Volume 5, Number 26
27 June 2005

The Pop Reporter is now available in both CD-ROM (January 2004 to present) and print archives (past 6 months) formats. These items are intended for users in low-resource settings. For print or CD-ROM archives, contact Ghazaleh Samandari at gsamanda@jhuccp.org with your request and complete mailing address.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH

Pilot Study in the Development of an Interactive Multimedia Learning Environment for Sexual Health Interventions: A Focus Group Approach
(Abstract)
This paper describes the outcome of focus group work with young people in the UK that was undertaken to inform the design of an Interactive Multimedia Learning Environment that incorporates message framing intended for use in sexual health promotion.

The Morning After on the Internet: Usage of and Questions to the Emergency Contraception Website
(Abstract)
This study analyzed e-mails sent to the emergency contraceptive (EC) website www.Not-2-Late.com over a 5-year period. Of the 7,022 e-mails received, 29% did not contain questions about EC. The remaining e-mails reveal that EC users are concerned with how to use EC (23%), side effects (21%), pregnancy (17%), whether EC is needed in a given situation (14%), EC access (8%), EC effectiveness (4%), and how EC works (3%). Analysis of website page visits shows that visitors were chiefly interested in how to use EC and how to interpret bleeding after EC use.

Sexual Health Promotion in Chennai, India: Key Role of Communication Among Social Networks
(Abstract)
In this study of low-income communities residents in Chennai, India, researchers aimed to understand the composition of personal communication networks, the nature of information related to sex and sexual health that is exchanged in these networks, and the value of communication among members of these networks. Results indicate that information about sex and sexual health is exchanged within and between four groups: married women, married men, unmarried men, and unmarried women. Communication leads to an expansion of sexual networks among unmarried men and treatment seeking behavior for STDs in all groups.

The Cost-effectiveness of a Competitive Voucher Scheme to Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections in High-risk Groups in Nicaragua
(Research Article)
This paper assesses the cost-effectiveness of a competitive voucher scheme in Managua, Nicaragua aimed at high-risk groups, who could redeem the vouchers in exchange for free STI testing and treatment, health education, and condoms, compared with the status quo (no scheme). Results suggest that a voucher scheme offers an effective and efficient means of targeting and effectively curing STIs in high-risk groups, as well as encouraging quality care practices.

Vasectomy Surgical Techniques in South and South East Asia
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
In this study, three to six major vasectomy centers from Cambodia, Thailand, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh were visited and interviews with 5 to 11 key informants in each country were conducted. Vasectomy techniques performed in each center were observed. Results indicate that further studies assessing the effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of implementation are needed before thermal cautery combined with fascial interposition (FI) is introduced in Asia on a large scale. Until thermal cautery is introduced in a country, vasectomy providers should practice ligation and excision with FI to maximize effectiveness of the vasectomy procedure.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

US: Contraception and the Quality of Sex Life - Survey Indicates that IUD Users Worry Less About Getting Pregnant and Can Enjoy Sex More
(Press Release)
According to a national survey of sexually active women between the ages of 20 and 45, IUD (intrauterine device) users seem to almost never worry about getting pregnant, are better able to focus on the 'moment,' enjoy more spontaneity and do not experience the routine 'hassles' associated with birth control endured by those who use condoms or the pill. The survey, which was conducted by Research International for FEI Women's Health, asked women who use condoms, the pill or an IUD how their contraceptive method affects their sex lives. Of those surveyed, almost 90% of IUD users reported never having to worry about getting pregnant during or after sex -- an experience reported by only 63% of pill users and 38% of condom users.

Contraceptives -- Both Needed and Scorned
(Feature Article)
As the international community marked World Refugee Day on Monday, a Somali woman's tale of how she helped fellow refugees terminate pregnancies has highlighted the shortcomings of reproductive health care in refugee camps.

Team Working on Birth Control for Men
(Feature Article)
Four decades after the birth control pill became available to women, researchers at the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas Medical Center are working to develop a similar contraceptive for men. The researchers plan to test about a half-million chemical compounds to find a pill that does not involve hormones that men could take weekly or monthly. They also hope to find something that is close to 100% effective and has no risky side effects.

Malawi: Good Reproductive Health Knowledge Helps Reducing Over-Population
(News Article)
This article reports that a statement from the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development states that reproductive health knowledge has helped reduce over-population in the country. The drop in population, according to the statement, has also caused a modest decline in fertility.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

Genital Mutilation Bill Passed in Spain
(News Article)
Spain's parliament has added female genital mutilation to a list of crimes that Spanish courts can prosecute even if they are committed in another country.

U.S. Urges U.N. on China Family Planning
(News Article)
The United States urged the UN population agency Wednesday to end its family planning program in China until Beijing stops using forced abortions and punishment to enforce its one-child policy.

Chile's Government Postpones AIDS Campaign
(News Article)
The government decided to postpone an HIV/AIDS prevention campaign, which actively promotes condom use, until after December’s presidential elections. The government says it is trying to avoid the HIV/AIDS campaign from being ignored when the political emphasis is firmly on the elections. But HIV/AIDS prevention organizations have questioned the government’s priorities, saying that politics should not come before a public health campaign.

India: Government Contemplating Introducing Vibratory Condoms
(News Article)
In a bid to make condoms more popular and acceptable in the country, the government is contemplating the introduction of "vibratory condoms". Condom usage is 4% or 5% of all contraceptive methods in India, which is in stark contrast to the West, where it constitutes about 20%.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

Update on Hepatitis B and C Coinfection in HIV
(Abstract)
Coinfection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common in patients with HIV infection. HIV infection and immunosuppression alter the natural history of chronic viral hepatitis, and some patients experience accelerated progression to clinically significant liver disease. Therapies used in the treatment of HBV or HCV monoinfection have been applied to the treatment of HIV-coinfected patients. However, development of viral resistance and lack of virologic response remain significant areas of concern. Timely diagnosis and clinical staging of chronic hepatitis infection are critical in the management of HIV-coinfected patients.

Risk of HIV Transmission Within Marriage in Rural China: Implications for HIV Prevention at the Family Level
(Abstract)
A study conducted in an HIV-infected rural area in China found that the risks of HIV transmission between husbands and wives and from parents to children exist among newly married couples.

HIV Vaccine Development
(Abstract)
For the past two decades, scientists have aggressively pursued the development of a vaccine against HIV. The magnitude of this effort is unprecedented in the history of infectious diseases. However, difficulties in finding promising candidate vaccines have limited the number of clinical efficacy trials. The macaque model is well suited for the evaluation of potential vaccines, but comparison of results among studies is often complicated by the use of different macaque species and/or challenge viruses. This review discusses current results obtained in the macaque model and human vaccine trials.

Predicting the Potential Public Health Impact of Disease-Modifying HIV Vaccines in South Africa: The Problem of Subtypes
(Abstract)
This article reviews the current status of vaccines and modeling vaccines. It also predicts the impact that disease-modifying vaccines could have in South Africa, where multiple subtypes are co-circulating. According to this research, in countries where multiple-subtypes are co-circulating, small biological differences among subtypes will have dramatic consequences for the effectiveness of HIV vaccination campaigns.

Retention and Effectiveness of HIV/AIDS Training of Traditional Healers in Far Western Nepal
(Abstract)
This study evaluated HIV/AIDS training for traditional healers (THs) in far western Nepal. THs significantly improved their knowledge of HIV transmission, misconceptions, and preventive measures after the training. The focus group discussion and key informant interview results showed that the trained THs provided culturally acceptable HIV/AIDS education to the local people, distributed condoms, and played a role in reducing the HIV/AIDS-related stigma.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Japan's AIDS Stigma Hampers Treatment, Activists Say
(News Article)
A strong stigma against AIDS in Japan is hampering access to treatment in the world's second-largest economy even as experts warn an explosion of the deadly disease may be looming.

Taboo Nation: Liberia's AIDS Dilemma
(Feature Article)
In a country ravaged by war, most deaths from the deadly AIDS virus are concealed because of the stigma associated with the disease.

Papua New Guinea Churches Urged to Play Anti-AIDS Role
(News Article)
Related News Article: Health Minister Warns that HIV-AIDS is Out of Control in PNG
The Papua New Guinea minister for community development, Lady Carol Kidu, says churches and communities are critical to arresting the spread of HIV/AIDS. Papua New Guinea has soaring levels of HIV infection, with estimates of around 50,000 sufferers in the country. Lady Carol says, while the government has made moves to try and deal with the virus, it is not having an impact at the base. She says the government is establishing links with the churches because they are the most relevant organizations to people at community level in PNG.

Rwanda: AIDS Campaign Launched in Schools and Universities
(News Article)
Rwanda's ministry of education has launched a new six-month campaign to tackle HIV/AIDS in schools and universities.

Indian, Pakistani Prostitutes Discuss AIDS Lessons
(News Article)
Related News Article: Pakistani Sex Workers Visit India
A group of Pakistani prostitutes has been picking up tips in safe sex and "brothel management" in one of India's biggest red light districts in Calcutta, health activists claim.

HIV Positive African Clergy Fight AIDS Stigma
(News Article)
A group of African clergy infected with HIV is urging the faithful to test for the virus and admit their status to help fight stigma hampering efforts to stem AIDS in the worst-affected continent.

U.S. Clears Two Generic AIDS Drugs for Global Plan
(News Article)
Related News Article: Uganda Govt Rejects USA Approved HIV/AIDS Drugs
U.S. regulators gave tentative approval recently to two generic versions of Boehringer Ingelheim's HIV drug nevirapine, which allows the medicines to be used as part of President Bush's plan to fight AIDS around the world. In the related news article, it is reported that Uganda is among four African countries that are rejecting the approval of the generic AIDS drugs. The move is apparently delaying the delivery of the low cost medicine to patients, according to the US, United Nations, and African and drug company officials.

Mozambique: Interior Minister Accused of Breaking Law on HIV Tests
(News Article)
Mozambican Interior Minister Jose Pacheco recently ordered all senior police officers to undergo a medical check up, including an HIV test, and have the results sent to him, an act which is illegal under a 2002 law passed to protect HIV-positive citizens.

Storytelling Through Radio
(Feature Article)
A soap opera in Central Asia promotes key messages while entertaining.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

Infant Feeding Practices Before Implementing Alternatives to Prolonged Breastfeeding to Reduce HIV Transmission Through Breastmilk in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
(Abstract)
The aim of this study was to describe baseline infant feeding practices in women of unknown HIV status in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, before the implementation of infant feeding interventions aimed at the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV through breastmilk. Exclusive breastfeeding was not practiced in this population since all women had given water to their child, starting in median one day after birth. Moreover, 20% of the mothers had introduced infant formula in median three weeks after delivery.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

$5.1 Billion Could Save 6 Million Children - Study
(News Article)
Six million children who die each year from preventable diseases could be saved if richer nations gave another $5.1 billion a year, researchers said on Friday. That's the amount they calculate would cover the costs of providing drugs, vitamins and vaccines to treat sick babies in 42 countries that account for 90 percent of child deaths. "This cost represents $1.23 per head in these countries," said researcher Dr. Jennifer Bryce, lead author of the report published in The Lancet medical journal.

Brunei’s Child Death Rate Plunges
(News Article)
Its been reported that in 2004, Brunei's infant death rate decreased to 8.8 per 1,000 live births, while deaths among mothers giving birth were 0.1 per 1,000 births.

Malaysia's Infant Mortality Rate Drops Dramatically
(News Article)
Malaysia has done well in reducing the infant related mortality rates over the past several decades, according to the Health Minister, who cited statistics that Malaysia's infant mortality rate had dropped from 40.8 per 1000 livebirths in 1970 to 13 in 1990 and 6.2 by 2002.

2,45,000 African Women Die During Pregnancy Every Year: WHO
(News Article)
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) revealed on Friday that every 3 minutes an African woman dies because of a bad pregnancy, producing an average of 2,45,000 deaths a year. Arnold Bernard, WHO AFRO official, told the press that one in every 25 women of child-birth age in the south Saharan desert is at risk of dying during pregnancy or child-birth.

Brazil: Family Health Program Reduced Infant Mortality by 4.6%
(News Article)
An original study conducted by the Ministry of Health demonstrated that the Family Health Program had an effect on the reduction of infant mortality. By analyzing such data as access to health services, education, and public water supplies and the family's socioeconomic status, the researchers found that a 10% increase in the program's coverage of the population led to a 4.6% reduction in the number of children who die before their first birthday.

MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

The Scandal of Manhood: 'Baby Rape' and the Politicization of Sexual Violence in Post-apartheid South Africa
(Abstract)
This paper traces the genealogy of sexual violence as a public and political issue in South Africa. Of particular interest is the question of how and why the problem of sexual violence came to be seen as a scandal of manhood, putting male sexuality under critical public scrutiny.

Men Behaving Differently: South African Men Since 1994
(Abstract)
Drawing on in-depth interviews with young African working class men, this paper explores new masculinities in contemporary South Africa. It examines how men negotiate their manhood in a period of social turbulence and transition.

MEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Male Infertility 'is Increasing'
(News Article)
Infertility may be becoming more of a man's than a woman's problem, new figures suggest. Until now, both were level pegging - 40% of cases linked to men, 40% to women and 20% to joint problems. However, the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology found rates of an IVF treatment typically used to help male infertility have risen.

POPULATION RESEARCH

From the Old World to the New World: An Ecologic Study of Population Susceptibility to HIV Infection
(Abstract)
This ecologic study of 34 populations of the Americas explored the hypothesis that populations differ in their intrinsic, biological susceptibility to HIV which, together with exposure, might determine the ultimate 'mature' prevalence. Although it was not possible to adjust to the confounding effects of sexual behavior and cofactors of transmission because of the lack of nationally representative data for each and every country, a number of arguments reviewed in the paper suggest that confounders cannot explain all this association and that differential susceptibility might be an important determinant of steady-state HIV prevalence.

POPULATION NEWS

Russia's Population Falling Fast
(News Article)
Related News Article: Russian Population Declines by 286,600 in Four Months
Russia's population decline is accelerating, according to the country's official statistics agency: the decline is equivalent to 100 people dying in Russia every hour.

Ethiopia: Rapid Population Growth Undermining Development - US
(News Article)
Rapid population growth in Ethiopia is undermining the country's development, the United States warned on Tuesday. The warning came as the US pledged medical equipment worth US $750,000 to 100 rural health centers in five regions across the country to help improve family planning and reproductive health.

South Korea: Threat of Low Fertility
(Editorial)
This editorial from the Korea Herald says that the country's low fertility rate is being taken very seriously by government officials. According to the editorial, the Minister of Health and Welfare "was not exaggerating too much when he said last weekend that the nation will collapse if women do not bear more children than they do now. Last year, the average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime was 1.19, well below the replacement rate of 2.1. It was the lowest in the world."

WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Depo-Provera: Use of a Long-acting Progestin Injectable Contraceptive in Turkish Women
(Abstract)
This prospective clinical study was carried on 9,262 subjects, treated with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate at Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, between 1996 and 2004. Eight (0.08%) pregnancies occurred within 3 months of injection. Irregular bleeding occurred in 80% (7,410) of the women. The discontinuation rate was 71%.

A Comparative Study of Condom Use and Self-Reported Sexually Transmitted Infections Between Foreign Asian and Local Clients of Sex Workers in Singapore
(Abstract)
A survey of clients of female sex workers in Singapore found that inconsistent condom use and self-reported sexually transmitted infections were significantly higher among foreign Asian than local clients.

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Egypt: Village Declares Itself FGM Free
(News Article)
In a symbolic attack on the widespread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Egypt, religious and political leaders and gender activists have signed a public declaration calling for an end to FGM, in the hamlet of Abou Shawareb, near Aswan in southern Egypt.

Sex Trade Thriving Day by Day in Nepal
(Feature Article)
This feature article in The Rising Nepal relates how, although sex trade in Nepal has not been legalised, it is thriving day by day. According to a recent survey, 56% of women use condoms while having sex with their clients, but only 20% of them use a condom while having sex with their husbands or boyfriends. The survey was conducted on 500 women sex workers and 400 clients in Kathmandu valley.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

Zambia: Children Speak Out about Plight of Orphans on the Day of the African Child
(Press Release)
Hundreds of children marched through Zambia's capital last Thursday to show solidarity with Africa's orphans.

Vietnamese Youngsters Sexually Active at Early Age
(News Article)
The average age of Vietnamese youths having sexual intercourse has declined to just over 14, according to a recent survey by Vietnam’s Association of Family Planning. The survey results differ markedly from those of a survey done several years ago, which defined the age of sexual activity to be at 19.

Malawi: New Child Welfare Plan Gives Stakeholders Common Platform
(News Article)
Malawi has launched a comprehensive welfare plan to mitigate the impact of poverty and HIV/AIDS on its estimated one million orphans.

"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

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

Volume 5, Number 2627 June 2005