Women's Responses Research Articles

Tuition-free secondary education and women's attitudes toward intimate partner violence: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is devastatingly common around the world. It rose further during the pandemic, increasing the urgency of finding interventions to prevent IPVAW and supporting women's ability to exit violent situations. Interventions that prevent violence and eliminate views among perpetrators that violence is acceptable should be top priority. It is also critical to study women's attitudes toward IPVAW as these shape women's responses to the abuse and their exit options. Moreover, research shows that these attitudes have a direct impact on women's health outcomes. We examine the effect of tuition-free secondary education on women's attitudes toward IPVAW across 29 Sub-Saharan African countries using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2000 and 2019. Using the difference-in-difference-in-differences strategy, we estimate the change in women's attitudes toward IPVAW in countries that implement tuition-free secondary policy compared with countries with tuition-free primary alone and those without any tuition-free policy during the study period. We find that while tuition-free primary education policy alone did not reduce the probability of IPVAW being perceived as justified, tuition-free secondary reduced it significantly. The probability that IPVAW was perceived as justified under at least one circumstance declined by 5.3 percentage points more on average in countries that adopted tuition-free policy up to the secondary level relative to those that adopted only up to the primary level. Tuition-free secondary affects four of the five circumstances under which IPVAW was perceived as justified — if she goes out without telling the husband, argues with him, neglects children or refuses sex. We observed no declines for when she burns food, suggesting different factors affecting this outcome. Our findings underscore the importance of making a stronger commitment toward policies that make secondary education more accessible to not only benefit education outcomes but also advance population health.

Risk Aversion and the Gender Gap in the Vote for Populist Radical Right Parties

AbstractPrevious research has established that men are more likely to vote for populist radical right parties (PRRPs) than women. This article shows how cross‐national and temporal variations in PRRPs’ electoral success interact with individuals’ risk propensity to affect this gender gap. We hypothesize that gender differences in the electoral support of PRRPs stem from disparities in risk‐taking. We conceptualize risk in terms of two components, social and electoral, and demonstrate that women are more risk‐averse regarding both. Our analysis is based on public opinion data from 14 countries (2002–16) combined with macrolevel data on PRRPs’ past parliamentary fortunes. To distinguish between the social and electoral components in risk‐taking, we use the illustrative case study of Germany. Findings demonstrate that gender differences in risk‐taking and, by implication, the differences between women's and men's responses to the electoral context are key to understanding the voting gender gap.

Pregnant women's views on the acceptability, enablers, and barriers of participation in a randomized controlled trial of maternal posture for fetal malposition in labor.

INTRODUCTIONFetal malposition in labor results in adverse maternal and infant health. Whilst evidence for effective interventions is inconclusive, based on the hypothesis that gravity corrects malposition, the feasibility and design of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to improve maternal and infant health outcomes should be considered. The aim was to assess pregnant women’s views on the acceptability, enablers, and barriers of participation in an RCT of maternal posture for fetal malposition in labor.METHODSA web-based anonymous survey of pregnant women was conducted in Auckland during 2020. Quantitative data were summarized descriptively using a chi-squared test to assess differences in proportions. Maternal characteristics influence on women’s responses was assessed using cross-tabulation. A thematic content analysis of free text responses was undertaken.RESULTSMost of the 206 respondents were aged 26–35 years (75%), 29–38 weeks pregnant (71%), of European (40%) or Asian (36%) ethnicity, and similarly nulliparous or multiparous. Most women (76%) knew of fetal malposition in labor; however, only 28% were aware of maternal posture to correct this. Most women (86%) were interested in labor research and although 37% would participate in an RCT, almost half (47%) were unsure and a 15% would not participate. Concerns mostly related to comfort (22%). Nearly half of women (49%) would need to consult their partner regarding participation in an RCT.CONCLUSIONSEnablers for participation in a posture trial in labor include measures to enhance maternal comfort, increasing awareness of malposition and the role of posture, and involving partners in pre-trial counselling and recruitment.

Adaptation Planning: An Integrated Approach to Understanding Vulnerability in the Lake Victoria Basin

Decision makers need actionable information on the factors that inhibit household adaptation to climate variability and other changes, especially those changes reinforcing environmentally unsustainable livelihood strategies. In this paper, we show how a combination of quantitative and qualitative data can help assess current livelihood vulnerability and the social and institutional obstacles facing specific population groups that lock in risk and undermine opportunities. Detailed analysis of current household economies in two case study communities (one in Uganda and one in Kenya) in the Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa, was combined with a qualitative, intersectional exploration of constraints on income adaptation and diversification. Quantitative household economy analysis showed low levels of household disposable income overall and additionally, poor returns on investment from enterprises typically controlled by women. Qualitative research highlighted changes in gender roles driven by women's entrepreneurial responses to reduced household income from traditional agricultural and natural resource-based activities. However, due to unequal access to finance and culturally mediated norms and expectations, many women's enterprises were small scale and insecure. The broader political economy context is one of limited national investment in education and infrastructure, further constraining local opportunities for human and economic development. The approach described here was directed by the need to understand and quantify economic vulnerability, along with the cultural and institutional constraints on adaptation, as a basis for making better adaptation policies and interventions to build resilience over the longer term.

HPV-16 E7-Specific Cellular Immune Response in Women With Cervical Intraepithelial Lesion Contributes to Viral Clearance: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Clinical Study.

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the cause of almost all cervical cancers. HPV16 is one of the main risk subtypes. Although screening programs have greatly reduced the prevalence of cervical cancer in developed countries, current diagnostic tests cannot predict if mild lesions may progress into invasive lesions or not. In the current cross-sectional and longitudinal clinical study, we found that the HPV16 E7-specific T cell response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HPV16-infected patients is related to HPV16 clearance. It contributes to protecting the squamous interaepithelial lesion (SIL) from further malignant development. Of the HPV16 infected women enrolled (n = 131), 42 had neither intraepithelial lesion nor malignancy (NILM), 33 had low-grade SIL, 39 had high-grade SIL, and 17 had cervical cancer. Only one of 17 (5.9%) cancer patients had a positive HPV16 E7-specific T cell response, dramatically lower than the groups of precancer patients. After one year of follow-up, most women (28/33, 84.8%) with persistent HPV infection did not exhibit a HPV16 E7-specific T cell response. Furthermore, 3 malignantly progressed women, one progressed to high-grade SIL and two progressed to low-grade SIL, were negative to the HPV16 E7-specific T cell response. None of the patients with a positive HPV16 E7-specific T cell response progressed to further deterioration. Our observation suggests that HPV16 E7-specific T cell immunity is significant in viral clearance and contributes in protection against progression to malignancy.

Consent and Misogyny: Response to Sarah Baechle and Sara V. Torres

Consent and Misogyny:Response to Sarah Baechle and Sara V. Torres Suzanne M. Edwards Sarah Baechle's and Sara Torres's essays illuminate the relationship between medieval consent and misogyny. Misogyny, as Kate Manne describes it, enforces women's subordination in a patriarchal order, by punishing women who deviate from asymmetric gendered norms and rewarding those who affirm them.1 Often, according to Manne, misogyny compels the surrender of feminine-coded goods—such as deference, attention, sexual labor, and care—to powerful men. Normative expectations about women's responsiveness to men's demands structure the medieval texts that Baechle and Torres analyze. According to the knight in "Come over the woodes," "custome" demands the maiden's acquiescence to his sexual aggression, and in the Cruel Lady texts, fin'amors conventions dictate the Lady's pity for the lover's suffering. These texts make explicit that there may be consequences for a woman who does not provide the sexual satisfaction or affective care that social norms (not just the individual men in question) require from her. Such punishment, the pastourelle knight insists, isn't personal; it's simply what a patriarchal order requires. The pastourelle and the Cruel Lady texts code consent as both an individual choice and a coercive demand that, if refused, may result in violence. Consent is thus the switch-point between misogyny's carrot and stick. Affirm consent and gain praise (or at least avoid punishment); deny consent and suffer harm. Moreover, misogyny's coercive power doesn't require punishment to seem legitimate every time; the Cruel Lady is sometimes defended and sometimes condemned, and the pastourelle knight's appeal to manorial law is evidently bad faith. Still, the framing of both scenarios [End Page 335] follows from the premise that women do normatively owe men sexual or affective labor. The lady moved by a would-be lover's suffering won't find herself on trial, and neither will the maiden who assents to the knight (at least as long as they don't run afoul of their obligations to other men). In this sense, debate, between pastourelle knight and maiden, or between the Cruel Lady's detractors and her defenders, does not offer resistance to misogyny, but rather comprises its enforcement function. Androphilia (or "himpathy") reinforces misogyny by positioning privileged men as the most worthy recipients of sympathy. As both Baechle and Torres emphasize, feminine consent is often framed in relation to masculine suffering. The would-be lover demands the Cruel Lady's compassion, her willingness to feel his pain and then assuage it, and the pastourelle knight insists that he and the maiden are equally victims of laws that dictate what they must do. Baechle and Torres deftly expose how this appeal erases unequal social power and harm to "let historically dominant agents get away with murder vis-à-vis their historical subordinates."2 Ultimately, Baechle's and Torres's essays are important for our historical understanding of misogyny and for our theoretical understanding of how discourses of consent function as tools of misogynist enforcement. The repeated refusals of consent by the Cruel Lady and the pastourelle maiden become a locus of rhetorical coercion and anxious debate precisely because they expose the limits of masculine demands to structure feminine autonomy. [End Page 336] Suzanne M. Edwards Lehigh University Footnotes 1. Kate Manne, Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018). 2. Ibid., 201. Copyright © 2022 The New Chaucer Society, University of Miami

Female obesity and infertility: outcomes and regulatory guidance.

Obesity has been associated with reduced fertility, although the dynamics and mechanisms which link excess weight to reduced fertility are not yet fully clarified. Obese women, especially those with central obesity, are less likely to conceive per cycle. Obese women suffer from perturbations of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis, disturbances of the menstrual cycle and are up to three times more likely to suffer from oligo/anovulation. A delicate hormonal balance regulates follicular development and the maturation of oocytes and it has been observed that obesity can alter the hormonal environment: adipocytes, in fact, are responsible for the production of a hormone called leptin (present in high quantities in obese women) which has been associated with reduced fecundity. In addition to compromising ovulation, obesity negatively affects the development and implantation of the endometrium. The expression of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is regulated, in part, by weight, so obese women with PCOS often have a more severe phenotype and higher subfertility rates. Furthermore, obesity impairs women’s response to medically assisted procreation (MAP) treatments. The authors have set out to delineate a broad-ranging overview of obesity’s impact on female fertility, by drawing upon sources spanning the 1994-2022 period. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures are also discussed as they relate to obese patients. In addition the dynamics by which maternal obesity reportedly affects fetal, neonatal and child development have also been briefly enunciated. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Acceptability and usability of 'One Key Question'® in Australian primary health care.

Around one-third of pregnancies in women attending antenatal care are unintended. This means a substantial number of women enter pregnancy without optimising their health prior to conception. Primary care practitioners are uniquely placed to counsel women about how to plan for pregnancy and about how to avoid unintended conception. The One Key Question® (OKQ®) tool facilitates a discussion of pregnancy intention and opens up subsequent discussions regarding preconception or contraception care. This study aimed to assess the acceptability and usability of the OKQ® tool in the Australian primary care setting. We undertook a pilot study consisting of quantitative and qualitative componentsacross two general practice settings in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. We documented women's responses to being asked the OKQ® as part of their consultation. We collected data on the characteristics of the participating GPs and their experience of using the OKQ® tool and conducted semi-structured interviews with all participating GPs. Fifty-six patients were asked the OKQ®, with the majority stating they were happy to be asked about their reproductive choices and felt it was relevant to their general health. The 10 participating GPs felt the OKQ® was easy to use and although 62.5% reported it extended the consultation time, the medium time taken was 2min. GPs felt framing the OKQ® helped introduce pregnancy intention discussions into a consultation. The OKQ® is acceptable to patients and easy for GPs to use. This tool facilitates a proactive and routine discussion to enhance the delivery of preconception care and contraceptive counselling.

Using stated preference methods to inform public health decision making

Croatia has recognised the importance of prevention programmes in the field of public health, although their effectiveness is not satisfactory due to the low population response, which has a negative impact on the rationalisation of public spending. One of the possible solutions is to consider the stated preferences of the target population. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the use of stated preference methods in improving public health prevention programmes. For the purpose of the study, a questionnaire was designed using three different methods - Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE), Contingent Rating method (CR) and Best-Worst Scaling method (BWS). This study shows that the attributes of the Croatian cervical cancer screening programme are significantly associated with the respondents' utility level, which in turn is related to women's response. Since BWS, DCE, and CR measure the same construct - utility - we can say that convergent validity partially confirms the external validity of the methods. The author concludes that it is necessary to implement market principles, i.e. the demand-side analysis using stated preference methods, in the planning, implementation and re-evaluation of public health programmes.

Incidence of sexual dysfunction within two years postpartum - cross-sectional study

Background: Several factors are responsible for making the pelvic floor muscles weak, among them is pregnancy, a period in which several changes occur in the woman's body. Female sexual dysfunctions are disorders that can appear in some of the phases of a woman's sexual response cycle, making it difficult to achieve pleasure during intercourse. Aims: Investigate the incidence of sexual dysfunction in women who had a single birth in less than two years. Method: This is a quantitative, descriptive exploratory study, data collection was performed through questionnaires: sample characterization, FSFI (Female Sexual Function Index) and QS-F (sexual quotient-female version). Results: 40 women participated in the study with a mean age of 26.2 years in which 80% of the sample does not have sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: sexual dysfunction was uncommon in the two-year postpartum period. However, when we consider the questionnaires developed by the researchers, there is a higher rate of sexual dysfunction.

Breast cancer polygenic risk scores: a 12-month prospective study of patient reported outcomes and risk management behavior

To prospectively assess patient reported outcomes and risk management behavior of women choosing to receive (receivers) or decline (decliners) their breast cancer polygenic risk score (PRS). Women either unaffected or affected by breast cancer and from families with no identified pathogenic variant in a breast cancer risk gene were invited to receive their PRS. All participants completed a questionnaire at study enrollment. Receivers completed questionnaires at two weeks and 12 months after receiving their PRS, and decliners a second questionnaire at 12 months post study enrollment. Of the 208 participants, 165 (79%) received their PRS. Among receivers, there were no changes in anxiety or distress following testing. However, compared to women with a low PRS, those with a high PRS reported greater genetic testing-specific distress, perceived risk, decisional regret, and less genetic testing-positive response. At 12 months, breast screening and uptake of risk-reducing strategies were consistent with current Australian guidelines of breast cancer risk management. Reasons for declining PRS included being unable to attend the appointment in person and concerns over potential emotional response. The outcomes of the study provide insight into women's responses to receiving PRS and highlight the issues that need to be addressed in the associated model of genetic counseling.

Assessment of Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Responses in Women with Obesity After Surgically Induced Weight Loss: Results from a Pilot Study.

Bariatric surgery is effective in controlling severe obesity. However, studies investigating the impact of surgically induced weight loss on cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses during maximal effort are controversial. The aim of this study was to assess cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses in women with obesity after bariatric surgery. We performed a secondary analysis on data from a pilot study with women with obesity submitted to bariatric surgery and who did not participate in a controlled physical training program. Anthropometry, pulmonary function (spirometry), and cardiorespiratory fitness (cardiopulmonary exercise testing [CPX]) were assessed before and after bariatric surgery. Thirty-four women were included (38.7 ± 9.6years, body mass index = 44.1 ± 6.3kg/m2). Postoperative assessment was conducted 9.4 ± 2.7months after surgery. After surgery, we observed a reduction in all anthropometric measurements (mean loss of 28.6kg, p < 0.001), and improvement in spirometry values (p < 0.001). Relative VO2peak (mL/kg/min) increased slightly (Δ = 1.7; p = 0.06); however, absolute VO2peak (L/min) reduced significantly (Δ = - 0.398; p < 0.001). We also observed an increase of 1.3min (p < 0.001) in CPX duration, a reduction of 11.3bpm (p < 0.001) in resting heart rate, and a decrease of systolic (p = 0.02) and diastolic (p < 0.001) blood pressures at peak effort. Surgically induced weight loss without exercise training improved cardiac reserve, ventilatory response, blood pressure, and resting heart rate. Cardiorespiratory fitness reflected by relative VO2peak increased slightly, despite increased tolerance to CPX.

Exploring women's oxytocin responses to interactions with their pet cats.

BackgroundExtensive research has evaluated the involvement of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) in human social behaviors, including parent-infant relationships. Studies have investigated OT’s connection to human attachment to nonhuman animals, with the majority of the literature focusing on domestic dogs (Canis lupis familiaris). Utilizing what is known about OT and its role in maternal-infant and human-dog bonding, we apply these frameworks to the study of human-domestic cat (Felis catus) interactions.MethodsWe investigated changes in salivary OT levels in 30 U.S. women of reproductive age before and after two conditions: reading a book (control) and interacting with their pet cat. Participant and cat behavioral patterns during the cat interaction condition were also quantified to determine if differences in women’s OT concentrations were associated with specific human and cat behaviors.ResultsOur results revealed no changes in women’s OT levels during the cat interaction, relative to the control condition, and pre-cat interaction OT levels. However, differences in women’s OT concentrations were correlated with some human-cat interactions (e.g., positively with petting cat and cat approach initiation, negatively with cat agonistic behavior) but not all observed behaviors (e.g., use of gentle or baby voice) coded during human-cat interactions.DiscussionThis study is the first to explore women’s OT in response to interactions with their pet cat and has identified distinct human and cat behaviors that influence OT release in humans.

Depletion of Human Papilloma Virus E6- and E7-Oncoprotein-Specific T-Cell Responses in Women Living With HIV.

BackgroundCervical cancer - caused by persistent High Risk Human Papilloma Virus (HR HPV) infections - is the second most common cancer affecting women globally. HIV infection increases the risk for HPV persistence, associated disease progression and malignant cell transformation. We therefore hypothesized that this risk increase is directly linked to HIV infection associated dysfunction or depletion of HPV-oncoprotein-specific T-cell responses.MethodsThe 2H study specifically included HIV+ and HIV- women with and without cervical lesions and cancer to analyze HPV oncogene-specific T cell responses in relation to HPV infection, cervical lesion status and HIV status. Oncoprotein E6 and E7 specific T-cell responses were quantified for the most relevant types HPV16, 18 and 45 and control antigens (CMV-pp65) and M.tb-PPD in 373 women, using fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells in an IFN-γ release ELISpot assay.ResultsOverall, systemic E6- and E7-oncoprotein-specific T-cell responses were infrequent and of low magnitude, when compared to CMV-pp65 and M.tb-PPD (p < 0.001 for all HR HPV types). Within HIV negative women infected with either HPV16, 18 or 45, HPV16 infected women had lowest frequency of autologous-type-E6/E7-specific T-cell responses (33%, 16/49), as compared to HPV18 (46% (6/13), p = 0.516) and HPV45 (69% (9/13), p = 0.026) infected women. Prevalent HPV18 and 45, but not HPV16 infections were linked to detectable oncoprotein-specific T-cell responses, and for these infections, HIV infection significantly diminished T-cell responses targeting the autologous infecting genotype. Within women living with HIV, low CD4 T-cell counts, detectable HIV viremia as well as cancerous and precancerous lesions were significantly associated with depletion of HPV oncoprotein-specific T-cell responses.DiscussionDepletion of HPV-oncoprotein-specific T-cell responses likely contributes to the increased risk for HR HPV persistence and associated cancerogenesis in women living with HIV. The low inherent immunogenicity of HPV16 oncoproteins may contribute to the exceptional potential for cancerogenesis associated with HPV16 infections.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Sexual Minority Women's Sexual Objectification Experiences Scale.

Research has linked experiences of sexual objectification to body image and eating problems among women. Existing measures of sexual objectification were grounded in heterosexual women's experiences. The present research extends this prior work by centering sexual minority women's experiences to develop and evaluate the Sexual Minority Women's Sexual Objectification Experiences Scale (SMW-SOE). In Study 1, an initial 51 items were developed, drawing on prior qualitative research with sexual minority women and existing measures of sexual objectification experiences. Exploratory factor analysis of 217 sexual minority women's responses to the initial item set suggested an underlying structure of three interrelated factors. In Study 2, data were collected from an independent sample of 201 sexual minority women to conduct confirmatory factor analysis and evaluate validity evidence. Findings from the confirmatory factor analysis supported a higher order solution with three first-order factors. The final scale comprised 17 items: six items assessing Sexualization of Sexual Identity, five items assessing Intrusive and Explicit Sexual Advances, and six items assessing Body Evaluation. In terms of validity, SMW-SOE overall scale scores yielded expected small-to-large positive correlations with heterosexist experiences, internalization of sociocultural appearance standards, and disordered eating; SMW-SOE subscale scores yielded distinctive patterns of correlations. SMW-SOE scale and subscale items yielded acceptable Cronbach's alphas in both samples. Implications for future research and clinical work are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Nonnutritive Sweeteners and Neural Reward Response in Women and Individuals With Obesity

Nonnutritive Sweeteners and Neural Reward Response in Women and Individuals With Obesity

Changes in Physical Status of Young Women in Response to Exercise Training

Fitness-related benefits result in essential changes in physical fitness level in young women. This study was conducted with fitness centre clients (35 women with an average age of 26.4±2.2 years). The results of the experiment made it possible to evaluate the short-term response of the body to the training loads of different intensities in different blocks of the training session. The following six main blocks were distinguished in the structure of the exercise sessions including: aerobic, dance, variable, corrective, warm-up, and relaxation; and two additional ones. The aerobic and dance blocks were characterized by the highest intensity: HRav was 75.6±1.71% of HRmax, VO2 was 63.5±1.64% of VO2max, and energy expenditure (EE) was ranged from 465.28 to 524.36 kcal/hour. The relaxation block had the low- est intensity: HR was 57.31±0.56% of HRmax, VO2 was 34.2±6.25% of VO2max, and EE was of 252.6±49.24 kcal/h. We found that the percentage contribution of fats to energy production was higher in the warm-up (78.24%), relaxation (68.93%), and corrective (42.65%) blocks. The largest percentage of CHO utilization for energy metabolism was found in additional (92.8%), variable (91.82%), and dance (86.54%) blocks. The data obtained allowed to experimentally substantiate and methodologically structure a number of fitness means used in exercise sessions, by dividing them into specialized blocks that made it possible to selectively effect on different components of the physical condition.

Women's Experiences of the Coping With Birth Trauma:A Psychoeducational Group Support Program

OBJECTIVEBetween 20%-50% of women experience birth as traumatic, with negative impacts for women, infants and families. Currently, there is a lack of evidence into supportive interventions to ameliorate women's adverse responses following a traumatic birth. In North-West UK, a 6-week psychoeducation group support program (Coping with Birth Trauma [CwBT]) was developed and delivered by two trained therapists. The course aimed to facilitate women's understanding of trauma, and to provide coping strategies; additional speakers were also invited to discuss specialist issues. The aim of this evaluation was to explore women's experiences and perceptions of the CwBT, and to identify recommendations for course development.METHODSFollowing university ethics approval, all the women who had attended a CwBT course (n = 3) were invited to take part in a telephone interview. Eight women out of a possible sample of 16 agreed to participate. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data.RESULTSTwo themes and associated sub-themes describe the social, cognitive and instrumentalcomponents of the CwBT course (“Creating a difference”) and how the course facilitated growth and help-seeking behaviors (“Growth and renewal”). The final theme “complaints and recommendations” details critical reflections and suggestions for course development. Recommendations included speakers from different therapeutic backgrounds and more opportunities for contact with women at different stages of their trauma journey.CONCLUSIONSOverall, the course was well received with positive implications for health, wellbeing and family functioning. Further and large-scale studies to assess its effectiveness are needed.

Automated Urine Particle Analyzer UF-1000i Can Pre-Estimate the Treatment Response of Women's Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections to Antibiotics.

To evaluate the ability of bacterial scatter diagrams generated from the automated urine particle analyzer (UF-1000i, Sysmex, Kobe, Japan) to pre-estimate the treatment efficacy of oral cefalexin in treating women with uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI). Over 3 years, women 20-80 years old with symptoms suggestive of uUTI (Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms Assessment symptom score, ,UTISA > 3) and bacteriuria (bacterial count ≥ 100/uL) were enrolled. After informed consent, patients took cephalexin 500mg 4 times/day for 7 days. The voided urine specimens were classified into rods or cocci/mixed group automatically through the built-in software of the UF1000i. Patients were followed up with UTISA on the 3rd day after treatment and returned to the clinic on the 7th day and followed for additional UTISA and urine analysis. Symptom and laboratory improvement were defined as UTISA < 4 and bacterial count < 100/uL, respectively, on the 7th day. Of 99 women (age: 49.91 ±15.32 years) eligible for analysis, 80 were classified as having urine that contained rods and 19 as cocci/mixed. Symptom improvement was observed in 62 women in the rods group and 11 women in the cocci/mixed group (p = 0.08). Laboratory improvement was noted in 64 women in the rods group and 10 women in the cocci/mixed group (p = 0.01). On day 7, treatment success with both symptom and laboratory improvement was more observed in rods than in cocci/mixed group (61.3% vs. 26.3%, p < 0.01). The automatic urine particle analyzer can pre-estimate the treatment response of antibiotics in women with uUTI.

Difference in Response to Feedback and Gender in Three Therapeutic Community Units.

Therapeutic communities (TCs) for substance abuse incorporate a system of peer feedback through written affirmations and corrections. Previous research has found that TC residents show a response to affirmations that is detectable for roughly 8 weeks, with response to corrections being of shorter duration and weaker overall. It is not clear whether and to what extent response to feedback in TCs varies between men and women. Previous research in other settings suggests that women should be more responsive to feedback than men. In order to test this hypothesis we draw on a large dataset of affirmations and corrections sent and received in three 80 bed TC units, two of which house men and one of which houses women. The analysis uses a multilevel negative binomial model, treating affirmations and corrections that TC residents receive as predictors of affirmations that they send over a 9 week period (week 0, the week during which affirmations and corrections are actually sent, and eight subsequent weeks). The model controls for gender, age, race, unit and scores on the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R). The relationship between affirmations received and those sent is stronger for women during the initial week and on lags 1-2 and 5-8. The relationship between corrections received and affirmations sent is stronger for women on lags 2 and 8. Graphs suggest that response to affirmations falls off in an exponential curve, while that to corrections appears to include a periodic element. These results indicate that both men and women respond to feedback, but that the strength of the women's response is somewhat greater. These results suggest that any difference in suitability by gender to the feedback approach that characterizes TCs may favor women.