Syahidatul Khafizah Mohd Hajaraih; Shelby P. Gordon; Karen M. Tabb
Volume 6, Issue 3 , July 2019, , Pages 7-15
Abstract
Objective: We conducted a scoping review to explore the excessive burden of disease and injury that garment industry workers experience in low-middle income countries (LMIC).
Evidence Acquisition: We employed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodology for scoping review to systematically identify ...
Read More
Objective: We conducted a scoping review to explore the excessive burden of disease and injury that garment industry workers experience in low-middle income countries (LMIC).
Evidence Acquisition: We employed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodology for scoping review to systematically identify and review eligible articles. A research question, “What is the available evidence in existing literature on health outcomes among workers in garments industry in LMIC?” guided the review. We synthesized and reviewed the existing evidence of health outcomes among garment workers in LMIC from these articles. Eligibility criteria for the articles included peer-reviewed research articles of studies conducted in LMIC and specified common health outcomes among garment industry workers. We included articles from 2010 to 2016 and were published in English.
Results: Nineteen studies from LMIC were included yielding descriptions of seven groups of health problems: orthopedic, respiratory, nutrition and digestive, vision or hearing, dermatological, female reproductive, and other health problems. Females represented majority of most study samples highlighting key disparities in women’s health outcomes such as nutrition and reproductive health needs.
Conclusions: Physical and mental health burdens are high among garment workers in LMIC. In addition, addressing the health needs of garment workers is a major women’s health issue. Our findings suggest the needs for a better documentation and research of health outcomes related to work among garment industry workers to address work conditions and health risks in LMIC.
Najmeh Maharlouei; Hassan Joulaei
Kam Weng Boey; Anna Hoi Nga N G
Abstract
Background: The aging population of Hong Kong is rapidly growing. Although older adults enjoy a relatively long life expectancy, their psychological health is ranked near the bottom in the world.
Objectives: This study assessed the psychological health of older women in Hong Kong and compared it with ...
Read More
Background: The aging population of Hong Kong is rapidly growing. Although older adults enjoy a relatively long life expectancy, their psychological health is ranked near the bottom in the world.
Objectives: This study assessed the psychological health of older women in Hong Kong and compared it with that of older men. It also aimed to examine if demographic characteristics have similar effects on the psychological health of older women and men.
Methods: A standardized questionnaire was administered in face-to-face interviews with 554 participants (288 women and 266 men), aged 70 years or above. Psychological health was measured by the general health questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30), center for epidemiologic studies-depression (CES-D) scale, and life satisfaction index (LSI). Chi square test was performed to examine gender differences in psychological health and determine the relationship between demographic characteristics and psychological health of the elderly.
Results: Compared with older men, a greater proportion of older women were at risk of mild psychiatric problems (22.1% vs. 12.3%, P < 0.001), depression (38.6 vs. 18.8%, P < 0.001), and dissatisfaction with life (38.5% vs. 21.5%, P = 0.002). The correlation of psychological health with age, marital status, and educational attainment was not similar among older women and men.
Conclusions: Health promotion programs should be implemented to reduce health inequalities among men and women. Effectiveness of programs can be enhanced by targeting the elderly whose psychological health is most vulnerable.
Marieke van der Waal
Mohammad Shahbazi
Ali Khani Jeihooni; Seyyd Mansour Kashfi; Mina Bahmandost; Seyyd Hannan Kashfi
Abstract
Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the world and the most frequent in developing countries. Secondary prevention, achieved through Pap smear testing, is the single most effective tool in reducing deaths due to cervical cancer.
Objectives: The aim of this study ...
Read More
Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the world and the most frequent in developing countries. Secondary prevention, achieved through Pap smear testing, is the single most effective tool in reducing deaths due to cervical cancer.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess factors affecting Pap smears in women based on the Health Belief Model in health centers of Fasa, Iran.
Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised a total of 200 randomly selected married women who referred to health centers in Fasa, Iran. The participants responded to the standard questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS 18.
Results: In this study, approximately 25% of the subjects had a history of the test. The mean score of all health belief model-related perceived variables including susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers in patients with a history of the test was higher than those without a history. Analyzing the data using independent t-test showed a significant difference between the mean scores of all HBM structures with performing Pap test in patients with a history of the test. The most important reason for performing the Pap test by subjects was the health professionals’ advice (84%), and the main reason for not performing the test by subjects was their belief that they are not susceptible to cancer.
Conclusions: Women’s health care professionals play effective roles in informing women about factors related to cervical cancer screening. According to the results, it would be beneficial to design strategies for reducing barriers to Pap smear test among women.
Mohammad Ali Baghapour
Manavi Handa; Mary Donovan Sharpe
Abstract
Context: This article discusses the paradigm shift in health care and bioethics from the concept of informed consent to informed choice.
Evidence Acquisition: Informed consent is linked to the concept of respect for autonomy-one of the four pillars of bioethics. This concept requires health care givers ...
Read More
Context: This article discusses the paradigm shift in health care and bioethics from the concept of informed consent to informed choice.
Evidence Acquisition: Informed consent is linked to the concept of respect for autonomy-one of the four pillars of bioethics. This concept requires health care givers to share information with patients so they can make appropriate health care decisions. However, the concept of informed consent has been critiqued as being paternalistic and not attentive to the complexities of modern health care decisions.
Results: As a result of a paradigm shift in health care and ethics, favoring autonomy over other principles-informed consent evolved to the more patient-centered concept of informed choice. Even so, feminist bioethicists critique the mainstream model of informed choice as being inattentive to inherent power dynamics within health care and society which may influence decision making. Drawing on the model of midwifery in Canada, this paper outlines an approach to health care that incorporates feminist definitions of informed choice.
Conclusions: This paper reviews the necessary criteria for informed choice to be attentive to the individual needs of women. Using the model of midwifery in Canada as an example, this paper demonstrates how feminist approaches to informed choice should be preferred in modern health care settings.
Mohammad Bagher Saberi Zafarghandi; Mohsen Jadidi
Abstract
Context: The present review attempts to distinguish some management, challenges and solutions to drug dependency of women. The issues make clear the need for accomplishing different prevention and management strategies in both genders.
Evidence Acquisition: The present review comprised data of related ...
Read More
Context: The present review attempts to distinguish some management, challenges and solutions to drug dependency of women. The issues make clear the need for accomplishing different prevention and management strategies in both genders.
Evidence Acquisition: The present review comprised data of related domain from different printed and online data bases such as UN, SID, ISC, Medline, ISI and etc., as well-known sources of scientific studies.
Results: The review of data in corresponding domain presented two distinct sections which are challenges of addiction in women, and strategies for sufficient treatment of addicted women which include some underlying strategic subcomponents.
Conclusions: As indicated by the studies, serious attention must be paid to the treatment needs of women, regarding tools, and practical and potentially equal strategies necessary for having a healthy community.
Raziyeh Maasoumi; Maryam Moridi; Fatemeh Farhadi; Zeinab Moshfeghi
Abstract
Background: Sexual function is one of the most important aspects of life affected by chronic disorders.
Objectives: This study aims to investigate sexual function in women diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 50 women with rheumatoid arthritis ...
Read More
Background: Sexual function is one of the most important aspects of life affected by chronic disorders.
Objectives: This study aims to investigate sexual function in women diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 50 women with rheumatoid arthritis as the case group and 50 healthy women as the control group in Hafez Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Data were collected by demographic and the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaires from June to August, 2013. Statistical analysis that included the chi square test, independent sample t-test, and linear regression were carried out using SPSS software (version 16).
Results: Two groups were matched according to age, educational level, occupation, menarche age, husband’s age, marital age, gravidity and menstrual cycle status (P > 0.05). Total score from the Female Sexual Function Index in the case group (15.9 ± 11.16) was significantly lower than control group (27.29 ± 5.67). Also, in all subscales, the score for sexual function (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) in the case group was lower than the control group (P < 0.001). From patients’ perspective, fatigue, limitation of joint movement, vaginal dryness, and reduction of sexual desire affected their sexual function. Also, linear regression indicated a negative association between duration of disease and sexual dysfunction.
Conclusions: Our findings show that rheumatoid arthritis adversely effects women’s sexual function. Thus, clinicians should pay attention to these patients regardless of symptom severity or treatment response.
Najmeh Maharlouei
