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Volume 6, Number 9
6 March 2006
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FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
Oral contraceptives and increased headache prevalence: the Head-HUNT study
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Neurology. 2006;66(3):349-353.
Aegidius K | Zwart JA | Hagen K | Schei B | Stovner LJ
Related News Article: Study confirms oral contraceptive-migraine link
Women who take oral contraceptives have increased chances of suffering from both migraines and non-migraine headaches, a large new population-based study shows.
Worldwide human papillomavirus etiology of cervical adenocarcinoma and its cofactors: implications for screening and prevention
(Research Article; Global)
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2006 Mar 1;98(5):303-315.
Castellsagué X | Díaz M | de Sanjosé S | Muñoz N | Herrero R | Franceschi S | Peeling RW | Ashley R | Smith JS | Snijders PJF | Meijer CJLM | Bosch FX
Researchers pooled data from eight case–control studies of cervical cancer that were conducted on three continents. The adjusted overall odds ratio for cervical adenocarcinoma in HPV-positive women compared with HPV-negative women was 81.3. HPV 16 and HPV 18 were the two most commonly detected HPV types in case patients and control subjects.
Effectiveness of depot-holders introduced in urban areas: evidence from a pilot in Bangladesh 
(Research Article; Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. 2005 Dec;23(4):377-387.
Gazi R | Mercer A | Khatun J | Islam Z
Depot-holders are women from the community who promote good health practice and use of clinics. They keep a stock of contraceptives and oral rehydration salts to supply other women and are paid some incentives. In 2003, the NGO Service Delivery Program (NSDP) introduced depot-holders in three types of urban areas in Bangladesh as a pilot. This evaluation study was carried out to: (a) establish a baseline for measuring the impact of activities of depot-holders on a comprehensive range of indicators in the long-term, (b) make a preliminary assessment of the impact on the use of selected services of the essenial services package (ESP) and other indicators at the end of the pilot phase, and (c) assess the cost of introducing depot-holders and running their activities for a year.
Power, control, and intimate partner sexual violence in Haiti
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Central America and the Caribbean)
Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2006 Feb;35(1):11-24.
Gage AJ | Hutchinson PL
This study sought to determine how power and control in intimate relationships influenced women's exposure to sexual violence in 2,240 women aged 15–49 years from the 2000 Haiti Demographic and Health Survey. Dominance in decision making about purchases for daily household needs was positively associated with intimate partner sexual violence, but its effects were mediated by relationship quality. The findings highlight the importance of adopting a multidimensional approach to the measurement of power in sexual relationships and the need for programs to work at multiple levels to address sexual violence issues.
The parent-child relationship and opportunities for adolescents’ first sex
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; North America)
Journal of Family Issues. 2006;27(2):159-183.
Regnerus MD | Luchies LB
Related News Article: Strong relationship with father may delay daughter's sexual activity
Girls who have good relationships with their fathers tend to wait longer to have their first sexual intercourse experience, according to new research. Girls who claimed to have very low quality relationships with their fathers were nearly twice as likely to lose their virginity over the course of a year than girls who reported very high quality father-daughter relationships. No similar correlation was found between girls and their mothers, or between boys and either parent.
Live webcast—Poverty reduction: does reproductive health matter?
(Unpublished Work; Global)
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
“Our field got overconfident and wasn’t scrambling like other health fields…now we are paying for it,” commented Thomas Merrick, a professor in the Department of Global Health in the School of Public Health and Health Services at George Washington University, on the decline in reproductive health funding. On January 24, 2006, the Environmental Change and Security Program and the Global Health Initiative brought together Merrick; Margaret Greene, interim chair of the Department of Global Health; and Rachel Nugent of the Population Reference Bureau to discuss the limitations of existing research—and the promise held by other methods—to assess the affects of reproductive health on poverty reduction, as described in Greene and Merrick’s recent World Bank paper, "Poverty Reduction: Does Reproductive Health Matter?" Available at this web site are links to the slide presentation and related publications.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS
The return of patriarchy
(Feature Article; Global)
Foreign Policy. 2006 March/April;
Longman P
Across the globe, people are choosing to have fewer children or none at all. Governments are desperate to halt the trend, but their influence seems to stop at the bedroom door. Are some societies destined to become extinct? Hardly. It’s more likely that conservatives will inherit the Earth. Like it or not, a growing proportion of the next generation will be born into families who believe that father knows best.
Drug-patch safety triggers an FDA probe
(News Article; Global | North America)
5 Mar 2006
Philadelphia Inquirer
In November, the FDA issued a warning about birth-control patches after studies showed that women using them had 60% more estrogen in their blood than those on the pill, giving them a higher risk of potentially fatal side effects. Last week, the FDA said that it was launching "an exhaustive review" into the safety of patches themselves.
A big win for Plan B
(Feature Article; North America)
5 Mar 2006
TIME
After months of pressure from both sides of the abortion debate, Wal-Mart decided to stock the controversial emergency contraceptive Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill, in all its more than 3,700 pharmacies nationwide beginning March 20.
Govt imposes ban on providing funds to 600 NGOs
(News Article; Asia)
1 Mar 2006
PakTribune.com
In Pakistan, the federal government has imposed a ban on providing funds to 600 NGOs that are working to control population on the basis of their poor performance.
Dominican Republic: Campaign launched to postpone sexual debut
(News Article; Central America and the Caribbean)
10 Feb 2006
Population Services International
PSI/Dominican Republic launched a national mass-media campaign to delay the onset of sexual activity and to promote communication about sexuality between parents and their children between 10 and 14 years old.
Wealthy Chinese not stopping at one child
(Feature Article; Asia)
5 Mar 2006
United Press International
Business tycoons and show business celebrities are challenging China's family planning policy by paying the punitive "social maintenance fee" to have two or more offspring. At least 84 multi-baby cases were registered between 2002 and 2005 among affluent citizens in Shanghai. In Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning Province, 76 wealthy people were punished for having more than one child in 2000.
States as diverse as California and South Carolina get top ranking for efforts to prevent unintended pregnancy
(Press Release; North America)
28 Feb 2006
Guttmacher Institute
New research from the Guttmacher Institute finds that, while a number of states have shown commitment and creativity in addressing unintended pregnancy, others lag far behind.
India official saves baby girls by shaming parents who consider abortion
(News Article; Asia)
1 Mar 2006
LifeSiteNews.com
An Indian official’s personal campaign to halt the disastrous abortion rates of baby girls in the Punjab state has been successful. Khrishan Kumar, deputy commissioner in the Nawan Shahar district of Punjab state, began publicly shaming parents who aborted, or consider aborting, baby girls for no other reason than their gender.
FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
13 countries join forces on air ticket tax for poor
(News Article; Global)
1 Mar 2006
Reuters
Thirteen countries forged an alliance on Wednesday to adopt a levy on plane tickets to help poor countries fight AIDS and other killer diseases, despite resistance from airlines. A further 25 countries opted not to impose the tax but promised to contribute to a central pot which the core group of 13 will create from the levy to fund the purchase of generic drugs and other medicines to help the poor.
Sex workers unhappy with revisions in Trafficking Act
(News Article; Asia)
5 Mar 2006
Zee News
On one of the rare occasions when they had a date with the lawmakers of India, sex workers sought legal safeguards for their clients and protection against prosecution of brothel owners. While the sex workers strongly advocated prevention of trafficking of women, especially minors, they were opposed to any arrest of the brothel-owners or managers that the new, amended law proposes.
HIV/AIDS RESEARCH
HIV risk behavior in male and female Russian sexually transmitted disease clinic patients
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 2006;13(1):26-33.
Benotsch EG | Pinkerton SD | Dyatlov RV | Difranceisco W | Smirnova TS | Dudko VY | Kozlov A
This study analyzed the sexual behaviors, substance use, protective strategies, and HIV-related attitudes of 400 high-risk men and women in Russia. High-risk behavior was associated with substance use and lower perceived severity of AIDS. Men reported higher condom use rates whereas women reported efforts to limit their number of sexual partners as a self-protective strategy. This study has important implications for the development of culturally tailored interventions in Russia.
Sexual behavior and perceived risk of HIV/AIDS among young migrant factory workers in Nepal
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Journal of Adolescent Health. 2006 Mar;38(3):237-246.
Puri M | Cleland J
This study analyzed the sexual behavior, perceived risk of contracting STIs and HIV/AIDS, and protective behaviors of 1,050 migrant factory workers aged 14–19 years in carpet and garment factories in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Although high-risk behavior was common, relatively few young people considered themselves to be at risk of getting STIs or HIV/AIDS. Information on the possible consequences of unsafe sex is inadequate.
Syphilis treatment and HIV infection in a population-based study of persons at high risk for sexually transmitted disease/HIV infection in Lima, Peru
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; South America)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2006 Mar;33(3):151-155.
Long CM | Klausner JD | Leon S | Jones FR | Giron M | Cuadros J | Pajuelo J | Caceres C | Coates TJ
This study characterized syphilis epidemiology and its relationship to HIV status in 1,261 individuals in Lima, Peru. The prevalence of syphilis was 7.7%, and HIV infection was prevalent in 15.6% compared to 3.7% in patients without HIV. HIV infection did not affect syphilis treatment success rates.
HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and beliefs among Nepalese adolescents
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2006 Mar;53(5):583-590.
Mahat G | Scoloveno MA
This study explores Nepalese adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of HIV/AIDS in a cross-sectional study of 150 adolescents at a private school. The majority of the adolescents had a moderate level of overall HIV/AIDS knowledge, but lacked knowledge in the areas of mode of transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Prevalence and incidence of, and risk factors for, HIV-1 infection among factory workers in Ethiopia, 1997-2001
(Research Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. 2005 Dec;23(4):358-368.
Mekonnen Y | Sanders E | Messele T | Wolday D | Dorigo-Zestma W | Schaap A | Mekonnen W | Meless H | Mihret W | Fontanet A | Coutinho RA | Dukers NHTM
This study determined the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for HIV infection among factory workers at two sites in Ethiopia from a cohort of 1,679 individuals. The overall baseline prevalence of HIV was 9.4%; 8.5% among males and 12.4% among females. The study confirmed that high-risk sexual behavior and STIs play major roles in the spread of HIV infection in the Ethiopians of both the sexes, but factors such as rape and low economic status make women more vulnerable than men.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 among bar and hotel workers in northern Tanzania: the role of alcohol, sexual behavior, and herpes simplex virus type 2
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2006 Mar;33(3):163-169.
Ao TT | Sam NE | Masenga EJ | Seage GR 3rd | Kapiga SH
Researchers assessed baseline prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other STDs, as well as behavioral and biologic risk factors for HIV-1 in 1,042 female bar/hotel workers in Moshi, Tanzania. HIV-1 was associated with genital ulcers on examination, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and problem drinking. These findings suggest that programs designed to control HSV-2, reduce the number of sexual partners and alcohol use, and promote condom use could be effective in reducing transmission of HIV-1 in this population.
Gender and HIV risk behavior among intravenous drug users in Sichuan Province, China
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Social Science & Medicine. 2006 April;62(7):1672-1684.
Choi SY | Cheung YW | Chen K
This community-based study compared the level of HIV risk behavior in injection drug users (IDUs) in Sichuan Province in China. For male IDUs, younger age and a lack of family support increased their level of HIV risk behavior. For female IDUs, having an IDU primary sex partner and economic pressure were predictive of their HIV risk behavior. Practical implications of the findings for HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention work in China are discussed.
Enrolling women into HIV preventive vaccine trials: an ethical imperative but a logistical challenge
(Policy Brief; Global)
PLoS Medicine. 2006 Feb 21;3(3)
Mills E | Nixon S | Singh S | Dolma S | Nayyar A | Kapoor S
This study reviews women's concerns about enrolling in HIV vaccine trials, their fear of adverse events, issues of informed consent, confidentiality, the barriers faced by sex workers, benefits of participation, and the role of researchers as human rights advocates.
HIV/AIDS NEWS
Where prostitutes also fight AIDS
(Feature Article; South America)
2 Mar 2006
The Washington Post
Paula Duran is an outreach worker with a style of her own. She is a prostitute in Villa Mimosa, a red-light district in this seaside city where an estimated 3,500 sex workers lounge in the doorways and lean out the windows of scarred, decaying buildings. Each time she snags a customer, she fishes in her purse for a government-supplied condom. Often she repeats information on disease transmission that she learned at a state-funded workshop for prostitutes around the corner.
Cameroon: New plan to reduce HIV/AIDS 50% by 2010
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
5 Mar 2006
African News Dimension
Cameroon has launched an HIV/AIDS control plan aimed at reducing by 50% the number of people infected with the disease in the country by 2010.
In Somalia, diagnosing AIDS can be risky
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
27 Feb 2006
The Boston Globe
There may be no harder place in the world to fight AIDS than Somalia. For the United Nations and Western charities, some areas are off-limits because it is so risky. But even in places where they operate, the basic task of testing someone for the virus is widely considered too dangerous.
40 percent of India's AIDS patients are women
(News Article; Asia)
3 Mar 2006
Web India
India has over 5 million HIV/AIDS-infected people, including over 2 million women, who comprise 40% of its HIV infected population. Women are biologically more susceptible to HIV infection and gender disparities; lack of education and trafficking of women have made the situation worse.
Free female condoms supplied against AIDS
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
2 Mar 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
A sexual and reproductive health NGO is tackling HIV/AIDS among Malawi's women by handing out free female condoms. So far, 20,000 condoms have been distributed through youth organizations in the country's three regions in the hope that the condoms would serve to empower women who usually rely on their male counterparts when it comes to safer sex.
Interview with head of UNAIDS-MENA region
(Interview; Middle East)
2 Mar 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
In this interview, Oussama Tawil, UNAIDS director for the MENA region, stresses the need for better prevention and better information-gathering. The interview was conducted by the Integrated Regional Information Networks, part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Condoms given to workers in 50 industries
(News Article; Asia)
4 Mar 2006
Express News Service
Under its philanthropic project to promote safe sex practices among factory workers in Ludhiana (India), the Ludhiana Citizens’ Council has so far distributed around 40,000 condoms in 50 industries in the last 3 months.
Country`s HIV/AIDS situation report drafted
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
4 Mar 2006
AngolaPress
A preliminary report on the actual situation of HIV/AIDS in Angola and on the measures to be adopted until 2010 to control the levels of its propagation was completed on Friday in Luanda, following a meeting of institutions involved in the fight against the disease.
Cuba often gets forgotten when talking about HIV/AIDS in Latin America
(Feature Article; Central America and the Caribbean)
5 Mar 2006
VHeadline.com
Cuba often gets forgotten when talking about HIV/AIDS in Latin America, as it did a few weeks ago on a HIV/AIDS feature interview on TeleSUR ... perhaps because the disease has been so well contained in Cuba, the country just doesn't come to mind when one thinks of the disease.
Kyrgyzstan: HIV/AIDS film gains popularity
(News Article; Asia)
27 Feb 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
A film highlighting the plight of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kyrgyzstan is becoming increasingly popular in major urban areas of the former Soviet republic, where the virus is on the rise. The film, entitled "Love as a Trial", shows the reality of Kyrgyz society as it works to overcome traditional stereotypes and stigma about the disease.
China steps up surveillance of AIDS patients
(News Article; Asia)
4 Mar 2006
Globe and Mail
As it prepares for the annual meeting of its parliament, China is launching a crackdown on one of its poorest and most vulnerable groups: people infected by the AIDS virus. Security agents have swooped down on the homes of AIDS patients and activists in Henan province, where about 300,000 people were infected by the virus in the mid-1990s as a result of tainted blood and contaminated equipment. Police vehicles are stationed outside the homes of many AIDS activists, keeping them under surveillance and following them when they leave their homes.
HIV/AIDS to be taught at varsity
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
6 Mar 2006
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
HIV/AIDS will now be taught as a mandatory subject in the first year of study at the University of Nairobi, one of three institutions in Africa that has been recognized by the Africa communication network as a centre of excellence for HIV and AIDS communication.
Orissa villagers boycott HIV positive family
(Feature Article; Asia)
3 Mar 2006
New Kerala
In a familiar story of ostracism, an HIV positive woman has been shunted out of an Orissa village (India) after her husband died and her two children have been confined to a corner of the classroom in their school.
Army battles HIV in the Northeast
(News Article; Asia)
5 Mar 2006
CNN-IBN
Soldiers serving in the troubled Northeastern states of India not only face the threat of the bullets of terrorists but are also vulnerable to the HIV virus. To counter the threat of HIV, the Indian army is now planning to make the HIV tests mandatory for all personnel serving in the Northeast.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH
Do individual and program factors matter in the utilization of maternal care services in rural India? A theoretical approach
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Social Science & Medicine. 2006 Apr;62(8):1943-1957.
Sunil TS | Rajaram S | Zottarelli LK
This study looks at the utilization of maternal care services in rural areas of India using data from the National Family Health Survey-2. The results suggest that in addition to individual characteristics, program and system factors influence the utilization of maternal care in rural areas. More state-specific studies incorporating both program and individual characteristics are recommended to improve our understanding of the utilization of health care services.
First aid for obstetric haemorrhage: the pilot study of the non-pneumatic anti-shock garment in Egypt
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | North Africa)
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Online access February 27, 2006.
Miller S | Hamza S | Bray EH | Lester F | Nada K | Gibson R | Fathalla M | Mourad M | Fathy A | Turan JM | Dau KQ | Nasshar I | Elshair I | Hensleigh P
Related News Article: Non-pneumatic anti-shock garment holds promise in preventing deaths due to obstetrical hemorrhage
A simple, low-tech garment has the potential to prevent a major cause of death among women who give birth in many Third World countries, according to a new study by maternal health researchers. Study findings show the use of a neoprene suit can save the lives of women suffering from obstetrical hemorrhaging due to childbirth. Hemorrhaging accounts for about 30% of the more than 500,000 maternal deaths worldwide each year due to childbirth, nearly all in poor countries.
Responsive complementary feeding in rural Bangladesh
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Social Science & Medicine. 2006 Apr;62(8):1917-1930.
Moore AC | Akhter S | Aboud FE
This observational study examines responsive and active feeding and mother-child behaviors in 54 mother-child pairs in a rural Bangladesh sample. Researchers found that the responsive feeding framework, once operationalized, has the potential to identify specific behaviors that support or impede mother-child interaction during complementary feeding.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS
The dangerous profession of motherhood
(Feature Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
28 Feb 2006
Inter Press Service News Agency
This feature article highlights some of the very real difficulties Angola will have in meeting the fifth Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters, come 2015.
MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
Men's approval of family planning in Bangladesh
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Journal of Biosocial Science. 2006 Mar;38(2):247-259.
Islam MA | Padmadas SS | Smith PW
This article attempts to evaluate men’s approval of family planning in Bangladesh using the couple data set from the recent Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 1999–2000. Analysis of BDHS data shows that about 85% of the wives report that their husbands approve of family planning, which is lower than the wives’ own approval rate (95%). The findings indicate the need for careful evaluation of the DHS questions in order to measure appropriately men’s family planning attitudes.
POPULATION RESEARCH
On the structural value of children and its implication on intended fertility in Bulgaria
(Working Paper; Europe)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, February 2006.
Bühler C
Personal networks receive increasing recognition as structural determinants of fertility. However, the network perspective also helps to explain personal motivations for having children. Using theories of interpersonal exchange and of the value of children, it is argued that children can substantively alter and improve their parents’ social networks. Individuals perceive this potential advantageous development as a structural benefit and consider this value in their reproductive decisions. Data from Bulgaria, collected in 2002, support this argument.
POPULATION NEWS
The geopolitics of sexual frustration
(Feature Article; Global)
Foreign Policy. 2006 March/April;
Walker M
Asia has too many boys. They can’t find wives, but they just might find extreme nationalism instead. It’s a dangerous imbalance for a region already on edge.
Russia: health ministry considers solutions to population decline
(News Article; Asia)
28 Feb 2006
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
A dramatically declining population is one of the most acute problems facing Russia today. The country's official population, now around 143 million, is shrinking by 700,000 every year. By 2050, some experts predict that the country's population could be as low as 120 million. Recently, the Health and Social Development Minister reported to the State Duma about the demographic crisis and what the government proposes to do about it.
Romanian population to drop consistently, EU study shows
(News Article; Europe)
1 Mar 2006
Bucharest Daily News
Romania's population may drop to nearly 17 million until January 1, 2051 which is 3.7 million less than the total number of people currently living in the country, according to a study by the European Union's Statistic Bureau, Eurostat.
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
“Women do what they want”: Islam and permanent contraception in Northern Tanzania
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Social Science & Medicine. Online access February 28, 2006.
Krehbiel Keefe S
This was a study of perceptions on reproduction and family planning in a Muslim African community in Ugweno, Tanzania. In-depth, unstructured, and open-ended interviews with 40 women (20 of whom had been sterilized), as well as men, religious leaders, and hospital workers were conducted. It was found that perceptions of Islamic rules about family planning are inconsistent. Individuals are able to define their own approach by manipulating the rules and resisting them.
Caesarean section and subsequent fertility in sub-Saharan Africa
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2006 Mar;113(3):276-283.
Collin SM | Marshall T | Filippia V
In this analysis of standardized cross-sectional surveys in 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa that included 35,398 women of childbearing age, researchers found that the natural fertility rate subsequent to delivery by caesarean section was 17% lower than the natural fertility rate subsequent to vaginal delivery.
WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Skipping periods may cut cancer risk
(News Article; Global)
2 Mar 2006
ABC Science Online
Regularly skipping menstrual periods using methods including the contraceptive pill might help reduce the risk of some gynaecological cancers, a conference will hear this week. Professor Ian Fraser, a professor of reproductive medicine at Australia's University of Sydney, says the fewer periods a woman has, the better.
South Africa: Sexual assault hidden in culture of silence
(Feature Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
2 Mar 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
The factors that account for the high prevalence of rape and sexual violence in this nation of 45 million are extraordinarily complex. After decades of a sustained liberation struggle, women's rights are codified in the nation's constitution. But in today's democratic South Africa, still reeling from generations of race-based oppression and violence, little progress has been made to eradicate rape and other forms of gender-based and sexual violence.
Weight may affect whether birth control pills work, says Oregon Health & Science Univ researchers
(Feature Article; Global)
3 Mar 2006
CentralPointNews.com
Do birth control pills work differently depending on how much a woman weighs? That's what Oregon Health & Science University researcher Alison Edelman, M.D., wants to know. She is the principal investigator of one of the only studies in the country to evaluate the ovulation occurrence and medication levels of two groups of women using oral contraceptives: thin and plus-size women.
YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH
Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among adolescents in Kampala, Uganda, and theoretical models for improving syndromic management
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Journal of Adolescent Health. 2006 Mar;38(3):213-221.
Eva-Råssjö EB | Kambugu F | Tumwesigye MN | Tenywa T | Darj E
This study estimated the prevalence of treatable STIs in 306 adolescents visiting a youth health clinic in Kampala, Uganda and evaluated the algorithm for management of the abnormal vaginal discharge syndrome. They found that an algorithm for management of STI using behavioral and demographic factors in this population demonstrated enhanced sensitivity and specificity.
Differential use of adolescent reproductive health programs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Journal of Adolescent Health. 2006 Mar;38(3):253-260.
Erulkar AS | Mekbib TA | Simie N | Gulema T
This study examines the coverage and utilization of existing adolescent reproductive health programs through population-based surveys among over 1,000 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Older male adolescents were most likely to utilize programs, and girls, especially those who were isolated, were least likely to utilize programs. The authors recommend that greater segmentation of the adolescent population is needed in the design and content of adolescent reproductive health programs.
Safe sex versus safe love? Relationship context and condom use among male adolescents in the Favelas of Recife, Brazil
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; South America)
Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2006 Feb;35(1):25-35.
Juarez F | Martin TC
This study examined the influence of the relationship context where adolescent sexual activity takes place on contraceptive decisions in 1,438 adolescent males aged 13-19 residing in Recife, Brazil. Results suggest that prevention campaigns need to take into account the intimate context where adolescents assess potential health risks and address the divergent symbolic meanings condoms may have in different types of relationships.
Risk behaviors of 15-21 year olds in Mexico lead to a high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections: results of a survey in disadvantaged urban areas
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Central America and the Caribbean)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
BMC Public Health. 2006 Feb 27;6(1):49.
Gutierrez JP | Bertozzi SM | Conde-Glez CJ | Sanchez-Aleman MA
This study assessed prevalence of STIs and risk behaviors among 204 adolescents from poor homes in urban Mexico. The results show a high prevalence of HSV-2, suggesting that this group has participated to a great extent in risky sexual practices. The relationships between socioeconomic environment and adolescent risk behavior need to be better understood.
Two steps forward and one step back? Australian secondary students’ sexual health knowledge and behaviors 1992–2002
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Oceania)
Journal of Adolescent Health. 2006 Mar;38(3):247-252.
Agius PA | Dyson S | Pitts MK | Mitchell A | Smith AMA
This study reports on the changes in the sexual health knowledge and sexual and risk behaviors of 6,781 Australian school students between 1992 and 2002. Results show high levels of knowledge on HIV, but a decline since 1992. Knowledge about STIs and hepatitis remains poor.
YOUTH HEALTH NEWS
Life-altering maze teaches teens sobering sex lessons
(Feature Article; Global | North America)
6 Mar 2006
The Arizona Republic
High school students in Arizona are learning about real-life choices by walking a "maze" of life: make the right choices and graduate from high school, go to college and land a good career. The wrong choices could take the student in a completely different direction.
BOOKS/BOOK REVIEWS
The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done so Much Ill and so Little Good
(Book; Global)
Penguin Group, 2006.
Easterly W
William Easterly's "The White Man's Burden" is about what its author calls the twin tragedies of global poverty. The first, of course, is that so many are seemingly fated to live horribly stunted, miserable lives and die such early deaths. The second is that after 50 years and more than $2.3 trillion in aid from the West to address the first tragedy, it has shockingly little to show for it. We'll never solve the first tragedy, Easterly argues, unless we figure out the second.
Islamic Masculinities
(Book; Global)
London and New York, Zed Books, 2006.
This challenging book of essays outlines the great complexity, variety and difference of male identities in Islamic societies. From the Taliban orphanages of Afghanistan to the cafes of Morocco, from the experience of couples at infertility clinics in Egypt to that of Iraqi conscripts, these essays illustrate how the masculine gender is constructed and negotiated in the Islamic Ummah. The collection goes far beyond the traditional notion that Islamic masculinities are inseparable from the control of women. The essays outline an experience of the relation between spirituality and masculinity quite different from the prevailing Western norms. Drawing on sources ranging from modern Arabic literature to discussions of Muhammad's virility and Abraham's paternity, "Islamic Masculinities" portrays ways of being in the world that intertwine with non-Western conceptions of duty to the family, the state and the divine.
SPECIAL REPORTS/PROFILES/RESOURCES
Youth peer education toolkit: training of trainers manual
(Teaching and Training Material; Global)
Family Health International, 2005.
The Training of Trainers Manual is a curriculum tool to prepare master-level peer education trainers. The manual uses participatory techniques based on a variety of theoretical frameworks to ensure that future trainers are skilled and confident in their abilities to train peer educators and serve as informed resources for their peers. The manual resulted from a collaboration between Family Health International and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). It was produced for the Youth Peer Education Network, a project coordinated by UNFPA.
Calendar of Events
March 15, 2006 - March 17, 20062nd national conference on population, health, and environment
Event Location: Cebu City, The Philippines
March 31, 2006 - April 1, 2006
15th annual HIV conference of the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center
This conference is designed to increase the knowledge and skills of HIV healthcare providers. Lectures and interactive case presentations will be supplemented by take-home materials including chart forms and treatment protocols. Five distinct tracks will allow participants to customize their conference experience to best meet their professional needs.
Event Location: Orlando, Florida, United States
April 22, 2006 - April 27, 2006
Strategic Communication: Building Life Skills and Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health Workshop
Workshop objectives are to increase participant’s knowledge and skills in strategic communication, including life skills concepts, approaches, and methods; provide participants an overview of the adolescent reproductive health communication package, including direct exposure to program activities in the field; and impart participants valuable information, skills, and materials for implementing ARH communication programs in their own context. Participants will be senior to mid-level trainers/ facilitators and program personnel from government, NGOs, and development partner agencies whose programs include adolescent health.
Contact's Name: Yasmin Khan / E-Mail: ykhan@bangladesh-ccp.org
Event Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
May 18, 2006 - May 19, 2006
NAHIP Conference: Sustaining the Momentum, African Communities and HIV
The National African HIV Prevention Programme (NAHIP) conference 2006 will focus on HIV prevention, treatment, and care within African communities. It will include expert papers, workshops and skill-building sessions. The 2006 NAHIP conference aims to bring all issues concerning Africans and HIV to the forefront of work done with these communities in the UK.
Event Location: London
June 15, 2006 - June 16, 2006
1st Annual African HIV/AIDS Clinical Update and Leadership Development Conference
This conference will provide an international exchange of information and ideas about the latest clinical developments in the field of HIV/AIDS, women's and children's issues, and the discussion of culturally competent leadership strategies.
Event Location: Nairobi, Kenya
August 21, 2006 - August 25, 2006
11th World Congress on Public Health
Event Location: Rio de Janerio, Brazil
August 29, 2006 - September 16, 2006
The 5th Leadership Course on Gender, Sexuality and Sexual Health in Southeast Asia and China
This annual course, rotating among participating Southeast Asian institutions, caters to strategically placed individuals working in the field of sexual health, offering them new perspectives and methodologies on gender and sexuality that can enhance the quality of their work.
E-Mail: aids@hmu.edu.vnEvent Location: Hanoi , Vietnam
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