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Better with age? Sexual satisfaction in the golden years

A new study confirms that sexual enjoyment is possible at any age: Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System asked over 800 older women about sexual desire and satisfaction in their lives and found that although sexual activity declined with increased age, 61% of the women were satisfied with their overall sex life, regardless of partner status or sexual activity. Participants reported on a range of topics including current sexual activity, overall health, hormone use, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and possible pain/discomfort during sexual intercourse.
Despite age frequently being cited as a cause of disinterest in sex or a potential damper on sexual enjoyment, the number of sexually satisfied study participants actually increased as age increased. Nearly half of women in their 80s even reported sexual satisfaction the majority of the time. Interestingly, in addition to the oldest women reporting the most sexual satisfaction overall, their orgasm frequencies during recent sexual activity were comparable to those of the youngest study participants!
Some participants did not report frequent sexual activity, however, but still reported that they were satisfied with their sex lives. The lead author of the study, Susan Trompeter, MD, explained, ”In this study, sexual activity was not always necessary for sexual satisfaction. Those who were not sexually active may have achieved sexual satisfaction through touching, caressing, or other intimacies developed over the course of a long relationship.” Further, 40% of the women stated that they never or almost never felt sexual desire, and one third of the sexually active women reported low sexual desire. “In contrast with traditional linear model in which desire precedes sex,” stated lead researcher Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, MD, ”these results suggest that women engage in sexual activity for multiple reasons, which may include affirmation or sustenance of a relationship.”
The results of this research can compel other researchers to include exploration of female sexual activity as it relates to varying forms of intimacy and closeness, sexual enjoyment, preference, and experience. The emphasis on older adult women and their overall sexual satisfaction may be helpful for women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond who are interested in maintaining an active sex life post-menopause or reintegrating sexual activity after an unexpected life event such as a cancer diagnosis that can interrupt a previously enjoyable sex life.

New report includes LGBT health disparities

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals (LGBT) experience differences in receipt of health care services and are sometimes denied services according to a new report. Some of the key findings from the National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) related to health care for the LGBT population are:

Transgender people are more likely to be uninsured and less likely to have employer-based health insurance than the general population.

Half of transgender people postponed care when sick or injured and postponed preventive health care due to cost. Among uninsured transgender people, 88% postponed care due to cost.

About 30% of transgender people postponed care when sick or injured and postponed preventive health care due to discrimination and disrespect by providers. Female-to-male transgender people were most likely to postpone care due to discrimination.

One in five transgender people has been denied services by a doctor or other provider due to their gender. Racial and ethnic minority transgender people are more likely to be denied services.

Another report by the National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force can be accessed HERE.

View the Weight of the Nation on HBO

In May 2012, an HBO Documentary Films series on obesity, “The Weight of the Nation,” premieres. Make sure you view the trailer, it’s explosive! The four-part series—Consequences, Choices, Children in Crisis, and Challenges—highlights several NIH research advances and addresses the factors contributing to the country’s obesity problem. The films are the centerpiece to a public awareness campaign, which also includes a three-part HBO Family series for kids, 12 short films, a website and social media, and a nationwide community-based outreach effort using free film discussion guides and other tools. To visit the website and see the trailer click HERE.

The network, in consultation with NIH and other major health organizations, developed four documentaries focused on obesity. The project also includes a three-part HBO Family series for kids, 12 short features, a social media campaign, and a nationwide community-based campaign to mobilize action to move the country to a healthier weight.
“If we don’t take the obesity epidemic seriously as individuals and as a nation, we will pay a serious price,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., who appears in all of the main documentaries in the series. “It’s going to take diverse and rigorous research to understand the causes of obesity and to identify interventions that work in the real world. The results from federally funded research, as seen in these documentaries, can help to prevent and treat obesity and its complications.”
More than one-third of adults in the United States and nearly 17 percent of the nation’s children are obese, which increases their chances of developing many health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, fatty liver disease, and some cancers. In 2008, the nation’s obesity-related medical costs were an estimated $147 billion.

Beduin women subject to unacceptible violence

A recent visit to Israel included a drive into the desert of the Negev region.   I noticed small groups of tents and our guide said they were Bedouin —people who have no land and are not connected to water or electricity. They roam whenever they need new sources of food and water for their animals and have very limited participation in the growing country of Israel.
But the bigger shock was learning that despite Israeli progressive laws related to women, the impact of those laws are absent for Bedouin women. According to Women Lawyers for Social Justice, 85% of Bedu0in women report that they are subjected to severe physical/psychological violence. Of these, 90% were openly battered in public.   More than 70% of all Bedouin women in Israel are wed by coercion. The law notwithstanding, Bedouin society practices unbridled polygamy. In fact, the government’s only input appears in the form of generous child allotments paid to uncontrollable outsized family frameworks where men may boost 40 or more offspring! To make matters worse, abused women in Bedouin communities are the least likely to enlist outside help. Of them, 67% admitted that they do not discuss their problems with outsiders because they fear backlash to their families and potential loss of their children.
As stated in a timely editorial in the Jerusalem Post (6/6/2012) the “abandonment of these women to a cruel fate right under our noses is only one facet of the conspiracy of silence that envelopes the Bedouin enclaves. The result is large areas to which the state opts to turn a blind eye and where is doesn’t exercise its authority.”
What makes this even more complicated is the fact that the Bedouin community is tightly knit making it difficult for outside interventions that are meaningful and just—one of the many challenges Israel faces as it strives to settle its political and religious debates.   On the totally opposite spectrum, I was amazed to see how well the four neighborhoods (or quarters) of the old city of Jerusalem (Jewish, Christian, Armenian, and Muslim) seem to coexist with only few problems! It truly is a complicated country.

Center for Reproductive Research Takes Another USA Science and Engineering Festival by Storm!

In October 2010, CRR supported an exhibit at the inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival, held on the National Mall, in Washington, DC, in which we showcased the Women’s Health Science Program, drew attention to the under-representation of women in the science workforce, and presented knowledge about research focused on women’s reproductive health. The festival was a great success, so we didn’t hesitate when we were asked to participate in the 2nd annual USA Science & Engineering Festival, which took place in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC on April 28-29, 2012.
The title of our booth this year was “Just Bead It,” and focused on an activity that we do in the Women’s Health Science Program to teach our students about Oncofertility – making alginate beads!!
Our activity was a huge attraction for young and old alike…while the youngest could not fully grasp what they were doing, the adolescents and adults were fascinated to learn that this simple material (alginate) which stands in as a pimento in olives, is actually helping us make major advances in pre-serving female fertility.
The USA Science & Engineering Festival also pro-vided us the unique opportunity to speak with the many fellow educators who were representing their institutions.
The event was a huge success! This year’s festival contained double the number of exhibitors, and an estimated 150,000 people visited the Expo. We all enjoyed the lively atmosphere, imbued with science curiosity, discovery, camaraderie and enthusiasm!

For a pdf version of this article, click here.
Article written by Nadia Johnson and Cathryn Smeyers

Women In Science Symposium 2012: Big Ideas, Big Impact

Are you interested in spending time with some pioneering women in science and engineering? Consider attending The Women in Science Symposium 2012 which kicks off next week! Enjoy lectures and panel discussions with experts from a variety of disciplines who are making big things happen. Here is what you need to know:

On Friday, May 11, 2012:
Where? The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
112 S. Michigan Avenue – 1st Floor Ballroom (map), Chicago, IL
When? 5:30pm – 7:00pm Reception & Registration
At 7:00pm come hear Key Note speaker Alice Huang, Senior Faculty Associate in Biology at the California Institute of Technology, and Past President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
(RSVP is required)
and
On Saturday, May 12, 2012:
Where? Northwestern University –Lurie Medical Center
303 E Superior St., Chicago, IL
When? 8:30am – 9:30am Registration & Continental Breakfast
9:30am – 4:00pm Full-Day Symposium
(RSVP is required)
Fees:
You may attend one or both days.
Students: Friday $25 / Saturday $75 / Friday & Saturday $100
General Public: Friday $50 / Saturday $100 / Friday & Saturday $150
On Saturday during Session 1 (9:45am-11:00am) our very own Teresa K. Woodruff will be speaking. For a breakdown of the days and information on additional speakers, click here.
If you happen to be a Northwestern grad student, post doc, research professor, or employee interested in attending for free, be one of the first 10 women to contact Suzanne Auburn, Science Café Program Curator at Suzanne-Auburn@northwestern.edu. You will receive a registration code that will get you in at no cost.
Not one of the lucky 10? Above fees for students and members of the general public still apply. To register for one or both days, click here. It is sure to be an exciting and inspiring event, and we hope to see you there!

Gender differences go global in heart disease

Numerous healthcare professionals and researchers have written about discrepancies in quality of care for men and women in the United States, and recent research shows that such gender inequality is an international concern as well. Three large studies from China, India, and the Middle East presented at the World Congress of Cardiology reveal that women with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) receive inferior treatment compared to men. ACS refers to any condition characterized by a sudden reduction in blood flow to the heart which can result in chest pain, heart attack, and additional cardiovascular problems.
In India, the CREATE registry enrolled 20,468 patients from 89 different health centers in 50 Indian cities, and found that women participants were older than their male counterparts, had more risk factors such as hypertension and elevated heart rate, and arrived later to hospitals (by an average of 35 minutes longer than men). Further, they were significantly less likely to undergo treatments such as angiography (medical imaging procedure to see the insides of blood vessels and organs) or coronary interventions compared to men.
In China, the Bridging the Gap (BRIG) project that included 3,168 patients revealed that, compared to men, a sizable portion of women with ACS did not receive adequate treatment during hospitalization. Similar to the results from the CREATE registry, the Middle East study of 4,229 ACS patients revealed that women were admitted to hospitals later than men and had more comorbidities.
“These three studies paint a consistent picture around the world and all serve to demonstrate that women with ACS are unfortunately not receiving the same treatment as men,” said Prof. Sidney C Smith Jr, MD, President, World Heart Federation. “This is something that has to be addressed as a matter of urgency.” (Via Medical News Today)
Outward gender discrimination may be to blame, but differences in care might also be rooted in cultural assumptions, geographical access to healthcare, or costs. In reference to India, the presenter of the research, Dr. Prem Pais of St John’s Medical College and Research Institute in Bangalore, explained, “…a large number of people having a heart attack go to a secondary-care hospital, where they are looked after by a physician and not necessarily a cardiologist. And there still remains the impression that heart disease is a man’s disease. So the level of responsiveness remains a little low.” In India, the majority of patients have to pay for their own treatment, and cardiovascular care can be quite expensive. Many families consider their income and decide that it is not worth it, particularly if the family member with the diagnosis is a woman. Pais stated, ”Sometimes the woman herself says no, I don’t want to do it.”
Cardiovascular disease threatens millions of women each year with an annual mortality rate of 8.6 million. This number encompasses a significant global issue that is not limited to care in the United States or any specific region. Gender disparity in care must be addressed in both research and clinical practice, especially for populations like women who are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease. While more researchers and healthcare professionals commit to working toward gender equality, both women and men can take personal steps to protect their hearts such as exercising regularly, eating healthfully where possible, and quitting smoking.

Via Medical News Today

Risk of bone fracture may increase with early menopause

The risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia (lower than normal bone mineral density) increases as we age, with women being more likely to suffer from low bone mass than men, and menopausal women being a particularly vulnerable population due to drastic hormonal changes. Recently, Swedish researchers studied a group of European women and found that early menopause (defined as the onset of menopause before the age of 47) may be associated with an increased risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis.
Researchers controlled for factors such as calcium intake, age, smoking, and body mass index, and took bone mineral density (BMD) measures from the forearms of 390 women. At the beginning of the study, all women were 48 years old. Researchers divided women into an ‘early menopause’ (those with an onset before age 47) and a ‘late menopause’ (onset at age 47 or later) group, and followed up with a second BMD measure at age 77. Women who reached menopause before the age of 48 had nearly an 80% increased risk of osteoporosis, a 68% increased risk of bone fracture, and a 60% increased risk of death compared to women who started menopause after age 48.
Although the results are compelling, a causal relationship between early menopause and increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture cannot be confirmed. “The reason for the higher fracture risk among women with early menopause can only be speculated upon,” stated the authors. Subsequent research is needed to determine whether or not physiological changes associated with early menopause cause an increase in BMD, or if other factors are at play.
This study succeeds in the 97% participation rate, the use of participants of the same age and ethnicity, and length of the study, but is limited in that the overall findings cannot be fully explained by low BMD and that mortality risk was not considered in light of other factors such as nutritional intake, other diseases, and lifestyle factors.
Dr. Svejme, the lead author, suggested that menopausal women “should have bone density measurements taken int he first decade after menopause.” For women entering menopause prior to age 48, early screening may be even more beneficial in light of these study results. Other preventative measures to protect against bone loss include regular exercise (which may delay bone loss in premenopausal women), sufficient calcium and vitamin D intake (1000 milligrams of calcium and 600 international units of vitamin D per day are the general recommendations), and smoking cessation (smoking has been associated with an increased rate of bone loss).

Via Well Blog, NYTimes

Building a Bank of Life

In 1990, researchers in Britain started collecting tissues and detailed information from more than 14,500 pregnant women about their health, relationships, work and home.   Furthermore, after giving birth, the study leaders tracked the offspring development through surveys, clinical exams and biological samples. Data was collected on their eating habits, physiological development including puberty onset, and behaviors, to name a few. In the long term, the researchers are tracing how genetic and environmental factors in the children’s early years affect their later ones.
Now, this data is coming of age as the first children enrolled are turning 21 years old.    This month, the researchers behind this Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) are meeting in Bristol, England to discuss what they have learned from this study so far.   Study leaders acknowledge that most of the important findings are likely to emerge years from now even though over 700 scientific papers have already been published on data gleaned from this project.   New advances in technology especially in the field of genetics is expanding the possibilities of this rich data set in finding events that occur in pregnancy that shape gene expression early in life that could affect the individual many years after birth.
In Bristol, the team is only starting to learn the value of some of the data collected decades ago. As one researcher cited, the placentas that were collected years ago were a ‘bloody nuisance’ until a few years ago when scientists found that the size and shape of the placenta may be associated with risk of adult coronary disease.   This data will continue to build as the subjects grow older and is an excellent example how tedious yet important scientific endeavor is.
Source: Nature, April 12, 2012.

Test your knowledge on the uninsured issue

With record numbers of Americans lacking health coverage, the substantial growth of the uninsured population in recent decades has been a vexing problem in the United States and served as a primary impetus for the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, there is a lot posturing on both sides of the issue and it’s important for the public to have the real facts.
In order to foster greater understanding of the nature of the problem, the Kaiser Family Foundation has created an Uninsured Quiz to help people gauge how much they know about the uninsured population and the consequences of not having health coverage. I just took it and scored 8 out of 10, not bad, but I could use a refresher, especially on the extent of the problem.
Take the quiz to test your knowledge about a range of subjects, from how many Americans are uninsured, to what happens to people who lose their employer-based health coverage when they lose their job, to what the health reform law will do to make coverage available to more people. The answers page provides links to Foundation resources for additional information on each topic covered in the 10 questions.