Comparison of eating attitudes and behaviors among adolescent and young women with type 1 diabetes mellitus and phenylketonuria.

The purpose of this study was to assess the eating attitudes and behaviors associated with two chronic diseases that have strong dietary treatment components: type 1 diabetes mellitus and phenylketonuria (PKU). Participants consisted of female campers and staff members who were attending one of two summer camps that specialize in the care of females with type 1 diabetes mellitus (N = 54) and PKU (N = 30). Eating attitudes and behaviors, psychological adjustment, and disease-specific knowledge were assessed using standardized and nonstandardized self-report questionnaires. There was no overall difference in the presence of disordered eating symptomatology between those with diabetes and those with PKU. However, differences in patterns of eating attitudes and behaviors were observed. The data suggest that living with chronic diseases which are treated with dietary management may adversely affect eating attitudes and behaviors and may increase susceptibility to the development of eating disturbances.

Personality characteristics and coping styles of women working in and in training for nontraditional blue collar jobs.

43 women employed in nontraditional blue collar jobs were compared with 27 women in training for such jobs on a number of variables linked to job success and satisfaction. The purpose of the study was to determine whether women enter blue collar trades with characteristics that predispose them to successful work-role transitions or whether they adopt different coping styles and behavioral characteristics over time in order to fit into their work environments. Questionnaire packets that contained the Self-efficacy Scale, the Personal Assertion Analysis, the Ways of Coping Scale-Revised, and the Bem Sex Role Inventory were completed by 70 women. Participants in training were more androgynous and higher than expected on both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Possible explanations and suggestions for research are discussed.

Singing "the baby blues": a content analysis of popular press articles about postpartum affective disturbances.

A content analysis was conducted to evaluate the description of postpartum mood disturbances in magazine articles that appeared during the years 1980-1998. Nineteen articles about postpartum depression and eight articles about "the baby blues" were identified and analyzed for their discussion of etiologies, symptoms, treatments, resources, and demographic assumptions about their readers. The results indicate a strong bias in favor of the medical model of postpartum affective disorders. The articles contained contradictory information about the definition, prevalence, onset, duration, symptoms, and treatment of postpartum disorders, and the authors generally assumed that their readers were heterosexual, married, and middle class. Although the purpose of the articles was to educate readers about an important topic in women's health, they failed to provide accurate information, and thus are not a sufficient resource for new mothers who are seeking to learn about psychosocial aspects of the postpartum period.

Psychometric evaluation of the Menstrual Joy Questionnaire.

Analysis of 10 terms in the Menstrual Joy Questionnaire of Delaney, Lupton, and Toth indicated that the 34 undergraduate students did not agree on the definitions of scale items. The authors discuss the use of this questionnaire as a stimulus in experimental research and as a measure of positive perimenstrual experience.

Does feminism serve a protective function against eating disorders?

ABSTRACT Two hundred seventeen women completed the Kinsey Sexual Orientation Scale, the Feminist Identity Scale, and three questionnaires that measured eating attitudes and behaviors. Lesbian participants were significantly more likely than heterosexual participants to work actively to improve the status of women, and they were less likely than heterosexuals to report attitudes and behaviors that are associated with eating disorders. Older women were more committed to feminist activism than younger women. Although feminist identity scores did not directly predict eating attitudes and behaviors, evidence suggests that feminism may serve a protective function against eating disorders in lesbians.

Menarche stories: reminiscences of college students from Lithuania, Malaysia, Sudan, and the United States.

Women college students in four countries were invited to write the story of their first menstruation in as much detail as memory allowed. Stories were received from 26 Lithuanians, 27 Americans, 20 Malaysians, and 23 Sudanese. The stories were read and their contents analyzed for the presence or absence of information on such topics as emotional reaction, preparedness, sources of information about menstruation, changes in body image, and celebrations of this rite of passage. Similarities and differences among the groups are discussed, and passages from particularly interesting stories are quoted.

PIP: A qualitative study investigated cross-cultural variation in psychological responses to menarche. College students from Lithuania (n = 26), the US (n = 27), Malaysia (n = 20), and Sudan (n = 23) were asked to write the story of their first menstruation in as much detail as memory allowed. 50% of Lithuanians, 78% of the Sudanese, 89% of Americans, and 90% of Malaysians reported they were prepared for menstruation. The most common emotions expressed by US women at menarche were embarrassment (44.4%), pride (25.9%), and anxiety (22.2%). Malaysians cited fear (35.0%), embarrassment (35.0%), and worry (30.0%). Lithuanian women described themselves as happy (38.5%), scared (26.9%), or expressed no emotions in their narratives (23.0%). The most common emotions cited by Sudanese were fear (34.8%), anxiety (26.1%), embarrassment (26.1%), and anger (21.7%). Sudanese women were most likely to describe the associated physical pain. Some type of private celebration at menarche was reported by 2 Lithuanians, 7 Sudanese, 9 Malaysians, and 10 Americans. Finally, there were cultural differences in the impact of menarche on their lives. Lithuanians reported feeling more valuable, beginning to think more about life, believing they had entered the world of women, and feeling more like a part of nature. Americans worried about whether they could still play sports, felt superior to premenarcheal friends, and became eager to learn about sex. Malaysians described feeling wise, respected, and mature. Finally, Sudanese reported feeling more beautiful and aware, more able to express themselves, and aware they could now have children.

Body stereotyping and stigmatization of obese persons by first graders.

14 female and 15 male racially diverse first graders were individually interviewed after being shown a set of same-gender body silhouettes. More children were significantly less likely to want to befriend an endomorphic type. Although more children labeled the ectomorph the "good child," the difference did not reach significance.

Compulsive eating, obsessive thoughts of food, and their relation to assertiveness and depression in women.

Fifty-three self-defined compulsive eaters recruited from weight loss programs and a college population and prescreened to eliminate probable anorexics and bulimics participated in this study. They completed the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, Compulsive Eating Scale, Eating Obsessive-Compulsive Questionnaire, Personal Assertion Analysis, and provided demographic information. Participants had high scores for compulsive eating and disinhibition and low scores for depression. The best predictors of compulsive eating were disinhibition and obsessive thoughts of food, which accounted for 61% of the variance. Twenty-one percent of the sample reported a history of sexual abuse. Thirty-one percent of the sample were classified as medically obese, yet 49% perceived themselves to be moderately to very overweight.

Nonpenetrating, arcuate-legged clip reconstruction of the rat uterine horn.

A new method for reconstructing rat uterine horn was developed in which nonpenetrating, arcuate-legged clips are applied in interrupted fashion to everted seromuscular edges, forming an elastomeric flanged joint. This anastomosis has unusual physical and morphologic properties, with improved tissue healing and luminal restitution. Clipping is easier than suturing, and resulted in equivalent fertility rate (50-60%) and litter size. It also is associated with less granuloma formation and hystiocytic infiltration than suture. The new technique has the potential of endoscopic translation for human tubal reconstruction.

Women and sexually transmitted diseases.

This paper presents a brief review of historical developments in women's health care. It describes the current campaign against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and assesses the campaign's success in light of its history and the reality of women's lives. The authors suggest that women are forced into a double-bind in which they are expected to take responsibility for the prevention of STDs although they may not have the ability to do so. Modifications are suggested which take into account gender-role socialization and social group norms.

PIP: Society has traditionally viewed women as weak and responsible for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It has also considered women's natural events of pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause as illnesses and proof of their inferior worth. Upper and middle class women were supposed to deny their sexuality to ensure their reproductive health, yet they were supposed to have children. Their husbands were warned not to go to prostitutes, carriers of STDs; yet the prostitutes were reproved, not the men. STDs, in essence, equalled sin. These notions continue today. Health providers still believe that women of lower socioeconomic classes have a higher rate of STDs than those of the middle and upper classes. They also blame prostitutes for transmitting STDs, but a study of syphilis patients shows prostitutes to be insignificant in the spread of STDs. Besides, prostitutes are more likely to use condoms than other women. In fact, the primary sex partner or drug use tend to transmit HIV to prostitutes rather than clients. Indeed, our entire society faces the problem of STDs. The current campaign to prevent STDs neglects gender role socialization and women's inability to safeguard their health in sexual relationships. Most women know about and how to prevent STDs and AIDS; yet, just 17% use condoms. Many women are ashamed of their sexuality, so they do not admit they are sexually active. They, as do many men, cannot believe their partner might have an STD and would transmit it to someone they love. Health educators must consider the unequal power distribution in intimate relationships when designing and implementing STD prevention campaigns; they cannot be too successful as long as women have inferior status on a personal, economical, and political level. In addition, the government needs to increase and adjust funding levels for women-centered STD research.

Activity level across the menstrual cycle.

7 women recorded number of miles walked per day and oral temperature daily upon rising for 6 weeks. Analysis of variance indicated no significant differences in activity level associated with cycle phases but individual differences in activity level among subjects were significant.

The media construct a menstrual monster: a content analysis of PMS articles in the popular press.

A content analysis was conducted to evaluate the description of premenstrual syndrome in magazine articles which appeared during the years 1980-1987. Seventy-eight articles were identified and evaluated for their discussion of symptoms and treatments, the language and terms used in the articles and their titles, and the types of issues covered by different kinds of magazines. The results indicate a strong bias in favor of reporting negative menstrual cycle changes. Articles are generally negative in tone and present a confusing array of symptoms and contradictory treatment recommendations. The media coverage of PMS supports the stereotype of the maladjusted woman. Implications of this negative coverage are discussed and recommendations to improve media reports of PMS are made.