Nonpatient Women Research Articles

Gastrointestinal symptoms in abused nonpatient women

BackgroundSeverely abused nonpatient women report a high number of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and GI syndromes. Little is known about whether the abuse‒symptom relationship varies across different life, social, and community conditions.ObjectiveTo comparatively assess the timing, type and severity of physical and/or sexual abuse and GI symptoms of nonpatient women who contacted a lawyer for legal support with those who sought shelter in antiviolence centers.Subjects and methodsForty-six lawyer controls (LCs) (aged 29–80 years) and 67 women (aged 18–58 years) sheltered in antiviolence (V) centers completed an identical anonymous questionnaire with medical and abuse sections. The severity of abuse was assessed with the 0–6 Abuse Severity Measure (ASM). The associations between abuse characteristics and the number of symptoms were assessed with the Poisson regression model.ResultsAmong the LC women, 65% experienced physical and/or sexual abuse in childhood and/or adulthood, whereas 100% of the V women did. In both groups, most women experienced combined sexual and physical abuse in childhood and adulthood. The ASM was < 2 in 57% of the LC and 18% of the V women. LC and V women reported an average of 4.9 and 4.6 GI symptoms, respectively. In both groups, women who had been both sexually and physically abused reported a greater number of GI symptoms. Childhood and adulthood abuse were associated with more GI symptoms only in V women. LC women with ASM > 2 reported more GI symptoms than those with an ASM of < 2 (median; IQR: 6.5; 3–11 vs 3; 1–7, p = 0.002). V women with ASM > 5 reported significantly more GI symptoms than control women with ASM < 5 (median; IQR: 6; 4–8 vs 4.5; 2–8, p < 0.001).ConclusionsIn abused “nonpatient” women, the combination of physical and sexual abuse, childhood and adulthood abuse and higher severity scores were associated with a greater number of GI symptoms, irrespective of the social and economic setting.

From altruism to monetisation: Australian women's ideas about money, ethics and research eggs

We report the results of a qualitative study carried out in metropolitan Australia between 2009 and 2011 that canvassed the issue of payment for research oöcyte donation with participants drawn from three potential donor groups; fertility patients, reproductive donors and young, non-patient women. Research oöcytes are controversial tissues because women around the world have proved largely unwilling to donate them altruistically. In the ensuing international debate about procurement, the issue of money and its appropriate and inappropriate uses in tissue donation has taken centre stage. While there is now an abundance of expert commentary on this matter, there are almost no studies that probe this issue with potential donor populations. Our study asked the three groups of women about their understandings of altruistic, reimbursed, subsidised, compensated and paid donation for both reproductive and research eggs. We identify a resistance to the introduction of money into the sphere of reproductive donation, which the majority of respondents felt should remain an area of personalised gift relations. In the area of research donation we find a strong relationship between degrees of liquidity (the extent to which money is constrained or unconstrained) and a sense of ethical appropriateness. We also describe a culturally specific sense of fairness and equity among participants, associated with the relatively high public subsidisation of fertility treatment in Australia, which they used to benchmark their sense of appropriate and inappropriate uses of money. While the participant responses reflect the regulatory environment in Australia, particularly the absence of a US style market in reproductive oöcytes, they also make an important contribution to the global debate.

Relationship between violence and gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal symptoms in severe victimized non-patient women population

Relationship between violence and gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal symptoms in severe victimized non-patient women population

Relationship Between Violence and Gastrointestinal and Extra-Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Severe Victimized Non-Patient Women Population

Relationship Between Violence and Gastrointestinal and Extra-Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Severe Victimized Non-Patient Women Population

‘I feel like they were mine and I should be looking after them’: an exploration of non-patient women's attitudes towards oocyte donation

The aims of this study were to qualitatively assess the meaning of oocytes and oocyte donation for treatment and research among non-patient women in the UK using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. This study also assessed the application of components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in intentions and attitudes towards oocyte donation. Eight parous and nulliparous women from White and South Asian backgrounds, who reported no fertility problems, were interviewed. Four interrelated super-ordinate themes were identified: (1) oocytes as ‘Just a cell’ and ‘Potential life’; (2) oocyte donation as ‘Altruism’ and ‘Not normal behaviour’; (3) ‘Importance of motherhood’ and the ‘Importance of a genetic link’. Ethnic differences were observed in the final theme (4) which identified the importance of ‘Social Support’ and ‘Reproductive Control’ in women's discourses of oocyte donation. Analysis revealed participant's beliefs and thoughts about oocyte donation were complex, interwoven and paradoxical. Previous quantitative studies that have assessed components of the TPB in relation to oocyte donation have failed to identity important alternative explanations of oocyte donation and subtle complexities in attitudes.

Attitudes and intention to donate oocytes for research

In 2007, the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority permitted oocyte donation for research through voluntary donation or within an oocyte share model. The aims of this study were to investigate volunteer (nonpatient) women's attitudes and intentions to donate using components of the Theory of Planned Behavior and their attitudes toward parenthood through structural equation modeling. Questionnaires. Online. A total of 253 nonpatient women. Attitudes towards oocyte donation for research and reasons for parenthood scale. Of the 253 respondents, 94 were potential donors, 98 were possible donors, and 61 were non-donors. Most potential donors (68%) reported no preference towards donating their oocytes for research or an infertile couple. Structural equation modeling revealed that age (beta = -.03) and components of the TPB (beta = .16) had a statistically significant direct effect on intentions to donate for research. Attitudes toward parenthood was not linked to intentions to donate for research. There appears to be a strong altruistic motive along with the theoretical underpinnings of positive attitudes, feeling supported, and accepting the consequences of oocyte donation for research, suggesting these have the potential to inform recruitment practices and tailor clinical services.

Measurement of psychological distress in battered women, Medellín, 2003.

Objective: This paper deals with the correlation between distress in battered women and abuse by their mates. Materials and methods: The sample involves 199 women referring their domestic violence cases to family legal agencies in Medellín, Colombia, during 2003. To measure distress the Derogatis Distress Symptom List (SCL-90R) was used. To measure abuse the Strauss and Gelles Conflict Tactics Scale (SCT) was used. The age of the women was between 16 and 72 yo. Average age 35.47 years. Standard deviation 10.00. Results: According to SCL-90R nine primary symptoms dimensions and three global distress indexes were calculated.Those are superior (p&lt; 0.0001), than the reference values established by Derogatis for non-patient women and close to the women’s psychiatric patients ambulatory treatment. The total violence index and the severity of the injuries index were calculated and a correlation was found with the three global indexes and the nine symptom dimensions in the SCL-90R. The posttraumatic stress syndrome was found in 54.2% of the women that presented more frequent major agressions, with or without sexual attack, respectively p 0.091 and 0.027. Conclusions: Studies on domestic violence indicate a complex relationship between stress and battering. Both are risk factors for women’s health and quality of life. The application of instruments could enhance the opportunities for communication with the women and increases the recognition of the problem and its consequences.

BODY DISSATISFACTION IN MEN AND WOMEN PROFESSIONAL BALLET DANCERS

It has been presumed that professional ballet dancers have an increased tendency to develop eating disorders. The Eating Disorder Inventory [EDI] is a widely used self-report scale which measures symptoms of disordered eating. We administered the EDI to male and female professional ballet dancers. 10 eumenorrheic [EU], 7 amenorrheic [AM], and 11 men ballet dancers participated. Anthropometrics were determined during the follicular phase for eumenorrheic women, and surveys were completed and blood was drawn for estradiol and progesterone between days 18–21 of the cycle. Amenorrheic women and men had blood drawn and completed surveys approximately 2 weeks after anthropometric measurements. Mean age was 22 ± 1.6 yrs for men and 22 ± 1.1 yrs for women. Body fat was higher [p < 0.05] for the EU [20%] than for AM [15%] or for men [10%]; body fat of AM did not differ from that of men. Progesterone was greater in EU than AM, 8 vs. 0.57 pg/ml, p = 0.03. 9/10 EU, 9/11 men, but only 3/7 AM women completed the EDI. Higher scores represent an increased likelihood of eating pathology. Scores for male dancers in all sub-categories of the EDI were similar to reference values of non-patient male college students. EU had lower scores than reference non-patient women for Interoceptive Awareness [p = 0.03] and for Impulse Regulation [p = 0.02] with similar scores for Body Dissatisfaction, Bulimia and Drive for Thinness. Additionally, body fat % was correlated to scores for Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction in EU.TableGreater dissatisfaction was expressed by women as body fat and size increased, a response similar to that reported for healthy college age women. The non-compliance of AM in completing the EDI may indicate disordered eating. Contrary to expectations, men and normally menstruating women ballet dancers had EDI profiles similar to, or less pathologic than, those of non eating-disordered populations.

First- and second-order factor structure of five subscales of the Eating Disorders Inventory.

Insofar as the factor structure of the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) among nonclinical participants is unclear (despite very wide use), the present study addressed the factor structure of five EDI subscales (Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, Perfectionism, Interpersonal Distrust, and Maturity Fears). Relatively large samples of non-patient women who participated in a cohort study of behavior and diet in 1982 (N = 617) and 1992 (N = 545) completed the five EDI subscales. Results are the first to clearly support the intended factor structure of the EDI among nonclinical participants.

First‐ and second‐order factor structure of five subscales of the eating disorders inventory

Objective Insofar as the factor structure of the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) among nonclinical participants is unclear (despite very wide use), the present study addressed the factor structure of five EDI subscales (Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, Perfectionism, Interpersonal Distrust, and Maturity Fears). Method: Relatively large samples of non-patient women who participated in a cohort study of behavior and diet in 1982 (N = 617) and 1992 (N = 545) completed the five EDI subscales. Results and Discussion: Results are the first to clearly support the intended factor structure of the EDI among nonclinical participants. © 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 23:189–198, 1998.

Selective processing of food, weight, and body-shape words in nonpatient women with bulimia nervosa: Interference on the Stroop task

The study investigated whether the Stroop interference effect could be found in nonpatients with a self-report consistent with a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa. The nonpatient bulimic group showed significantly more interference to disorder-specific words (food, weight, and body shape) than to control words. The two nonpatient comparison groups, a depressed-nonbulimic group and a nonbulimic-nondepressed group, showed no interference. These results indicate that nonpatients with bulimia nervosa can be used to test various models of the cognitive and emotional processes involved in bulimia nervosa with the modified Stroop task. Methodological issues in the use of the computerized Stroop task with clinical populations are also noted.

The Rorschach Human Experience Variable, interpersonal relatedness, and object representation in nonpatients.

W. Perry and D. J. Viglione (1991) combined human representational variables from J. E. Exner's (1993) Comprehensive System in their Ego Impairment Index to create the Human Experience Variable (HEV). To validate the HEV 105 nonpatient women completed the Bell Object Relations Inventory (M. Bell, 1991) and the Rorschach. Their spouses also rated the quality of these women's interpersonal relatedness by completing a modified Bell Object Relations Inventory and the Emotional Maturity Rating Form (H. Bessell, 1984). The HEV was significantly related to the quality of interpersonal relatedness, after considering Rorschach measures of psychopathology and nonhuman Rorschach images. Results indicate that representations of self and other accessed through the Rorschach account for unique variance in the prediction of the quality of interpersonal relationships, thus supporting the validity of the Rorschach and the concept of object relations.

Prevalence of binge eating disorder in different populations of French women.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED) in nonpatient women in the community and in weight control groups in France and to compare the characteristics of weight history of subjects with and without BED. Eating patterns over the past six months were studied by questionnaires in self-report format. The prevalence of binge eating, BED, and bulimia was studied in 447 nonpatient women and in subjects seeking help for weight control either in private practice (PP, n = 292) or in a hospital department of nutrition (H, n = 85). BED was common (PP = 9%; H = 15%) among patients attending weight control clinics but very rare in the community (0.7%). The disorder was associated with a history of weight fluctuations. Many subjects with BED referred to regular use of diet pills (29%) or vomiting (39%) but the prevalence of these strategies of weight control fell short for the requirement for the diagnosis of bulimia. BED was common in subjects seeking help for weight control and extremely rare in the community nonpatients.