Study Underscores Social Factors of Low Breast Cancer Screening in the U.S.

To identify major social factors hindering breast cancer screening in U.S. women aged 40 and older, researchers focused on race/ethnicity, employment, education, food security, insurance status, housing and access to quality health care. Access to health care emerged as a statistically significant theme (61 percent) and insurance status was the most reported sub-categorical factor. Language was the third highest issue, highlighting its significance as an influential factor of screening behavior. Race/ethnicity, sex/gender and sexual orientation were additional factors reported.

Women stroke survivors believe they will receive worse care in the emergency room

Women who have survived a stroke believe they are less likely to receive adequate emergency care – based on gender and race or ethnicity, a study shows. Researchers say future studies must focus on whether the beliefs these women hold about emergency care are leading to delays in stroke care.

UC Irvine-led study links long-term air pollution exposure to postpartum depression in SoCal

Irvine, Calif., Oct. 31, 2023 — Long-term maternal exposure to common air pollutants, both before and after childbirth, has been linked to increased risk of postpartum depression for mothers – with symptoms ranging from anxiety and irritability to suicide – and may lead to cognitive, emotional, psychological and behavioral impairments in their infants, according to research led by the University of California, Irvine.

Social media and low self-compassion behind rise in cosmetic surgery

When Kylie Jenner famously admitted that her signature pout was the result of lip fillers, there was a significant increase in interest and uptake of the cosmetic procedure. That’s the power of social media. But why is social media so persuasive and what is driving young women’s attitudes to cosmetic surgery?

Maintaining Stable Weight Increases Longevity Among Older Women

UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science researchers investigated the associations of weight changes later in life with exceptional longevity and found that women who maintained their body weight after age 60 were more likely to reach exceptional longevity.

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association Announces New Leadership for 2023-2024

On July 5, as the 2023 ADHA Annual Conference got underway at McCormick Place in Chicago celebrating the association’s 100th anniversary, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association installed a new Board of Directors, along with ADHA’s new slate of officers for the fiscal year. Newly installed president, Becky Smith, CRDH, EdD, FADHA, spoke in both English and Spanish to the national and state leaders who attended the ceremony, focusing on the power of unity.

Kroc Institute releases special report on implementation status of gender approach within Colombian Peace Agreement

The Peace Accords Matrix at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies has released a new special report outlining the current implementation status of the gender approach within the 2016 Colombian Peace Accord. The implementation of the gender approach has been fundamental to guaranteeing the protection and promotion of the rights of women and LGBTQ+ people.

UC Irvine Police Department commits to advancing women in law enforcement

The University of California, Irvine Police Department is among law enforcement agencies nationwide committing to the 30×30 Pledge, which is a collection of low- and no-cost actions to improve the representation and experiences of women in law enforcement. These actions can help policing agencies assess the current state of a department regarding gender equity; identify factors that may be driving disparities; and develop and implement strategies and solutions to eliminate barriers and advance women in policing.

Exposure to green space linked to reduced risk of postpartum depression

In an analysis of more than 415,00 electronic health records of healthy, full-term births in Southern California, a team of researchers led by the University of California, Irvine determined that exposure to green space and tree coverage was associated with a decreased risk of postpartum depression among mothers.

US falls far behind most of the world in support for fathers and caregivers of aging adults

Today, the WORLD Policy Analysis Center (WORLD) at UCLA, launched “Equality within Our Lifetimes,” the most comprehensive analysis to date of laws and policies related to gender equality in all 193 U.N. member states. While the U.S. performs well in some areas, it has become even more of an outlier when it comes to care.

FAU Receives $1 Million NSF Grant to Empower Women in STEM Faculty

The three-year NSF ADVANCE ADAPTATION grant will help transform faculty diversity and ensure appropriate representation of women in STEM. This grant continues the work of the late Emmanuelle Tognoli, Ph.D., who served as a research professor in FAU’s Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and a member of the FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute.

UCI-led study finds pay practices, job barriers to blame for women making less than men

Irvine, Calif., Nov. 28, 2022 — Despite advances in gender equality, women still earn less than men in all advanced, industrialized societies. Who – or what – is to blame? A new 15-country study led by Andrew Penner at the University of California, Irvine, divides fault evenly between inequitable within-job salary structures and the decisions that route men and women into differently compensated roles.

Sylvester’s Sexual Health After Cancer Program Expands to Meet Needs of Women with Cancer

Kristin E. Rojas, M.D., FACS, FACOG, assistant professor of surgical oncology in the DeWitt Daughtry Department of Surgery and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University Miami Miller School of Medicine, realized she had struck a chord with women being…

Youngest Girls Who Get Pregnant Have Highest Risk of Poor Outcomes, Study Finds

Pregnant teens in the U.S. have long been known to face increased health risks and pregnancy complications, but a new study for the first time finds that girls ages 13 or younger who get pregnant face even greater risks. These very young girls are significantly more likely to experience preterm birth, cesarean delivery, and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) compared to older pregnant teens.

Study: Live Chat Boosts College Women’s Class Participation

Women much more enthusiastically embraced the live chat function during pandemic Zoom classes than men, according to a new UNLV study. Researchers hope the data could be a key to broadening underrepresented groups’ access to STEM disciplines as colleges incorporate technology into hybrid and even in-person courses.

UAlbany Study: Pandemic Had Disproportionate Impact on Female Educators

A new study by University at Albany researchers found that female educators experienced the COVID-19 pandemic more negatively than their male counterparts. The study, which was conducted by NYKids, a research-practice partnership housed within the University’s School of Education, adds to emerging research that is finding the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on women in the workforce, who have dropped out at much higher rates than men.

Expert: How the Las Vegas Aces’ championship win changes the game for women & the entire sports industry

For decades, Las Vegas — a city world famous for sports betting — was one of the few U.S. metropolises without a professional sports team. That all changed in 2017 when the NHL’s Golden Knights took a gamble by setting up shop in Southern Nevada, soon followed by the WNBA’s Aces and NFL’s Raiders. Just a few short years later, the Aces have upped the ante on their “raise the stakes” tagline and became the first major professional sports team to win a championship for Las Vegas.

Women’s mental well-being more sensitive to exercise than men’s during different stages of pandemic

Women’s mental health was more likely to be affected by physical exercise frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic than men’s, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Women already live longer. They can live better with an improved diet

Women tend to live longer than men but typically have higher rates of illness. Now, new research from University of Georgia suggests these higher rates of illness can be improved by a better diet, one that is high in pigmented carotenoids such as yams, kale, spinach, watermelon, bell peppers, tomatoes, oranges and carrots. These bright-colored fruits and vegetables are particularly important in preventing visual and cognitive loss.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased depression among young adults, particularly women

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on many people’s lives. Emerging adults may have been particular impacted, given their transition from adolescence to adulthood during such a time of upheaval, with their educational and career aspirations thrown into disarray. A new study has found that the risk for depression tripled among young people – particularly younger women – during the pandemic, and that this risk persisted into 2021.

Trauma history and alcohol’s effects on the brain combine to make women more vulnerable to alcohol use disorders

Prior research has demonstrated greater addiction vulnerability in women; for example, women advance from casual substance use to addiction at a faster rate, experience more severe withdrawal symptoms, exhibit higher rates of relapse, and have less treatment success than men. A new study shows that biobehavioral interactions in alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among women are cyclical in nature: women’s greater risk of personal histories of trauma coupled with a greater vulnerability to alcohol-related brain deficits can lead to more severe AUD effects.

Disparities in opioid treatment access remain for women, Black and Hispanic people

Buprenorphine is a prescription approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that effectively treats opioid dependence or addiction. But women, as well as Black and Hispanic populations, do not have equal access to this potentially lifesaving medication, new Mayo Clinic research finds.