless Doctors
(News Article)
The fight against HIV is set to go beyond patients and potential carriers with the realization that many doctors are unaware of the symptoms of AIDS and how to handle patients.
Tajikistan: HIV/AIDS on the Rise in North
(News Article)
The joint UN program on HIV/AIDS in Tajikistan, estimates that the real number of HIV-infected people in the country is higher than reported government number, and rising.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH
Childhood Diarrheal Morbidity in the Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana: Socio-economic, Environmental and Behavioral Risk Determinants
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This study examined 2 weeks' incidence of diarrhea among children under 6 years in Accra. The results indicate that the household economic status and education of the mother are significant determinants of diarrhea.
Low Levels of Maternal Education and the Proximate Determinants of Childhood Mortality: A Little Learning is not a Dangerous Thing
(Abstract)
This paper examines the impact of ‘low’ levels of maternal education on the proximate determinants of child mortality using data from the 1992-93 Indian National Family Health Survey. Twenty-two outcomes are investigated, representing child mortality and morbidity, illness management, service utilization, and health behaviors. Maternal education is a significant correlate of each of the outcomes, and even low levels of education increase child survival prospects and health-related behaviors, except for neonatal mortality and the effective management of diarrhea.
Persistence of Nevirapine Exposure during the Postpartum Period after Intrapartum Single-Dose Nevirapine in Addition to Zidovudine Prophylaxis for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
(Abstract)
This study explored nevirapine (NVP) plasma levels during the postpartum period after a single intrapartum NVP dose for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in Thailand. It found that significant NVP concentrations remained for up to 20 days in the women. To ensure that coverage is maintained until NVP concentrations fall to nonsuppressive levels, 1 month of additional antiretroviral treatment after delivery is recommended to prevent the emergence of resistant viruses.
Do Various Sources Disseminating AIDS Information Make Significant Difference to Antenatal Care in Bangladesh?
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Extracting 5,194 women from the 1999-2000 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, this study assessed impact of various sources disseminating AIDS information on antenatal care (ANC) services. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression found that radio, television, newspapers/magazines, pamphlets/posters, health workers, and friends/relatives significantly associated with ANC services. Multiple sources showed even stronger association with the services. Therefore, this study underscored the needs of disseminating AIDS information from multiple sources to improve the ANC services and to increase AIDS knowledge and prevention activities among pregnant women.
The Lancet - Neonatal Survival Series
(Tool)
The aim of the present Lancet series (Neonatal Survival) is to erase the excuse of ignorance for public and political inaction once and for all. This series is the product of a partnership between scientists, health workers, and journal editors.
How Do Women Identify Health Professionals at Birth in Ghana?
(Research Article)
This study explores how women in Ghana identify health professionals attending their births. Role, prior knowledge, and uniform are the most common means by which women identify their attendant. These means of identification do not distinguish accurately between different types of health professional.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS
Namibia: Expectant Mothers Often Shun Clinics
(News Article)
Reporting by expectant mothers at the country's antenatal clinics is disappointing, according to reproductive health data for 2003-2004.
Mongolia: BBC Film to Feature Changes in Rural Maternal Health
(News Article)
Mongolia's successful strategies to reduce maternal mortality are to be featured in an upcoming British Broadcasting (BBC) World documentary series. The 11-part series, undertaken in partnership with the World Health Organization, showcases successful approaches to improving maternal health in developing countries.
MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
Risk of HIV Infection among Male Sex Workers in Spain
(Abstract)
This study assessed HIV prevalence and predictive factors for HIV among male sex workers in Spain.
The Acceptability of Male Circumcision as an HIV Intervention among a Rural Zulu Population, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
(Abstract)
This study explores the acceptability of male circumcision among the rural Zulu around Hlabisa and Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
A Rose by Any Other Name? Objective Knowledge, Perceived Knowledge, and Adolescent Male Condom Use
(Abstract)
This study, from the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, investigated the role of objective and perceived knowledge about condoms in adolescent males’ condom use at first intercourse. Results suggest that both objective and perceived knowledge serve as antecedents to male condom use at first intercourse. However, those with higher perceived knowledge, particularly in the context of low objective knowledge, may be at greater risk for not using condoms.
MEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Hoodwinked into Fatherhood
(News Article)
A recent ruling by an Illinois Court may help change how men's reproductive rights are viewed.
Changing Men's Attitudes to Reduce AIDS in Africa
(News Article)
The Men as Partners workshops, organized in 1998 by the international nongovernmetal organization EngenderHealth, aim to curb South Africa's AIDS problem by shaping attitudes and behaviors, particularly those of the male participants, that experts say contribute to the spread of the disease.
POPULATION RESEARCH
World Mortality 1950-2000: Divergence Replaces Convergence from the Late 1980s
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
In this paper, from the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, the authors present a novel measure, the dispersion measure of mortality, to summarize the extent to which the mortality experience of the world's population is converging over time.
POPULATION NEWS
China: Wuhan Sees Negative Population Growth
(News Article)
Wuhan has become the second city in China, after Shanghai, to register negative population growth, according to city officials. One major factor was the high death rate, 9.39 per thousand.
Taiwan Frets over Birth Rate
(News Article)
While giant neighbour China is still eager to keep its population in check with a one-child policy, Taiwan's fertility rate has plunged, with the average woman having only 1.2 children, down from 2.5 in the 1980s, official statistics show.
Experts: Falling Birth Rates to Cause 'Demographic Time Bomb'
(Feature Article)
The global population has experienced an unprecedented reduction in birth rates over the past few decades. People in rich and poor countries alike are having fewer babies, which demographers warn will lead to a worsening problem of global aging. This report, from Voice of America news, is available in online text and Real Audio formats.
China: Marriage Prospects Grim for Future Guangxi Bachelors
(News Article)
One in five boys under age nine in southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will remain a bachelor for life, said sources at the regional work conference on population and family-planning.
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
"It's Time to Act": A Technical Seminar on Women and AIDS
(Tool)
On December 2nd the International Center for Research on Women, the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS, and the Horizons Program convened a seminar in Washington, DC, to commemorate World AIDS Day. Drawing on research and field experience, the presenters highlighted advances in addressing key issues affecting women and girls, including property rights, stigma, gender-based violence, microbicides, vaccines, antiretroviral treatment services, and home and community care. Their presentations are now available in this resource.
Associations of Sexual Risk Taking Among Kenyan Female Sex Workers After Enrollment in an HIV-1 Prevention Trial
(Abstract)
Seronegative female sex workers (FSWs) were enrolled in an STI/HIV-1 prevention trial in Nairobi, Kenya. Demographics and sexual risk taking were assessed every 3 months, and predictors of reduced risk taking were defined. The study concludes that home-based FSWs and those charging less for sex used condoms the least at baseline but showed the greatest and most sustained improvements over time.
HIV Infection and Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Female Commercial Sex Workers in China
(Abstract)
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among female commercial sex workers (FSWs) in Zhengzhou, China, to estimate rates of HIV infection and STDs and to document their sexual behavior patterns from October 2000 to January 2001. A history of STDs was reported by 49% of the FSWs, and most FSWs (87%) reported inconsistent condom use, underscoring the urgent need to implement intervention strategies and condom promotion.
Women's Sexual Control within Conjugal Union: Implications for HIV/AIDS Infection and Control in a Metropolitan City
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This study attempts to examine the extent to which women have control over their sexuality within marriage and its implication for the spread of HIV/AIDS. The survey was carried out in metropolitan Lagos. The study shows that women have some control over their sexuality, especially during certain occasions such as during menstruation, breastfeeding, pregnancy, and when they are sick. However, only few women could negotiate with their husbands especially by insisting on safe sexual practices. The study therefore shows that women need to be educated on the need for safer sex practices, especially in this era of HIV/AIDS.
WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Kenya: Preventing Sexual Violence against Refugees
(News Article)
The Kenya Code has established a shared set of high ethical standards of employee conduct as a first inter-agency step towards preventing the sexual exploitation and abuse of refugees in Kenya, which hosts an estimated 240,000 in two camps.
YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH
Improving the Reproductive Health of Youth In Mexico
(Report)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This project assessed the impact of the Mexican Foundation for Family Planning’s Young People Program on: a) the attitudes of community stakeholders (such as parents, school teachers, and health service providers) towards informing youth about reproductive health issues and towards making reproductive health services available for sexually-active youth; b) the sexual and reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescents; and c) the way that providers offer reproductive health services to adolescents. In addition, the project determined whether adding a school-based sex education component increased the impact of community interventions on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescents.
YOUTH HEALTH NEWS
South Africa: Provision of Services to Children on the Decline
(News Article)
With daily reports emerging of widespread child abuse, delegates at an international conference on families in Durban say the provision of social services to children has deteriorated.
Without Gender Equality in Education the World Cannot Advance – Annan
(News Article)
Without achieving gender equality for girls in education, the world has no chance of achieving many of the ambitious health, social and development targets it has set for itself, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said.
SPECIAL REPORTS/PROFILES/RESOURCES
Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children Toolkit
(Tool)
This toolkit is for those supporting orphans and vulnerable children. It has over 500 resources, categorized into 70 sections and sub-sections. All aspects of community-based support to orphans and vulnerable children are organized under the different headings, and each section and sub-section has guidance notes, as well as the resources themselves, which can be downloaded as pdf files.
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control: A Short Course for Humanitarian Workers Facilitator's Manua
(Teaching and Training Material)
This 5-day course on HIV/AIDS prevention and control, produced by the Reproductive Health Response in Conflict Consortium, is aimed at assisting humanitarian workers to deepen their individual understanding of the complexities of HIV/AIDS and to equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to improve HIV/AIDS program design and implementation in their communities.
"The Pop Reporter" (R) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs INFO Project. When you click on any link, 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.
Problems and comments can be addressed to rjacoby@jhuccp.org.
Archives available at http://www.infoforhealth.org/popreporter/.
Subscribe at http://prds.infoforhealth.org/signup.php.
Modify your account at http://prds.infoforhealth.org/modify.php.
Have an item to contribute for consideration in The Pop Reporter? E-mail the URL and description to rjacoby@jhuccp.org. Forward this message to a friend who could benefit from INFO project activities!
Sincerely,
Robert Jacoby, rjacoby@jhuccp.org
Editor, The Pop Reporter
Information & Knowledge for Optimal Health (INFO) Project
111 Market Place Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: 410-659-6300 Fax: 410-659-6266 Security & Privacy Policy