Self-reported history of physical intimate partner violence and longitudinal cognitive performance in midlife women.

Background: Intimate partner violence affects about a third of women in their lifetimes and can result in short- and long-term health consequences, including less favorable performance on measures of cognitive function.

Objectives: We assess whether experiencing physical intimate partner violence in midlife was associated with steeper declines in subsequent tests of cognitive performance.

Design: This study used data from 1713 women in the longitudinal cohort Study of Women's Health Across the Nation to relate baseline information on physical intimate partner violence to declines in scores from the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the East Boston Memory Test and the Digit Span Backwards spanning follow-up visits 7 through 15.

Actigraphy-derived multidimensional sleep health among breast cancer survivors and controls: Pink SWAN.

Purpose: To compare breast cancer survivors (BCS) to women without breast cancer (controls) on sleep health risk factors and actigraphy-derived dimensions of sleep (duration, maintenance, timing, and regularity) and examine whether the effect of breast cancer on sleep differs by time since diagnosis.

Methods: Analyses included data from 68 BCS and 1042 controls who participated in actigraphy and Pink SWAN sub-studies within the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. BCS and control characteristics were compared using chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests.

A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Study of Gene-Sleep Duration Interactions for Blood Pressure in 811,405 Individuals from Diverse Populations.

Although both short and long sleep duration are associated with elevated hypertension risk, our understanding of their interplay with biological pathways governing blood pressure remains limited. To address this, we carried out genome-wide cross-population gene-by-short-sleep and long-sleep duration interaction analyses for three blood pressure traits (systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure) in 811,405 individuals from diverse population groups. We discover 22 novel gene-sleep duration interaction loci for blood pressure, mapped to 23 genes.

Does everyday discrimination account for the increased risk of vasomotor symptoms in Black women?: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).

Objectives: Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), including hot flashes and night sweats, are hallmark symptoms of the menopause transition. Previous research has documented greater frequency, duration, and severity of VMS in Black women compared with women from other racial/ethnic groups, even after accounting for other factors. This analysis examined the association between discrimination and VMS and the extent to which discrimination accounts for the disproportionate burden of VMS in Black women.

Race/Ethnicity and Incidence of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in Midlife Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects a considerable proportion of women. Limited information exists regarding the incidence of POP as women transition through menopause. Using data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), this diverse community-based longitudinal cohort study assessed the incidence of symptomatic POP and risk by race/ethnicity.

A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Study of Gene-Sleep Duration Interactions for Blood Pressure in 811,405 Individuals from Diverse Populations.

Although both short and long sleep duration are associated with elevated hypertension risk, our understanding of their interplay with biological pathways governing blood pressure remains limited. To address this, we carried out genome-wide cross-population gene-by-short-sleep and long-sleep duration interaction analyses for three blood pressure traits (systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure) in 811,405 individuals from diverse population groups. We discover 22 novel gene-sleep duration interaction loci for blood pressure, mapped to genes involved in neurological, thyroidal, bone metabolism, and hematopoietic pathways.

Students managing work and study role boundaries: a person-centred approach.

To cope with demands of working while studying, students must structure the boundaries between these roles (e.g., integrate or segment them) to suit their preferences and circumstances.

The underlying career values of young adults' protean and traditional career orientations.

Although young people espouse a range of career values, the extent to which traditional career values inter-mix with protean values is unclear. We interviewed a group of young university students in Australia ( = 24, 19.4 years; 50% young men) and examined the full range of traditional and protean values held.

Disparities in Vision Impairment and Eye Diseases among Early Late-Life Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, Michigan Site.

Objective: To quantify the burden of vision impairment (VI) and ocular conditions among early late-life women.

Methods: Women ( = 254, mean age 66.0 years) participated in a comprehensive vision assessment.

Longitudinal association of midlife vision impairment and depressive symptoms: the study of Women's Health Across the Nation, Michigan site.

Objective: Poor vision affects physical health but the relationship with depressive symptoms among midlife adults (40-65 y), who often present with early stage vision impairment (VI), is not well understood. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of vision on depressive symptoms during midlife.

Methods: The Michigan site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation conducted assessments of distance visual acuity at six consecutive, near-annual follow-up visits.

Decision-making following identification of an infant's unilateral hearing loss: Parent and professional perspectives.

Background: Parents of infants identified with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) make decisions about managing their infant's hearing loss based on limited evidence and before knowing whether their infant will require additional support.

Objectives: The decision-making processes of parents and clinicians regarding the management of UHL following newborn hearing screening were examined.

Procedure: Two convenience samples were recruited: 15 parents of children with permanent UHL aged under 4 years, and 14 clinicians.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Hormone Levels During the Menopausal Transition.

Context: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread chemicals that may affect sex hormones and accelerate reproductive aging in midlife women.

Objective: To examine associations between serum PFAS concentrations at baseline (1999-2000) and longitudinal serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, testosterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) at baseline and through 2015-2016.

Design: Prospective cohort.

Midlife Vision Impairment and Cognitive Function in Later Life: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, Michigan Cohort.

Background: In older adults, vision impairment (VI) is associated with worse cognitive function. However, the relationship between midlife vision and future cognitive function remains unknown.

Methods: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, Michigan site, is a longitudinal cohort of midlife women aged 42-52 years at baseline.

Impact of the Healing in Harmony program on women's mental health in a rural area in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: To assess whether Healing in Harmony (HiH), a form of music therapy, improved women's mental health following conflict-related trauma and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Methods: This study used a step-wedged design and included 167 women, who completed up to two pre-tests, a post-test, and up to two follow-up interviews at 3 and 6 months after completing the program. The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist was used to measure anxiety and depression.

Paper towel test as independently self-administered to quantify cough-related urine loss: Compliance and comparisons with survey-only data in SWAN.

Aims: The epidemiologic Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) includes urinary incontinence (UI) questionnaire items. We introduced an independently self-administered paper towel test (PTT-ISA; invention disclosure #2021-347) to objectively demonstrate UI. Aims were to determine: (1) PTT-ISA compliance and (2) relationship to questionnaire results.

Genetic variants predictive of reproductive aging are associated with vasomotor symptoms in a multiracial/ethnic cohort.

Objective: Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), hot flashes, and night sweats are cardinal symptoms of the menopausal transition. Little is known about genetic influences on VMS. This study evaluated whether previously identified genetic factors predictive of VMS, age at menarche, and age at menopause were associated with VMS in a multiracial/ethnic cohort.

Associations between polygenic risk score for age at menarche and menopause, reproductive timing, and serum hormone levels in multiple race/ethnic groups.

Objective: We assessed associations of genetic loci that contribute to age at menarche and menopause with sentinel menopausal traits in multiple race/ethnic groups.

Methods: Genetic data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation include 738 White, 366 Black, 139 Chinese, and 145 Japanese women aged 42 to 52 at baseline. We constructed standardized polygenic risk scores (PRSs) using single nucleotide polymorphisms identified from large-scale genome-wide association studies meta-analyses of ages at menopause and menarche, evaluating associations with each trait within each race/ethnic group.

Symptom clusters predict risk of metabolic-syndrome and diabetes in midlife: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Purpose: Women's cardio-metabolic risk increases in midlife. Previous work relating menopause symptoms to diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) does not consider the adverse impact of multiple concurrent physical and psychological symptoms in midlife.

Methods: Data are from 3097 participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a cohort of midlife women followed for over 20 years.

Associations between sleep and cognitive performance in a racially/ethnically diverse cohort: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Study Objectives: To determine whether actigraphy-assessed indices of sleep are associated with cognitive performance in women, and explore whether these associations vary by race/ethnicity.

Methods: Participants were 1,126 postmenopausal community-dwelling females (mean age 65 years) from the observational Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN); 25% were black, 46% white, 13% Chinese, 11% Japanese, and 5% Hispanic. Actigraphy-assessed sleep measures included total sleep time, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and fragmentation.

Changes in kidney function during the menopausal transition: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) - Michigan site.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine changes in kidney function during the menopausal transition (MT) and associations with levels of sex hormones (follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], sex hormone binding globulin [SHBG], estradiol, and testosterone).

Methods: We used data from the Michigan site of Study of the Women's Health Across the Nation, a longitudinal study of the MT. For this analysis, we included women who had at least one creatinine measure before the final menstrual period (FMP) and at least one creatinine measure after the FMP (n = 101 women with 440 observations).

Equivalence of using a desktop virtual reality science simulation at home and in class.

The use of virtual laboratories is growing as companies and educational institutions try to expand their reach, cut costs, increase student understanding, and provide more accessible hands on training for future scientists. Many new higher education initiatives outsource lab activities so students now perform them online in a virtual environment rather than in a classroom setting, thereby saving time and money while increasing accessibility. In this paper we explored whether the learning and motivational outcomes of interacting with a desktop virtual reality (VR) science lab simulation on the internet at home are equivalent to interacting with the same simulation in class with teacher supervision.