Allyssa L. Harris

Parental Influences of Sexual Risk Among Urban African American Adolescent Males

PURPOSE This study examined the influence of parental marital status, parent-child sexual communication, parent-child closeness on the HIV-related knowledge, safer-sex intentions, and behaviors of late adolescent urban African American males. DESIGN The study employed a cross-sectional design with retrospective recall of salient parental influences and behaviors. METHODS Data were collected via paper-and-pencil questionnaire from 134 late adolescent African American males, 18 to 22 years of age, recruited from urban communities in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Data were analyzed using bivariate correlations, paired t tests, and regression modeling. FINDINGS Young men reported greater amounts of sexual communication with mothers than fathers (p < .001). Parent-child closeness was positively correlated with amount of parent-child sexual communication with both mothers and fathers (p < .001 for both). Parent-child closeness was, in turn, associated with greater condom use self-efficacy (p < .01), less permissive sexual attitudes (p < .001), fewer sexual partners (p < .01), and less unprotected sex (p < .01). Greater amounts of parent-child sexual communication were associated with fewer sexual risk behaviors, more consistent condom use, and greater intentions to use condoms in the future. There was evidence that parental influences on sexual risk behaviors and condom use intentions were mediated through young mens condom use self-efficacy, attitudes, and beliefs. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the importance of the parent-child relationship and the role of parent-child communication between parents and sons. Further studies are needed to better understand the nature of father-son communication and develop strategies to help parents communicate effectively with sons. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Evidence has shown that African American adolescent males are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. Understanding the sexual risk communication between African American adolescent males and their parents is important to developing strategies in reducing sexual risk behavior.

Media and Technology in Adolescent Sexual Education and Safety

Media play an important role in the lives of adolescents, providing them with opportunities for education and socialization. Media content is increasingly permeated with violence and sexual references that can be highly influential as adolescents continue the developmental process. Providing patient education is one of the cornerstones of nursing practice, and nurses are ideally suited to affect adolescent and parental education about the sexual and violent content of media.

Pharmacologic Management of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a serious health problem of endemic proportions in the United States. Approximately 50% of women will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetimes. With the increase in the population of women age 65 and older, nurses need to be familiar with osteoporosis risks, prevention strategies, and screening guidelines to promote well-woman care. We provide an overview of the medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat and prevent osteoporosis.

The Latest Advances in Hormonal Contraception

Millions of women each year start or continue to use some type of hormonal contraceptive method. Choosing a method may be anxiety provoking. In this article, we review some of the latest advances in and options for hormonal contraception, including extended-dose oral contraceptives, the vaginal ring, injectable methods, and emergency contraception. Nurses can facilitate womens decision making for healthy reproductive options.

Changes to Pregnancy and Lactation Risk Labeling for Prescription Drugs

Safe medication use by women during pregnancy and lactation is an area of concern for women and their health care providers. In December 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule on new labeling changes, which go into effect in June 2015 and eliminate the current letter system of A-D, X. The new labeling will include a summary of risks to using the medication during pregnancy and lactation, and supporting data and relevant information to assist health care providers in counseling pregnant and lactating women.

Cervical Cancer Screening for Women Living With HIV

Studies suggest that women living with HIV are not being adequately screened for cervical cancer. In this article we review the latest recommendations for cervical cancer screening in women with HIV and make recommendations for clinical practice.

PrEP awareness and decision-making for Latino MSM in San Antonio, Texas

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has been promoted among high-risk populations as an effective HIV biomedical intervention. However, limited research is available on the significance of culturally informed biomedical interventions for Latino MSM. A total of 159 self-administered Internet surveys were completed by Latino MSM ages 21–30 in San Antonio, Texas. The purpose of this research was to develop an instrument that measured Latino MSM attitudes and beliefs towards PrEP, identify associations between demographic factors and PrEP related factors and to suggest culturally appropriate strategies for the promotion of PrEP among the Latino MSM population. Research findings revealed implications for PrEP at the structural and individual level for Latino MSM. Structural level indicators emphasized the importance for raising PrEP awareness among Latino MSM in regards to PrEP related expenses, ameliorating stigmatization of high-risk populations, enhancing access to PrEP informed medical providers, and address mistrust of the government and medical providers role on addressing health disparities among Latino MSM. Overall, the findings for individual factors emphasize the need for patient-centered interventions for Latino MSM. Latino MSM currently on PrEP require supplemental resources to enhance PrEP adherence. Latino MSM not on PrEP require alternate options for PrEP delivery and/or cognitive behavioral approaches minimizing HIV risk behavior for Latino MSM concerned with PrEP toxicity, which may require non-biomedical interventions. Integration of Latino MSM currently on PrEP as peer educators provides a valuable resource for developing culturally informed PrEP interventions for Latino MSM. Peer educators are able to share their experiential knowledge of PrEP contextualized through cultural norms, beliefs, and values.

Assessing Marijuana Use During Pregnancy

Recreational and medicinal marijuana uses have become more prevalent in recent years. Womens health nurses are increasingly likely to encounter pregnant women who use or have used marijuana. Research has found that inadequate screening for substance use, inadequate knowledge about the effects of marijuana use, and punitive counseling are barriers to womens understanding of the importance of seeking treatment for substance use. Provision of evidence-based counseling, education, and resources support women and strengthen the patient-provider relationship. Womens health nurses can gain a basic understanding of the effects of perinatal marijuana use and create a plan for women who have positive screening results. This article reviews two recent studies that examine marijuana use during pregnancy and suggest interventions that womens health nurses can implement.

Salpingectomy and Ovarian Cancer Prevention

Ovarian cancer is a major health concern for women. Women are often diagnosed late in the course of the disease, making the mortality rate high. Currently, screening methods for ovarian cancer are limited and, therefore, prevention methods remain an area of focus for researchers. Recent research has examined the salpingectomy and tubal ligation/sterilization as a prevention method for ovarian cancer. This column takes a second look at two recent research studies that examine salpingectomy and tubal ligation/sterilization as a method of ovarian cancer risk reduction.

Recombinant Zoster Vaccine (Shingrix) to Prevent Herpes Zoster

Women ages 50 years and older are at risk for herpes zoster, a reactivated virus from varicella zoster virus (chickenpox) that causes a painful vesicular rash and can result in postherpetic neuralgia. It is estimated that one in three adults will be affected by herpes zoster in their lifetime. Research evidence points to the need to prevent herpes zoster through vaccination. Since 2006, clinicians have been vaccinating adults with zoster vaccine live (brand name Zostavax), but the efficacy of this vaccine wanes with time and advanced age. In October 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved recombinant zoster vaccine under the brand name Shingrix to prevent herpes zoster. Studies have shown significantly better efficacy of Shingrix versus Zostavax. This article summarizes new guidance regarding vaccination with Shingrix and discusses implications for womens health.