Contraceptive use and access among deployed US servicewomen: findings from an online survey

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjsrh-2019-200569
Author(s):  
Jane W Seymour ◽  
Laura Fix ◽  
Daniel Grossman ◽  
Kate Grindlay
Keyword(s):  
Birth Control ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
National Guard ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Contraceptive Counselling ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us

Background/introductionThis study aimed to survey US servicewomen on their contraceptive access and use during deployment.MethodsBetween June 2016 and July 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among a convenience sample of current and former members of the US Military, National Guard and Reserves who had a deployment ending in 2010 or later. Participants were asked open-ended and closed-ended questions about their demographics and contraceptive use and access before and during their last deployment. Descriptive statistics were run on closed-ended questions and responses to open-ended questions were inductively coded.ResultsA total of 353 participants were included. Sixty-five per cent reported using contraception during all or part of their last deployment. Nearly half (49.3%) did not have or remember having a discussion with a military care provider about contraception prior to deployment. Both prior to and during deployment, the free or low cost of birth control and ability to get a full supply for deployment facilitated contraceptive use. Difficulty obtaining an appointment and the inability to get a full supply of birth control were barriers to contraception access both before and during deployment. Half (49.1%) of respondents who had to start or refill contraception during deployment said it was somewhat or very difficult to do so.ConclusionsFor at least some servicewomen, there are barriers to contraceptive access and use prior to and during overseas deployment. Programmes to increase contraceptive access should be expanded and monitoring systems should be implemented to ensure all servicemembers receive predeployment contraceptive counselling.

scholarly journals Pregnancy and Abortion: Experiences and Attitudes of Deployed U.S. Servicewomen

2020 ◽  
Vol 185 (9-10) ◽  
pp. e1390-e1390
Author(s):  
Jane W Seymour ◽  
Laura Fix ◽  
Daniel Grossman ◽  
Kate Grindlay
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Activity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Federal Policy ◽  
National Guard ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Unintended Pregnancies ◽  
Intervention Point

Abstract Introduction More U.S. servicewomen than civilian women experience unintended pregnancies, which can impact their health, well-being, and careers. Despite this, federal policy limits abortion access and coverage for military personnel to cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment. This study aimed to document servicewomen’s experiences with unintended pregnancy and abortion during deployment, and their knowledge and opinions of military policies related to sexual activity, pregnancy, and abortion. Material and Methods Between June 2016 and July 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among a convenience sample of current and former U.S. Military, National Guard, and Reserves members whose last deployment ended in 2010 or later. We asked open- and closed-ended questions about demographics, experiences with pregnancy and abortion during deployment, and knowledge and opinions of military policies related to sexual activity, pregnancy, and abortion. We ran descriptive statistics on closed-ended questions and inductively coded open-ended question responses. This study was approved by the Allendale Investigational Review Board. Results A total of 319 participants were included. The majority said that servicewomen are reprimanded for sexual activity and becoming pregnant during deployment in all or some circumstances. Among these respondents, one-third said that fear of reprimand for sexual activity affects deployed servicewomen’s use of contraception. Twenty respondents became pregnant or discovered that they were pregnant during deployment; twelve were unable to access the pregnancy- and/or abortion-related services they wanted or needed. Among those whose last deployment ended in 2013 or later (n = 141), when federal policy expanded abortion coverage for servicemembers to include cases of rape and incest, the minority knew the correct coverage or provision policies for abortion in cases of rape and incest or life endangerment. The majority believed that the military should cover and provide abortion in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment and for unwanted pregnancies. Conclusion Among this convenience sample of current and former servicewomen with an overseas deployment that ended in 2010 or later, 6% became pregnant or discovered that they were pregnant during deployment, and most of these respondents reported being unable to access the pregnancy- and/or abortion-related services they wanted or needed. The majority reported lack of knowledge of military abortion policies and that servicewomen are reprimanded for pregnancy and/or sexual activity in some or all circumstances, with many noting this reprimand as a barrier to contraceptive use for some servicewomen. Predeployment health visits may be one intervention point for disseminating the military’s abortion policies; commanding officers should also be well versed in these policies so that they are able to provide effective leadership to junior military members.

scholarly journals A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Physical Activity during COVID-19 in a Sample of Rural and Non-Rural Participants in the US

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4991
Author(s):  
Alan M. Beck ◽  
Amanda S. Gilbert ◽  
Dixie D. Duncan ◽  
Eric M. Wiedenman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Rural Residents ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
The Us ◽  
Global Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽  
Activity Questionnaire

Physical activity (PA) pre-COVID-19 was lower in rural areas compared to non-rural areas. The purpose of this study was to determine COVID-19’s impact on PA in rural and non-rural residents. A cross-sectional study consisting of a convenience sample of 278 participants (50% rural, 50% non-rural) from 25 states completed an online survey describing their PA behaviors and perceptions during COVID-19. The global physical activity questionnaire was used to determine PA in various domains and summed to determine if the participant met the PA guidelines. Rural participants had a significantly higher body mass index, lower income, and a lower educational attainment. Conversely, non-rural participants reported more barriers to PA. There was no difference in the perception of COVID-19’s impact on PA, specifically; however, rural participants were significantly less likely to meet cardiorespiratory PA recommendations compared to non-rural participants. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the continued disparity in PA between rural and non-rural residents, despite the supposition of COVID-19 being less impactful in rural areas due to sparse populations. Efforts should be pursued to close the PA gap between rural and non-rural residents.

scholarly journals Psycho-social factors associated with mental resilience in the Corona lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilya M. Veer ◽  
Antje Riepenhausen ◽  
Matthias Zerban ◽  
Carolin Wackerhagen ◽  
Lara M. C. Puhlmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Social Resilience ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Resilience Factors

AbstractThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is not only a threat to physical health but is also having severe impacts on mental health. Although increases in stress-related symptomatology and other adverse psycho-social outcomes, as well as their most important risk factors have been described, hardly anything is known about potential protective factors. Resilience refers to the maintenance of mental health despite adversity. To gain mechanistic insights about the relationship between described psycho-social resilience factors and resilience specifically in the current crisis, we assessed resilience factors, exposure to Corona crisis-specific and general stressors, as well as internalizing symptoms in a cross-sectional online survey conducted in 24 languages during the most intense phase of the lockdown in Europe (22 March to 19 April) in a convenience sample of N = 15,970 adults. Resilience, as an outcome, was conceptualized as good mental health despite stressor exposure and measured as the inverse residual between actual and predicted symptom total score. Preregistered hypotheses (osf.io/r6btn) were tested with multiple regression models and mediation analyses. Results confirmed our primary hypothesis that positive appraisal style (PAS) is positively associated with resilience (p < 0.0001). The resilience factor PAS also partly mediated the positive association between perceived social support and resilience, and its association with resilience was in turn partly mediated by the ability to easily recover from stress (both p < 0.0001). In comparison with other resilience factors, good stress response recovery and positive appraisal specifically of the consequences of the Corona crisis were the strongest factors. Preregistered exploratory subgroup analyses (osf.io/thka9) showed that all tested resilience factors generalize across major socio-demographic categories. This research identifies modifiable protective factors that can be targeted by public mental health efforts in this and in future pandemics.

Vasectomy interest and awareness among patients and their partners in prenatal clinics in the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. bmjsrh-2021-201062
Author(s):  
Xiaoyue Mona Guo ◽  
Marybeth Lore ◽  
Jessica Madrigal ◽  
Jessica Kiley ◽  
Katelyn Zumpf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prenatal Care ◽  
Household Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Contraceptive Counselling ◽  
Permanent Contraception ◽  
Prenatal Visits ◽  
Lower Household Income

ObjectiveAlthough vasectomy is safer, more effective and less expensive than tubal ligation, rates of permanent contraception are consistently higher in women than in men. We sought to explore vasectomy interest and awareness in patients and their partners during prenatal visits, a time when contraceptive counselling is typically performed.MethodsAnonymous surveys were distributed between January and July 2019 to a cross-sectional, convenience sample of pregnant women and their partners, if available, presenting for outpatient prenatal care at two hospitals (one public, one private) serving different patient populations in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Survey questions gauged participant awareness and interest in vasectomies.ResultsSurveys were completed by 436 individuals (78% female, 24% male). Seventy percent of respondents indicated interest in vasectomy after achieving optimal family size, but most respondents had never discussed it with their healthcare provider. Factors associated with vasectomy interest included being partnered, having a lower household income, and knowing someone who has had a vasectomy. Almost 50% of respondents would be interested in obtaining information about vasectomies from their obstetrician or prenatal care provider.ConclusionsMany patients and their male partners in the prenatal clinic setting were interested in vasectomy as a method for permanent contraception, but most respondents had never received counselling. Since comprehensive prenatal care includes contraceptive planning, obstetric providers are uniquely positioned to educate individuals on vasectomy.

Mothers’ Perceptions of the Influence of a Breastfeeding Support Group in Achieving Their Breastfeeding Goals

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-83
Author(s):  
JoAnne Silbert-Flagg ◽  
Deborah Busch ◽  
Joycelyne Absolu Bataille
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Breastfeeding Support ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Peer Support Group ◽  
Extended Duration ◽  
Duration Of Breastfeeding

ObjectiveThe study aims were to identify maternal perceptions about the influence of a hospital-based breastfeeding peer support group in addressing breastfeeding concerns, assisting them to achieve their breastfeeding goals, and providing additional benefits.MethodsA descriptive, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted with a convenience sample of women who attended a hospital's breastfeeding support group. Participants reported their breastfeeding concerns and breastfeeding goals prior to and after their attendance at the breastfeeding support group. Changes in reported breastfeeding concerns and breastfeeding goals were analyzed with chi-square statistics.ResultsAfter participating in the support group session, survey participants (N = 100) expressed less concern about latching (81%–66%), mother's milk production (77%–62%), breastfeeding while apart from infant (75%–65%), and all other reported breastfeeding concerns. Overall, participants reported the support group successfully addressed their concerns (92%, n = 89), provided adequate time for responses to their questions (87%, n = 87), and assisted them to achieve their breastfeeding goals (91%, n = 88). Over 90% of participants planned to exclusively breastfeed through 6 months.ConclusionHospital-based breastfeeding support groups can successfully address mothers’ key breastfeeding concerns and support extended duration of breastfeeding.

Variation in career and workplace attitudes by generation, gender, and culture differences in career perceptions in the United States and China

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Yi ◽  
Barbara Ribbens ◽  
Linna Fu ◽  
Weibo Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Generational Differences ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Work Values ◽  
The United States ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Chinese Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare and understand how age, gender and culture affect individual career and work-related attitudes in Chinese and American samples. Design/methodology/approach – Online and printed questionnaires were administered to employees and managers in China, whereas in the USA, faculty, staff and students at a Midwestern university responded to an online survey. Snowball sampling technique was used to collect data. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to test the hypothesis. Findings – The study showed different work values and attitudes in the workplace between Chinese and the US samples, and indicated the specifics influences that national culture has on them. Culture affects generational changes; generational differences in the US sample are bigger than in Chinese sample; work values differ across generations and cultures; traditional gender role differences persist more strongly across generations in Chinese sample than in the US sample. Research limitations/implications – Generalizability issues; cross-sectional data. Practical implications – US-based multi-national corporations need to understand these differences and better manage their diverse employees operating in China. Originality/value – This study compared generation, culture and gender differences simultaneously; parallel groups at similar life stages were used by basing the boundaries of each generation on the distinct cultural events of each nation. This approach is more consistent with generation definitions than by using influential specific events of each country, respectively. Useful to managers, it will provide guidance for understanding work values and attitudes across gender and generations in the USA and China. Most benefit will occur for US based multinational companies that have Chinese operations, and manage employees with cultural, gender and generational differences.

scholarly journals The Impact of Grit on Health Outcomes in College Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 455-455
Author(s):  
Amelia Sullivan ◽  
Leigh Neptune ◽  
Kayla Parsons ◽  
Ashley Reynolds ◽  
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Experiment Station ◽  
College Undergraduate ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives The objective was to examine the relationship between grit and health outcomes in college undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional convenience sample of college undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener, and the 2-item Hager Food Insecurity Screener. Grit was assessed by generating a mean score using the 8-item short grit scale. Independent t-tests were used to compare health outcomes between students who reported above/below the average grit score of the sample. Chi-square tests were used to examine group differences between grit level and prevalence of food insecurity. Results Participants (N = 655) were 19.8 ± 1.5 years old, mostly female (63%), and white (84%). The average grit score was 3.27 ± 0.54 out of 5. Results indicated that students who were grittier than average (n = 372) reported fewer days/months (d/m) with poor mental health (8.1 ± 8.5 vs. 11.6 ± 9.6, P &lt; 0.001), fewer d/m feeling sad/depressed (6.2 ± 7.7 vs. 9.9 ± 9.3, P &lt; 0.001), more d/m with restful sleep (12.9 ± 9.8 vs. 10.3 ± 8.6, P &lt; 0.001), more d/m feeling very healthy and full of energy (12.6 ± 8.8 vs. 8.4 ± 7.5, P &lt; 0.001), and ate more servings of fruits and vegetables per day (2.4 ± 1.3 vs. 2.1 ± 1.32, P &lt; 0.01). Grittier participants were also less likely to report being food insecure (16.0%) vs. less grittier participants (23.3%), P &lt; 0.05. Conclusions This data indicates that students who were grittier than average reported better HRQOL, consumed a more healthful diet, and were more likely to be food secure. This provides justification for future research to explore grit as a mediating factor that may contribute to better health outcomes, especially in populations particularly susceptible to experiencing poor HRQOL and food insecurity. Funding Sources This project was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project number #ME0022104 through the Maine Agricultural & Forest Experiment Station. NJ Agriculture Experiment Station.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing a Student's Choice of a Graduate Professional Athletic Training Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-185
Author(s):  
Alyson Dearie ◽  
Deborah Van Langen ◽  
Julie M. Cavallario ◽  
Sonya A. Comins
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Pass Rate ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample

Context As the professional degree in athletic training transitions to the master's level, a growing concern for programs is enrollment. Understanding the factors that influence a student's choice of a graduate program in athletic training will provide institutions with vital information for marketing and enrollment management. Objective To explore factors that influence a student's choice of a professional graduate athletic training program. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Online survey. Patients or Other Participants A total of 52 participants from a convenience sample of 140 graduate students enrolled in a graduate professional athletic training program completed the survey: 43 females (82.7%) and 9 males (17.3%). Data Collection and Analysis Data collection took place over 4 weeks between April and May 2019. Participants completed an online questionnaire that consisted of 11 demographic items, 6 Likert-scale items about factors that may have influenced school choice, and 2 open-ended questions about career goals and pursuing a doctoral degree. We calculated descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, and percentages. Results Factors ranked as very important in influencing a student's choice fell within the categories of athletic training program and athletic training program faculty. Those ranked as not important were related to ethnicity and gender. Additionally, over half of the participants indicated an intended career path within the college or professional setting. Conclusions Although a variety of factors can influence a student's choice of graduate school, today's consumer seems mostly interested in program factors such as Board of Certification pass rate, accreditation status, and clinical sites. As programs transition to the graduate level, marketing and recruitment strategies should be designed around these factors to ensure enrollment.

scholarly journals Psycho-social factors associated with mental resilience in the Corona lockdown

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilya M Veer ◽  
Antje Riepenhausen ◽  
Matthias Zerban ◽  
Carolin Wackerhagen ◽  
Lara Puhlmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Social Resilience ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Resilience Factors

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is not only a threat to physical health but is also having severe impacts on mental health. While increases in stress-related symptomatology and other adverse psycho-social outcomes as well as their most important risk factors have been described, hardly anything is known about potential protective factors. Resilience refers to the maintenance of mental health despite adversity. In order to gain mechanistic insights about the relationship between described psycho-social resilience factors and resilience specifically in the current crisis, we assessed resilience factors, exposure to Corona crisis-specific and general stressors, as well as internalizing symptoms in a cross-sectional online survey conducted in 24 languages during the most intense phase of the lockdown in Europe (March 22nd to April 19th) in a convenience sample of N=15,970 adults. Resilience, as an outcome, was conceptualized as good mental health despite stressor exposure and measured as the inverse residual between actual and predicted symptom total score. Preregistered hypotheses (osf.io/r6btn) were tested with multiple regression models and mediation analyses. Results confirmed our primary hypothesis that positive appraisal style (PAS) is positively associated with resilience (p&lt;0.0001). The resilience factor PAS also partly mediated the positive association between perceived social support and resilience, and its association with resilience was in turn partly mediated by the ability to easily recover from stress (both p&lt;0.0001). In comparison with other resilience factors, good stress response recovery and positive appraisal specifically of the consequences of the Corona crisis were the strongest factors. Preregistered exploratory subgroup analyses (osf.io/thka9) showed that all tested resilience factors generalize across major socio-demographic categories. This research identifies modifiable protective factors that can be targeted by public mental health efforts in this and in future pandemics.

scholarly journals Reducing Objectification Could Tackle Stigma in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence From China

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youli Chen ◽  
Jiahui Jin ◽  
Xiangyang Zhang ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Weizhen Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Social Motives ◽  
Complex Issue ◽  
Categorization Theory ◽  
Related Stigma

Stigmatization associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is expected to be a complex issue and to extend into the later phases of the pandemic, which impairs social cohesion and relevant individuals' well-being. Identifying contributing factors and learning their roles in the stigmatization process may help tackle the problem. This study quantitatively assessed the severity of stigmatization against three different groups of people: people from major COVID-19 outbreak sites, those who had been quarantined, and healthcare workers; explored the factors associated with stigmatization within the frameworks of self-categorization theory and core social motives; and proposed solutions to resolve stigma. The cross-sectional online survey was carried out between April 21 and May 7, 2020, using a convenience sample, which yielded 1,388 valid responses. Employing data analysis methods like multivariate linear regression and moderation analysis, this study yields some main findings: (1) those from major COVID-19 outbreak sites received the highest level of stigma; (2) factors most closely associated with stigmatization, in descending order, are objectification and epidemic proximity in an autonomic aspect and fear of contracting COVID-19 in a controllable aspect; and (3) superordinate categorization is a buffering moderator in objectification–stigmatization relationship. These findings are important for further understanding COVID-19-related stigma, and they can be utilized to develop strategies to fight against relevant discrimination and bias. Specifically, reinforcing superordinate categorization by cultivating common in-group identity, such as volunteering and donating for containment of the pandemic, could reduce objectification and, thus, alleviate stigma.

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