The Washington Post on Monday examined a project in India in which health workers "re-spin" safer-sex messages to emphasize the pleasure-related benefits of such practices. The initiative was launched by Anne Philpott, founder of the Pleasure Project. According to the Post, Philpott began the program after promoting female condoms in India, Sri Lanka, Senegal and Zimbabwe as an "erotic accessory." In addition, over the last four years she has "pushed the pleasure principle at AIDS conferences in Bangkok, Sri Lanka and Mexico," the Post reports. "The whole debate about safe sex has been conducted around fear, danger, disease and death," Philpott said, adding, "It is negative. We forgot the pursuit of pleasure. We have to put the sexy back into safer sex." According to Philpott, safer-sex messages often are treated in a "clinical manner or like a teacher wagging their finger." She added that it is "more effective" when health workers find "creative ways to incorporate pleasure and desire into the sexual-health dialogue."
Health workers are using the approach to promote the female condom in India, and the government plans to increase female condom distribution among 200,000 sex workers, two years after the product was introduced limitedly in the country, the Post reports. According to a study by the National AIDS Control Organization, sex workers said they were able to persuade clients to use protection by citing the potential for enhanced pleasure. In addition, the Post reports that the number of nongovernmental organizations using the "pleasure rationale to promote safe sex is slowly growing in India." Arushi Singh, a resource officer for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which trains health educators in South Asia, said, "Talking about disease and fear haven't worked very well. People believe they are in a safe relationship and that disease does not apply to them." She continued, "But pleasure applies to everybody."
As part of such efforts, a youth festival called Project 19 was held last month to raise awareness about sexual health and HIV in the country. According to the Post, the festival was "unique" because it invited "bashful attendees to talk about pleasure" -- a rare move in the country, where talking about sex "can be an uphill task in India's traditional and patriarchal society." Volunteers also led a game in which they asked visitors to describe their first impression of the female condom. "We tell the sex workers to have fun with the female condom," Kavita Potturi, national program manager with Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust, said, adding, "We tell them, 'You spend money on makeup, jewelry, jasmine flowers for your hair. This female condom is another ornament for you.'"
According to the Post, 15 years after launching a national HIV/AIDS campaign, the Indian government is "still confronting the basic challenge of getting people to even utter the word 'condom.'" One advertisement campaign, called "Say Condom Freely," is addressing the issue by urging people to talk about the condom without fear of stigma (Lakshmi, Washington Post, 3/2).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
четверг, 24 ноября 2011 г.
четверг, 17 ноября 2011 г.
MIDIRS Announces Over 15 Million Units Of Information Delivered To Maternity Health Care Professionals Worldwide In 2008, UK
UK maternity charity MIDIRS, renowned for its evidence-based information resources for health care professionals, announced that a total of 15,792,079 units of information had been delivered to customers during 2008.
Despite a downturn in the number of full-time practising midwives in the UK and the continuing economic crisis that has seen a decline in consumer confidence over the past 12 months, MIDIRS determination to meet its mission of assisting in the improvement of maternity care by producing and delivering a range of practical resources based on the best evidence-based information available, has paid off.
Andy Fisher, MIDIRS Business Manager said: 'There are huge demands on health care professionals at the moment, which has made MIDIRS doubly committed to supporting them in their practice and studies by providing improved information services which are both practical and affordable. Considering that 2008 was a challenging year in many respects, we are delighted that MIDIRS logistical performance during the last 12 months has remained positive'.
Source
MIDIRS
Despite a downturn in the number of full-time practising midwives in the UK and the continuing economic crisis that has seen a decline in consumer confidence over the past 12 months, MIDIRS determination to meet its mission of assisting in the improvement of maternity care by producing and delivering a range of practical resources based on the best evidence-based information available, has paid off.
Andy Fisher, MIDIRS Business Manager said: 'There are huge demands on health care professionals at the moment, which has made MIDIRS doubly committed to supporting them in their practice and studies by providing improved information services which are both practical and affordable. Considering that 2008 was a challenging year in many respects, we are delighted that MIDIRS logistical performance during the last 12 months has remained positive'.
Source
MIDIRS
четверг, 10 ноября 2011 г.
"Cosmetic Surgery And The Use Of Antidepressant Medication"
It has been proven that plastic surgery can improve self-esteem, but can it also act as a natural mood enhancer? A significant number of patients stopped taking antidepressant medication after undergoing plastic surgery, according to a study presented at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery 2006 conference in San Francisco.
"Plastic surgery patients are taking a proactive approach in making themselves happier by improving something that has truly bothered them," said Bruce Freedman, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and study author. "While we are not saying that cosmetic plastic surgery alone is responsible for the drop in patients needing antidepressants, it surely is an important factor."
In the study, 362 patients had cosmetic plastic surgery - 17 percent or 61 patients were taking antidepressants. Six months after surgery, however, that number decreased 31 percent, down to 42 patients. In addition, 98 percent of patients said cosmetic plastic surgery had markedly improved their self-esteem.
All of the patients, who were primarily middle-aged women, had an invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedure such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck or facelift. The authors did not identify any other major life changes that may have affected patients' use of antidepressants.
"We have just begun to uncover the various physical and psychological benefits of plastic surgery," said Dr. Freedman. "By helping our patients take control over something they were unhappy about, we helped remove a self-imposed barrier and ultimately improved their self-esteem."
For referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery visit plasticsurgery/ where you can also learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Note: The study "Cosmetic Surgery and the Use of Antidepressant Medication" is being presented in electronic format, Sunday, Oct. 8 - Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco.
Contact: LaSandra Cooper
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
"Plastic surgery patients are taking a proactive approach in making themselves happier by improving something that has truly bothered them," said Bruce Freedman, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and study author. "While we are not saying that cosmetic plastic surgery alone is responsible for the drop in patients needing antidepressants, it surely is an important factor."
In the study, 362 patients had cosmetic plastic surgery - 17 percent or 61 patients were taking antidepressants. Six months after surgery, however, that number decreased 31 percent, down to 42 patients. In addition, 98 percent of patients said cosmetic plastic surgery had markedly improved their self-esteem.
All of the patients, who were primarily middle-aged women, had an invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedure such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck or facelift. The authors did not identify any other major life changes that may have affected patients' use of antidepressants.
"We have just begun to uncover the various physical and psychological benefits of plastic surgery," said Dr. Freedman. "By helping our patients take control over something they were unhappy about, we helped remove a self-imposed barrier and ultimately improved their self-esteem."
For referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery visit plasticsurgery/ where you can also learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Note: The study "Cosmetic Surgery and the Use of Antidepressant Medication" is being presented in electronic format, Sunday, Oct. 8 - Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco.
Contact: LaSandra Cooper
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
четверг, 3 ноября 2011 г.
Mother Gives Birth To Twins With Different Fathers, US
11-month old Dallas-born twins Justin and Jordan have different fathers, a phenomenon known as heteropaternal superfecundation that is so rare there
are only a handful of documented cases in the world.
Their parents Mia Washington and her fianc?©e James Harrison went public with their news last week when they contacted FOX4 to tell their
story.
Admitting she was having an affair with another man at the time the twins were conceived, Washington said she was shocked that it had happened to
her:
"I have twins, but they're by different fathers," she told the TV news company.
Washington and Harrison noticed that the twins had different facial features and decided to have a paternity test. They went to Dallas DNA Lab Clear
Diagnostics who said they had never seen a result like this before and that there was a 99.999 per cent chance that Justin and Jordan were fathered by
different men.
The highly probable result is that Jordan is Harrison's biological son and Justin's biological father is the man Washington had an affair with.
Lab Clear Diagnostics' president Genny Thibodeaux described the news as "very crazy", and "most people don't believe it can happen".
Dr Chris Dreiling, from the Paediatric Association of Dallas, who has not met the family, told Fox News that a woman can release more than one egg
during ovulation, and if she has intercourse with more than one partner at around that time, then sperm from different partners can fertilize each egg:
"Because sperm cells take a while to travel and eggs take a while to travel there can be an overlap," said Dreiling, explaining that it was a very rare
event and likely to be "the only time that we will ever see this occur in the city of Dallas".
Harrison said he will bring up the two boys as his own. He said he has forgiven his fianc?©e and promised to stay with her.
He said they are taking it day by day, "it's going to take time to build that trust like we had", he added.
Washington said she felt wary at first, thinking he would try but then give up and leave. But she said that has not happened.
"James is a good man; he's a great father and genuinely loves both of the twins," said Washington, adding that as far as she was concerned he was the
father of both boys because "he's the one there every morning when they get up and every night when they go to sleep".
Washington said she regrets her mistake and wants other people to know that this can happen.
"Don't put yourself in my shoes, because it can hurt and it does hurt, but you still have to go on with life". She had this advice for other women:
"Be careful about starting an affair - look what happened to me. Think hard about the consequences first, because the most
bizarre things can happen when you least expect it!"
Washington said she will tell her sons about their different DNA when they are old enough to understand. She has no plans to tell the other father,
although she did say "if when he is older Justin wants to meet his real dad then that's his decision".
Although rare in humans, heteropaternal superfecundation is more common in other animals such as cats and dogs, a fact that is well known to
professional breeders. Some kennel clubs for instance allow the registration of litters to more than one male dog or "sire", a phenomenon called
"multi-siring", and you can purchase DNA test kits from them for that purpose.
Sources: myFox DALLAS/FORTWORTH, Daily Mail, American Kennel Club.
: Catharine Paddock, PhD
are only a handful of documented cases in the world.
Their parents Mia Washington and her fianc?©e James Harrison went public with their news last week when they contacted FOX4 to tell their
story.
Admitting she was having an affair with another man at the time the twins were conceived, Washington said she was shocked that it had happened to
her:
"I have twins, but they're by different fathers," she told the TV news company.
Washington and Harrison noticed that the twins had different facial features and decided to have a paternity test. They went to Dallas DNA Lab Clear
Diagnostics who said they had never seen a result like this before and that there was a 99.999 per cent chance that Justin and Jordan were fathered by
different men.
The highly probable result is that Jordan is Harrison's biological son and Justin's biological father is the man Washington had an affair with.
Lab Clear Diagnostics' president Genny Thibodeaux described the news as "very crazy", and "most people don't believe it can happen".
Dr Chris Dreiling, from the Paediatric Association of Dallas, who has not met the family, told Fox News that a woman can release more than one egg
during ovulation, and if she has intercourse with more than one partner at around that time, then sperm from different partners can fertilize each egg:
"Because sperm cells take a while to travel and eggs take a while to travel there can be an overlap," said Dreiling, explaining that it was a very rare
event and likely to be "the only time that we will ever see this occur in the city of Dallas".
Harrison said he will bring up the two boys as his own. He said he has forgiven his fianc?©e and promised to stay with her.
He said they are taking it day by day, "it's going to take time to build that trust like we had", he added.
Washington said she felt wary at first, thinking he would try but then give up and leave. But she said that has not happened.
"James is a good man; he's a great father and genuinely loves both of the twins," said Washington, adding that as far as she was concerned he was the
father of both boys because "he's the one there every morning when they get up and every night when they go to sleep".
Washington said she regrets her mistake and wants other people to know that this can happen.
"Don't put yourself in my shoes, because it can hurt and it does hurt, but you still have to go on with life". She had this advice for other women:
"Be careful about starting an affair - look what happened to me. Think hard about the consequences first, because the most
bizarre things can happen when you least expect it!"
Washington said she will tell her sons about their different DNA when they are old enough to understand. She has no plans to tell the other father,
although she did say "if when he is older Justin wants to meet his real dad then that's his decision".
Although rare in humans, heteropaternal superfecundation is more common in other animals such as cats and dogs, a fact that is well known to
professional breeders. Some kennel clubs for instance allow the registration of litters to more than one male dog or "sire", a phenomenon called
"multi-siring", and you can purchase DNA test kits from them for that purpose.
Sources: myFox DALLAS/FORTWORTH, Daily Mail, American Kennel Club.
: Catharine Paddock, PhD
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