Annik Sorhaindo

You are what your friends eat: systematic review of social network analyses of young people's eating behaviours and bodyweight

Background This review synthesises evidence regarding associations between young peoples social networks and their eating behaviours/bodyweight, and also explores how these vary according to the setting and sample characteristics. Methods A systematic review of cross-sectional and longitudinal observational studies examining the association between measures of young peoples social networks based on sociometric data and eating behaviours (including calorific intake) and/or bodyweight. Results There is consistent evidence that school friends are significantly similar in terms of their body mass index, and friends with the highest body mass index appear to be most similar. Overweight youth are also less likely to be popular and more likely to be socially isolated at school. Frequency of fast food consumption has also been found to cluster within groups of boys, as have body image concerns, dieting and eating disorders among girls. Conclusion School friendships may be critical in shaping young peoples eating behaviours and bodyweight and/or vice versa, and suggests the potential of social-network-based health promotion interventions in schools. Further longitudinal research is needed to examine the processes via which this clustering occurs, how it varies according to school context, and the effects of non-school networks.

Systematic review examining differences in HIV, sexually transmitted infections and health-related harms between migrant and non-migrant female sex workers

Objectives To assess the evidence of differences in the risk of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and health-related behaviours between migrant and non-migrant female sex workers (FSWs). Methods Systematic review of published peer-reviewed articles that reported data on HIV, STIs or health-related harms among migrant compared with non-migrant FSWs. Studies were mapped to describe their methods and focus, with a narrative synthesis undertaken to describe the differences in outcomes by migration status overall and stratified by country of origin. Unadjusted ORs are presented graphically to describe differences in HIV and acute STIs among FSWs by migration and income of destination country. Results In general, migrant FSWs working in lower-income countries are more at risk of HIV than non-migrants, but migrants working in higher-income countries are at less risk. HIV prevalence was higher among migrant FSWs from Africa in high-income countries. Migrant FSWs in all countries are at an increased risk of acute STIs. Study designs, definitions of FSWs and recruitment methods are diverse. Behavioural data focussed on sexual risks. Discussion The lack of consistent differences in risk between migrants and non-migrants highlights the importance of the local context in mediating risk among migrant FSWs. The higher prevalence of HIV among some FSWs originating from African countries is likely to be due to infection at home where HIV prevalence is high. There is a need for ongoing monitoring and research to understand the nature of risk among migrants, how it differs from that of local FSWs and changes over time to inform the delivery of services.

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial in primary care of the Camden Weight Loss (CAMWEL) programme

Objectives To evaluate effectiveness of a structured one-to-one behaviour change programme on weight loss in obese and overweight individuals. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting 23 general practices in Camden, London. Participants 381 adults with body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 randomly assigned to intervention (n=191) or control (n=190) group. Interventions A structured one-to-one programme, delivered over 14 visits during 12 months by trained advisors in three primary care centres compared with usual care in general practice. Outcome measures Changes in weight, per cent body fat, waist circumference, blood pressure and heart rate between baseline and 12 months. Results 217/381 (57.0%) participants were assessed at 12 months: missing values were imputed. The difference in mean weight change between the intervention and control groups was not statistically significant (0.70 kg (0.67 to 2.17, p=0.35)), although a higher proportion of the intervention group (32.7%) than the control group (20.4%) lost 5% or more of their baseline weight (OR: 1.80 (1.02 to 3.18, p=0.04)). The intervention group achieved a lower mean heart rate (mean difference 3.68 beats per minute (0.31 to 7.04, p=0.03)) than the control group. Participants in the intervention group reported higher satisfaction and more positive experiences of their care compared with the control group. Conclusions Although there is no significant difference in mean weight loss between the intervention and control groups, trained non-specialist advisors can deliver a structured programme and achieve clinically beneficial weight loss in some patients in primary care. The intervention group also reported a higher level of satisfaction with the support received. Primary care interventions are unlikely to be sufficient to tackle the obesity epidemic and effective population-wide measures are also necessary. Clinical trial registration number Trial registrationClincaltrials.gov NCT00891943.

Patient preferences and performance bias in a weight loss trial with a usual care arm.

Objectives This qualitative study examines performance bias, i.e. unintended differences between groups, in the context of a weight loss trial in which a novel patient counseling program was compared to usual care in general practice. Methods 14/381 consecutive interviewees (6 intervention group, 8 control group) within the CAMWEL (Camden Weight Loss) effectiveness trial process study were asked about their engagement with various features of the research study and a thematic content analysis undertaken. Results Decisions to participate were interwoven with decisions to change behavior, to the extent that for many participants the two were synonymous. The intervention group were satisfied with their allocation. The control group spoke of their disappointment at having been offered usual care when they had taken part in the trial to access new forms of help. Reactions to disappointment involved both movements toward and away from behavior change. Conclusion There is a prima facie case that reactions to disappointment may introduce bias, as they lead the randomized groups to differ in ways other than the intended experimental contrast. Practice implications In-depth qualitative studies nested within trials are needed to understand better the processes through which bias may be introduced.

Qualitative Evidence on Abortion Stigma from Mexico City and Five States in Mexico

Social manifestations of abortion stigma depend upon cultural, legal, and religious context. Abortion stigma in Mexico is under-researched. This study explored the sources, experiences, and consequences of stigma from the perspectives of women who had had an abortion, male partners, and members of the general population in different regional and legal contexts. We explored abortion stigma in Mexico City where abortion is legal in the first trimester and five states—Chihuahua, Chiapas, Jalisco, Oaxaca, and Yucatán—where abortion remains restricted. In each state, we conducted three focus groups—men ages 24–40 years (n = 36), women 25–40 years (n = 37), and young women ages 18–24 years (n = 27)—and four in-depth face-to-face interviews in total; two with women (n = 12) and two with the male partners of women who had had an abortion (n = 12). For 4 of the 12 women, this was their second abortion. This exploratory study suggests that abortion stigma was influenced by norms that placed a high value on motherhood and a conservative Catholic discourse. Some participants in this study described abortion as an “indelible mark” on a woman’s identity and “divine punishment” as a consequence. Perspectives encountered in Mexico City often differed from the conservative postures in the states.

Nurse versus physician-provision of early medical abortion in Mexico: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial

Abstract Objective To examine the effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of nurse provision of early medical abortion compared to physicians at three facilities in Mexico City. Methods We conducted a randomized non-inferiority trial on the provision of medical abortion and contraceptive counselling by physicians or nurses. The participants were pregnant women seeking abortion at a gestational duration of 70 days or less. The medical abortion regimen was 200 mg of oral mifepristone taken on-site followed by 800 μg of misoprostol self–administered buccally at home 24 hours later. Women were instructed to return to the clinic for follow-up 7–15 days later. We did an intention-to-treat analysis for risk differences between physicians’ and nurses’ provision for completion and the need for surgical intervention. Findings Of 1017 eligible women, 884 women were included in the intention-to-treat analysis, 450 in the physician-provision arm and 434 in the nurse-provision arm. Women who completed medical abortion, without the need for surgical intervention, were 98.4% (443/450) for physicians’ provision and 97.9% (425/434) for nurses’ provision. The risk difference between the group was 0.5% (95% confidence interval, CI: −1.2% to 2.3%). There were no differences between providers for examined gestational duration or women’s contraceptive method uptake. Both types of providers were rated by the women as highly acceptable. Conclusion Nurses’ provision of medical abortion is as safe, acceptable and effective as provision by physicians in this setting. Authorizing nurses to provide medical abortion can help to meet the demand for safe abortion services.

The Female Condom: A Promising but Unavailable Method for Dominican Sex Workers, Their Clients, and Their Partners

&NA; Despite evidence of the potential of the female condom as a method that effectively protects against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and pregnancy, it is still not widely available. We conducted in‐depth interviews with 18 sex workers, 15 male clients, and seven partners in the Dominican Republic to assess the acceptability of the female condom. The majority of the sex workers found the female condom acceptable and welcomed the option of a female‐controlled method. Clients and partners of the sex workers were also positive about the female condom and, particularly with regard to pleasure; almost all preferred it to the male condom. These findings suggest that the female condom offers an acceptable option for protection against HIV, STIs, and pregnancy. The positive attitudes of women and men could be developed into messages in marketing campaigns for the female condom, targeting not only vulnerable groups but also the general population.

Constructing a validated scale to measure community-level abortion stigma in Mexico

OBJECTIVE In Mexico, abortion stigma in the general population is largely unexplored. We developed a scale to measure abortion stigma at the community level, examine its prevalence and explore factors associated with abortion stigma in a nationally representative sample. STUDY DESIGN Following intensive qualitative work to identify dimensions of the stigma construct, we developed a comprehensive list of statements that were cognitively tested and reduced to 33 to form a scale. We piloted the scale in a nationally and subregionally representative household public opinion survey administered to 5600 Mexican residents. RESULTS Factor analysis tested the internal consistency and reliability of five previously hypothesized dimensions of abortion stigma: secrecy, religion, autonomy, discrimination and guilt/shame. Under the assumption that these dimensions were independent, confirmatory factor analysis indicated that each of these dimensions functioned as independent subscales. However, to test this assumption, we conducted exploratory factor analysis that revealed a strong codependence between discrimination, guilt/shame and religion statements, resulting in a 23-item four-factor model of abortion stigma and the elimination of the guilt/shame dimension. Both methods revealed a full scale and subscales with Cronbachs alphas between 0.80 and 0.90. Regression analyses suggested that older, less educated individuals living in the north of Mexico report higher levels of stigma, especially related to discrimination and religion. CONCLUSIONS This community-level abortion stigma scale is the first to be developed and tested in Mexico. This tool may be used in Mexico and other similar country settings to document the prevalence of community-level abortion stigma, identify associated factors and test interventions aimed at reducing abortion stigma. IMPLICATIONS Abortion stigma prevents women from accessing safe abortion services. Measuring community-level abortion stigma is key to documenting its pervasiveness, testing interventions aimed at reducing it and understanding associated factors. This scale may be useful in countries similar to Mexico to support policymakers, practitioners and advocates in upholding womens reproductive rights.

Implementation considerations when expanding health worker roles to include safe abortion care: a five-country case study synthesis

BackgroundAllowing a broader range of trained health workers to deliver services can be an important way of improving access to safe abortion care. However, the expansion of health worker roles may be challenging to implement. This study aimed to explore factors influencing the implementation of role expansion strategies for non-physician providers to include the delivery of abortion care.MethodsWe conducted a multi-country case study synthesis in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, South Africa and Uruguay, where the roles of non-physician providers have been formally expanded to include the provision of abortion care. We searched for documentation from each country related to non-physician providers, abortion care services and role expansion through general internet searches, Google Scholar and PubMed, and gathered feedback from 12 key informants. We carried out a thematic analysis of the data, drawing on categories from the SURE Framework of factors affecting the implementation of policy options.ResultsSeveral factors appeared to affect the successful implementation of including non-physician providers to provide abortion care services. These included health workers’ knowledge about abortion legislation and services; and health workers’ willingness to provide abortion care. Health workers’ willingness appeared to be influenced by their personal views about abortion, the method of abortion and stage of pregnancy and their perceptions of their professional roles. While managers’ and co-workers’ attitudes towards the use of non-physician providers varied, the synthesis suggests that female clients focused less on the type of health worker and more on factors such as trust, privacy, cost, and closeness to home. Health systems factors also played a role, including workloads and incentives, training, supervision and support, supplies, referral systems, and monitoring and evaluation. Strategies used, with varying success, to address some of these issues in the study countries included values clarification workshops, health worker rotation, access to emotional support for health workers, the incorporation of abortion care services into pre-service curricula, and in-service training strategies.ConclusionsTo increase the likelihood of success for role expansion strategies in the area of safe abortion, programme planners must consider how to ensure motivation, support and reasonable working conditions for affected health workers.

Exploring intergenerational changes in perceptions of gender roles and sexuality among Indigenous women in Oaxaca

Abstract The south of Mexico has traditionally faced disproportionate social, health and economic disadvantage relative to the rest of the country, due in part to lower levels of economic and human development, and barriers faced by Indigenous populations. The state of Oaxaca, in particular, has one of the highest proportions of Indigenous people and consistently displays high rates of maternal mortality, sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy. This study examines how social values and norms surrounding sexuality have changed between two generations of women living in Indigenous communities in Oaxaca. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 women from two generational cohorts in 12 communities. Comparison views of these two cohorts suggest that cultural gender norms continue to govern how women express and experience their sexuality. In particular, feelings of shame and fear permeate the expression of sexuality, virginity continues be a determinant of a woman’s worth and motherhood remains the key attribute to womanhood. Evidence points to a transformation of norms, and access to information and services related to sexual health is increasing. Nonetheless, there is still a need for culturally appropriate sex education programmes focused on female empowerment, increased access to sexual health services, and a reduction in the stigma surrounding women’s expressions of sexuality.