May Monthly Update

 

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

May has been challenging with senseless violence and killing of children. The new masking mandates are back in many areas as increases in COVID-19 are worse, with some countries now in their sixth wave. War rages, prices increase and people who live in poverty will not have grain or money to buy with escalating costs. But we continue to do important work that makes a difference. With all the recent news, our Gender Center affiliates and RTI International at large improve sexual and reproductive health services globally, and now this work is more critical than ever. We recently reviewed our women’s heath portfolio and felt that we were contributing substantially to improve sexual and reproductive health education and care, contraceptives, new technologies, healthcare access, and sexual negotiation, as just a few examples. The values of some of these contracts and grants are very large, and we have had 288 gender-related publications just last year. So thank you for your efforts and for showing RTI’s commitment to improving sexual and reproductive health for women.
We have been preparing for the 14th InWomen's conference that is happening in two weeks in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Registration closes on June 3rd. We also hosted an informative and well-attended event with RTI researchers on maternal mental and physical health, which you can read more about below. 

In health,
Wendee
she/her/hers

 

 

 RTI Gender-related May Publications

 

  • Atujuna, M., Montgomery, E. T., Hartmann, M., Ndwayana, S., Browne, E. N., Sindelo, S., Bekker, L. G., & Minnis, A. M. (2022). The Role of Families in Adolescent and Young Adults' PrEP Use. AIDS and behavior, 26(5), 1618–1632. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03514-3
  • Bailey D. B., Jr (2022). A Window of Opportunity for Newborn Screening. Molecular diagnosis & therapy, 26(3), 253–261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40291-022-00590-6
  • Bardo, M. T., Chandler, C. M., Denehy, E. D., Carper, B. A., Prendergast, M. A., & Nolen, T. L. (2022). Effect of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist PT150 on acquisition and escalation of fentanyl self-administration following early-life stress. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 10.1037/pha0000577. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000577
  • Benider, A., Bendahhou, K., Sauvaget, C., Mrabti, H., Selmouni, F., Muwonge, R., Alaoui, L., Lucas, E., Chami, Y., Abousselham, L., Bennani, M., Errihani, H., Sankaranarayanan, R., Bekkali, R., & Basu, P. (2022). Evolution of patterns of care for women with cervical cancer in Morocco over a decade. BMC cancer, 22(1), 479. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09358-x
  • Brunie, A., Lydon, M., Stankevitz, K., Chintu, N., Brennan, C., Danna, K., & Rademacher, K. H. (2022). What are the prospects for the hormonal IUD in the public sector? A mixed-method study of the user population in Zambia. BMC women's health, 22(1), 178. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01745-7
  • Buckley, J. P., Kuiper, J. R., Bennett, D. H., Barrett, E. S., Bastain, T., Breton, C. V., Chinthakindi, S., Dunlop, A. L., Farzan, S. F., Herbstman, J. B., Karagas, M. R., Marsit, C. J., Meeker, J. D., Morello-Frosch, R., O'Connor, T. G., Romano, M. E., Schantz, S., Schmidt, R. J., Watkins, D. J., Zhu, H., … Woodruff, T. J. (2022). Exposure to Contemporary and Emerging Chemicals in Commerce among Pregnant Women in the United States: The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Program. Environmental science & technology, 56(10), 6560–6573. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c08942
  • Chartier, K. G., Bares, C. B., Prom-Wormley, E. C., Blondino, C., Miles, K., Lee, A. G., & Karriker-Jaffe, K. J. (2022). Effects of family history of alcohol problems on alcohol consumption: Stronger for medically underserved men. Preventive medicine, 107093. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107093
  • Chock, V. Y., Smith, E., Tan, S., Ball, M. B., Das, A., Hintz, S. R., Kirpalani, H., Bell, E. F., Chalak, L. F., Carlo, W. A., Cotten, C. M., Widness, J. A., Kennedy, K. A., Ohls, R. K., Seabrook, R. B., Patel, R. M., Laptook, A. R., Mancini, T., Sokol, G. M., Walsh, M. C., … Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (2022). Early brain and abdominal oxygenation in extremely low birth weight infants. Pediatric research, 10.1038/s41390-022-02082-z. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02082-z
  • Edmonds, A., Belenky, N., Adedimeji, A. A., Cohen, M. H., Wingood, G., Fischl, M. A., Golub, E. T., Johnson, M. O., Merenstein, D., Milam, J., Konkle-Parker, D., Wilson, T. E., & Adimora, A. A. (2022). Impacts of Medicaid Expansion on Health Insurance and Coverage Transitions among Women with or at Risk for HIV in the United States. Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, S1049-3867(22)00027-5. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2022.03.003
  • Etima, J., Katz, A., Duby, Z., Garcia, M., Palanee-Phillips, T., Reddy, K., Mathebula, F., Zimba, C., Mansoor, L. E., Singh, D., Manengamambo, E., Naidoo, S., Soto-Torres, L., Montgomery, E. T., & MTN-020/ASPIRE, MTN 025/HOPE, MTN-032 Study teams (2022). Does the Ring Work? Perceptions and Understanding of the Efficacy of a Dapivirine Vaginal Ring for HIV Prevention Amongst Women in a Placebo-Controlled Trial. AIDS and behavior, 26(5), 1597–1606. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03512-5
  • Facco, F. L., Redline, S., Hunter, S. M., Zee, P. C., Grobman, W. A., Silver, R. M., Louis, J. M., Pien, G. W., Mercer, B., Chung, J. H., Bairey Merz, C. N., Haas, D. M., Nhan-Chang, C. L., Simhan, H. N., Schubert, F. P., Parry, S., Reddy, U., Saade, G. R., Hoffman, M. K., Levine, L. D., … Parker, C. B. (2022). Sleep-disordered Breathing in Pregnancy and after Delivery: Associations with Cardiometabolic Health. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 205(10), 1202–1213. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202104-0971OC
  • Flax, V. L., Ipadeola, A., Schnefke, C. H., Ralph-Opara, U., Adeola, O., Edwards, S., Bose, S., & Brower, A. O. (2022). Breastfeeding Interpersonal Communication, Mobile Phone Support, and Mass Media Messaging Increase Exclusive Breastfeeding at 6 and 24 Weeks Among Clients of Private Health Facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. The Journal of nutrition, 152(5), 1316–1326. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxab450
  • Goldenberg, R. L., Dhaded, S., Saleem, S., Goudar, S. S., Tikmani, S. S., Trotta, M., Jackson, K. H., Guruprasad, G., Kulkarni, V., Kumar, S., Uddin, Z., Reza, S., Raza, J., Yasmin, H., Yogeshkumar, S., Somannavar, M. S., Aceituno, A., Parlberg, L., Silver, R. M., McClure, E. M., … PURPOSe Study Group (2022). Birth asphyxia is under-rated as a cause of preterm neonatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries: A prospective, observational study from PURPOSe. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 10.1111/1471-0528.17220. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17220
  • Hayashi, Y., Fisher, N. M., Hantula, D. A., Furman, L., & Washio, Y. (2022). A behavioral economic demand analysis of mothers' decision to exclusively breastfeed in the workplace. Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 10.1002/jeab.772. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.772 
  • Karriker-Jaffe, K. J., Li, L., Cherpitel, C. J., Bensley, K., & Zemore, S. E. (2022). Neighborhood Contexts and Alcohol Use Disorder Among Mexican Americans Living in the US-Mexico Border Region. Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire), agac020. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agac020
  • Katz, A., Balán, I. C., Reddy, K., Etima, J., Weber, K., Tauya, T., Atujuna, M., Scheckter, R., Ngure, K., Soto-Torres, L., Mgodi, N., Palanee-Phillips, T., Baeten, J. M., & van der Straten, A. (2022). Women's experience receiving drug feedback and adherence counseling in MTN-025/HOPE - an HIV Prevention open-label trial of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring. AIDS and behavior, 10.1007/s10461-022-03663-z. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-022-03663-z
  • Kroner, B. L., Hankins, J. S., Pugh, N., Kutlar, A., King, A. A., Shah, N. R., Kanter, J., Glassberg, J., Treadwell, M., Gordeuk, V. R., & Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium (2022). Pregnancy outcomes with hydroxyurea use in women with sickle cell disease. American journal of hematology, 97(5), 603–612. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajh.26495
  • McKay, T., Tueller, S., Landwehr, J., & Johnson, M. P. (2022). Types of Partner Violence in Couples Affected by Incarceration: Applying Johnson's Typology to Understand the Couple-level Context for Violence. Journal of interpersonal violence, 37(9-10), NP8056–NP8087. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260520971266
  • Naqvi, S., Saleem, S., Naqvi, F., Billah, S. M., Nielsen, E., Fogleman, E., Peres-da-Silva, N., Figueroa, L., Mazariegos, M., Garces, A. L., Patel, A., Das, P., Kavi, A., Goudar, S. S., Esamai, F., Chomba, E., Lokangaka, A., Tshefu, A., Haque, R., Siraj, S., … Goldenberg, R. L. (2022). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pregnant women regarding COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy in 7 low and middle-income countries: An observational trial from the Global Network. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 10.1111/1471-0528.17226. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17226
  • Ngongo, C. J., Raassen, T., Mahendeka, M., Bisanzio, D., Lombard, L., & Bann, C. (2022). Factors associated with marital status of women with genital fistula after childbirth: a retrospective review in nine African countries. BMJ open, 12(5), e055961. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055961
  • Perez, E. A., Dang, C., Lee, C., Singh, J., Wang, K., Layton, J. B., Gilsenan, A., Hackshaw, M. D., & Cortes, J. (2022). Incidence of adverse events with therapies targeting HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: a literature review. Breast cancer research and treatment, 10.1007/s10549-021-06469-0. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-021-06469-0
  • Stoner, M., Bhushan, N. L., Maragh-Bass, A. C., Mitchell, J. T., Riggins, L., Walker, M., LeMasters, K., Reese, B., Dearing, A., Debnam, S., Golin, C., Lightfoot, A. F., & Pettifor, A. (2022). Using Participatory Methods to Assess PrEP Interest and Uptake Among Young People Living in the Southeastern US: A Mixed Methods Assessment. AIDS and behavior, 26(5), 1672–1683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03519-y
  • Travers, C. P., Hansen, N. I., Das, A., Rysavy, M. A., Bell, E. F., Ambalavanan, N., Peralta-Carcelen, M., Tita, A. T., Van Meurs, K. P., Carlo, W. A., & Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (2022). Potential missed opportunities for antenatal corticosteroid exposure and outcomes among periviable births: observational cohort study. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 10.1111/1471-0528.17230. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17230
  • Wagner, L. D., Minnis, A. M., Shea, J., Agot, K., Ahmed, K., & van der Straten, A. (2022). Female and male partner perspectives on placebo Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs) used by women in the TRIO study in South Africa and Kenya. PloS one, 17(5), e0265303. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265303
  • Washio, Y., Hayashi, Y., Atreyapurapu, S., Chang, K., Ma, T., Howard, B. N., van der Drift, I., Browne, F. A., & Wechsberg, W. M. (2022). A Scoping Review of Computer-Based and Telecommunication Technology Interventions to Address Drug and Alcohol Misuse and Smoking in Women. Substance use & misuse, 1–16. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2022.2076878
  • Watkins, R. L., Browne, F. A., Kizakevich, P. N., Howard, B. N., Turner, L. B., Eckhoff, R., & Wechsberg, W. M. (2022). An Evidence-Based HIV Risk-Reduction Intervention for Young African American Women in the US South Using mHealth: Adaptation and Development Study. JMIR formative research, 6(5), e34041. https://doi.org/10.2196/34041
  • Wesselink, A. K., Wise, L. A., Hatch, E. E., Mikkelsen, E. M., Savitz, D. A., Kirwa, K., & Rothman, K. J. (2022). A Prospective Cohort Study of Seasonal Variation in Spontaneous Abortion. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 33(3), 441–448. https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0000000000001474
  • Yland, J. J., Crowe, H. M., Hatch, E. E., Willis, S. K., Wang, T. R., Mikkelsen, E. M., Savitz, D. A., Walkey, A. J., Rothman, K. J., & Wise, L. A. (2022). A prospective study of preconception asthma and spontaneous abortion. Annals of epidemiology, 69, 27–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2022.02.006
  • Young, A., Ryan, J., Reddy, K., Palanee-Phillips, T., Chitukuta, M., Mwenda, W., Kemigisha, D., Musara, P., van der Straten, A., & MTN-041/MAMMA Study Team (2022). Religious leaders' role in pregnant and breastfeeding women's decision making and willingness to use biomedical HIV prevention strategies: a multi-country analysis. Culture, health & sexuality, 24(5), 612–626. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2021.1874054

 

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

 

 

 May Publication Feature

 

Genital fistula pose many problems to women, including increased levels of incontinence and other health problems. RTI International researchers examined the impact that developing fistula had on marital status in nine African countries. The researchers found that most husbands do not leave their wives following the development of genital fistula after childbirth, but that  treatment and counselling should be case-specific. 

Ngongo, C. J., Raassen, T., Mahendeka, M., Bisanzio, D., Lombard, L., & Bann, C. (2022). Factors associated with marital status of women with genital fistula after childbirth: a retrospective review in nine African countries. BMJ open, 12(5), e055961. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055961

 

 

 RTI Gender-related May Project Wins

 

Congratulations to:

 

  • Frank Mierzwa and team on their win, Early Breast Cancer Patient Journey (RTI-HS 0306405), from RTI Health Solutions
  • Amanda Honeycutt and team on their win, Costs of PrEP in the United States, from the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute
  • Becky McNeil and team on their win, NuMoM2b HH2 Ancillary Studies: Adverse pregnancy outcomes, cardiovascular health, and subclinical disease, from Northwestern University

 

 

 May Project Win Feature

 

This project will look into the full cost of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the United States to both insured and uninsured individuals. 
Congratulations to Amanda Honeycutt and team on their win, Costs of PrEP in the United States, from the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute!

 

 

  May Event

 

On May 25, the RTI Global Gender Center hosted a panel of RTI International researchers to discuss their work addressing multiple aspects of maternal mental and physical health. Panelists included Dr. Maureen Black, Alinda Young, and Katie Grimes, and the panel was moderated by affiliate Dr. Yukiko Washio. Topics covered included maternal depressive symptoms and how they affected mothers' involvement in a house-safety intervention, the impact of religious leaders on maternal health and well-being among breastfeeding women in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the adaptation of the MANDATE tool into a user-friendly program for family planning services in the Philippines. We were joined by over 30 attendees for this informative event!

If you are interested in viewing the recording of this event, please reach out to ivanderdrift@rti.org

 

 

 Upcoming Events

 

June is Pride month! While we are not having an external event this month, we will be sharing information about RTI's important work with LGBTQIA+ populations -- be on the lookout!

 

 

14th InWomen's Group Conference: Facing Our Challenges and Keeping Our Commitment in the Field of Gender and Substance Use | June 10, 2022

The 2022 InWomen's Conference will be in-person this year in Minneapolis, Minnesota! The conference will also have a hybrid option for those who are unable to attend in person.

Key Date: 
Registration Deadline: June 3, 2022 at 11:59 PM EDT

 

Register Here

 

 Gender Science News 

 

Girls' chance of success at school in Sub-Saharan Africa shaped by language they are taught in
Large study in Botswana finds daily micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy reduces complications at birth
Frozen eggs more efficient option than IVF for women starting families later
Hormonal changes during menopause are directly related to decline in cardiovascular health
Inappropriate antibiotics for nonhospitalized kids cost US at least $74 million
 

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