Womens Limited Choice and Availability of Modern Contraception at Retail Outlets and Public-Sector Facilities in Luanda, Angola, 2012-2015.

In Angola, many women want to use family planning but lack access to affordable and preferred methods. This article assesses the link between womens choice and availability of contraceptive methods in Luanda, Angola, drawing on data from 3 surveys: a 2012 survey among women ages 15-49 and 2 retail surveys conducted in 2014 and 2015 among outlets and facilities offering contraceptive methods. Descriptive statistics for womens contraceptive knowledge, use, and preferred methods were stratified by age group. We report the percentage of establishments offering different methods and brands of modern contraception, and the mean price, volume of units sold, and value (Angolan Kwanzas) for each brand. Data from the 2 retail surveys are compared to measure changes in availability over time. Results show that 51% of women reported having an unwanted pregnancy. Less than 40% of women knew about long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). Overall, the method most commonly used was male condoms (32.1%), with a substantial proportion (17.3%) of women not using their preferred contraceptive. Trends in contraceptive use mirror availability: in 2015, condoms were available in 73.6% of outlets/facilities, while LARC methods were available in less than 10%. The availability of different methods also dropped significantly between 2014 and 2015-by up to 15 percentage points-with a subsequent price increase in many brands. To meet womens needs for contraception and make informed choice possible, Angola should reinforce demand creation and contraceptive supply in both the public and private sectors through behavior change programs aimed at both women and providers, improved quality of services, training of health personnel on method options and delivery, and improved supply chain distribution of contraceptives. This will allow women to find the methods and brands that best suit their needs, preferences, and ability to pay

Patient-reported outcomes of parenteral somatostatin analogue injections in 195 patients with acromegaly.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported LicenseBACKGROUND: Long-acting somatostatin analogues delivered parenterally are the most widely used medical treatment in acromegaly. This patient-reported outcomes survey was designed to assess the impact of chronic injections on subjects with acromegaly. METHODS: The survey was conducted in nine pituitary centres in Germany, UK and The Netherlands. The questionnaire was developed by endocrinologists and covered aspects of acromegaly symptoms, injection-related manifestations, emotional and daily life impact, treatment satisfaction and unmet medical needs. RESULTS: In total, 195 patients participated, of which 112 (57%) were on octreotide (Sandostatin LAR) and 83 (43%) on lanreotide (Somatuline Depot). The majority (>70%) of patients reported acromegaly symptoms despite treatment. A total of 52% of patients reported that their symptoms worsen towards the end of the dosing interval. Administration site pain lasting up to a week following injection was the most frequently reported injection-related symptom (70% of patients). Other injection site reactions included nodules (38%), swelling (28%), bruising (16%), scar tissue (8%) and inflammation (7%). Injection burden was similar between octreotide and lanreotide. Only a minority of patients received injections at home (17%) and 5% were self-injecting. Over a third of patients indicated a feeling of loss of independence due to the injections, and 16% reported repeated work loss days. Despite the physical, emotional and daily life impact of injections, patients were satisfied with their treatment, yet reported that modifications that would offer major improvement over current care would be 'avoiding injections' and 'better symptom control'. CONCLUSION: Lifelong injections of long-acting somatostatin analogues have significant burden on the functioning, well-being and daily lives of patients with acromegaly.Chiasma, Inc. 60 Welles Ave, Newton, MA 02 459, USA

Clustering, Consolidation, and Personality in Electronic Discussion: A Test of Dynamic Social Impact Theory

Introductory psychology students discussed social and political issues over ICQ chat software for approximately 25 minutes. Prior to the discussion, participants completed dominance, self-esteem, and shyness measures and an attitude pretest. Clustering generally increased as a result of discussion, with groups becoming more similar over time. Consolidation tended to increase for issues with good initial diversity, but this increase was not statistically significant. Participants who were high in dominance were more likely to initiate conversations, and those high in self-esteem contributed more to conversations. In addition, frequent initiators and those high in dominance and self-esteem and low in shyness were less likely to change their attitudes on some issues. This study supports dynamic social impact theory and suggests personality variables that may be related to the self-organization of opinion

Personality and Attitude Change in Electronic Discussions

44 introductory psychology students at the University of Northern Iowa discussed social and political issues over ICQ chat software for approximately 25 minutes. Prior to the discussion, participants completed dominance, self-esteem, and shyness measures and an attitude pretest. Those high in dominance were more likely to initiate conversations, and those high in self-esteem contributed more to conversations. In addition, high initiators and those high in dominance and self-esteem and low in shyness were less likely to change their attitudes on some issues

Personality and Attitude Change in Electronic Discussions

44 introductory psychology students at the University of Northern Iowa discussed social and political issues over ICQ chat software for approximately 25 minutes. Prior to the discussion, participants completed dominance, self-esteem, and shyness measures and an attitude pretest. Those high in dominance were more likely to initiate conversations, and those high in self-esteem contributed more to conversations. In addition, high initiators and those high in dominance and self-esteem and low in shyness were less likely to change their attitudes on some issues

Need for Cognition, Persuasiveness, and Attitude Similarity in Electronic Discussion Groups

College students (N=203) rated the similarity, likeability, and persuasiveness of group members after a computer discussion. Participants rated those who they perceived as more similar to them as more likeable and persuasive, but likeability and persuasiveness did not relate to actual attitude similarity on the issues discussed. Individuals high in need for cognition were no less biased in their perceptions of group members than those low in need for cognition