scholarly journals 7th Interscholastic Student HIV & Sexual Health Research Symposium 2021

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balakrishnan Nair ◽  
Koson Tony Sriamporn ◽  
Ayan Said ◽  
Wenjie Li ◽  
Adetoun Nnabugwu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Oral Presentations ◽  
The Impact

On Wednesday 23 June 2021 a one-day event was hosted by Auckland University of Technology’s (AUT) Child and Youth Health Research Centre (CYHRC) at South Campus, Manukau City. This annual event was initiated in 2014 and is a collaboration by researchers from AUT, University of Auckland and Massey University. It aims to provide an opportunity for postgraduate students with projects focusing on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Sexual Health to present their studies and to meet and network with other researchers with similar interests. This successful event incorporated much stimulating discussion with the oral presentations by postgraduate students; and there were 40 attendees (both face to face and online) from academic, NGO and public sectors, including New Zealand Aids Foundation (NZAF), District Health Boards, GP clinics. The presentations demonstrated a wide range of topics including HIV counselling programmes in India; blood donor policies among Gay and Bisexual Men in New Zealand; and the role of social media apps in providing sexual and reproductive health information for users. An innovation in 2021 was that of a plenary session at the end of the presentations providing a general forum for discussion based on the theme, 'HIV and Sexual Health in a Post Covid World. Key experts and students discussed their experiences led by a panel of four HIV/Sexual Health researchers. Indigenous Pacific perspectives were also shared along with policy directions and implications.  Key takeaways relevant within the post covid context were the need for more research support in the field of HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health and the impact of HIV/Sexual Health among vulnerable marginalised groups.   Here in this special section of vol 4 of Pacific Health, 2021, we present the abstracts from the oral presentations.

scholarly journals Development of an international sexual and reproductive health survey instrument: results from a pilot WHO/HRP consultative Delphi process

2021 ◽  
pp. sextrans-2020-054822
Author(s):  
Eneyi E Kpokiri ◽  
Dan Wu ◽  
Megan L Srinivas ◽  
Juliana Anderson ◽  
Lale Say ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Survey ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Consensus Statement ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Survey Instrument ◽  
Delphi Process ◽  
Modified Delphi

Population health surveys are rarely comprehensive in addressing sexual health, and population-representative surveys often lack standardised measures for collecting comparable data across countries. We present a sexual health survey instrument and implementation considerations for population-level sexual health research. The brief, comprehensive sexual health survey and consensus statement was developed via a multi-step process (an open call, a hackathon, and a modified Delphi process). The survey items, domains, entire instruments, and implementation considerations to develop a sexual health survey were solicited via a global crowdsourcing open call. The open call received 175 contributions from 49 countries. Following review of submissions from the open call, 18 finalists and eight facilitators with expertise in sexual health research, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), were invited to a 3-day hackathon to harmonise a survey instrument. Consensus was achieved through an iterative, modified Delphi process that included three rounds of online surveys. The entire process resulted in a 19-item consensus statement and a brief sexual health survey instrument. This is the first global consensus on a sexual and reproductive health survey instrument that can be used to generate cross-national comparative data in both high-income and LMICs. The inclusive process identified priority domains for improvement and can inform the design of sexual and reproductive health programs and contextually relevant data for comparable research across countries.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Mobile Phone App for Providing Adolescents With Sexual and Reproductive Health Information, New York City, 2013-2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 133 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allyna Steinberg ◽  
Marybec Griffin-Tomas ◽  
Desiree Abu-Odeh ◽  
Alzen Whitten
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
York City ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Wide Range

The New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released the Teens in NYC mobile phone application (app) in 2013 as part of a program to promote sexual and reproductive health among adolescents aged 12-19 in NYC. The app featured a locator that allowed users to search for health service providers by sexual health services, contraceptive methods, and geographic locations. We analyzed data on searches from the Where to Go section of the app to understand the patterns of use of the app’s search functionality. From January 7, 2013, through March 20, 2016, the app was downloaded more than 20 000 times, and more than 25 000 unique searches were conducted within the app. Results suggest that the app helped adolescents discover and access a wide range of sexual health services, including less commonly used contraceptives. Those designing similar apps should consider incorporating search functionality by sexual health service (including abortion), contraceptive method, and user location.

Should we change the focus of health promotion in sexual health clinics?

Sexual Health ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudiger Pittrof ◽  
Elizabeth Goodburn
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Clinics ◽  
Unknown Risk ◽  
Sexual Health Clinics ◽  
The Cost

The effectiveness of sexual behaviour change interventions in sexual health clinics is unknown. Risk factors for poor sexual and reproductive health such as depression, violence, alcohol and smoking in sexual health clinics are all common and can be identified easily in sexual health services. Targeting these risk factors could be as effective as traditional sexual health promotion and could have additional benefits. The authors propose a pilot to assess the cost-effectiveness and acceptability of incorporating screening and interventions for these risk factors.

scholarly journals School-Based Health Clinics: Improving Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in British Columbia – An Integrative Literature Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Carmen Schalles
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Societal Implications ◽  
Health Clinics ◽  
School Based ◽  
Reproductive And Sexual Health

This integrative literature review strives to determine if the delivery of reproductive and sexual health services provided through high school-based primary care clinics can improve BC adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Adolescent sexual and reproductive health not only impacts life-long health; it also has significant societal implications. Although BC has begun to focus on adolescent health, innovative health service solutions are needed to improve adolescents’ health. Systematic search through the University of Northern British Columbia online library databases and Google scholar and the evaluation of the literature using CASP analysis tools resulted in the inclusion of 10 articles. Findings suggest school-based health clinics (SBHCs) decrease barriers that adolescents experience when accessing health services as well as public health system costs. Moreover, SBHCs are an effective mechanism to support adolescent reproductive and sexual health needs, especially in those populations with elevated levels of sexual and reproductive risk factors. However, for SBHCs to be effective, sustainable funding needs to be sourced, and barriers adolescents experience when accessing services need to be evaluated and addressed. SBHCs can complement current adolescent-friendly services to meet this unique population’s needs; however, further research is needed. More robust research on various demographics, health outcomes, and Canadian-based examination is required to strengthen SBHC implementation recommendations.

scholarly journals Methodology of Natsal-COVID Wave 1: a large, quasi-representative survey with qualitative follow-up measuring the impact of COVID-19 on sexual and reproductive health in Britain

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 209
Author(s):  
Emily Dema ◽  
Andrew J Copas ◽  
Soazig Clifton ◽  
Anne Conolly ◽  
Margaret Blake ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual Behaviour ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
The Impact

Background: Britain’s National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) have been undertaken decennially since 1990 and provide a key data source underpinning sexual and reproductive health (SRH) policy. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many aspects of sexual lifestyles, triggering an urgent need for population-level data on sexual behaviour, relationships, and service use at a time when gold-standard in-person, household-based surveys with probability sampling were not feasible. We designed the Natsal-COVID study to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the nation’s SRH and assessed the sample representativeness. Methods: Natsal-COVID Wave 1 data collection was conducted four months (29/7-10/8/2020) after the announcement of Britain’s first national lockdown (23/03/2020). This was an online web-panel survey administered by survey research company, Ipsos MORI. Eligible participants were resident in Britain, aged 18-59 years, and the sample included a boost of those aged 18-29. Questions covered participants’ sexual behaviour, relationships, and SRH service use. Quotas and weighting were used to achieve a quasi-representative sample of the British general population. Participants meeting criteria of interest and agreeing to recontact were selected for qualitative follow-up interviews. Comparisons were made with contemporaneous national probability surveys and Natsal-3 (2010-12) to understand bias. Results: 6,654 participants completed the survey and 45 completed follow-up interviews. The weighted Natsal-COVID sample was similar to the general population in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, rurality, and, among sexually-active participants, numbers of sexual partners in the past year. However, the sample was more educated, contained more sexually-inexperienced people, and included more people in poorer health. Conclusions: Natsal-COVID Wave 1 rapidly collected quasi-representative population data to enable evaluation of the early population-level impact of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on SRH in Britain and inform policy. Although sampling was less representative than the decennial Natsals, Natsal-COVID will complement national surveillance data and Natsal-4 (planned for 2022).

scholarly journals Pesticides as endocrine distruptors of the reproductive system (literature review and own research)

2021 ◽  
pp. 49-62
Author(s):  
Ninel Shepelska ◽  
Mykola Prodanchuk ◽  
Yana Kolianchuk
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Endocrine Disruptors ◽  
Reproductive System ◽  
Reproductive Toxicity ◽  
Endocrine System ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Dose Dependence ◽  
Animal Cells ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Currently, one of the main threats to human health is undoubtedly endocrine disruptors (ED), since they directly disrupt the processes of homeostasis maintenance, controlled by the endocrine system, the purpose of which is to maintain normal functions and development in a constantly changing environment. Pesticides can disrupt the physiological functioning of many endocrine axes, including the endocrine mechanisms that ensure reproductive health. It should be noted that research aimed at preventing chemically induced reproductive disorders in the human population is one of the central areas of preventive medicine, both in terms of their importance and the complexity of the tasks being solved. Analysis and generalization of the results of our own long-term studies have shown that the selective, and, therefore, the most dangerous toxicity of pesticides for the reproductive system is determined by endocrine-mediated mechanisms of etiopathogenesis. The low level of doses inducing pathological changes in reproductive function in our studies fully confirms one of the universal signs inherent in endocrine-distruptive compounds. The above examples demonstrate a wide range of possible endocrine-mediated mechanisms of reproductive toxicity of pesticides - endocrine disruptors. However, it is very important to note that low doses may be more effective in changing some endpoints compared to high (toxic) doses. Currently, several mechanisms have been identified and studied that demonstrate how hormones and ED induce non-monotonic reactions in animal cells, tissues and organs. The reproductive system, the functioning of which is ensured by a fine balancing of the action of androgens and estrogens, is one of the systems that presents a unique opportunity for modeling a non-monotonic dose dependence. All of the above indicates the extreme danger of the impact of hormonally active agents on the reproductive health of a person and his offspring. At the same time, the threat of endocrine-mediated disorders for subsequent generations can also be realized through the induction of mechanisms of development of epigenetic transgenerational effects. Taking into account the results of studies of the mechanisms of the ED destructive action, as well as their ability to induce non-monotonic dose dependence at an extremely low dose level, it should be admitted that, apparently, there is a need to revise the paradigm of methodological approaches to the regulation of pesticides with endocrine-disruptive properties. Key words: pesticides, endocrine disruptors, reproductive system

scholarly journals Reinventing the Squeal: Young New Zealand Women Negotiating Space in the Current Sexual Culture

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lesley Wright
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Sexual Experience ◽  
Casual Sex ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Sexual Culture ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

<p>The sexual behaviour of young emergent adult women in New Zealand has become a target of media attention and commentary. Moralising language is prevalent in the public discourse, describing young women negatively with respect to character and psychology. Research investigating the increase of cultural artefacts such as hooking up or casual sex is often risk-focused, concentrating predominantly on detrimental impacts such as STIs, rape-risks, and depression. Some feminist analyses describe behaviour as postfeminist or as examples of false consciousness. Despite these positions, young New Zealand women are engaging in these and other non-relationship sexual activities in growing numbers, suggesting that current approaches are failing to capture salient explanatory information. Due to the negative impacts of social constraints such as the sexual double standard, traditional femininity and moralising social commentary on young women it is important to present a more holistic image of their behaviour so as to provide a deeper explanatory view which better accounts for young women’s experiences and motivations. In this study I utilise a mixed method research design to access a wide range of participants on a sensitive research topic. A self-selecting sample of 163 young women aged between 18 and 30, recruited from various university campuses around New Zealand, completed an online survey. From this group 18 heterosexually-identifying young women were selected to participate in instant messaging, email and face to face interviews, and an online discussion group. To analyse the material they provided I use a Third Wave feminist theoretical lens in order to give primacy not only to their voices but also their claims to agency and the importance of subjective positionality. I use Sexual Script Theory as a framework to illuminate the impact of cultural dialogues on individuals, and space was conceptualised as a way to illustrate performances and agency. Results suggest that young New Zealand women are strongly affected by risk-focused and moralising dialogues to the effect that they have internalised a risk-focused cultural script that guides their sexual interactions and behaviours within socio-sexual culture in constrained and avoidant ways. Other performed scripts such as ‘good girl’ femininity, traditional masculinity, and the normative performance of heterosex also presented as barriers to subjective sexual experience/development. However, many young women in this study were resistant to some of these scripts, as evidenced in their attempts to occupy traditionally masculine and/or social spaces where non-normative behaviours are (partially) permitted. Their behaviour suggests critical engagement with their socio-sexual environment and some awareness of script elements that dictate acceptable feminine behaviour, and how these constraints can be (at least temporarily) resisted as a means to not only developing sexual subjectivity but also to refashioning modern femininity.</p>

The Hidden Impact of COVID-19 on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Women in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijayan Sharmila ◽  
Thirunavukkarasu Arun Babu
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Safe Abortion ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

: Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak was first reported from China in December 2019, and World Health Organization declared the outbreak as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The number of confirmed cases is rising alarmingly in most countries across all continents over the past few months. The current COVID-19 pandemic has an immense impact on Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with disruptions in regular provision of Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services such as maternal care, safe abortion services, contraception, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Other aspects that merit attention include probable increase in domestic violence, sexual abuse, and effects of stigma associated with coronavirus infection on SRH clients and health care providers. Furthermore, as the coronavirus infection is relatively new, only minimal data is available to understand the impact of this disease on SRH, including coronavirus infection complicating pregnancies, and in people with STI/HIV-related immunosuppression. There is a serious necessity for the medical fraternity to generate psycho-social and clinico-epidemiological correlations between coronavirus disease and SRHR outcomes. The article reviews the hidden impact of coronavirus pandemic on sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, particularly in India

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