October Monthly Update

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and during the month we highlighted some of the RTI projects focused on addressing violence. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has exacerbated this issue globally. In our work we continue to strive to address and eliminate all forms of gender violence. It was also awesome that here at RTI on October 20th we celebrated pronouns day!

Additionally this month, the GGC helped to co-host InWomen's a mini workshop about the impact of stigma toward women who use alcohol and other drugs. This event featured several RTI Global Gender Center affiliates and you can read more about it below. 
Welcome to Marcel Foster, who is taking over as the chairperson of LGBTQIA+ Rising -- you can read more about Marcel below! We have also incorporated more spotlight features of projects and publications at RTI! You can also see our latest blog post here.

If you would like your project or publication profiled, please let us know. For many, this weekend is Halloween, and the holiday season is right around the corner! I hope that you and your families are able to enjoy the many celebrations.

In health,
Dr. Wendee
she/her/hers

RTI Gender-related October Publications
  • Allen, E. G., Charen, K., Hipp, H. S., Shubeck, L., Amin, A., He, W., Hunter, J. E., Shelly, K. E., & Sherman, S. L. (2021). Predictors of comorbid conditions in women who carry an FMR1 premutation. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 715922. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.715922
  • Basu, P., Malvi, S. G., Joshi, S., Bhatla, N., Muwonge, R., Lucas, E., Verma, Y., Esmy, P. O., Poli, U. R. R., Shah, A., Zomawia, E., Pimple, S., Jayant, K., Hingmire, S., Chiwate, A., Divate, U., Vashist, S., Mishra, G., Jadhav, R., … Sankaranarayanan, R. (2021). Vaccine efficacy against persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 infection at 10 years after one, two, and three doses of quadrivalent HPV vaccine in girls in India: a multicentre, prospective, cohort study. The Lancet Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00453-8
  • Blakely, M. L., Tyson, J. E., Lally, K. P., Hintz, S. R., Eggleston, B., Stevenson, D. K., Besner, G. E., Das, A., Ohls, R. K., Truog, W. E., Nelin, L. D., Poindexter, B. B., Pedroza, C., Walsh, M. C., Stoll, B. J., Geller, R., Kennedy, K. A., Dimmitt, R. A., Carlo, W. A., … Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health, Human Development Neonatal Research Network. (2021). Initial laparotomy versus peritoneal drainage in extremely low birthweight infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis or isolated intestinal perforation: A multicenter randomized clinical trial. Annals of Surgery, 274(4), e370–e380. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000005099
  • Goldenberg, R. L., Saleem, S., Goudar, S. S., Silver, R. M., Tikmani, S. S., Guruprasad, G., Dhaded, S. M., Yasmin, H., Bano, K., Somannavar, M. S., Yogeshkumar, S., Hwang, K., Aceituno, A., Parlberg, L., McClure, E. M., & PURPOSE Study Group. (2021). Preventable stillbirths in India and Pakistan: a prospective, observational study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 128(11), 1762–1773. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.16820
  • Gottfredson, N. C., Bhushan, N. L., Reyes, H. L. M., Pettifor, A. E., & Kahn, K. (2021). Effects of early social bonds on adolescent trajectories of sexual risk behaviors among South African girls. AIDS and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03472-
  • Mildrum Chana, S., Wolford-Clevenger, C., Faust, A., Hemberg, J., Ramaswamy, M., & Cropsey, K. (2021). Associations among betrayal trauma, dissociative posttraumatic stress symptoms, and substance use among women involved in the criminal legal system in three US cities. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 227, 108924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108924
  • Myers, B.; Browne, F.A.; Carney, T.; Kline, T.; Bonner, C.P.; Wechsberg, W.M. (2021) The Association of Recurrent and Multiple Types of Abuse with Adverse Mental Health, Substance Use, and Sexual Health Outcomes among Out-of-School Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Cape Town, South Africa. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18, 11403. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111403 
  • Nitpolprasert, C., Anand, T., Phanuphak, N., Reiss, P., Ananworanich, J., & Peay, H. L. (2021). A qualitative study of the impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on psychological and financial wellbeing and engagement in care among men who have sex with men living with HIV in Thailand. HIV Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13190
  • Poulos, C., Soliman, A. M., Tekin, S., & Agarwal, S. K. (2021). Patient preferences for elagolix and leuprolide for treating endometriosis-related pain in the United States. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research, 21(5), 1091–1099. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737167.2021.1832468Ridgeway, K., Montgomery, E. T., Smith, K., Torjesen, K., Straten, A. V. D., Achilles, S. L., & Griffin, J. B. (2021). Vaginal ring acceptability: a systematic review and meta-analysis of vaginal ring experiences from around the world. Contraception. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2021.10.001
  • Roberts, S. T., Hawley, I., Luecke, E., Mensch, B., Wagner, T., Hoesley, C., McClure, T., Dominguez Islas, C. P., Piper, J. M., Liu, A. Y., & van der Straten, A. (2021). Acceptability and Preference for 3-Month Versus 1-Month Vaginal Rings for HIV-1 Risk Reduction Among Participants in a Phase 1 Trial. Journal of Women’s Health. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0121
  • Rousseau, E., Katz, A. W. K., O’Rourke, S., Bekker, L.-G., Delany-Moretlwe, S., Bukusi, E., Travill, D., Omollo, V., Morton, J. F., O’Malley, G., Haberer, J. E., Heffron, R., Johnson, R., Celum, C., Baeten, J. M., & van der Straten, A. (2021). Adolescent girls and young women’s PrEP-user journey during an implementation science study in South Africa and Kenya. Plos One, 16(10), e0258542. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258542
  • Salas, A. A., Carlo, W. A., Do, B. T., Bell, E. F., Das, A., Van Meurs, K. P., Poindexter, B. B., Shankaran, S., Younge, N., Watterberg, K. L., Higgins, R. D., & Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. (2021). Growth rates of infants randomized to continuous positive airway pressure or intubation after extremely preterm birth. The Journal of Pediatrics, 237, 148-153.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.06.026
  • Salyer, C., Lee, J., Lorvick, J., Comfort, M., Cropsey, K., Smith, S., Emerson, A., & Ramaswamy, M. (2021). Cervical Cancer Prevention Behaviors Among Criminal-Legal Involved Women from Three U.S. Cities. Journal of Women’s Health. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0250
  • Squiers, L., Brown, S., Hauser, K., Lynch, M., Treiman, K., Polen, K., Amoozegar, J., Quiroz, R., Tong, V., Waddell, L., & Gilboa, S. (2021). Perceptions of health care, information, and social support among women affected by zika virus infection during pregnancy in two U.S. states. Maternal and Child Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03272-7
  • Stockton, M. A., Kraemer, J., Oga, E., Kimani, J., Mbote, D., Kemunto, C., Njuguna, S., & Nyblade, L. (2021). Validation of a Brief Internalized Sex-work Stigma Scale among Female Sex Workers in Kenya. Journal of Sex Research, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1983752
  • Stoner, M. C. D., Westreich, D., Ahern, J., Edwards, J., Gómez-Olivé, F. X., Tollman, S. M., Lippman, S., Kahn, K., & Pettifor, A. (2021). Modeling combination interventions to prevent human immunodeficiency virus in adolescent girls and young women in South Africa (HIV prevention trials network 068). Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73(7), e1911–e1918. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1598
  • Subramanian, S., Jones, M., Tangka, F. K. L., Edwards, P., Flanigan, T., Kaganova, J., Smith, K., Fairley, T., Hawkins, N. A., Rodriguez, J. L., Guy, G. P., & Thomas, C. C. (2021). Utility of linking survey and registry data to evaluate interventions and policies to address disparities in breast cancer survivorship among young women. Evaluation and Program Planning, 88, 101967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2021.101967
  • Poulos, C., Soliman, A. M., Tekin, S., & Agarwal, S. K. (2021). Patient preferences for elagolix and leuprolide for treating endometriosis-related pain in the United States. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research, 21(5), 1091–1099. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737167.2021.1832468Ridgeway, K., Montgomery, E. T., Smith, K., Torjesen, K., Straten, A. V. D., Achilles, S. L., & Griffin, J. B. (2021). Vaginal ring acceptability: a systematic review and meta-analysis of vaginal ring experiences from around the world. Contraception. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2021.10.001
  • Roberts, S. T., Hawley, I., Luecke, E., Mensch, B., Wagner, T., Hoesley, C., McClure, T., Dominguez Islas, C. P., Piper, J. M., Liu, A. Y., & van der Straten, A. (2021). Acceptability and Preference for 3-Month Versus 1-Month Vaginal Rings for HIV-1 Risk Reduction Among Participants in a Phase 1 Trial. Journal of Women’s Health. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0121
  • Rousseau, E., Katz, A. W. K., O’Rourke, S., Bekker, L.-G., Delany-Moretlwe, S., Bukusi, E., Travill, D., Omollo, V., Morton, J. F., O’Malley, G., Haberer, J. E., Heffron, R., Johnson, R., Celum, C., Baeten, J. M., & van der Straten, A. (2021). Adolescent girls and young women’s PrEP-user journey during an implementation science study in South Africa and Kenya. Plos One, 16(10), e0258542. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258542
  • Salas, A. A., Carlo, W. A., Do, B. T., Bell, E. F., Das, A., Van Meurs, K. P., Poindexter, B. B., Shankaran, S., Younge, N., Watterberg, K. L., Higgins, R. D., & Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. (2021). Growth rates of infants randomized to continuous positive airway pressure or intubation after extremely preterm birth. The Journal of Pediatrics, 237, 148-153.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.06.026
  • Salyer, C., Lee, J., Lorvick, J., Comfort, M., Cropsey, K., Smith, S., Emerson, A., & Ramaswamy, M. (2021). Cervical Cancer Prevention Behaviors Among Criminal-Legal Involved Women from Three U.S. Cities. Journal of Women’s Health. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0250
  • Squiers, L., Brown, S., Hauser, K., Lynch, M., Treiman, K., Polen, K., Amoozegar, J., Quiroz, R., Tong, V., Waddell, L., & Gilboa, S. (2021). Perceptions of health care, information, and social support among women affected by zika virus infection during pregnancy in two U.S. states. Maternal and Child Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03272-7
  • Stockton, M. A., Kraemer, J., Oga, E., Kimani, J., Mbote, D., Kemunto, C., Njuguna, S., & Nyblade, L. (2021). Validation of a Brief Internalized Sex-work Stigma Scale among Female Sex Workers in Kenya. Journal of Sex Research, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1983752
  • Stoner, M. C. D., Westreich, D., Ahern, J., Edwards, J., Gómez-Olivé, F. X., Tollman, S. M., Lippman, S., Kahn, K., & Pettifor, A. (2021). Modeling combination interventions to prevent human immunodeficiency virus in adolescent girls and young women in South Africa (HIV prevention trials network 068). Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73(7), e1911–e1918. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1598
  • Subramanian, S., Jones, M., Tangka, F. K. L., Edwards, P., Flanigan, T., Kaganova, J., Smith, K., Fairley, T., Hawkins, N. A., Rodriguez, J. L., Guy, G. P., & Thomas, C. C. (2021). Utility of linking survey and registry data to evaluate interventions and policies to address disparities in breast cancer survivorship among young women. Evaluation and Program Planning, 88, 101967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2021.101967

We update our website regularly with all RTI Gender-related publications under resources. Please let us know if we missed any of yours. 

 

October Publication Feature

Adolescent girls and young women’s PrEP-user journey during an implementation science study in South Africa and Kenya

This publication discusses the results of the Prevention Options for Women Evaluation Research (POWER) implementation science study, aimed to develop strategies that are contextually specific and scalable to increase PrEP uptake among AGYWs in Africa. The study found various factors can both support and discourage PrEP initiation and adherence, such as adolescent-friendly counseling, peer support, stigma, access, and PrEP awareness. Understanding adolescent girls and young women's (AGYW) perspectives and experiences utilizing PrEP is key to developing best-practices for delivering PrEP to increase adherence and reduce any negative experiences.

Rousseau, E., Katz, A. W. K., O’Rourke, S., Bekker, L.-G., Delany-Moretlwe, S., Bukusi, E., Travill, D., Omollo, V., Morton, J. F., O’Malley, G., Haberer, J. E., Heffron, R., Johnson, R., Celum, C., Baeten, J. M., & van der Straten, A. (2021). Adolescent girls and young women’s PrEP-user journey during an implementation science study in South Africa and Kenya. Plos One, 16(10), e0258542. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258542

 

RTI Gender-related October Project Wins

Congratulations to:

  • Naomi Freedner and team on their win, OPAS 2022-2023, from the Ohio State University
  • Jessica Robles and team on their win, Literature Review and Program Development Support for CSF, from the College Success Foundation
  • Andrea Anater and team on their win, FITS: Additional Analysis-Milk, from Gerber Products Company
  • Bryan Rhodes and team on their win, Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) - Wisconsin 2021-22, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • Marie Stoner and team on their win, UCSF Collaboration, from the University of California San Francisco
  • Angie Jackson-Morris and team on their win, Add China investment case on childhood obesity (UNICEF), from UNICEF - USA
  • Anne Wheeler and team on their win, Planning for the addition of chromosome 15 conditions to Early Check, from the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics (FAST)
Project Feature

USAID Philippines ReachHealth Project 
Activities for the Improved Health for Underserved Filipinos: Family Planning and Maternal and Neonatal Health Innovations and Capacity Building Platforms (ReachHealth) is a 5-year USAID funded project that aims to improve health for underserved Filipino families. The program spans across 11 regions of the Philippines, providing family planning services to adolescents, women, and men with the intended outcome of reducing teenage pregnancy as well as newborn morbidity and mortality. 

The SCHIELD Implant: Preventing Unintended Pregnancy and HIV with One Product

The USAID-supported SCHIELD Implant project seeks to develop an all-in-one contraceptive and HIV prevention implant for women. This product will be biodegradable, meaning that women do not have to get the implant removed at the end of its duration of effectiveness, although it is possible for it to be removed sooner as well. This product has undergone drug formulation testing in the past year, and has also utilized focus-group discussions to prioritize features of the implant for the target population.

New +Rising Leader: Marcel Foster

Marcel Foster (they/them), New Leader of +Rising

“It’s a profound honor to work with the experts and leaders of the Global Gender Center to advance LGBTQIA+ research at RTI through identifying opportunities to prioritize queer, trans, and intersex research and implementation projects that will build upon the organization’s leadership in equity.”

Marcel W. Foster, MPH, (they/them) brings years of experience as a leader in LGBTQIA+ issues and health. They have led a number of initiatives including: leading an evaluation of a CDC project in South Africa seeking to link MSM living with HIV to Peer Health Navigators, founding Emory University’s LGBTQIA+ Graduate School Coalitionand the Rollins School of Public Health’s Queer/Trans Collaborative, earning the 2017 LGBT Person of the Year Chestnut Award, and a 2019 40 Under 40 nominee from Emory University.

Recapping October Events

Inwomen's stigma mini-workshop flyer

On October 20th, the InWomen's Planning Committee hosted a workshop addressing stigma toward women who use alcohol and other drugs, including presentations about stigma instrumentation and trainings, and the impact of stigma on research and clinical work. Presenters included Dr. Laura Nyblade, Dr. Kimberly McLaughlin, Jackie Ndirangu, moderated by Dr. Alexis Hammond. Over 90 members of the InWomen's network attended this event! If you would like a recording of this event, please email Brittni Howard at bhoward@rti.org. 

 Gender Science News 

Starting mammography at age 40 would reduce disparities in deaths for Black women
Exposure to high and low temperatures during pregnancy may result in reduced fetal growth, study suggests
Contraceptive pill can reduce type 2 diabetes risk in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Pollution’s impact on child health
Troubling birth findings show importance of timely flu vaccination
 

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