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Volume 5, Number 47
21 November 2005
The Pop Reporter is available in CD-ROM (January 2004 to present) format. Contact Ghazaleh Samandari with your request and complete mailing address.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
The reproductive effects of family planning programs in rural Ghana: analysis by gender
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Journal of Asian and African Studies. 2005 Dec;40(6):463-477.
Benefo KD | Pillai VK
This article examines the effect of family planning programs on reproductive attitudes and contraceptive use behaviors. It aims to investigate the degree to which family planning programs enable Africans to shift to western contraceptive use from traditional and null contraceptive practices. It also examines the impact of the programs for both men and women. This study finds that access to family planning services is associated with reduced family size preferences, increased approval of family planning, and knowledge of, and desire to use, contraception among both men and women in rural Ghana. 
The relationship between condom use and herpes simplex virus acquisition
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Annals of Internal Medicine. 2005 Nov 15;143(10):707-713.
Wald A | Langenberg AG | Krantz E | Douglas JM Jr | Handsfield HH | Dicarlo RP | Adimora AA | Izu AE | Morrow RA | Corey L
This study evaluated the relationship between condom use and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and HSV type 1 (HSV-1) acquisition. The authors found that consistent use of condoms is associated with lower rates of infection with HSV-2 and should be routinely recommended.
A randomized trial of clinician-delivered interventions promoting barrier contraception for sexually transmitted disease prevention
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; North America)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2005 Nov;32(11):672-679.
Artz L | Macaluso M | Meinzen-Derr J | Kelaghan J | Austin H | Fleenor M | Hook EW 3rd | Brill I
In a randomized trial with STD clinic clients in Birmingham, Alabama, women who received an intensive clinician-delivered intervention were more likely to use condoms and microbicides. The intervention did not seem to decrease STD rates, but consistent and correct condom users had fewer STDs.
Training x trainee interactions in a family planning intervention
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; South America)
Evaluation Review. 2005 Dec;29(6):576-590.
Leon FR | Rios A | Zumaran A
This study investigated the effects of introducing a family planning counseling model at clinics of Peru's Ministry of Health. Providers trained in the model presented greater quality of care and longer counseling sessions than did controls. The main effects, however, were misleading. Nearly all of the quality improvements were contributed by 37% of the trained providers; they had already been better performers at the pretest and complied with the new counseling model's requirement of job aid use at the posttest. The recognition that a majority of trained providers did not profit from training posed a challenge that led to improvements in the model.
Do participant characteristics influence the effectiveness of behavioral interventions? Promoting condom use to women
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; North America)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2005 Nov;32(11):665-671.
Legardy JK | Macaluso M | Artz L | Brill I
This study assessed whether participant baseline characteristics modified the effects of a skill-based intervention promoting condom use. The randomized, controlled trial enrolled 427 women from a STD clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. The enhanced intervention group had a 60% higher consistent condom use rate compared to the basic group. The following factors were significant modifiers of intervention effectiveness on consistent condom use: intention to use condoms next time, early-age sexual debut, marital status combined with place of intercourse, and substance use before sex.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS
Couples to get no-cost birth control
(News Article; Asia)
18 Nov 2005
Shanghai Daily
China will distribute free contraceptives worth 420 million yuan (US$52.5 million) next year, according to the National Population and Family Planning Commission.
Chinese float liquid condom concept
(News Article; Asia)
21 Nov 2005
The Register
China's first liquid condom went on sale recently after the country's health and drugs administration formally gave the hi-tech prophylactic the thumbs-up.
Marriages between Pakistani first cousins raise concern in UK
(News Article; Europe)
16 Nov 2005
newKerala.com
A Labour MP has suggested a ban on marriages between first cousins, a practice common among Pakistani’s living in the UK, as such marriages often lead to defective births and also cause recessive disorders.
Condom sale skyrockets
(News Article; Asia)
19 Nov 2005
The Times of India
Over 94,000 condoms manufactured by Hindustan Latex Limited priced at Rs 5 for a pack of four were sold in less than 4 months between December 2004 and April 2005 from 50 machines in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike area.
Family planning stations to use unified symbols
(News Article; Asia)
17 Nov 2005
Xinhua
More than 30,000 family planning service stations in Chinese townships and counties will gradually use unified symbols and in-house setups in the next 5 years as a move to improve reproductive services for the public.
Romania: improving reproductive health one district at a time
(Feature Article; Europe)
14 Nov 2005
UNFPA
"Support for Reproductive and Sexual Health in Romania", a project funded by UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), aims to provide better reproductive and sexual health care services in districts all over Romania.
Female entrepreneur launches contraceptive pill text reminder service
(Press Release; Global | Europe)
17 Nov 2005
Response Source
A new service has been launched to remind women on the contraceptive pill to take the pill each day. The 'text reminder service' sends a text message to a woman's mobile phone as a simple and very discrete reminder to take the pill each day. The service is available at www.mypill.co.uk.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
Policy guidance: mitigating the development impacts of HIV/AIDS 
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Washington, DC, USAID, September, 2005.
This policy guidance from USAID includes a helpful summary of recent research on the nature and scope of the impact of HIV/AIDS on development. It highlights some factors to consider in developing a program response and presents some examples of innovative USAID country strategies and programs already underway to address the problem.
India not to adopt coercive family planning: Ramadoss
(News Article; Asia)
20 Nov 2005
Press Trust of India
Ruling out a "coercive" policy on family planning like that of China, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said India would emphasize attaining "population stabilization" through a series of measures including awareness initiatives.
Czech court rules in first-ever case heard on 'coercive sterilisation' of Roma women
(News Article; Europe)
14 Nov 2005
Radio Prague
Helena Ferencikova and her husband Jan always wanted to have a girl. But the young Roma couple's simple dream may never be realized, for in October 2001, when she was just 19 years old, Mrs. Ferencikova was sterilized against her wishes, after giving birth to her second son. On Friday, the regional court of Ostrava stopped short of awarding damages but ruled that the hospital that performed the sterilization owes Mrs. Ferencikova an apology. The court's decision, once finalised in writing, would be the first finding in any Czech or Eastern European court of legal violations concerning the coercive sterilization of Roma women.
Recommendations for use of antiretroviral drugs in pregnant HIV-1-infected women for maternal health and interventions to reduce perinatal HIV-1 transmission in the United States
(Report; North America)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Public Health Service Task Force, November 2005.
These recommendations update the February 24, 2005 guidelines developed by the Public Health Service for the use of zidovudine to reduce the risk for perinatal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmission. This report provides health care providers with information for discussion with HIV-1 infected pregnant women to enable such women to make an informed decision regarding the use of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and use of elective cesarean delivery to reduce perinatal HIV-1 transmission.
China says has yet to correct skewed sex ratio
(News Article; Asia)
15 Nov 2005
Reuters
China, where 119 boys are born for every 100 girls and 40 million men may live as frustrated bachelors by 2020, has yet to curb its worsening gender imbalance despite much effort, state media said. Chinese parents' traditional preference for sons -- seen as carrying the family name and able to provide for them in old age -- was bolstered after the one-child policy was introduced in the 1980s, with many parents choosing to abort baby girls. "Despite years of special campaigns, the sex ratio has not been checked effectively," Zhang Weiqing, the country's top population official, was quoted by the China Youth Daily as telling a conference.
Sex exhibition under close police watch
(News Article; Asia)
18 Nov 2005
Reuters
Singapore opened its first sex exhibition with police saying they will also attend to make sure organizers and exhibitors comply with the city-state's strict laws. The wealthy Southeast Asian city-state, which has consistently ranked at the bottom in a global survey of sexually active nations, is struggling to reverse its falling birth rate, one of the world's lowest.
HIV/AIDS RESEARCH
Cost effectiveness analysis of strategies to combat HIV/AIDS in developing countries
(Research Article; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
BMJ. 2005 Nov 10;Online access November 10, 2005.
Hogan DR | Baltussen R | Hayashi C | Lauer JA | Salomon JA
This study assessed the costs and health effects of a range of interventions for preventing the spread of HIV and for treating people with HIV/AIDS in the context of the millennium development goal for combating HIV/AIDS. Findings show reducing HIV transmission could be done most efficiently through mass media campaigns, interventions for sex workers, and treatment of STIs where resources are most scarce. However, prevention of mother to child transmission, voluntary counselling and testing, and school-based education would yield further health gains at higher budget levels and would be regarded as cost effective or highly cost effective based on standard international benchmarks. Antiretroviral therapy is at least as cost effective in improving population health as some of these interventions.
Changing association between schooling levels and HIV-1 infection over 11 years in a rural population cohort in south-west Uganda
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2005 Oct;10(10):993-1001.
de Walque D | Nakiyingi-Miiro JS | Busingye J | Whitworth JA
This study describes changes in the association between schooling levels, HIV prevalence, and condom use in a rural population-based cohort between 1989/1990 and 1999/2000 in Masaka District, Uganda. Findings suggest that over a decade more educated young adults, especially females, have become more likely to respond to HIV/AIDS information and prevention campaigns by effectively reducing their sexual risk behavior.
Developing an evidence-based, preventive care package for persons with HIV in Africa
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2005 Oct;10(10):961-970.
Mermin J | Bunnell R | Lule J | Opio A | Gibbons A | Dybul M | Kaplan J
Researchers developed a list of potential interventions based, when possible, on documented efficacy in reducing morbidity or mortality among persons with HIV in Africa. They considered the accessibility, affordability, and potential for implementation using existing health care infrastructure. Potential components included cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, safe drinking water, isoniazid prophylaxis, insecticide-treated bed nets, micronutrients, and provision of HIV counseling and testing and condoms to family members of persons with HIV. The authors conclude that provision of a basic care package could be an important step toward reducing health care disparities and gaining more control of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Child marriage in the context of the HIV epidemic
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
New York, NY, Population Council, September 2005. (Brief no. 11)
Bruce J
The Population Council has undertaken a multi-level investigation of how to respond to the common presence of two phenomena: child marriage and the HIV epidemic. One level of investigation examines the impact of child marriage on the epidemic, including on rates of HIV infection among women and girls. A second level of investigation seeks to understand and mitigate the significant risks to girls’ well-being and safety that arise from the fact of child marriage alone and the distinctive risks it brings within the context of the HIV epidemic. This brief summarizes the Council’s work in several areas. It presents an overview of the challenges child marriage poses to the rights and health of girls, identifies factors potentially implicated in the epidemiological impact of child marriage on the spread of HIV, and summarizes two interventions aimed at addressing the difficulties faced by married girls and girls at risk for early marriage, difficulties that may be substantially compounded in the presence of an HIV epidemic.
HIV international clinical research: exploitation and risk
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Bioethics. 2005 Oct;19(5-6):476-491.
Ballantyne A
This paper aims to show that to reduce the level of exploitation present in (some) international clinical trials, research sponsors must aim to provide both an ex-ante expected gain in utility and a fair ex-post distribution of benefits for research subjects.
HIV/AIDS NEWS
China denies plans to build AIDS-only prisons
(News Article; Asia)
17 Nov 2005
Reuters
China recently denied planning to build special prisons for HIV/AIDS-infected convicts to try to halt the disease's spread.
AIDS may help spread of bird flu
(News Article; Global)
17 Nov 2005
BBC News
Bird flu could readily mutate into a pandemic form if it infects people with AIDS, a flu expert has warned.
India seeks novel ways to tackle AIDS
(Feature Article; Asia)
18 Nov 2005
Reuters
India is using a host of methods to get its message across, from tapping into the country's obsession with cricket to using advertising slogans on soft drink bottles and spreading the word on safe sex by train.
UN says China slow to fight AIDS, praises Thailand
(News Article; Asia)
21 Nov 2005
Forbes
China and Myanmar are not doing enough to prevent the spread of AIDS, a UN report said as it praised Thailand as the Asian success story for bringing about a decline in the number of new HIV cases.
Swaziland: hospitals run out of ARVs
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
18 Nov 2005
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Swaziland is facing a serious breakdown in the supply of antiretroviral drugs for patients with HIV, and some hospitals acknowledge that stocks ran out weeks ago.
Communication campaign on AIDS
(News Article; Asia)
15 Nov 2005
The Hindu
Workers of NGOs will visit high-risk individuals during this door-to-door campaign, chat with them and educate them on HIV, which has infected an estimated 6 million people in the country. Coimbatore district is taken up for pre-testing this new approach and set up a replicable model for district campaigns. This can be replicated across the country with minor alterations by region.
Uganda: condom reluctance despite ABC strategy - study
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
17 Nov 2005
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Sexually active men in central Uganda are not using condoms, despite the government's anti-AIDS model of 'Abstinence, Be faithful and Condom-use'.
Church launches five-year HIV/AIDS prevention, control strategic plan
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
18 Nov 2005
The Ethiopian Herald (Addis Ababa)
President Girma Wolde-Giorgis said the Ethiopian Orthodox Church could play crucial role in prevention and control of HIV/AIDS since the church has immense human resource and closer ties with the public.
Emulate Thais HIV/AIDS strategy: Moeti
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
18 Nov 2005
Daily News Online (Botswana)
Deputy permanent secretary of Health, Dr. Themba Moeti, has hailed Thailand as an HIV/AIDS success story, saying the country has managed to reverse the tide of the disease through its preventive programs.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH
Recognition of high risk pregnancies and referral practices among traditional birth attendants in Mkuranga district, coast region, Tanzania
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
African Journal of Reproductive Health. 2005 Apr;9(1):113-122.
Hussein AK | Mpembeni R
A cross-sectional study was carried out in Mkuranga District of Tanzania with the aim of comparing the ability of trained and untrained traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in identifying women with danger signs for developing complications during pregnancy and childbirth as well as their referral practices. Study findings revealed that most of the TBAs (86.5%) had not received any training. Compared to untrained TBAs, trained TBAs were more knowledgeable on danger signs during pregnancy and childbirth and were more likely to refer women with complications to a health facility.
Cost effectiveness analysis of strategies for child health in developing countries
(Research Article; Global)
British Medical Journal. 2005 Nov 19;331(7526):1177.
Edejer TT | Aikins M | Black R | Wolfson L | Hutubessy R | Evans DB
This article determined the costs and effectiveness of selected child health interventions—namely, case management of pneumonia, oral rehydration therapy, supplementation or fortification of staple foods with vitamin A or zinc, provision of supplementary food with counselling on nutrition, and immunization against measles. Cost effectiveness ratios clustered in three groups, with fortification with zinc or vitamin A as the most cost effective intervention, and provision of supplementary food and counselling on nutrition as the least cost effective. Between these were oral rehydration therapy, case management of pneumonia, vitamin A or zinc supplementation, and measles immunization.
Household-to-hospital continuum of maternal and newborn care
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Baltimore, MD, The ACCESS Program, October 2005.
de Graft-Johnson | Daly P | Otchere S | Russell N | Bell R
This report from the ACCESS Program describes an integrated approach to community- and facility-based maternal and newborn programming and implementation called the Household-to-Hospital Continuum of Care (HHCC).
Healthcare infrastructure, contraceptive use and infant mortality in Uttar Pradesh, India
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Economics & Human Biology. 2005 Dec;3(3):388-404.
Bhargava A | Chowdhury S | Singh KK
This paper analyzes data on approximately 30,000 women from a survey in Uttar Pradesh in 1995 together with the data from surveys of public and private providers of healthcare and family planning services. The results for use of female sterilization and IUD showed significant effects of quality of services in government and private hospitals, and of socioeconomic variables such as education, caste, and an index of household possessions. Models for infant mortality of children born in the preceding 3-year period showed significant effects of socioeconomic variables, quality of healthcare services, and birth spacing.
Factors associated with the utilization and content of prenatal care in a western urban district of Turkey
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Europe)
International Journal for Quality in Health Care. 2005 Dec;17(6):533-539.
Ciceklioglu M | Soyer MT | Ocek ZA
This study defined the prenatal care utilization pattern in Bornova, Turkey and determined the factors affecting the amount and content of prenatal care. Results highlighted considerable associations between the amount of prenatal care and individual features in addition to those among the content of care, individual features, and type of care sources.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS
Placenta clues to heart disease
(News Article; Global)
BBC News. 18 Nov 2005
Women who have problems of the placenta during pregnancy are at increased risk of early heart disease, a study shows.
C-section rates hit record in 2004
(News Article; North America)
16 Nov 2005
UPI
Government figures show C-section rates set another record in 2004, accounting for 29.1% of all births in the United States. The 2004 rate represents a 40% increase since 1996, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. One reason for the rising C-section rate is the declining percentage of women who deliver vaginally after a prior C-section.
Tema Health Directorate to curb maternal deaths
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
17 Nov 2005
Accra Daily Mail
The Tema Municipal Health Directorate in Ghana is taking measures to curb the high rate of maternal deaths in the municipality by involving the community to monitor pregnant mothers and offer advice.
MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
Alcohol use by men is a risk factor for the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections and human immunodeficiency virus from female sex workers in Mumbai, India
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2005 Nov;32(11):685-690.
Madhivanan P | Hernandez A | Gogate A | Stein E | Gregorich S | Setia M | Kumta S | Ekstrand M | Mathur M | Jerajani H | Lindan CP
This study found that men who were under the influence of alcohol when visiting female sex workers (FSW) were at greater risk for STIs and HIV.
Predictors of men's acceptance of modern contraceptive practice: study in rural Vietnam
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Health Education and Behavior. 2005 Dec;32(6):738-750.
Ha BT | Jayasuriya R | Owen N
This study examined men’s involvement in general contraception and intrauterine device (IUD) use by their wives in Vietnam. Cons of IUD use for men in precontemplation and contemplation/preparation were significantly higher than those in the action/maintenance stages, whereas the reverse was true for pros of IUD. The self-efficacy for convincing wife to have IUD in precontemplation was significantly lower than for those in higher stages. Women’s education and ages, spontaneous recall of modern contraceptive method, cons for IUD, and self-efficacy for contraception and for convincing wives to get IUD inserted (or continue use) were significant predictors of men’s readiness to accept IUD.
POPULATION RESEARCH
Motivation influences the underestimation of cumulative risk
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2005 Nov;31(11):1511-1523.
Knauper B | Kornik R | Atkinson K | Guberman C | Aydin C
The authors suggest that motivational processes can be an additional force in the generation of cumulative risk estimates. Using an experimental design, Study 1 shows that people underestimate the cumulative risk of infection with STDs of appealing prospective sexual partners by using risk-irrelevant information for their judgment. Using a correlational design, Study 2 demonstrates that people underestimate the cumulative risk of being infected with a STD and that commitment to the present partner is directly related to a low cumulative risk estimate as well as indirectly through its effect on the perceived risk of the present partner. Together, the two studies demonstrate that motivation influences the underestimation of cumulative risk.
Infection in social networks: using network analysis to identify high-risk individuals
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
American Journal of Epidemiology. 2005 Nov 15;162(10):1024-1031.
Christley RM | Pinchbeck GL | Bowers RG | Clancy D | French NP | Bennett R | Turner J
The authors use the centrality measures degree (number of contacts), random-walk betweenness (a measure of the proportion of times an individual lies on the path between other individuals), shortest-path betweenness (the proportion of times an individual lies on the shortest path between other individuals), and farness (the sum of the number of steps between an individual and all other individuals). Each was found to be associated with time to infection and risk of infection in the simulated outbreaks. In the networks examined, degree (which is the most readily measured) was at least as good as other network parameters in predicting risk of infection. Identification of more central individuals in populations may be used to inform surveillance and infection control strategies.
POPULATION NEWS
No babies? Italy blames its 'mamma's boys'
(Feature Article; Europe)
14 Nov 2005
MSNBC
What is driving Italy's low birth rate? Blame men.
Indian Parsis decide to marry early to stem their declining population
(News Article; Asia)
20 Nov 2005
newKerala.com
The population of Parsis, who have settled down in India for centuries, has been steadily going down. According to the 2004 census data, their population was just under 70,000 people, far less than that of 76,000 a decade earlier. The Parsis have now decided that early marriage is the best way to stem their community's dwindling population.
NZ 'facing population crisis'
(News Article; Oceania)
18 Nov 2005
Stuff
A slight increase in New Zealand's birthrate over the past year is not enough to stave off looming problems from an ageing population, say demographics experts.
Whatever happened to the teeming millions?
(Feature Article; Global)
Green Futures. 2005 Nov/Dec;(55)
Nicholson-Lord D
Once it was the word on everyone’s lips, now ‘population’ is the environmental issue that dares not speak its name. David Nicholson-Lord raises the flag for an unfashionable concern.
China figures reveal result of one-child policy
(News Article; Asia)
15 Nov 2005
ABC Asia Pacific
China says its one-child policy of the past 25 years has led to the creation of 90 million single-child families. State media reports the number has been unveiled by the National Population and Family Planning Commission.
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
International symposium--Leading to change: eliminating violence against women in muslim societies [audio files]
(Unpublished Work; Global)
New York, NY, Women's Learning Partnership Symposium, March 1, 2005.
Related Report: Leading to change: eliminating violence against women in muslim societies
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Women have been systematically deprived of knowledge and skills that might help them to become better equipped to protect themselves against violence, including knowledge of the existing laws, religious texts, positive cultural resources, international injunctions on human rights, and the demands made by other women for rights in their community and elsewhere. In this Women's Learning Partnership Symposium, held March 1, 2005, speakers addressed major challenges to eliminating violence against women and girls and discussed grassroots, national, and regional measures needed to raise awareness, initiate reform legislation, and create synergy for ongoing efforts to prevent violence and to promote women's human rights. Speakers included representatives from UNIFEM and Amensty International. You must have an audio player to listen to these presentations.
Sources of AIDS awareness among women in India
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
AIDS. 2006 Jan;18(1):44-48.
Pallikadavath S, Sreedharan C, Stones RW.
Sources of AIDS awareness among rural and urban Indian women were analysed using data from the National Family and Health Survey (1998–2000). Television was the most effective medium and also had the highest independent effect; radio and print had very low effectiveness and independent effect. Although television and print audiences are growing in India, it is likely a sub-group of women will continue to lack media access.
A pilot study to assess the effect of three short-term treatments on frequent and/or prolonged bleeding compared to placebo in women using Implanon
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Human Reproduction. Online access November 10, 2005.
Weisberg E | Hickey M | Palmer D | O'connor V | Salamonsen LA | Findlay JK | Fraser IS
This study compared three treatments with placebo on the duration and recurrence of frequent and/or prolonged bleeding in Implanon users. Both mifepristone plus ethinyl estradiol and doxycycline alone were significantly more effective than placebo in terminating an episode of bleeding in women with prolonged and/or frequent bleeding using Implanon.
Evaluation of sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus intervention programs for sex workers in Calcutta, India
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2005 Nov;32(11):680-684.
Gangopadhyay DN | Chanda M | Sarkar K | Niyogi SK | Chakraborty S | Saha MK | Manna B | Jana S | Ray P | Bhattacharya SK | Detels R
This paper compared rates of STDs between the Sonagachi Project and other areas in which only the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) interventions were implemented. The authors found that the number of preventive activities were similar; the Sonagachi Project also increased prevention and treatment practices.
WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Sudan: fighting fistula in Khartoum
(Feature Article; North Africa)
16 Nov 2005
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Abbo's Fistula Centre in Khartoum hospital, which has treated about 2,000 patients, is the only clinic treating fistula in Sudan. It offers surgery and post-operative care free of charge.
Pakistan: women face violence, harassment at camps
(News Article; Asia)
16 Nov 2005
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Domestic violence has worsened in the grim, post-quake scenario at camps in Pakistan. Families live in cramped quarters and men are increasingly frustrated by the lack of employment or activity available to them.
YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH
Young men and the construction of masculinity in Sub-Saharan Africa: implications for HIV/AIDS, conflict, and violence
(Report; Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Washington, DC, The World Bank, June 2005. (Paper no. 26)
Barker G | Ricardo C
This paper focuses on the construction of masculinity in Africa, drawing specific implications for conflict, violence and HIV/AIDS. The main objective of the research is to build a stronger and more nuanced understanding of the role of men and boys in the perpetuation of violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region and the kinds of program interventions that can support alternative versions of manhood.
A community-based study to examine the effect of a youth HIV prevention intervention on young people aged 15–24 in South Africa: results of the baseline survey
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2005 Oct;10(10):971-980.
Pettifor AE | Kleinschmidt I | Levin J | Rees HV | MacPhail C | Madikizela-Hlongwa L | Vermaak K | Napier G | Stevens W | Padian NS
This study determined whether South African youths living in communities that had either of two youth HIV prevention interventions would have a lower prevalence of HIV, STIs, and high-risk sexual behaviors than communities without either of these interventions. HIV prevalence was 20% among females and 7.5% among males. There were no significant differences between study arms for HIV, gonnorhea, or chlamydia prevalence at baseline. HIV was significantly associated with gonnorhea infection but not with chlamydia infection. Youths who reported more than one lifetime partner were also significantly more likely to be infected with HIV, as were those who reported ever having engaged in transactional sex or having had genital ulcers in the past 12 months.
YOUTH HEALTH NEWS
Zimbabwe: AIDS orphans and vulnerable children bear the brunt of collapsing economy
(Feature Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
15 Nov 2005
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Despite a government-run education assistance program for vulnerable children and those orphaned by AIDS, the grant falls well short of needs in a country weighed down by triple-digit inflation.
Yemen: eradicating FGM will be a slow process, experts say
(Feature Article; Middle East)
14 Nov 2005
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Despite public sensitivity on the issue, campaigns to eliminate female genital mutilation are being carried out across Yemen.
BOOKS/BOOK REVIEWS
Guide to equality in the family in the Maghreb
(Book; Global)
Bethesda, MD, Women's Learning Partnership, 2005.
The Guide to Equality in the Family in the Maghreb is an innovative advocacy tool for reform of the family law in Muslim-majority socities. The Guide outlines a process that relates meaningful social change to women’s capability to make deliberate and thoughtful choices. Family law in Muslim-majority societies governs every aspect of a woman’s life – from minimum age and conditions of marriage, to divorce, child custody, and the right to work, travel, or decide on a place of residence. The reform of family law is therefore crucial to women’s ability to participate on equal terms in both family life and public life. In each thematic module, the Guide presents the current state of the law, then proposes religious, human rights, sociological, and domestic legal arguments for reform, well-supported by relevant data.
An advocacy resource book for HIV and AIDS in Zambia
(Book; Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Bath, UK, Futures Group Europe, 2005.
Since July 2004, the Futures Group has managed the HIV and AIDS Advocacy Project in Zambia, which is funded by the U.K. Department for International Development. The research conducted throughout the life of this project has resulted in the production of An Advocacy Resource Book for HIV and AIDS in Zambia -- a book that helps one to think about how different groups within Zambia can contribute to the fights against HIV and AIDS issues, using advocacy techniques.
Calendar of Events
December 1, 2005 - January 31, 2006Basics of Health Economics - Pilot
This self-paced e-learning course is offered over the course of two months. The objectives are to expose participants to the potential contribution of health economics to decision making and to introduce participants to the language of economics and health sector reform, so they can be more effective when working with the Ministry of Finance. It is intended for non-health economists that contribute to the policy and operational decision making in the health sector. The course will be fully web-based. Given the need for "just in time" training, the course will be self-paced, with exercises, examples, case studies and self-tests. The students will be organized in time-bound cohorts that allow students to discuss course topics among themselves. The course will not be facilitated or moderated.
Contact's Name: Shenna Ross / E-Mail: sross1@worldbank.org
Event Location: Washington, DC
February 22, 2006 - February 24, 2006
Conference on Knowledge Management in Higher Education: A Gateway to Excellence and Innovation in Africa
The Conference on Knowledge Management in Higher Education provides a forum for presentation and discussion on research and issues on higher education and knowledge management. This conference is going to provide an opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration among academics, researchers, and information and knowledge practitioners.
Event Location: University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
June 11, 2006 - June 19, 2006
Summer Course on Refugee Issues
The Centre for Refugee Studies’ Summer Course offers postgraduate training in refugee issues for up to seventy practitioners inside and outside government who work on some aspect of refugee protection or assistance. The course includes panel discussions, case studies, a simulation exercise, and lectures from international experts. A York University/Centre for Refugee Studies Certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the eight-day program.
Event Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
July 3, 2006 - July 14, 2006
Management Information Systems for Monitoring and Evaluation
This module provides M&E specialists with the opportunity to develop a computerised M&E Management Information System (MIS) in a two week period. In Week One, the data structure for each participant’s MIS is designed. Participants will be encouraged to consider what their information needs are prior to their arrival at UEA. The first week provides a practical, usable information system design. Week Two takes the design further and using available software packages (database, spreadsheet and World Wide Web software), develops the M&E MIS in a computerised form. Participants will take home a workable system, which can be field tested with live data.
Event Location: Overseas Development Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
July 3, 2006 - July 14, 2006
Practical Facilitation Skills for Development Professionals and Practitioners
This course will introduce participants to a wide range of techniques and frameworks, through group practice, practical sessions, discussion groups, case studies and reference to participants' work within their organizations. This workshop will focus on the use of facilitation skills and techniques for project/program identification, project/program planning and design, proposal preparation, participatory monitoring and evaluation, and institutional development.
Event Location: Overseas Development Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
July 17, 2006 - August 11, 2006
Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Activities
The overall objective of the course is to provide participants with the skills, tools and concepts which they will need for both their present and future work in specifying and implementing cost-efficient M&E systems to support more effective decision–making across the whole range of organisational and sectoral settings. In addition to the inputs of expert practitioners and the use of case studies, the course is structured to encourage participants to share their ideas through small-group work and the preparation of a work-related project.
Event Location: Overseas Development Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
September 11, 2006 - September 13, 2006
ISEqH Fourth International Conference
The overarching theme for the ISEQH's Fourth International Conference, Creating Healthy Societies through Inclusion and Equity, reflects the central role of social, political, and economic determinants in creating health. The conference will focus on two new topics, to encourage the presentation and discussion of research and evaluation on the achievement of equity: 1) aboriginal health, acknowledging the need to address the inequities experienced by many indigenous communities; and 2) arts and equity in health, exploring ways to evaluate how working through the arts improves social inclusion and enhances equity in health.
Event Location: Adelaide, Australia
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