Mental Health and Substance Use Among Black Women Attending STD Clinics in Baltimore: The Role of Overt and Subtle Discrimination.

Black women are disproportionately impacted by mental health conditions, like depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use harms. Experiences of discrimination may cause and exacerbate these conditions, but little is known about how distinct types of discrimination (overt vs. subtle) may be related to these outcomes.

Barriers to Seeking Healthcare Services After Sexual Assault: A Scoping Review.

Background: Sexual violence by an intimate partner or by a stranger remains highly prevalent in the United States. Yet, the use of post-sexual-assault health care is still underutilized. Persons in vulnerable populations such as immigrants, LGBTQIA+, and Black women may experience additional barriers to care.

Cumulative Lifetime Violence and Bacterial Vaginosis Infection in Sexually Transmitted Infections: Findings From a Retrospective Cohort Study Among Black Women at Risk for HIV.

Introduction: Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal condition among women of reproductive age and has been associated with sexually transmitted infections. This study examines the association between cumulative lifetime violence exposure, bacterial vaginosis, and sexually transmitted infections among Black women at risk for HIV.

Methods: HIV-negative Black women in a retrospective cohort study (N=230) completed survey questions on cumulative violence (exposure to sexual or physical abuse before age 18 years and exposure to intimate partner violence or sexual violence [partner or other] after age 18 years and past year), bacterial vaginosis (lifetime and past year), and sexually transmitted infection diagnosis (lifetime and past year).

An examination of the association between forced sex history and reproductive coercion experiences among Black women attending STD clinics in Baltimore, MD, USA.

Background: Reproductive coercion victimization (RCV) is a significant public health issue that negatively affects women's sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Less is known about reproductive coercion perpetration (RCP). Few studies have examined these phenomena among representative samples of Black women.

Discrimination, resilience, and HIV testing frequency among black women seeking services from STD clinics.

Rationale: In the United States, Black women are disproportionately affected by HIV, accounting for most new HIV infections diagnosed among women. Socio-structural barriers to HIV testing include stigma and discrimination but may be mitigated by resilience.

Objective: We aimed to examine the effect of discrimination and resilience on HIV testing behaviors among Black women.

Characterising a syndemic among black women at risk for HIV: the role of sociostructural inequity and adverse childhood experiences.

Black women disproportionately experience STIs (including HIV/AIDS), gender-based violence, substance misuse and mental health conditions. Addressing a gap in syndemic research, we characterised comorbidity overlap within the context of sociostructural inequities and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among black women in Baltimore, Maryland. Between 2015 and 2018, black women (n=305) were recruited from STI clinics in Baltimore, Maryland.

An assessment of the Libyan baccalaureate nursing education during political turmoil.

Since the Libyan Revolution in 2011, the country's nursing workforce has been struggling. Libyan nursing schools have focused on rebuilding the country's supply of nurses after many emigrated. Wanting to infuse the workforce with more baccalaureate-prepared nurses, Libyan nursing faculty invited nursing and public health representatives from a US-based academic medical institution and a non-governmental medical organization to collaborate with local stakeholders in a country-wide assessment.

Intimate partner violence, depression, PTSD, and use of mental health resources among ethnically diverse black women.

This study examined exposure to violence and risk for lethality in intimate partner relationships as factors related to co-occurring MH problems and use of mental health (MH) resources among women of African descent. Black women with intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences (n = 431) were recruited from primary care, prenatal or family planning clinics in the United States and the U.S.

Intimate partner violence, substance use, and adverse neonatal outcomes among urban women.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of intimate partner violence, substance use, and their co-occurrence during pregnancy and to examine their associations with adverse neonatal outcomes.

Study Design: Between February 2009-February 2010, pregnant women receiving obstetrical care at 3 urban clinics were screened for intimate partner violence and substance use between 24-28 weeks gestation. A chart review was conducted upon delivery to assess for adverse neonatal outcomes of low birth weight, preterm birth, and small for gestational age (SGA).

The context of condom use among young adults in the Philippines: implications for HIV prevention.

We examine current perceptions and constraints surrounding condom use among young adults in the Philippines to garner a deeper contextual understanding of this aspect of HIV prevention within Filipino society. Through thematic analysis of focus group data, we found three broad themes, all of which include societal and individual barriers to using condoms. The findings may provide insight for similar settings in which religion has a strong influence on society.

Factors influencing resource use by African American and African Caribbean women disclosing intimate partner violence.

Many victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) do not access services. Education and severity of physical violence have previously been shown to predict resource utilization, but whether these hold true specifically among women of African descent is unknown. This article furthers our understanding of the relationship between IPV and resource use, considering sociodemographics and aspects of IPV by presenting results from a study conducted with African American and African Caribbean women in Baltimore, Maryland, and the U.

Forced sexual initiation, sexual intimate partner violence and HIV risk in women: a global review of the literature.

Coerced or forced sexual initiation and sexual intimate partner violence (sexual IPV) contribute significantly to a woman's risk for HIV infection. This review systematically examines global research (n = 21 studies) published since 2000 on the role of coerced/forced sexual initiation and sexual IPV on HIV risk in women. In predominantly low- and middle-income countries, coerced/forced sexual initiation was associated with HIV/STIs, multiple and high-risk sex partners, and no condom use.

Forced sex and HIV risk in violent relationships.

Problem: The intersecting epidemics of gender-based violence, specifically forced sex, and HIV continue to affect women worldwide. Both in the United States and worldwide, women of African descent are disproportionately affected.

Method Of Study: The current literature was reviewed for inclusion based on its relevance to the intersection of forced sex and HIV risk behaviors.

Intimate partner violence and HIV risk factors among African-American and African-Caribbean women in clinic-based settings.

Despite progress against intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV/AIDS in the past two decades, both epidemics remain major public health problems, particularly among women of color. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between recent IPV and HIV risk factors (sexual and drug risk behaviors, sexually transmitted infections [STIs], condom use, and negotiation) among women of African descent. We conducted a comparative case-control study in women's health clinics in Baltimore, MD, USA and St.

Disordered eating among African American and African Caribbean women: the influence of intimate partner violence, depression, and PTSD.

We assessed the influence of intimate partner violence (IPV), depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on disordered eating patterns (DE) among women of African descent through a comparative case-control study (N = 790) in Baltimore, MD, and St. Thomas and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, from 2009-2011.

HIV risk, partner violence, and relationship power among Filipino young women: testing a structural model.

A person's ability to minimize HIV risk is embedded in a complex, multidimensional context. In this study, we tested a model of how relationship power impacts IPV victimization, which in turn impacts HIV risk behaviors. We analyzed data from 474 young adult women (aged 15-31) in Cebu Province, Philippines, using structural equation modeling, and demonstrated good fit for the models.

Genital herpes testing among persons living with HIV.

This cross-sectional survey explored the frequency of genital herpes testing among 110 people living with HIV (PLWH) and reported barriers and facilitators related to testing. Forty-four percent of the respondents had not been tested for genital herpes since receiving an HIV diagnosis, 34% had been tested, and 22% preferred not to say. Respondents' most frequently cited factors affecting a decision to not be tested were: (a) testing not being recommended by a provider, (b) not having herpes symptoms, and (c) not thinking they had herpes.

Perceptions of and Experience With System Responses to Female Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence.

Female same-sex intimate partner violence (FSSIPV) is a significant problem that affects the physical and mental health and the safety of sexual minority women. A mixed-methods study was conducted to (a) identify risk and protective factors for victimization and perpetration of repeat violence in abusive same-sex relationships and (b) examine participant experiences with system responses (by domestic violence services, criminal justice systems, and health care services) to FSSIPV. The purpose of the article is to report the findings from the qualitative component (e.