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Volume 5, Number 11
14 March 2005

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH

Randomized Trial of Supplementary Interviewing Techniques to Enhance Recall of Sexual Partners in Contact Interviews
(Research Article)
A randomized trial of supplementary interviewing techniques for STD contact interviews showed that prompting and some recall cues increased the number of sex partners elicited and located and also resulted in improved network ascertainment and case finding.

Antimicrobial Resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Selected World Health Organization Southeast Asia Region Countries: An Overview
(Abstract)
The current report deals with the current status and trends of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in different southeast Asia region countries and highlights the importance of continuous surveillance of antimicrobial sensitivity pattern to develop country-specific management guidelines.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in Asymptomatic Brazilian Military Conscripts
(Abstract)
A 5% prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection was found in a cross-sectional study among male military conscripts from Goiãnia-Goiás, Brazil, which was associated with failure to use condoms and with multiple sex partners.

Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection and Persistence of Human Papillomavirus
(Abstract)
In this Swedish cohort study, researchers found the most significant risk factor for persistent presence of HPV DNA was self-reported history of previous C. trachomatis infection.

Contraceptive Efficacy, Compliance and Beyond: Factors Related to Satisfaction with Once-weekly Transdermal Compared with Oral Contraception
(Abstract)
This study investigated contraceptive efficacy, compliance, and user's satisfaction with transdermal versus oral contraception (OC). Efficacy of the patch is comparable to OC, but compliance is consistently better at all age groups. Higher satisfaction with the patch at increasing age may be attributed to improvements in emotional and physical well-being as well as reduction of premenstrual symptoms.

Increasing Contraceptive use in Rural Pakistan: An Evaluation of the Lady Health Worker Programme
(Abstract)
The Lady Health Worker Programme (LHWP), initiated under the Ministry of Health in the early 1990s, aimed at integrating family planning into the doorstep provision of primary health care. This paper presents findings from the first national evaluation of this program. The data provide strong evidence that the LHWP has succeeded in increasing modern contraceptive use among rural women.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

The Philippines: Arroyo Puzzled by Reactions to Family Planning Program
(News Article)
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has expressed disbelief after reports that some health workers promoting the government's "ligtas buntis" campaign have been advised against receiving communion.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

Breaking Through: A Guide to Sexuality and Reproductive Health and Rights
(Tool)
To mark the tenth anniversary of the Cairo conference, the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) has published this ICPD guide. The guide is for all those wanting to better acquaint themselves with the political debate surrounding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). It is a useful tool for those who negotiate and advocate on these issues. The reader is provided with a general picture of the Programme of Action, an explanation of controversial SRHR terms, "the opposition", political arguments, and a summary of international treaties and documents relevant to our efforts to reinforce SRHR as a fundamental human right. The book is published by RFSU. The Center for Reproductive Rights in New York assisted in drafting certain sections of the text.

China Pledges to Reward One-child Rural Families
(News Article)
China is extending a trial scheme of cash rewards for rural families who observe the one-child policy.

Chinese Men Get US Asylum If Wife Was Sterilised
(News Article)
Men whose wives were forcibly sterilized under China's coercive population control policies are entitled to political asylum in the US, the federal appeals court in San Francisco has ruled. The ruling could greatly increase the number of people able to stay in the US because of persecution under China's population policies. "Involuntary sterilisation irrevocably strips persons of one of the important liberties we possess as humans: our reproductive freedom," Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote on behalf of the panel of three.

Singapore to Make AIDS Tests Compulsory for Pregnant Women
(News Article)
Singapore is seeking to make AIDS tests compulsory for pregnant women, Senior Minister of State for Health announced.

India: Cash Offer to One-girl Families
(News Article)
Families having a single girl child in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh will be given 100,000 rupees (US$2,300) in an attempt to boost the female population. The money will be given to the child when she turns 20 and both parents would have to undergo verified birth control operations. The state government says it is concerned at the falling female-to-male ratio - in 2001 it was 943 to 1,000.

The Philippines: Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act
(Tool)
Related News Article: PDF File of the "Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act"
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This link provides the full text of the Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act of 2005, currently pending in Congress in The Philippines.

Can the Law Regulate Reckless Sex?
(Interview)
Related Research Article: A Separate Crime of Reckless Sex
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
STDs can't be outlawed, but can the law slow their spread? In an article in the University of Chicago Law Review, Ian Ayres and Katharine Baker propose adding the crime of "reckless sexual conduct" to the books. Citing data that shows that STDs are transmitted with disproportionate frequency the first time two people have sex, Ayres and Baker argue first-time intercourse without a condom should be punishable by putting the perpetrator in prison for 3 months.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

Decreasing Incidence of Pregnancy by Decreasing CD4 Cell Count in HIV-Infected Women in Cote d'Ivoire: A 7-Year Cohort Study
(Abstract)
In a cohort study of women of childbearing age in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, researchers followed 473 HIV-infected women for 1,551 person-years and found that the incidence of pregnancy and livebirth decreased with decreasing CD4 cell counts. This has consequences in terms of scaling-up strategies for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Women who need HAART will be less likely than those who do not to be recruited into prenatal care facilities.

Sex and the Course of HIV Infection in the Pre- and Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Eras
(Abstract)
Researchers reviewed the available literature on the potential effects of sex on the course of HIV infection and found that there is little evidence for sex differences in the rate of disease progression in the pre-highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and HAART era.

Buddhism, the Status of Women and the Spread of HIV/AIDS in Thailand
(Abstract)
In this article researchers make explicit Buddhism's less positive power, particularly as it relates to the status of women and, by implication, its role in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Thailand. The Buddhist, folklore, and superstitious bases of Thai misogyny are explored, together with its expression in the differential gender roles of women and men. In addition, the attitudes of both women and men to commercial sex workers and condom use is discussed. The authors argue that the current spread of HIV/AIDS in Thailand is primarily a function of the inferior status of women, which, in turn, is a function of Buddhism and Thai cultural beliefs.

Evaluating the Potential Impact of Vaginal Microbicides to Reduce the Risk of Acquiring HIV in Female Sex Workers
(Abstract)
This study asked: would the introduction of vaginal microbicides substantially reduce the risk of female sex workers (FSWs) acquiring HIV? Which factor would it be most important to maximize, microbicide efficacy or microbicide use? What level of microbicide efficacy and use would be necessary to counterbalance a possible reduction in condom use? Outcomes showed microbicides could substantially reduce FSWs' risk of acquiring HIV; absolute decrease in risk would be greatest in high-prevalence regions. The public health impact of microbicides will depend upon usage and efficacy. Even if the microbicides that become available are only low-to-moderately effective, the probability that risk in FSWs will increase (due to replacing condoms with microbicides) is low.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Death in the Family Brings AIDS Home to South Africans
(Feature Article)
Personal grief surrounding the families and friends of AIDS victims in South Africa is starting to create the kind of public concern about the pandemic that activists have sought for years, a survey showed recently.

Singapore: MOH May Fight Rising Cases of AIDS with Over-the-Counter Test Kits
(News Article)
To make HIV testing simpler, the Ministry of Health is studying the introduction of over-the-counter test kits.

Nigeria: Obasanjo Links Unsafe Blood Transfusion to Spread of HIV/AIDS
(News Article)
President Olusegun Obasanjo on identified unsafe blood transfusion as a major cause of the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Singapore Government AIDS Comment Outrages Gay Activists
(News Article)
Gay activists responded with outrage and disbelief recently to statements by a junior health official in Singapore who said a gay and lesbian festival, dubbed Asia's largest gay event, may have caused a big spike in AIDS cases. The official said this was the view of an unnamed epidemiologist to explain a 28% rise in the number of new HIV/AIDS cases in Singapore in 2004 to an all-time high of 311. "This is a hypothesis and more research needs to done," he said. Gay activists such as Eileena Lee of People Like Us accused the government of promoting homophobia and being irresponsible. "This is almost like paranoia," she said. "Statements like this can marginalise and stigmatise what is already a minority group."

One in 150 Russians has HIV/AIDS
(News Article)
One of every 150 Russians is living with AIDS or is infected with the virus that causes the disease, local media reported.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

The Impact of Vitamin A Supplementation on Mortality Inequalities among Children in Nepal
(Abstract)
This paper examines gender, caste, and economic differentials in child mortality in the context of a cluster-randomized trial of vitamin A distribution, in order to determine whether or not the intervention narrowed these differentials. Conclusions show that universal supplementation with vitamin A narrowed differentials in child death across gender and caste in rural Nepal. Assuring high-coverage vitamin A distribution throughout Nepal could help reduce inequalities in child survival in this population.

Socioeconomic Factors and Low Birth Weight in Mexico
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This study describes socioeconomic factors related to low birth weight (LBW) adjusted by demographic, reproductive and health services variables in Mexico City. Results show that low socioeconomic level was the most important risk factor for LBW and was independent of other factors, including those related to reproduction and nutrition, smoking, morbidity during pregnancy, accessibility to health services and prenatal care.

Rate and Incidence Estimates of Recent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infections among Pregnant Women in São Paulo, Brazil, from 1991 to 2002
(Abstract)
The serological testing algorithm for HIV seroconversion was employed to estimate HIV incidence among pregnant women from São Paulo, Brazil. A cross-sectional study (1999 to 2002) showed an incidence of infection of 0.2 per 100 pregnant women per year.

Moving Beyond the Mother-child Dyad: Women's Education, Child Immunization, and the Importance of Context in Rural India
(Abstract)
This study examined the contextual effects of women's education on children's immunization in rural districts of India.

The Challenge of Reducing Neonatal Mortality in Middle-Income Countries: Findings from Three Brazilian Birth Cohorts in 1982, 1993, and 2004
(Abstract)
The evolution of antenatal and perinatal care indicators in the Brazilian city of Pelotas from 1982 to 2004 were used to examine causes of neonatal deaths in middle-income countries. Findings show that excessive medicalization, including labor induction, cesarean sections, and inaccurate ultrasound scans, led by an unregulated private sector with spill-over effects to the public sector, might offset the gains resulting from improved maternal health and newborn survival.

Mode of Infant Feeding and HIV Infection in Children in a Program for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission in Uganda
(Abstract)
This study evaluated the impact of different modalities of infant feeding on HIV transmission in children in a prevention of mother-to-child transmission program in an urban hospital in Uganda. HIV transmission rates were significantly lower in formula-fed infants in comparison with both exclusively breastfed and mixed-fed infants. Transmission through breastfeeding seems to occur mainly in the first weeks after delivery.

Where Giving Birth is a Forecast of Death: Maternal Mortality in Four Districts of Afghanistan, 1999–2002
(Abstract)
To guide the implementation of reproductive health services, researchers examined the numbers, causes, and preventable factors for maternal deaths among women in four districts in Afghanistan. Findings showed most maternal deaths were caused by ante-partum hemorrhage, except in Ragh, where a greater proportion of women died of obstructed labor. All measures of maternal risk were high, especially in the more remote areas. In the two rural sites, no woman who died was assisted by a skilled birth attendant.

Risk Factors for Pre-Eclampsia at Antenatal Booking: Systematic Review of Controlled Studies
(Abstract)
This study determined the risk of pre-eclampsia associated with factors that may be present at antenatal booking. Controlled cohort studies showed that the risk of pre-eclampsia is increased in women with a previous history of pre-eclampsia and in those with antiphospholipids antibodies, pre-existing diabetes, multiple (twin) pregnancy, family history, raised blood pressure at booking, raised body mass index before pregnancy or at booking, or maternal age greater than or equal to 40. Individual studies show that risk is also increased with an interval of 10 years or more since a previous pregnancy, autoimmune disease, renal disease, and chronic hypertension.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

Childbirth Kills 9,000 Tanzanian Women Annually
(News Article)
About 9,000 Tanzanian women die every year as they deliver babies due to malnutrition and lack of access to health care.

Sudanese Women Struggle to Survive Childbirth - UNFPA
(News Article)
Sudanese women have one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world and desperately need medical help and education, the country head of the UN population fund said recently.

MEN'S HEALTH NEWS

AIDS Fight Hurt by Egyptian Men's Shunning of Condoms
(Feature Article)
Getting Egyptian men to use condoms is an uphill battle for two reasons. First, in a conservative Muslim society where married couples rarely use condoms for contraception, a purchaser is presumed to be gay "because you're not going to buy condoms to have sex with a woman." And among Egyptian gays, asking a partner to use a condom could put an end to the encounter, a price that many consider too high.

POPULATION RESEARCH

Intrinsically Dynamic Population Models
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
This paper extends work on dynamic modeling by introducing a new approach to modeling discrete vital rates that can relate virtually any pattern of fertility change to its resultant birth sequence.

A Cross-over in Mexican and Mexican-American Fertility Rates: Evidence and Explanations for an Emerging Paradox
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
The findings of this study demonstrate dramatic decreases in the fertility rates in Mexico at the same time that continuous increases have been documented in the fertility rates of third-or-later generation Mexican-Americans in the US, particularly at younger ages. The authors claim that these changes necessitate a re-examination of the ubiquitous theory that Mexican pronatalist values are responsible for the high fertility rates found within the Mexican-Origin population in the US.

POPULATION NEWS

China: Shandong Experiences 4th Baby Boom
(News Article)
Shandong Province, an economic engine in east China, is experiencing its fourth baby boom since 1949.

Koreans Need More Babies Now: WHO Chief
(News Article)
The World Health Organization's director-general has warned Korea could face a national crisis caused by its aging society and low birth rate.

China: Population Likely to Reach Zero Growth by 2040
(News Article)
The Chinese population is likely to stand at 1.5 billion and reach zero growth by 2040, a population expert recently said.

Average Zimbabwean Lives to 33
(News Article)
Zimbabwe's political and economic turmoil has dealt a crippling blow to the health sector, with life expectancy plummeting by 30 years. "Zimbabweans can now only expect to live to 33 years, 30 years less than in 1998," Africa Fighting Malaria, a Johannesburg-based non-governmental organisation, said in a new report.

Vietnam: Population Surges as More Women Hit Childbearing Age
(News Article)
An increase in fertility rate saw Viet Nam’s population grow by 1.3% last year, a slight rise compared to 2003.

WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Mothers, Daughters and Sexual Agency in One Low-income South African Community
(Abstract)
This study found that mothers of young women were powerful agents in the young womens’ constructions of their own sexuality and they contributed to their daughters’ limited sense of sexual agency.

The Impact of Health Care Providers on Female Sterilization among HIV-positive Women in Brazil
(Abstract)
This paper explores the reproductive preferences and outcomes of HIV-positive women in two cities in Brazil.

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Aid Agencies' Rape Reports "Political", Sudan says
(News Article)
Sudan recently accused three international aid agencies of an orchestrated political campaign to play up the issue of rape in its troubled Darfur region to distract from problems in the rest of the world.

Bangladesh: Dhaka Men in Acid Attacks Protest
(News Article)
Hundreds of Bangladeshi men have taken part in a rally in the capital Dhaka to denounce acid attacks and other violence against women.

World Marks International Women's Day
(News Article)
Leaders of the fight for women's equality say there is no going back on the revolution that began 30 years ago, though the challenges ahead are immense.

YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH

Sexual Behavior Survey and Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in University Students in South Korea
(Abstract)
This study defined the prevalence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections and status of sexual risk behavior among university students (18-25 years old) in the capital region of South Korea. The prevalence of C. trachomatis among sexually active men and women was 8.4% and 10.6%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with infection were the number of sexual partners during past year and lifetime and condom use.

Sexual Health, Contraception, and Teenage Pregnancy
(Research Article)
This study reviews the importance of sexual health prioritization in the adolescent population.

Translation and Validation of the Condom Self-Efficacy Scale With Thai Adolescents and Young Adults
(Abstract)
The purpose of this study was to translate the 14-item Condom Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES) into Thai and to validate the Thai version of the Condom Self-efficacy Scale (CSES-T) among Thai adolescents and young adults. Based on psychometric properties, the CSES-T is a valid and reliable tool. It is culturally appropriate for Thai young adults. Thai researchers and health care providers can use the CSES-T to assess adolescents' and young adults' self-efficacy to use condoms as well as to further develop and evaluate interventions to increase condom use.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

Kenya: Agony of Child-Bride Mutilated by a Circumciser's Knife
(News Article)
This feature article relates the story of a 15-year-old girl and her struggles after being subjected to the most severe form of female genital mutilation--infibulation.

Cote D'Ivoire: Children's Book Tackles AIDS, Death and Rejection for Under-11s
(News Article)
AIDS is probably the last subject that comes to mind when choosing a theme for a children's book. But for Fatou Keita, whose latest book "A Tree for Lollie" features a young girl infected with the virus, there is nothing peculiar about it.

Japanese Say Kids Should Know How to Use Condoms by 15
(News Article)
About 60% of Japanese residents think children should know how to use a condom by the age of 15, a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has found.

Kenya: Mutilated Boys Back Home after Surgery
(News Article)
A nightmare is finally over for two boys whose genitals were chopped off in a bizarre HIV/AIDS-related ritual.

BOOKS/BOOK REVIEWS

Aging, Health, and Public Policy: Demographic and Economic Perspectives
(Book)
In this volume, a supplement to the Population Council journal Population and Development Review, distinguished social scientists bring a variety of disciplinary perspectives (economic, demographic, epidemiological) to bear on the subject of population aging, looking particularly to likely future trends and their economic consequences.

"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.

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Editor, The Pop Reporter

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

Volume 5, Number 1114 March 2005