Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

Your knowledge-sharing resource on family planning and reproductive health

Shopping Basket

The Pop Reporter®

Volume 6, Number 21
29 May 2006

Pop Reporter Tip: Did you know? You can see what type an item is before you click on the title to go to the text. Below every item’s title is a description of what that item is: "News Article", "Research Article", "Report", "Abstract", and so on. Sometimes we are unable to link to full-text articles because a personal or institutional subscription is necessary. But the research is still important. We identify these items with "Abstract; subscription needed for full text" so that you know what you’ll be getting after you click the link.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH

Dominance and symmetry in partner violence by male and female university students in 32 nations
(Unpublished Work; Global | North Africa | Asia | North America | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania | Europe | South America | Middle East | Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Family Research Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, 2006.
Straus MA
Related News Article: Men are more likely than women to be victims in dating violence
This paper was presented at the conference on Trends In Intimate Violence Intervention, sponsored by the University of Haifa and New York University, New York University, May 23, 2006. The study investigated the widely held belief that violence against partners in marital, cohabiting, and dating relationships is almost entirely perpetrated by men, and that when women assault their partners, it has a different etiology than assaults by men. The empirical data on these issues were provided by 13,601 university students who participated in the International Dating Violence Study in 32 nations. The results in the first part of this paper show that almost a third of the female as well as male students physically assaulted a dating partner in the 12 month study period, and that the most frequent pattern was mutuality in violence, i.e. both were violent, followed by "female-only" violence. Violence by only the male partner was the least frequent pattern according to both male and female participants. The second part of the paper focuses on whether there is gender symmetry in a crucial aspect of the etiology of partner violence -- dominance by one partner. The results show that dominance by either the male or the female partner is associated with an increased probability of violence. These results, in combination with results from many other studies, call into question the assumption that partner violence is primarily a male crime and that, when women are violent, it is self-defense. Because these assumption are crucial elements in almost all partner violence prevention and treatment programs, a fundamental revision is needed to bring these programs into alignment with the empirical data.



Why communication is crucial: meta-analysis of the relationship between safer sexual communication and condom use
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Journal of Health Communication. 2006 Jun;11(4):365-390.
Noar SM | Carlyle K | Cole C
This study quantitatively synthesized the growing literature on the relationship between safer sexual communication among sexual partners and condom use, and systematically examined a number of conceptual and methodological moderators of this relationship. Communication about condom use and sexual history had significantly larger effect sizes than communication about safer sex.



Number of sexual encounters involving intercourse and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Sexually Trransmitted Diseases. 2006 Jun;33(6):342-349.
Nordvik MK | Liljeros F
This study investigated the impact of the number of sexual encounters involving intercourse in combination with the number of sexual partners on the transmission dynamics of STIs. The results indicate that it is possible that individuals who have a large number of partners may not, as is often assumed, be the only ones to play a central role as spreaders of STIs. Individuals who have a large number of sexual encounters involving intercourse per partner and have several (but not necessarily a very large number of) partners may also play a significant role in the transmission of STIs.



Rising trends of STIs and HIV infection in Singapore -- a review of epidemiology over the last 10 years (1994 to 2003)
(Research Article; Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2006 Apr;35(4):229-235.
Sen P | Chio MT | Tan HH | Chan RK
This is a review of the epidemiology and trends of STIs in Singapore from 1994 to 2003. There was a decline in the overall STI incidence in Singapore in the first half of the last decade from 215 cases per 100,000 population (7,200 cases) in 1994 to 162 cases per 100,000 population (6,318 cases) in 1999, followed by an increasing trend in the number of acute STIs (both bacterial and viral) over the past 5 years to 195 cases per 100,000 population (8,175 cases) in 2003. The incidence of HIV has risen sharply over the last decade whilst that of other viral STIs has not decreased. Singaporeans are becoming sexually active at a younger age, with casual partners constituting the main primary contacts.



Sexual bridging socially and over time: a simulation model exploring the relative effects of mixing and concurrency on viral sexually transmitted infection transmission
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2006 Jun;33(6):368-373.
Doherty IA | Shiboski S | Ellen JM | Adimora AA | Padian NS
This study investigated the impact of mixing and concurrency on the spread of a persistent viral STIs. Through connecting subgroups of differential risk, sexual mixing facilitates dissemination of STIs throughout a population. Concurrency expedites transmission by shortening the time between sexual contacts among infected and susceptible persons, particularly during the highly infectious period.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

Lifting 'the curse'
(Feature Article; Global)
22 May 2006
Associated Press
For young women with a world of choices, even that monthly curse, the menstrual period, is optional.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

The poverty trap: leveling the playing field for young people
(Policy Brief; Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
The Population Council, 2005.
Faizunnisa A
This brief discusses the impact of family-level poverty on the educational attainment, economic activity, and marriage patterns of Pakistani youth. Poverty has meant that 36% of this group has never attended school, while nearly 50% of boys in the lowest economic quartile start working before age 15. Youth in the poorest quartile also marry earlier and want more children than those in the richest quartile.



Two worlds under the same roof: a brief on gender difference in transitions to adulthood
(Policy Brief; Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
The Population Council, 2005.
Sultana M
There is a persistent asymmetry between young men and women's experience of growing up in Pakistan, especially in rural areas. Less than one-half of all young females ages 15-24 have ever enrolled in school—and of those who are enrolled, females are more likely than males to drop out at an earlier grade. Girls also spend far more time doing household chores; have less autonomy to make decisions, especially about marriage; and have far less mobility outside the home than do boys. These disparities mean that girls often face considerable disadvantages in reaching their full potential.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

2006 Report on the global AIDS epidemic
(Report; Global)
UNAIDS, 2006.
Related News Article: India 'has most people with HIV'
Related Press Release: Important progress seen in tackling AIDS, but epidemic continues to outpace response, says new comprehensive global AIDS update
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Related News Article: HIV infections 'may have peaked'
According to new data in the UNAIDS 2006 Report on the global AIDS epidemic the AIDS epidemic appears to be slowing down globally, but new infections are continuing to increase in certain regions and countries. The report also shows that important progress has been made in country AIDS responses, including increases in funding and access to treatment, and decreases in HIV prevalence among young people in some countries over the past 5 years.



HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria : the status and impact of the three diseases
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Geneva, Switzerland, The Global Fund, 2005.
Lawson L | Marais H | Archer J
This report provides essential background information on the world’s three worst communicable diseases in terms of illness and death: AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. It describes the current status of these diseases in the regions of the world with the heaviest disease burdens, the massive impact these diseases have on the fabric of societies and economies, the global response, and the importance of interventions agreed upon by scientists and international organizations.



The pricing and procurement of antiretroviral drugs: an observational study of data from the Global Fund
(Research Article; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2006 May;84(5):393-398.
Vasan A | Hoos D | Mukherjee JS | Farmer PE | Rosenfield AG | Perriens JH
This is an observational study of the antiretrovirals transaction data in the purchase price report to examine the procurement behavior of principal recipients of Global Fund grants in developing countries. Researchers found that, with a few exceptions for specific products (e.g., lamivudine) and regions (e.g., eastern Europe), prices in low-income countries were broadly consistent or lower than the lowest differential prices quoted by the research and development sector of the pharmaceutical industry.



Health systems and access to antiretroviral drugs for HIV in Southern Africa: service delivery and human resources challenges
(Feature Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Reproductive Health Matters. 2006 May;14(27):12-23.
Schneider H | Blaauw D | Gilson L | Chabikuli N | Goudge J
This paper reflects on systemic challenges to scaling up antiretroviral access in countries with both massive epidemics and weak health systems. Whilst acknowledging the still significant gap in financing, the paper focuses on the challenges of reorienting service delivery towards chronic disease care and the human resource crisis in health systems. Inadequate supply, poor distribution, low remuneration, and accelerated migration of skilled health workers are increasingly regarded as key systems constraints to scaling up of HIV treatment. Problems, however, go beyond the issue of numbers to include productivity and cultures of service delivery. As more countries receive funds for antiretroviral access programs, strong national stewardship of these programs becomes increasingly necessary.



Antiretroviral drug resistance and routine therapy, Cameroon
(Research Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2006 Jun;12(6):1001-1004.
Laurent C
This study demonstrated that among 128 patients routinely receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy in an HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic in Cameroon, 16.4% had drug resistance after a median of 10 months.



A controlled study of an HIV/AIDS/STI/TB intervention with traditional healers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
AIDS and Behavior. Online access May 20, 2006
Peltzer K | Mngqundaniso N | Petros G
This report is among the first controlled studies of an HIV/AIDS, STI, and tuberculosis (TB) intervention for traditional healers in South Africa. The intervention group received training in HIV/AIDS, STI, and TB prevention over 3.5 days as well as a supervisory follow-up visit. At 7-9 months follow-up, intervention effects were significant for HIV knowledge and HIV and STI management strategies, including conducting risk behavior assessments and counseling, condom distribution, community HIV/AIDS and STI education, and record keeping. The study found a high level of preparedness among traditional healers to work with and refer patients to biomedical health practitioners, yet no higher levels of referral to biomedical practitioners were found after the training.



Desire for children and pregnancy risk behavior among HIV-infected men and women in Uganda
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
AIDS and Behavior. Online access May 20, 2006.
Nakayiwa S | Abang B | Packel L | Lifshay J | Purcell DW | King R | Ezati E | Mermin J | Coutinho A | Bunnell R
To identify ways to improve prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,092 HIV-infected men and women attending an AIDS support organization in Jinja, Uganda. Among those practicing pregnancy risk behavior, 73% did not want more children and were at high risk for unwanted pregnancies. Although 81% knew that mother-to-child transmission of HIV could be prevented, only 22% believed that an HIV-infected woman who received PMTCT therapy could still deliver an HIV-infected child. Lack of MTCT information, having attended the program for less than or equal to 2 years, and desire for children were independently associated with pregnancy risk behavior.



The importance of context: model projections on how microbicide impact could be affected by the underlying epidemiologic and behavioral situation in 2 African settings
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2006 Jun;33(6):397-405.
Vickerman P | Watts C | Delany S | Alary M | Rees H | Heise L
This study explored how a microbicide's HIV impact is affected by behavioral and epidemiologic factors in two African settings: Cotonou, Benin, and Hillbrow, South Africa. Widespread microbicide use resulted in a greater relative reduction in HIV incidence in Cotonou, where HIV/STIs are less prevalent. Most infections averted are from commercial sex in Cotonou but noncommercial sex in Hillbrow. The microbicide's STI efficacy is important in determining its HIV impact in both settings, but especially in Cotonou where the microbicide's HIV impact was mainly the result of its STI efficacy.



Self-reported infection control practices and perceptions of HIV/AIDS risk amongst emergency department nurses in Botswana
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Accident and Emergency Nursing. Online access May 17, 2006.
Chelenyane M | Endacott R
This descriptive exploratory study investigated the reported practices and perceptions of emergency nurses related to infection control in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Botswana. The majority of respondents reported compliance with universal precautions at the hospital emergency department. However, qualitative data highlighted resource constraints that may hinder compliance with universal precautions such as a lack of appropriate facilities, a shortage of equipment and materials, inadequate staffing and absence of sustainable in-service education programs. Further, the reported compliance with Universal Precautions had not removed the fear of exposure to HIV/AIDS and perceived risk of transmission to family.



Demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV-infected inpatients and outpatients at a Cambodian hospital
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
AIDS Patient Care and STDs. 2006 May;20(5):369-378.
Sok P | Harwell JI | McGarvey ST | Lurie M | Lynen L | Flanigan T | Mayer KH
A retrospective cross-sectional survey of 299 HIV-infected inpatients and outpatients was conducted between March 1999 and June 2000 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to define patient demographics and risk factors for HIV-1 infection, and to compare whether symptoms and opportunistic infections (OIs) differ by gender and site of patient care. The results of this survey suggest that the primary risk factor for HIV-infected men presenting to this care facility was visiting sex workers. The pattern of OIs and other HIV-associated conditions indicated that the majority of patients delayed seeking care at the hospital.



To take or not to take: decision-making about antiretroviral treatment in people living with HIV/AIDS
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
AIDS Patient Care and STDs. 2006 May;20(5):335-349.
Kremer H | Ironson G | Schneiderman N | Hautzinger M
This study compares the rationales of HIV-positive individuals deciding to take or not to take antiretroviral treatment (ART). Qualitative content analysis of semistructured interviews identified 10 criteria for the decision to take or not to take ART: CD4/viral load counts (87%), quality of life (85%), knowledge/ beliefs about resistance (66%), mind–body beliefs (65%), adverse effects of ART (59%), easy-to-take regimen (58%), spirituality/worldview (58%), drug resistance (41%), experience of HIV/AIDS symptoms (39%), and preference for complementary/alternative medicine (17%).



Obstacles to vaccines for AIDS, tuberculosis, and cervical cancer
(Feature Article; Global)
Population Reference Bureau, 2006.
Khan M
Although vaccines have proven highly cost-effective and extremely successful in controlling other diseases—from measles to polio to smallpox—challenges continue to hamper progress toward vaccines for HIV, TB, and cervical cancer.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Momentum building in AIDS battle: expert
(News Article; Global)
23 May 2006
Reuters
A quarter of a century after the first cases were identified, public health experts are starting to see declines in HIV infections and momentum building in the battle against the epidemic.



Why a Zimbabwean abstains from sex
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
30 May 2006
BBC
A factory worker in Zimbabwe, who asked for his name to be withheld, tells the BBC News Web site how the HIV pandemic has affected his sexual behavior.



Preventing HIV on Mexico's 'forgotten border'
(Feature Article; Central America and the Caribbean)
29 May 2006
UNFPA
This feature article, from the UNFPA, highlights the regional effort supported by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the OPEC Fund for International Development, to help educate sex workers, students, men who have sex with men, and migrants in HIV prevention.



Uganda: politicians implicated in Global Fund scam excluded from gov't
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
24 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Uganda's former health minister and his two deputies - all of whom are accused of mismanagement of foreign grants to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria - have been left out of President Yoweri Museveni's new cabinet.



Indian researchers believe sexual habits limit spread of HIV
(News Article; Global | Asia)
24 May 2006
The Mercury News
India seemed to have all the ingredients for an Africa-like AIDS explosion: relatively low condom use, an uneven public health system, and a natural client base for prostitution - a large population of truckers and migrant workers. But the worst fears of experts never panned out. What they overlooked was the apparently crucial importance of one factor: Indian women often don't have sex partners outside their marriage.



Tough brothel law threatens India HIV program
(News Article; Global | Asia)
25 May 2006
Reuters
Plans to toughen India's laws to prevent human trafficking could drive prostitutes underground and jeopardize HIV-prevention in a country suffering the world's second-highest caseload, health officials said recently.



HIV prevention forgotten, 'now verging on crisis'
(News Article; Global | Asia)
24 May 2006
The Nation
Thailand's HIV/AIDS prevention program has gone into hibernation and the general population is paying for it, experts on the disease and its spread said recently.



U.N. releases report on AIDS treatment
(News Article; Global)
25 May 2006
Seattle Post-Intelligence
Related News Article: Missing the target -- off target for 2010: how to avoid breaking the promise of universal access
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Denial, food shortages, and squandered resources were among the problems preventing thousands of AIDS patients from getting treatment in countries hardest hit by the disease, according to a report by treatment activists.



Cote d'Ivoire: civil war all but wiped out health care, HIV/AIDS facilities
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
23 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Cote d'Ivoire's civil war all but wiped out the health sector in the rebel-held north, dramatically reducing the number of available doctors and significantly harming HIV/AIDS care and prevention, a new study shows.



Most HIV-positive Cambodians lack access to treatment
(News Article; Asia)
24 May 2006
AFP
Some 100 Cambodians living with HIV had gathered at a conference to demand better treatment from both the government and society, as well as access to effective treatment.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

Neonatal mortality in the developing world
(Research Article; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Demographic Research. 2006 May 23;14:429-452.
Hill K | Choi Y
This paper examines age patterns and trends of early and late neonatal mortality in developing countries, using birth history data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). Data quality was assessed both by examination of internal consistency and by comparison with historic age patterns of neonatal mortality from England and Wales. The median neonatal mortality rate (NMR) across 108 nationally-representative surveys was 33 per 1000 live births. NMR averaged an annual decline of 1.9% in the 1980s and 1990s. Declines have been faster for late than for early neonatal mortality and slower in Sub-Saharan Africa than in other regions. Age patterns of neonatal mortality were comparable with those of historical data, indicating no significant underreporting of early neonatal deaths in DHS birth histories.



The value of contraception to prevent perinatal HIV transmission
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2006 Jun;33(6):350-356.
Reynolds HW | Janowitz B | Homan R | Johnson L
This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of family planning programs to avert HIV-positive births with the current programmatic emphasis: prenatal care services that provide and promote nevirapine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. At the same level of expenditure, the contraceptive strategy averts 28.6% more HIV-positive births than nevirapine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.



The maternal-newborn-child health continuum of care: a collective effort to save lives
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Population Reference Bureau, 2006.
Sines E | Tinker A | Ruben J
This brief argues for the maternal-newborn-child health continuum of care.



Safe motherhood studies: timeliness of in-hospital care for treating obstetric energencies -- results from Benin, Ecuador, Jamaica, and Rwanda
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Published for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by QAP, 2006.
Edson W | Burkhalter B | Harvey S | Boucar M | Djibrina S | Hermida J | Ayabaca P | Bucagu M | Gbangbade S | McCaw-Binns A
This study investigated the timeliness of in-hospital care during labor and delivery in 14 hospitals in Benin, Ecuador, Jamaica, and Rwanda.



Implementing the new recommendations on the clinical management of diarrhoea: guidelines for policy makers and programme managers
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Geneva, Switzerland, World Health Organization, 2006.
WHO and UNICEF have released revised recommendations aimed at dramatically cutting the number of deaths due to diarrhea. These new recommendations take into account two significant recent advances - demonstration of the increased efficacy of a new formulation for ORS containing lower concentrations of glucose and salt, and success in using zinc supplementation in addition to rehydration therapy in the management of diarrhoeal diseases. This manual provides policy makers and program managers with the information they need to introduce and/or scale up a national decision to introduce the new ORS formulation and zinc supplementation as part of the clinical management of diarrheal diseases.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

AIDS, malaria offset health gains in Africa: report
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
26 May 2006
Reuters
Fewer children in sub-Saharan Africa are dying from measles, diarrhea, and respiratory infections, but improvements have been offset by HIV/AIDS and malaria, researchers said recently.



Kenya: progress on HIV parent-to-baby transmission, but UNGASS target still elusive
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
24 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
At the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS 5 years ago, world leaders committed to ensuring that 80% of pregnant women would have access to HIV prevention services. Although Kenya has not met the 2001 target, the government feels they have improved access to prevention of mother-to-child services.

MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Inconsistent condom use with steady and casual partners and associated factors among sexually-active men who have sex with men in Bangkok, Thailand
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
AIDS and Behavior. Online access May 20, 2006.
Mansergh G | Naorat S | Jommaroeng R | Jenkins RA | Stall R | Jeeyapant S | Phanuphak P | Tappero JW | van Griensven F
HIV/STD risk behavior has not been examined in community samples of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Thailand. For this study, a sexually-active sample (n=927) was recruited from bars, saunas, and parks; 20% identified as bisexual and 17% tested HIV-positive. Inconsistent (less than 100%) condom use was reported by 45% of those with steady partners and 21% of those with casual partners in the prior 3 months. 21% had heard of effective HIV treatments (n=194), among whom 44% believed HIV was less serious and 36% said their risk behavior had increased after hearing about the treatments. In multivariate analysis, HIV-positive status, gay-identification, getting most HIV information from the radio, believing HIV can be transmitted by mosquito bite, and concern about acquiring an STD were associated with inconsistent condom use during anal sex; slightly older age (25-29 vs. 18-24 years) was associated with more consistent condom use.



Experiences of social discrimination among men who have sex with men in Shanghai, China
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
AIDS and Behavior. Online access May 20, 2006.
Liu JX | Choi K
Researchers conducted qualitative interviews with 30 men who have sex with men (MSM) in Shanghai to better understand the types and sources of stigma and discrimination and how MSM respond to them. The stigma associated with homosexuality can be traced back to four culturally based factors: social status and relationships, the value of family, perceptions of immorality and abnormality, and gender stereotypes of masculinity. In particular, the centrality of the family and the importance of maintaining key relationships caused stress and anxiety, contributing to more frequent encounters with felt stigma. In response, MSM often evaded the scrutiny of family members through various tactics, even prompting some to leave their rural homes.



Epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus, viral hepatitis (B and C), treponema pallidum, and human T-cell lymphotropic I/II virus among men who have sex with men in Buenos Aires, Argentina
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; South America)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2006 May;33(5):307-315.
Pando MA | Bautista CT | Maulen S | Duranti R | Marone R | Rey J | Vignoles M | Eirin ME | Biglione MM | Griemberg G | Montano SM | Carr JK | Sanchez JL | Avila MM
A cross-sectional study of 694 men who have sex with men was conducted in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to estimate the prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. This study showed a high prevalence of hepatitis B (37.7%), Treponema pallidum, (16.9%), and HIV (13.8%).

POPULATION RESEARCH

The stall in the fertility transition in Kenya
(Report)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Calverton, MD, ORC Macro, 2006.
Westoff CF | Cross AR
This report analyzes the recent stall in the fertility decline in Kenya based on the results of the Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Kenya and other national fertility and contraceptive data. The fertility rate had been declining and the contraceptive prevalence had been increasing since the 1970s, but between 1998 and 2003, the decline in fertility stalled. This analysis finds that the reversal of the fertility decline is most pronounced among the least educated women, and the stall in contraceptive use is found primarily among younger women and those with less education. The type of contraceptive used has also changed in the past ten years: oral contraceptives, IUD and sterilization have become less popular, while the use of injectables increased.

POPULATION NEWS

The business of demographics
(News Article; Asia)
25 May 2006
Russia Profile
Russian President Putin’s plans for improving the country’s birthrate get support from the business community.

WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Co-infection with genital gonorrhoea and genital chlamydia in female sex workers in Yunnan, China
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
International Journal of STD and AIDS. 2006 May;17(5):329-332.
Chen XS | Yin YP | Liang GJ | Gong XD | Li HS | Shi MQ | Yu YH
An observational study on prevalence of co-infection with gonorrhea and chlamydia was conducted among female sex workers in Kunming, China. The results of the study justify the recommendation in the national STD guidelines that patients infected with gonorrhea also be treated routinely with an anti-chlamydial regimen. However, a periodic mass treatment may be considered in some circumstances in STD control programs to rapidly reduce the infections in this population.



HIV and pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the cervix in South Africa: a case-control study
(Research Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
BMC Cancer. 2006 May;6(1):135.
Moodley JR | Hoffman M | Carrara H | Allan BR | Cooper DD | Rosenberg L | Denny LE | Shapiro S | Williamson AL
This study determined the risk of cervical pre-cancer and cancer among HIV-positive women in South Africa. HIV-positive women were nearly 5 times more likely to have high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection present compared to HIV negative women. Women infected with both HIV and high-risk HPV had a more than 40 fold higher risk of squamous intraepithelial lesions than women infected with neither of these viruses.



Bacterial vaginosis: risk factors among Kenyan women and their male partners
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2006 Jun;33(6):361-367.
Bukusi EA | Cohen CR | Meier AS | Waiyaki PG | Nguti R | Njeri JN | Holmes KK
This study examined associations of bacterial vaginosis (BV) with potential risk factors in both the female and her male partner. Of 219 women, 97 (44%) had BV. BV was significantly associated with women's own risk factors (young age, being unmarried, early sexual debut, more than 1 sexual partner, lifetime, rectal sex, trichomoniasis, HIV infection, and by principal components analysis, with low socioeconomic status [SES]) and also with male partners' characteristics (HIV infection, and by principal components analysis, low SES, and poor hygiene).

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Abuse plagues Muslim women in Germany
(Feature Article; Global | Europe)
25 May 2006
MSNBC
It has been estimated that 50% of Muslim women in Germany have been victims of domestic violence. In addition, forced marriages often turn into violent homes. At the heart of the matter is a complicated dance between Germany’s inability to fully embrace immigrants, many of whom were invited from Turkey to fill labor shortages, and the immigrants' unwillingness to let go of behaviors and traditions that appear brutal to mainstream Western Europeans.



Preventing rape survivors from becoming AIDS statistics
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
24 May 2006
Mail & Guardian
For women who are victims of rape, recovery from the violation is typically arduous and draining. When they're unable to get treatment to prevent possible HIV infection the process is even more fraught, however -- something with which Kenya is grappling. Known as post-exposure prophylaxis, the anti-HIV treatment is available in just seven of the 73 government district hospitals in Kenya, and one of the eight provincial hospitals.

YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH

Feasibility and use of school-based condom availability programs in Tijuana, Mexico
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Central America and the Caribbean)
AIDS and Behavior. Online access May 20, 2006.
Zellner JA | Martinez-Donate AP | Hovell MF | Sipan CL | Blumberg EJ | Carrizosa CM | Rovniak L
This study describes the characteristics, degree of satisfaction, and gender differences among users of a condom availability program implemented in two high schools in Tijuana. Kiosk users (n=570) were more likely to be male, young, and/or enrolled in a lower socio-economic status school. Most kiosk users were either sexually active or planning to have sex. Females were less likely to request condoms and to continue using the kiosk, but more likely to request information on other contraceptive methods.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

Preventing HIV and AIDS among school dropouts
(News Article; Asia)
25 May 2006
Independent Online
In military-ruled Myanmar, poverty forces more than half the country’s children to leave primary school early, putting many at greater risk of contracting HIV and AIDS as they are left out of any formal education on how to avoid the virus.

SPECIAL REPORTS/PROFILES/RESOURCES

Health financing revisited: a practitioner's guide
(Report; Global)
Geneva, Switzerland, World Bank, 2006.
Gottret P | Schieber G
This report assesses health financing policies for their ability to improve health outcomes, provide financial protection, and ensure consumer satisfaction – in a equitable, efficient, and financially sustainable manner. It is intended to equip policymakers at global and country levels with the tools for navigating this extremely complex domain by providing an overview of health financing policy in developing countries. It is a primer on major health financing and fiscal issues.



Can the ubiquitous power of mobile phones be used to improve health outcomes in developing countries?
(Research Article)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Globalization and Health. 2006 May;2(1):9.
Kaplan WA
This paper looks at evidence to support or refute the idea that fixed and mobile telephony is, or could be, an effective healthcare intervention in developing countries.

---

"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!

Disclaimer: The information provided on this web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Government or The Johns Hopkins University.