Goal Of Women Research Articles

UNCOVERING THE PROCESS OF GENDER-RESPONSIVE BUDGETING OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN GORONTALO

This research aims to effectively analyze the gender-responsive budgeting process in the public sector that takes gender interests into account in the Gorontalo Provincial Office of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection. This research uses qualitative methods with a qualitative descriptive approach. The data sources are primary data and secondary data. Data collection techniques include observation, interviews, documentation, and literature research. Data analysis techniques use the following steps: data collection, data reduction, data display, verification, and conclusion. The results showed that there were three gender-responsive activities carried out in Gorontalo, namely increasing women's economic productivity, increasing institutional capacity for gender mainstreaming, and institutional strengthening. The management of gender-responsive budgeting starts with gender-responsive budget planning, budgeting gender-responsive activities, implementing gender-responsive budgeting, and monitoring and evaluating gender-responsive budgeting. Through gender-responsive budgeting, it is expected to make a major contribution to the achievement of women's empowerment goals and realize gender welfare and justice in various fields of development in Gorontalo Province.

How might we motivate uptake of the Dual Prevention Pill? Findings from human-centered design research with potential end users, male partners, and healthcare providers.

Multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) combining contraception with HIV prevention offer a promising solution to uptake and adherence challenges faced with oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), which combines oral PrEP with an oral contraceptive pill (OCP), could address unmet need for family planning (FP) and HIV prevention. This study aimed to identify barriers and motivators for DPP uptake to inform the development of a DPP demand generation strategy and broader introduction efforts for MPTs. Qualitative, ethnographic research employing human-centered design techniques was conducted in Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. A research consortium conducted 45 immersions, 34 key informant interviews, and 12 friendship circles with potential end users, male romantic partners, healthcare providers (HCPs), and cultural commentators. Creative concepts were subsequently co-created and validated in workshops with end users, male partners, and HCPs. Four major themes emerged. Women struggled to balance personal motivations with societal expectations. Relationship goals strongly influenced sexual and reproductive health decisions, particularly related to financial security and social status. Negative experiences, such as untrustworthy partners, were significant triggers for OCP and PrEP use. Lastly, male partners were concerned about the DPP upending gender norms but held more positive individual attitudes. Five initial audience segments for the DPP were identified: women seeking enjoyment outside of their primary relationship; new mothers adhering to social norms; women wanting to maintain romantic relationships; women at risk of unintended pregnancy; and women with unfaithful partners. Segments informed the development of three communication themes, with the preferred route highlighting the DPP as a tool to prepare for life's unpredictability. To effectively generate demand for the DPP, several strategies should be considered. Connecting with women's diverse identities and goals and celebrating their individuality is crucial. Linking the DPP to relationship goals reframes it as a means to protect relationships rather than a risk. Leveraging negative triggers through targeted media campaigns empowers women to take control of their sexual health during challenging moments. A balance in channel placement is necessary to raise public awareness while using more discrete channels for potentially controversial messages with male partners and wider communities.

Comparison of patient-reported achievements of goals and core outcomes with delayed breast reconstruction in irradiated patients: latissimus dorsi with an implant versus DIEP.

Different women's individual goals with a breast reconstruction vary, and few studies compare techniques in light of the different goals. This study aimed to compare patient-reported core outcomes in patients reconstructed with deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flaps and latissimus dorsi (LD) flaps. Second, breast-related factors that the patients were particularly satisfied/dissatisfied with were analyzed. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study, which includes women who had undergone mastectomy and radiation, followed by delayed breast reconstructions with either LD flap and implant or DIEP flap during 2007-2017. The patient-reported core outcomes of overall breast-specific quality of life, normality, women's cosmetic satisfaction, self-esteem, emotional well-being, and physical well-being were analyzed using BREAST-Q. The patients were divided into LD and implant (n = 135 patients) and DIEP (n = 118 patients) groups, and both were demographically similar. The median follow-up was 8 years. The DIEP group scored significantly higher than the LD and implant group in five out of six domains. A high satisfaction was reported in questions regarding the feeling or appearance when having clothes on, whereas the greatest dissatisfaction was reported regarding questions entailing symmetry and the appearance without clothes. After 7 years, patients' breast-specific quality of life, normality, women's cosmetic satisfaction, self-esteem, emotional well-being, and physical well-being seem to be higher in irradiated patients who have been reconstructed with DIEP flap as compared to patients reconstructed with LD flap and implant. In both groups, patient satisfaction is high regarding their appearance when clothed, whereas the lowest satisfaction scores were reported in situations without clothing.

Survey Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Menstrual Cycle Tracking Technologies.

Background and Objectives: Digital health and personalized medicine are advancing at an unprecedented pace. Users can document their menstrual cycle data in a variety of ways, including smartphone applications (apps), temperature tracking devices, and at-home urine hormone tests. Understanding the needs and goals of women using menstrual cycle tracking technologies is the first step to making these technologies more evidence based. The purpose of this study was to examine the current use of these technologies and explore how they are being used within the context of common hormonal and reproductive disorders, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and infertility. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study evaluating menstrual cycle tracking technology use. Participants were recruited in January-March 2023 using social media groups and a Marquette Method instructor email listserv. Data were collected using an electronic survey with Qualtrics. Data collected included participant demographics, menstrual cycle characteristics, reproductive health history, and menstrual cycle tracking behavior. Results: Three-hundred and sixty-eight participants were included in the analysis. Women had various motivations for tracking their menstrual cycles. Most participants (72.8%) selected "to avoid getting pregnant" as the primary motivation. Three hundred and fifty-six participants (96.7%) reported using a fertility awareness-based method to track and interpret their menstrual cycle data. The Marquette Method, which utilizes urine hormone tracking, was the most frequently used method (n = 274, 68.2%). The most frequently used cycle technology was a urine hormone test or monitor (n = 299, 81.3%), followed by a smartphone app (n = 253, 68.8%), and a temperature tracking device (n = 116, 31.5%). Women with PCOS (63.6%), endometriosis (61.8%), and infertility (75%) in our study reported that the use of tracking technologies aided in the diagnosis. Most participants (87.2%) reported a high degree of satisfaction with their use and that they contributed to their reproductive health knowledge (73.9%). Conclusions: Women in our study reported avoiding pregnancy as their primary motivation for using menstrual cycle tracking technologies, with the most frequently used being a urine hormone test or monitor. Our study results emphasize the need to validate these technologies to support their use for family planning. Given that most women in this study reported using a fertility awareness-based method, the results cannot be generalized to all users of menstrual cycle tracking technologies.

Perceptions of Racial and Gender Microaggressions in an Academic Orthopaedic Department.

A 34-question institutional review board-approved, modified version of the validated Racial and Ethnic Minorities Scale and Daily Life Experiences survey was sent to a total of 84 individuals at the University of Miami (UM) Department of Orthopaedics. Responses were anonymously collected from current UM orthopaedic residents, fellows, and attendings. Survey results were analyzed for the prevalence of microaggressions in the context of sex, race, ethnicity, academic goals, daily scenarios, and department support. p-Values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Fifty-four of 84 respondents (64%) completed the survey. Female respondents experienced significantly more gender-based microaggressions than male respondents. On average, male participants disagreed that their experiences with microaggressions made them doubt their ability to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery while female participants responded they were neutral. In comparison with their White counterparts, non-White and Hispanic ethnicity participants demonstrated a statistically significantly greater frequency of race and ethnicity-based microaggressions. Our study demonstrates that female participants, non-White participants, and Hispanic minorities across all levels of training experience a higher frequency of microaggressions. The impact of these experiences on career decisions and goals for women and persons of color in orthopaedic surgery at this single institution is mixed. Experienced microaggressions should be further investigated as a potential barrier to recruitment and retention of under-represented minorities in orthopaedic surgery. III.

Prenatal Nutrition Care in Alberta: The Perspectives of Pregnant Women and Registered Dietitians.

Introduction: Optimizing women's diets in pregnancy improves maternal and child health outcomes; however, the best format for supporting women's nutrition goals in pregnancy is not clear, and access to dietetic services is not standard in prenatal care in Alberta. This study explored women's perceptions about access to Registered Dietitians (RDs) throughout pregnancy and RDs experiences providing prenatal nutrition counselling.Methods: Two studies were conducted. Study A: Pregnant women completed a short survey while attending a prenatal appointment in a large prenatal clinic. The survey assessed women's perspectives about accessing dietetic services during pregnancy. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Study B: RDs participated in either a semi-structured phone interview or a focus group and described their experiences working with pregnant women. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: One hundred pregnant women completed the survey. Ninety percent indicated that they had not seen a RD at this time in pregnancy, and 48% reported that they would like to access a RD in pregnancy, if available. Dietitians discussed the diversity of women's concerns and the challenges to providing prenatal nutrition support.Conclusions: Women have nutrition-related questions during pregnancy. Dietitians experience challenges providing services in the current care systems.

Towards the Substantive Representation of Women: A Study of the Indonesian Women’s Parliamentary Caucus

Abstract A women’s parliamentary caucus works to strengthen the goals of women in a legislative body. It trains female members of the parliament in legislation and facilitates communication among feminists in parliament and civil society in pursuing common goals through collective action to enact feminist legislation. Qualitative research in Indonesia over the parliamentary term 2009–2014 has suggested that active communication is vital for the performance of such functions. Poor communication in the study term resulted in an inability to initiate collective action, a mismatched design of capacity-building activity and diminishment of the relationship between feminists in parliament and civil society. The existence of a caucus alone is insufficient. A functioning caucus is essential for substantive representation of women.

Sex Differences Partially Moderate the Relationships Between Personal Values and the Preference for Cross-Sex Friendships (Heterosociality)

Abstract. A key differentiation in studies on friendship research is between the same-sex and cross-sex friendships of women and men. Although most women and men prefer same-sex over cross-sex friends, most people do commonly have cross-sex friendships, and there are large interindividual differences in the proportions of cross-sex friends in individual friendship networks. Recent studies have suggested that same-sex and cross-sex friendships fulfill different goals for women and men. Therefore, individuals’ personal values (as representations of their enduring goals) may be associated with the types of friendships they prefer. The present study explores associations between personal values and people’s preferences for cross-sex friendships (heterosociality). A sample of 1,333 participants completed the assessment. Results showed that the associations were partially moderated by sex. For men, the value of tradition, whereas for women, the values of security, self-direction, and tradition were found to be significantly associated with the individual proportions of cross-sex friends. These findings contribute to understanding friendship selection and underline the importance of differentiating between same-sex and cross-sex friendships in women and men.

Demographics, health literacy and health locus of control beliefs of Australian women who take complementary medicine products during pregnancy and breastfeeding: A cross‐sectional, online, national survey

BackgroundPregnant and breastfeeding women's use of complementary medicine products (CMPs) is common, and possibly associated with autonomous health care behaviours. However, the health literacy levels and health locus of control (HLOC) beliefs of women who use CMPs in pregnancy and lactation have not been previously assessed in a large Australian sample.AimThe aim of this study is to determine the health literacy levels and HLOC beliefs of women who use CMPs in pregnancy and lactation and determine the types of CMPs used.MethodsA cross‐sectional, national, online survey of Australian pregnant or breastfeeding women aged 18 years and older, and currently using CMPs was conducted.ResultsA total of 810 completed surveys (354 pregnant and 456 breastfeeding women) were analysed. Most had adequate functional health literacy levels (93.3%). Health care practitioners (HCPs) HLOC mean scores were the highest for the sample, followed by Internal HLOC beliefs mean scores. Almost all (n = 809) took at least one dietary supplement, the most popular being pregnancy and breastfeeding multivitamins, iron supplements and probiotics. Use was generally in line with clinical recommendations, except for low rates of iodine supplementation. Herbal medicine use was lower for the total sample (57.3%, n = 464), but significantly higher (p < .0001) for the breastfeeding cohort, with consumers taking one to four herbal medicines each. The most popular herbs were raspberry leaf, ginger, peppermint and chamomile (pregnant respondents) and chamomile, ginger and fenugreek (breastfeeding respondents).ConclusionsRespondents were health literate, with high scores for Internal and HCP HLOC scales, suggesting that they are likely to demonstrate self‐efficacy, positive health behaviours and work well in partnership with HCPs. HCPs can facilitate discussions with pregnant and breastfeeding women using CMPs, while considering women's health literacy levels, health beliefs and goals.

한말 여성잡지 『여자지남(女子指南)』의 여성교육론과 여성 '국민' 형성

In the early 20th century, Korean intellectuals and educators tried to acquire the justification for women''s education by raising the theory of gender equality and home education. Along with the theory of gender equality and home education, what they tried to support the justification of women''s education and set the ultimate educational goal was the formation of a ‘people’, civilization, and the establishment of a modern nation. The logic of forming a ‘national’ through women’s education was roughly divided into two categories. First, it was that women themselves should become part of the ‘people’ on an equal footing with men and fulfill their duties and responsibilities of establishing a modern state, and for this purpose, men and women should receive equal education. The second was that home education was important to make children, especially sons, future ‘nationals’, and that it was important to educate women as mothers who would be in charge of home education. In Yeojajinam, the formation of feminine national based on the theory of gender equality and the ‘national formation theory’ through home education were raised together to persuade the justification of women’s education. Formation of the ‘national’ insisted on by the theory of home education emphasized the role, duty and responsibility of women to form a ‘national’ through ‘motherhood’ rather than women''s independence and acquisition of rights and freedoms. On the other hand, the theory of feminine national that men and women should receive equal education and fulfill their duties and responsibilities as equal ‘citizens’ had the potential to develop into a modern women''s liberation movement and feminist movement by emphasizing women''s independence, rights and freedom. However, there was no discussion about the social and political rights or freedoms that women can enjoy as ‘citizens’ even in the claim that men and women are equal ‘citizens’. Some female intellectuals and educators made it the goal of women''s education to free themselves from men''s oppression and restraint, to develop self-reliance, to acquire freedom and rights, and to become ‘citizens’ on an equal footing with men. However, in the crisis of loss of national sovereignty, women as ‘nationals’ were only required to have the duty and responsibility to achieve national civilization and prosperity and establish a modern state.

Risky Ms.-ness? The Business of Women’s Liberation Periodicals in the 1970s

When the first mainstream women’s liberation periodical Ms. landed on the racks in January 1972, responses from the feminist community were mixed: some activists perceived the magazine’s commercial co-optation of ideals drawn from the women’s liberation movement as an ‘exploitative and cynical’ exercise designed to advance the careers of Gloria Steinem and her so-called ‘fancy-schmancy’ colleagues, while other commentators such as Onka Dekkers recognized that ‘a strong women’s media’ would be at the vanguard of any future feminist revolution. From the outset, the mainstream marketability of the new women’s liberation periodical was a matter of great and urgent speculation. How would Ms. uphold its political principles while maintaining its economic viability? As one concerned correspondent from Harvard Business School advised in a letter to the editors, Ms. represented a substantial public relations risk, as well as a commercial one: ‘it is vitally important that Ms. should succeed as a business—first, because business success will justify and confirm the relevance of the ideas and convictions which brought it into being; second, because business success will mean an unmistakable crack in the stereotyped belief that women cannot organize and manage a business’. In this paper, I investigate how Ms. itself was ‘organize[d] and manage[d]’, asking how the political goals of women’s liberation disrupted and facilitated the business of running a magazine in the 1970s. Through specific reference to the ‘Women and Money’ issue of Ms. from June 1973, moreover, I examine the ways in which Ms. presented its feminist business practices—alongside other models of feminist working and entrepreneurialism—to a readership that was, according to a ‘subscription notice’ published in a 1971 issue, looking for ways of ‘humaniz[ing]’ business and politics ‘in the home, the community, and the nation’.

Surgical Decision-Making Surrounding Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy: Comparison of Treatment Goals, Preferences, and Psychosocial Outcomes from a Multicenter Survey of Breast Cancer Patients.

Differences in patient characteristics and decision-making preferences have been described between those who elect breast-conserving surgery (BCS), unilateral mastectomy (UM), or contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) for breast cancer. However, it is not known whether preferred and actual decision-making roles differ across these surgery types, or whether surgery choice reflects a woman's goals or achieves desired outcomes. Women diagnosed with stage 0-III unilateral breast cancer across eight large medical centers responded to a mailed questionnaire regarding treatment decision-making goals, roles, and outcomes. These data were linked to electronic medical records. Differences were assessed using descriptive analyses and logistic regression. There were 750 study participants: 60.1% BCS, 17.9% UM, and 22.0% CPM. On multivariate analysis, reducing worry about recurrence was a more important goal for surgery in the CPM group than the others. Although women's preferred role in the treatment decision did not differ by surgery, the CPM group was more likely to report taking a more-active-than-preferred role than the BCS group. On multivariate analysis that included receipt of additional surgery, posttreatment worry about both ipsilateral and contralateral recurrence was higher in the BCS group than the CPM group (both p < 0.001). The UM group was more worried than the CPM group about contralateral recurrence only (p < 0.001). Women with CPM were more likely to report being able to reduce worry about recurrence as a very important goal for surgery. They were also the least worried about ipsilateral breast recurrence and contralateral breast cancer almost two years postdiagnosis.

Гражданское общество на Северном Кавказе: женская активность и женские организации

The article examines the social activity of women and women's organizations in the context of the development of civil society in the North Caucasus. The article is based on the analysis of the materials of a sociological study conducted in 2020–2021 in 4 republics of the North Caucasus. The article shows the features of the activity of women's organizations, the main directions and goals of women's initiatives, the problems of implementing tasks. The author identifies several types of organizations and notes an extremely low level of interaction between them. Based on expert interviews with representatives of civil society, the paper shows their self-perception, and potential. The author evaluates the role of women's organizations (NGOs) in the structure of civil society in the region, and suggests ways to increase constructive and socially significant women's activity. &nbsp;

The Influence of Sport Nutrition Knowledge on Body Composition and Perceptions of Dietary Requirements in Collegiate Athletes

Sport nutrition knowledge has been shown to influence dietary habits of athletes. The purpose of the current study was to examine relationships between sport nutrition knowledge and body composition and examine potential predictors of body weight goals in collegiate athletes. Participants included National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III women (n = 42, height: 169.9 ± 6.9 cm; body mass: 67.1 ± 8.6 kg; fat-free mass: 51.3 ± 6.6 kg; body fat percent: 24.2 ± 5.3%) and men (n = 25, height: 180.8 ± 7.2 cm; body mass: 89.2 ± 20.5 kg; fat-free mass: 75.9 ± 12.2 kg; body fat percent: 13.5 ± 8.9%) athletes. Body composition was assessed via air displacement plethysmography. Athletes completed a validated questionnaire designed to assess sport nutrition knowledge and were asked questions about their perceived dietary energy and macronutrient requirements, as well as their body weight goal (i.e., lose, maintain, gain weight). Athletes answered 47.98 ± 11.29% of questions correctly on the nutrition questionnaire with no differences observed between sexes (men: 49.52 ± 11.76% vs. women: 47.03 ± 11.04%; p = 0.40). An inverse relationship between sport nutrition knowledge scores and body fat percentage (BF%) (r = −0.330; p = 0.008), and fat mass (r = −0.268; p = 0.032) was observed for all athletes. Fat mass (β = 0.224), BF% (β = 0.217), and body mass index (BMI) (β = 0.421) were all significant (p < 0.05) predictors of body weight goal in women. All athletes significantly (p < 0.001) underestimated daily energy (−1360 ± 610.2 kcal/day), carbohydrate (−301.6 ± 149.2 grams/day [g/day]), and fat (−41.4 ± 34.5 g/day) requirements. Division III collegiate athletes have a low level of sport nutrition knowledge, which was associated with a higher BF%. Women athletes with a higher body weight, BF% and BMI were more likely to select weight loss as a body weight goal. Athletes also significantly underestimated their energy and carbohydrate requirements based upon the demands of their sport, independent of sex.

Exploring Attitudes, Beliefs and Behavior Towards Hormonal Birth Control Among Female Patients with Sickle Cell Disease through Semi-Structured Interviews

▪Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited, autosomal recessive disorder and one way to decrease the risk of transmission of the disease is through informed reproductive choices. The U.S. Medial Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use advises that the benefits of using hormonal contraceptives usually outweigh the risks for women with SCD. Recommendations for contraceptive use for individuals with sickle cell disease do not discourage the use of any specific contraceptives and identify sickle cell disease as a condition that exposes the woman to increased risk as a result of unintended pregnancy. Research indicates that women with SCD use hormonal contraceptives at lower rates than women without SCD.Objective: We sought to understand women with SCD knowledge, attitudes, and practices around hormonal contraceptives.Methods: African American females 18 and older with SCD were recruited from a sickle cell clinic in Atlanta, Georgia. We administered semi-structured interviews to examine the intersection of sickle cell and reproductive health. These semi-structured interviews explored participants' knowledge and attitudes towards hormonal contraceptives, as well as their personal experiences using hormonal contraceptives.Results: Seventeen women were interviewed on this topic. All but two of the participants indicated they had previously used hormonal contraceptives, but most of the women were not currently using hormonal birth control. Some of the participants had positive thoughts towards hormonal birth control because it prevents pregnancy.Birth control period. I am all for it. I feel like that is a good prevention of having unplanned pregnancies and whatever.Women cited positive experiences with hormonal birth control because it helped with heavy menstrual bleeding and decreased the number of sickle cell pain crises they experienced.I had depo before. It just made me gain weight and my cycles were off balance but it kind of helped with the Sickle Cell crisis a little bit.I would have pain crisis every time I had a menstrual cycle so my doctor told me to go to a gynecologist to get onto a birth control so that kind of decreased the amount of crisis that I was getting.Some of the participants had negative perceptions of hormonal birth control. Some were wary of it altogether. Most of them cited the side effects associated with hormonal birth control as the main reason they did not use them.I don't think any women should be on them just because of all the stuff in it. Some stuff they do not tell you what is in it and the weight gain and all the side effects I don't like them.That's why I don't like them because of the symptoms that I had. I wason Depo and I bleed for two months straight. And then I tried another one.Some green pill I don't know. I tried the implant. Like I said all the side effectsI didn't like them. I didn't like when I had side effects with it.Participants had specific concerns about the side effects related to menstrual bleeding and the intersection between contraceptive and sickle cell.I know they can just regulate your menstrual cycle. I kind of feel like that's unnatural. I think God put that in place for a reason and it needs to clean your body out. I just kind of think that part of it is unnatural and it shouldn't happen.I actually had to get one of them took out. The Nexplanon it actually caused a blood clot which is dangerous for a Sickle Cell patient.Right now I have an IUD and at first it was giving me back problems but I think it was just associated with Sickle Cell. So I think maybe it can trigger a Sickle Cell crisis sometimes.Conclusion: Our study findings indicate that women with SCD have low utilization of hormonal birth control with concerns for side effects caused by, and a general distrust of, hormonal contraception. However, some women also acknowledge that hormonal contraception can help prevent unplanned pregnancy, which not only may lead to unintended transmission of SCD, but also increased health risks to the woman. Providers caring for women with SCD may be able to better support them by adopting a patient-centered approach to contraceptive counseling. Seeking to clarify women's reproductive goals, contraceptive priorities and concerns, as well as correcting misinformation and reassuring women about hormonal contraceptive safety for women with SCD may be beneficial. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

A Quality Improvement Project to Reduce Postcesarean Opioid Consumption.

The opioid epidemic is a public health emergency in the United States, stemming in part from widespread misuse and overprescribing of opioids following surgery. Approximately 1 in 300 women with no prior exposure to opioids develops an opioid use disorder following cesarean birth. Effective management of postcesarean pain requires individualized treatment and a balance of the woman's goals for optimal recovery and ability to safely care for her newborn. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a multimodal approach to pain management after cesarean birth. In April 2019, a multidisciplinary team was formed at New York University Langone Health to study opioid use postcesarean. The team used the Plan, Do, Study, Act process model for continuous quality improvement to launch a postcesarean pathway called "Your Plan After Cesarean," a standardized visual tool with quantifiable milestones. It facilitates integration of women's preferences in their postcesarean care, and emphasizes providers' routine use of nonpharmacological interventions to manage pain. During the pilot period of the project, postcesarean high consumption of 55 to 120 mg of opioids was reduced from 25% to 8%. By January 2020, 75% of women postoperative cesarean took little-to-no opioids during their hospital stay. By February 2021, the total number of opioids consumed by women after cesarean birth in-hospital was reduced by 79%. Satisfaction among women with pain management after cesarean continued to be high. Reduction in postcesarean opioid administration and the number of opioids prescribed at hospital discharge can be accomplished without having a negative effect on women's perceptions of post-op pain relief. These changes can potentially be a factor in helping to avoid an opioid-naive woman who has a cesarean birth from developing an opioid use disorder.

Sex and Heart Failure Treatment Prescription and Adherence

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in developed countries. Heart failure (HF) contributes to significant morbidity and mortality and continues to remain on the rise. While advances in pharmacological therapies have improved its prognosis, there remain a number of unanswered questions regarding the impact of these therapies in women. Current HF guidelines recommend up-titration of neurohormonal blockade, to the same target doses in both men and women but several factors may impair achieving this goal in women: more adverse drug reactions, reduced adherence and even lack of evidence on the optimal drug dose. Systematic under-representation of women in cardiovascular drug trials hinders the identification of sex differences in the efficacy and safety of cardiovascular medications. Women are also under-represented in device therapy trials and are 30% less likely to receive a device in clinical practice. Despite presenting with fewer ventricular arrythmias and having an increased risk of implant complications, women show better response to resynchronization therapy, with lower mortality and HF hospitalizations. Fewer women receive advanced HF therapies. They have a better post-heart transplant survival compared to men, but an increased immunological risk needs to be acknowledged. Technological advances in mechanical circulatory support, with smaller and more hemocompatible devices, will likely increase their implantation in women. This review outlines current evidence regarding sex-related differences in prescription, adherence, adverse events, and prognostic impact of the main management strategies for HF.

Paradoxes of Gender Politics: Nationalism, Patriarchy and the Hijacked Feminism of the New Right in Serbia

The article maps the positioning of women in the right-wing nationalist politics in Serbia, as well as the place of gender (equality) in the programs of these right-wing and other political parties. The grand frame of all right-wing groupings in Serbia is three-fold: (1) the collapse of the Yugoslav state and socialist regime; (2) the ethnonationalist frames of extreme wartime violence, which conditioned the Serbian postsocialist “transition”; and (3) the repatriarchalization of society and politics that resulted from the first two processes. The positioning of women in the New Right in Serbia will be explained by the context of the following processes: (a) nationalism and related historical revisionism that justifies the wars of the 1990s and their lasting unsettled aftermath, including the frozen conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the unresolved status of Kosovo; (b) the transformation of Serbia from rogue state in the 1990s to the Europe-and-globally-friendly state; and (c) the globalization of the New Right, where the prominence of token women in leadership positions confuses their individual mobility with the broader goals of women’s solidarity, anti-discrimination struggle, and feminism.

Family Planning for People with Multiple Sclerosis in Saudi Arabia: an Expert Consensus.

More than half of all patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are women of childbearing age. Raising a family is an important life goal for women in our region of the world. However, fears and misconceptions about the clinical course of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and the effects of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) on the foetus have led many women to reduce their expectations of raising a family, sometimes even to the point of avoiding pregnancy altogether. The increase in the number of DMDs available to manage RRMS and recent studies on their effects in pregnancy have broadened management options for these women. Interferon beta now has an indication in Europe for use during pregnancy (according to clinical need) and can be used during breastfeeding. Glatiramer acetate is a further possible option for women with lower levels of RRMS disease activity who are, or about to become, pregnant; natalizumab may be used up to 30 weeks in patients with higher levels of disease activity. Where possible, physicians need to support and encourage women to pursue their dream of a fulfilling family life, supported where necessary by active interventions for RRMS that are increasingly evidence based.

Paving the way to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for women from Indigenous communities: lessons from Attappady, India

India is home to the world’s second largest Indigenous population, comprising 8.6% of the national population. They are constitutionally recognised as ‘Scheduled Tribes’ to aid their development after centuries of oppression and socio-cultural marginalisation through the caste system. Limited disaggregated data exist on India’s Scheduled Tribe populations’ health outcomes, including for Indigenous women. Kerala, one of India’s southern states, is an intriguing case study. The State has outperformed other Indian states and South Asian countries with respect to a number of health and education indicators despite its more modest economic performance. Relatively little is known, however, about whether the State’s tribal or ‘Adivasi’ population is prospering. This article used data from a cross-sectional observational study of tribal women conducted in the Attappady area in the Palakkad district in Kerala, South India, which has a dense tribal population. The outcomes for these communities were compared with the relevant United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators as well as Kerala State data to identify areas of growth and need. The findings of this case study highlight successes as well as persisting gaps in health outcomes for women and children in marginalised tribal communities. Using a strengths-based approach, we propose possible strategies to address the perceived gaps.