"Leaving no one behind" also includes taking the elderly along concerning their sexual and reproductive health and rights: a new focus for Reproductive Health

Editorial - No abstract available

To what extent could performance-based schemes help increase the effectiveness of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs in resource-limited settings? a summary of the published evidence

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In resource-limited settings, HIV/AIDS remains a serious threat to the social and physical well-being of women of childbearing age, pregnant women, mothers and infants.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>In sub-Saharan African countries with high prevalence rates, pediatric HIV/AIDS acquired through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) can in largely be prevented by using well-established biomedical interventions. Logistical and socio-cultural barriers continue, however, to undermine the successful prevention of MTCT (PMTCT). In this paper, we review reports on maternal, neonatal and child health, as well as HIV care and treatment services that look at program incentives.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>These studies suggest that comprehensive PMTCT strategies aiming to maximize health-worker motivation in developing countries must involve a mix of both financial and non-financial incentives. The establishment of robust ethical and regulatory standards in public-sector HIV care centers could reduce barriers to PMTCT service provision in sub-Saharan Africa and help them in achieving universal PMTCT targets.</p

Women and ARVâ based prevention: opportunities and challenges

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138349/1/jia29419.pd

The molecular specificity of chemokines

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN013031 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Advancing the sexual and reproductive health and human rights of women beyond 2015

Poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a major impediment to global health and economic development. Many women and girls in resource–poor settings face multiple and unique obstacles to services, including lack of access to health services, fragile health systems, stigma and discrimination in service delivery, weak and poor health system coverage or low-quality services. Inequalities of any sort impact on an individual\u27s realisation of their SRH, but when these inequalities are multiple and intersecting and take on a gender dimension which undermine young girls and women, the barriers can seem insurmountable, further entrenching some in a sense of diminished self-worth. For instance, while national and local laws may stipulate ages of consent for reproductive services, many legal systems recognise ‘mature minors’ on the basis of marital status, pregnancy, parenthood and independent living arrangements.1 A compounded effect of these challenges is often denial of access to SRH services to women and girls. All women should be able to enjoy the same SRH and human rights. The development of safe, acceptable, and affordable technologies that provide more options to women and girls to meet their needs can potentially lead to the achievement of this goal and improve women\u27s and girls\u27 health and wellbeing

Advancing the sexual and reproductive health and human rights of women beyond 2015

Poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a major impediment to global health and economic development. Many women and girls in resource–poor settings face multiple and unique obstacles to services, including lack of access to health services, fragile health systems, stigma and discrimination in service delivery, weak and poor health system coverage or low-quality services. Inequalities of any sort impact on an individual\u27s realisation of their SRH, but when these inequalities are multiple and intersecting and take on a gender dimension which undermine young girls and women, the barriers can seem insurmountable, further entrenching some in a sense of diminished self-worth. For instance, while national and local laws may stipulate ages of consent for reproductive services, many legal systems recognise ‘mature minors’ on the basis of marital status, pregnancy, parenthood and independent living arrangements.1 A compounded effect of these challenges is often denial of access to SRH services to women and girls. All women should be able to enjoy the same SRH and human rights. The development of safe, acceptable, and affordable technologies that provide more options to women and girls to meet their needs can potentially lead to the achievement of this goal and improve women\u27s and girls\u27 health and wellbeing

Associations between health and sexual lifestyles in Britain: findings from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3).

BACKGROUND: Physical and mental health could greatly affect sexual activity and fulfilment, but the nature of associations at a population level is poorly understood. We used data from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) to explore associations between health and sexual lifestyles in Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales). METHODS: Men and women aged 16-74 years who were resident in households in Britain were interviewed between Sept 6, 2010, and Aug 31, 2012. Participants completed the survey in their own homes through computer-assisted face-to-face interviews and self-interview. We analysed data for self-reported health status, chronic conditions, and sexual lifestyles, weighted to account for unequal selection probabilities and non-response to correct for differences in sex, age group, and region according to 2011 Census figures. FINDINGS: Interviews were done with 15,162 participants (6293 men, 8869 women). The proportion reporting recent sexual activity (one or more occasion of vaginal, oral, or anal sex with a partner of the opposite sex, or oral or anal sex or genital contact with a partner of the same sex in the past 4 weeks) decreased with age after the age of 45 years in men and after the age of 35 years in women, while the proportion in poorer health categories increased with age. Recent sexual activity was less common in participants reporting bad or very bad health than in those reporting very good health (men: 35·7% [95% CI 28·6-43·5] vs 74·8% [72·7-76·7]; women: 34·0% [28·6-39·9] vs 67·4% [65·4-69·3]), and this association remained after adjusting for age and relationship status (men: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0·29 [95% CI 0·19-0·44]; women: 0·43 [0·31-0·61]). Sexual satisfaction generally decreased with age, and was significantly lower in those reporting bad or very bad health than in those reporting very good health (men: 45·4% [38·4-52·7] vs 69·5% [67·3-71·6], AOR 0·51 [0·36-0·72]; women: 48·6% [42·9-54·3] vs 65·6% [63·6-67·4], AOR 0·69 [0·53-0·91]). In both sexes, reduced sexual activity and reduced satisfaction were associated with limiting disability and depressive symptoms, and reduced sexual activity was associated with chronic airways disease and difficulty walking up the stairs because of a health problem. 16·6% (95% CI 15·4-17·7) of men and 17·2% (16·3-18·2) of women reported that their health had affected their sex life in the past year, increasing to about 60% in those reporting bad or very bad health. 23·5% (20·3-26·9) of men and 18·4% (16·0-20·9) of women who reported that their health affected their sex life reported that they had sought clinical help (>80% from general practitioners; <10% from specialist services). INTERPRETATION: Poor health is independently associated with decreased sexual activity and satisfaction at all ages in Britain. Many people in poor health report an effect on their sex life, but few seek clinical help. Sexual lifestyle advice should be a component of holistic health care for patients with chronic ill health. FUNDING: Grants from the UK Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, with support from the Economic and Social Research Council and Department of Health