Recommendations of the IOM clinical preventive services for women committee: implications for obstetricians and gynecologists

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy: To screen or not to screen?

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy emerges as a compelling and urgent concern within the domain of public health, casting a long shadow over a substantial cohort of women. Its pernicious consequences extend beyond the individual, enveloping the well-being of both the mother and the fetus, giving rise to an elevated risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, fetal harm, and maternal psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and, tragically, maternal mortality. Despite the prevalence of IPV being comparable to other conditions like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, a universal screening protocol for IPV remains absent globally. We reviewed the clinical guidelines and practices concerning IPV screening, painstakingly scrutinizing their contextual nuances across diverse nations. Our study unveils multifaceted challenges of implementing universal screening. These hurdles encompass impediments to victim awareness and disclosure, limitations in healthcare providers' knowledge and training, and the formidable structural barriers entrenched within healthcare systems. Concurrently, we delve into the potential biomarkers intricately entwined with IPV. These promising markers encompass inflammatory indicators, epigenetic and genetic influences, and a diverse array of chemical compounds and proteins. Lastly, we discussed various criteria for universal screening including (1) valid and reliable screening tool; (2) target population as pregnant women; (3) scientific evidence of screening programme; and (4) integration of education, testing, clinical services, and programme management to minimise the challenges, which are paramount. With the advancement of digital technology and various biomarkers identification, screening and detecting IPV in clinical settings can be conducted systemically. A systems-level interventions with academia-community-indutrial partnerships can help connect pregnant women to desire support services to avoid adverse maternal and child health outcomes.

Identifying violence against persons at a safety-net hospital: Evidence from the first 6 months of implementation

OBJECTIVE

To examine the prevalence and predictors of screening for violence against persons and victim service utilization within an integrated safety-net health system.

STUDY SETTING

Emergency Department (ED) at Parkland Hospital-Dallas County's largest safety-net provider of services for minority and underinsured and uninsured patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, longitudinal study during the first 6 months of a universal violence against persons screener.

DATA COLLECTION

Health records were extracted for all patients with a visit to the ED between January and July, 2021. Modeling described the patient population across screening (screened vs. not screened) and, among those screened, the results (positive vs. negative), average time spent in the ED, and referral patterns for victim services.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

During the study period, 65,563 unique patients with 95,555 encounters occurred. Seventy-one percent (n = 67,535) were screened for violence against persons and, of those, 2% screened positive (n = 1349). Of the patients who screened positive, 1178 (87%) were referred to and 806 (60%) received care at victim services. Implementing screening did not increase the length of stay at ED.

CONCLUSIONS

Systematic implementation of comprehensive violence screening at a safety-net system can result in robust identification and timely referrals to victim services.

Educational Outcomes of a 4-Year MD-MPH Dual-Degree Program: High Completion Rates and Higher Likelihood of Primary Care Residency

PURPOSE

In 2007, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston School of Public Health at San Antonio (UTHealth SPH) and UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine (LSOM) designed and implemented a 4-year dual MD and Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Dual MD-MPH programs wherein students can receive both degrees within 4 years are unique, and programmatic evaluation may have generalizable implications for accredited MD-MPH programs.

METHOD

Demographic information was collected from UTHealth SPH and LSOM student data. The primary outcome variable was MD-MPH program completion in 4 years. Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) scores, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and Step 2 scores, and successful primary care residency match data were compared between MD-MPH and MD-only students. Family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics-gynecology, and pediatrics were considered primary care residencies, and an analysis excluding obstetrics-gynecology was also conducted.

RESULTS

Of 241 MD-MPH students enrolled 2007-2017, 66% were women, 22% Hispanic, and 10% African American. Four-year MD-MPH program completion occurred for 202 (93% of eligible) students; 9 (4.1%) received MD only, 3 (1.4%) received MPH only; and 4 (1.8%) received neither. MD-MPH students' median CBSE score was 2 points lower than for MD-only students (P = .035), but Step 1 and 2 scores did not differ. Primary care residency match was more likely compared with MD-only students, both including and excluding obstetrics-gynecology (odds ratio [OR]: 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31, 2.33; and OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.82, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The 4-year MD-MPH program retains and graduates a socioeconomically and racial/ethnically diverse group of students with a 93% success rate. MD-MPH graduates were more likely to pursue primary care residency than non-dual-degree students, which may have implications for addressing population health disparities.

Screening for intimate partner violence in healthcare settings: An implementation-oriented systematic review

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a population health problem affecting millions of women worldwide. Screening for IPV within healthcare settings can identify women who experience IPV and inform counseling, referrals, and interventions to improve their health outcomes. Unfortunately, many screening programs used to detect IPV have only been tested in research contexts featuring externally funded study staff and resources. This systematic review therefore investigated the utility of IPV screening administered by frontline clinical personnel.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review focusing on studies of IPV screening programs for women delivered by frontline healthcare staff. We based our data synthesis on two widely used implementation models (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance [RE-AIM] and Proctor's dimensions of implementation effectiveness).

Results

We extracted data from 59 qualifying studies. Based on data extraction guided by the RE-AIM framework, the median reach of the IPV screening programs was high (80%), but Emergency Department (ED) settings were found to have a much lower reach (47%). The median screen positive rate was 11%, which is comparable to the screen-positive rate found in studies using externally funded research staff. Among those screening positive, a median of 32% received a referral to follow-up services. Based on data extraction guided by Proctor's dimension of appropriateness, a lack of available referral services frustrated some efforts to implement IPV screening. Among studies reporting data on maintenance or sustainability of IPV screening programs, only half concluded that IPV screening rates held steady during the maintenance phase. Other domains of the RE-AIM and Proctor frameworks (e.g., implementation fidelity and costs) were reported less frequently.

Conclusions

IPV is a population health issue, and successfully implementing IPV screening programs may be part of the solution. Our review emphasizes the importance of ongoing provider trainings, readily available referral sources, and consistent institutional support in maintaining appropriate IPV screening programs.

Plain language abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a population health problem affecting millions of women worldwide. IPV screening and response can identify women who experience IPV and can inform interventions to improve their health outcomes. Unfortunately, many of the screening programs used to detect IPV have only been tested in research contexts featuring administration by externally funded study staff. This systematic review of IPV screening programs for women is particularly novel, as previous reviews have not focused on clinical implementation. It provides a better understanding of successful ways of implementing IPV screening and response practices with frontline clinical personnel in the context of routine care. Successfully implementing IPV screening programs may help mitigate the harms resulting from IPV against women. Findings from this review can inform future efforts to improve implementation of IPV screening programs in clinical settings to ensure that the victims of IPV have access to appropriate counseling, resources, and referrals.

The impact of intimate partner violence on breast and cervical cancer survivors in an integrated, safety-net setting

PURPOSE

Characterize prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among breast and cervical survivors receiving care in an urban safety-net healthcare system; Examine the relationship between IPV and clinical characteristics, receipt of cancer treatment, and guideline-recommended survivorship care.

METHODS

From 2010 to 2017, breast and cervical cancer survivors were identified and recruited from a large, integrated, safety-net hospital system. Electronic health records (EHR; to measure survivorship care), cancer registry (to measure clinical characteristics), and patient telephone surveys (to measure IPV) were triangulated among 312 survivors. Bivariate and multivariable models assessed the relationship between victimization and clinical characteristics, cancer treatment, and guideline-recommended survivorship care.

RESULTS

Among the 312 participants, 54% identified as IPV+. Among breast cancer, IPV+ cancer participants were twice more likely to develop estrogen receptor negative ER- and/or progesterone receptor negative PR- tumor receptors compared with IPV- cancer participants (AOR = 2.31; 95% CI, 1.20, 4.44). IPV+ breast cancer participants were less likely to have surgery and less likely to have hormone therapy as a first course of treatment compared with IPV- participants. There was no relationship between IPV and adherence to guideline-recommended cancer survivorship care.

CONCLUSIONS

This study expands our current knowledge on how victimization, and specifically IPV, impact health among specialty care. Future research should determine the feasibility of implementing Trauma-Informed Care in oncology practices to better optimize care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

At integrated hospital systems, IPV+ cancer participants should utilize social workers, within their oncology clinics, to connect to victim services.

Assessing the effectiveness of a patient-centred computer-based clinic intervention, Health-E You/Salud iTu, to reduce health disparities in unintended pregnancies among Hispanic adolescents: study protocol for a cluster randomised control trial

INTRODUCTION

Teen pregnancy rates in the USA remain higher than any other industrialised nation, and pregnancies among Hispanic adolescents are disproportionately high. Computer-based interventions represent a promising approach to address sexual health and contraceptive use disparities. Preliminary findings have demonstrated that the Health-E You/Salud iTu, computer application (app) is feasible to implement, acceptable to Latina adolescents and improves sexual health knowledge and interest in selecting an effective contraceptive method when used in conjunction with a healthcare visit. The app is now ready for efficacy testing. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe patient-centred approaches used both in developing and testing the Health-E You app and to present the research methods used to evaluate its effectiveness in improving intentions to use an effective method of contraception as well as actual contraceptive use.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study is designed to assess the effectiveness of a patient-centred computer-based clinic intervention, Health-E You/Salud iTu, on its ability to reduce health disparities in unintended pregnancies among Latina adolescent girls. This study uses a cluster randomised control trial design in which 18 school-based health centers from the Los Angeles Unified School District were randomly assigned, at equal chance, to either the intervention (Health-E You app) or control group. Analyses will examine differences between the control and intervention group's knowledge of and attitudes towards contraceptive use, receipt of contraception at the clinic visit and self-reported use of contraception at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. The study began enrolling participants in August 2016, and a total of 1400 participants (700 per treatment group) are expected to be enrolled by March 2018.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval was obtained through the University of California, San Francisco Institutional Review Board. Results of this trial will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. This study is registered with the US National Institutes of Health.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02847858.

Contesting and Differentially Constructing Uncertainty: Negotiations of Contraceptive Use in the Clinical Encounter

Most women of reproductive age have access to highly effective contraception, and all available methods are associated with side effects. Whether a woman will experience side effects is uncertain, however, which can pose challenges for clinicians who discuss the methods with patients. In this study, we analyze 102 contraceptive counseling visits to understand how clinicians discursively construct knowledge in the context of uncertainty. We find that while some present the uncertainty of side effects in a straightforward, patient-accessible way, others negotiate their predictions by (1) differentially constructing uncertainty, suggesting that positive side effects are likely and negative side effects are unlikely, and (2) contesting uncertainty, presenting the risk of serious side effects as controllable. In the end, these strategies deemphasize consideration of negative side effects in women's contraceptive decision making. Our results demonstrate the importance of elucidating the translation, instantiation, and construction of medical uncertainty both in theory and in practice.

Prevalence and Trends in the Utilization of Gynecological Services by Adolescent Girls in Germany. Results of the German Health Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS)

There is only limited data available on the utilization of gynecological services in Germany. Based on data from the German Health Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) of the Robert Koch Institute, a survey carried out across all of Germany, this study aimed to examine the utilization of gynecological services by girls in Germany. Data from the KiGGS Wave 1 survey (2009 - 2012) was used to analyze the factors which affect utilization. The KiGGS baseline study (2003 - 2006) was used to analyze trends. The database consisted of a subsample from the KiGGS Wave 1 survey (n = 2575), the initial follow-up survey conducted by telephone after the baseline study. Data are shown as prevalence and mean with 95% confidence intervals. Correlations with selected influencing factors were calculated using multivariate logistic regression models. Differences between study populations were considered significant if p < 0.05. At the time of the KiGGS Wave 1 survey, 53.9% of girls aged 14 to 17 years had visited a gynecologist at least once. This percentage increased significantly with each additional year of life. For 61.9% of 17-year-old girls who had previously visited a gynecologist at least once, the first visit to a gynecologist occurred at the age of 15 or 16 years. Growing up with siblings was associated with a lower prevalence of utilization, while middle socioeconomic status, risky alcohol consumption and daily consumption of tobacco, and the utilization of general medical services were associated with a higher 12-month prevalence for the utilization of gynecological services. The utilization of gynecological services has increased significantly compared to the KiGGS baseline survey. Among girls there is a high need for information on issues of sexual health. Gynecologists are important but they are not the only port of call. Information needs should be covered as part of a coordinated approach which includes the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Initiatives such as the WHO Action Plan for Sexual and Reproductive Health and its recommendations should be incorporated.

CDC Grand Rounds: Public Health Strategies to Prevent Preterm Birth

Preterm birth (delivery before 37 weeks and 0/7 days of gestation) is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality in the United States. In 2013, 11.4% of the nearly 4 million U.S. live births were preterm; however, 36% of the 8,470 infant deaths were attributed to preterm birth (1). Infants born at earlier gestational ages, especially <32 0/7 weeks, have the highest mortality (Figure) and morbidity rates. Morbidity associated with preterm birth includes respiratory distress syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, and intraventricular hemorrhage; longer-term consequences include developmental delay and decreased school performance. Risk factors for preterm delivery include social, behavioral, clinical, and biologic characteristics (Box). Despite advances in medical care, racial and ethnic disparities associated with preterm birth persist. Reducing preterm birth, a national public health priority (2), can be accomplished by implementing and monitoring strategies that target modifiable risk factors and populations at highest risk, and by providing improved quality and access to preconception, prenatal, and interconception care through implementation of strategies with potentially high impact.

State of family planning

Family planning and reproductive health services are uniquely impacted by policy and politics in the United States. Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented number of abortion restrictions, and research funding has decreased in related areas. Despite this, both the science and the implementation of improved family planning and abortion methods have progressed in the past decade. This article reviews the current state of family planning, as well as technologies and patient care opportunities for the future.

Integrating intimate partner violence assessment and intervention into healthcare in the United States: a systems approach

The Institute of Medicine, United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and national healthcare organizations recommend screening and counseling for intimate partner violence (IPV) within the US healthcare setting. The Affordable Care Act includes screening and brief counseling for IPV as part of required free preventive services for women. Thus, IPV screening and counseling must be implemented safely and effectively throughout the healthcare delivery system. Health professional education is one strategy for increasing screening and counseling in healthcare settings, but studies on improving screening and counseling for other health conditions highlight the critical role of making changes within the healthcare delivery system to drive desired improvements in clinician screening practices and health outcomes. This article outlines a systems approach to the implementation of IPV screening and counseling, with a focus on integrated health and advocacy service delivery to support identification and interventions, use of electronic health record (EHR) tools, and cross-sector partnerships. Practice and policy recommendations include (1) ensuring staff and clinician training in effective, client-centered IPV assessment that connects patients to support and services regardless of disclosure; (2) supporting enhancement of EHRs to prompt appropriate clinical care for IPV and facilitate capturing more detailed and standardized IPV data; and (3) integrating IPV care into quality and meaningful use measures. Research directions include studies across various health settings and populations, development of quality measures and patient-centered outcomes, and tests of multilevel approaches to improve the uptake and consistent implementation of evidence-informed IPV screening and counseling guidelines.

A population-based study of US women's preferred versus usual sources of reproductive health care

OBJECTIVE

We characterized US women's preferred and usual sources of reproductive health care.

STUDY DESIGN

Data were drawn from the Women's Health Care Experiences and Preferences Study, an Internet survey of 1078 women aged 18-55 years randomly sampled from a national probability panel. We described and compared women's preferred and usual sources of care (women's health specialists including obstetricians-gynecologists and family-planning clinics, primary care, other) for Papanicolaou/pelvic examination, contraception, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) services using χ(2), logistic regression, and kappa statistics.

RESULTS

Among women reporting health service utilization (n = 984, 92% overall; 77% Papanicolaou/pelvic; 33% contraception; 8% STI), women's health specialists were the most used sources of care for Papanicolaou/pelvic (68%), contraception (74%), and STI (75%) services. Women's health specialists were also the most preferred care sources for Papanicolaou/pelvic (68%), contraception (49%), and STI (35%) services, whereas the remainder of women preferred primary care/other sources or not to get care. Differences in preferred and usual care sources were noted across sociodemographic groups, including insurance status and income level (P < .05). Preference for women's health specialists was the strongest predictor of women's health specialist utilization for Papanicolaou/pelvic (adjusted odds ratio, 48.8; 95% confidence interval, 25.9-91.8; P < .001) and contraceptive (adjusted odds ratio, 194.5; 95% confidence interval, 42.3-894.6; P < .001) services. Agreement between preferred and usual-care sources was high for Papanicolaou/pelvic (85%, kappa, 0.63) and contraception (86%; kappa, 0.64) services; disagreement (range, 15-22%) was associated with insurance, employment, income, race, and religion (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Women's preferences for and use of women's health specialists for reproductive health care has implications for efforts to define the role of obstetricians-gynecologists and family planning clinics in current health systems.

Social, Reproductive, and Attitudinal Factors Associated with U.S. Women's Disagreement with the Passage of the Affordable Care Act

BACKGROUND

Notably absent from research and public and policy dialogue on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and reproductive health care are women's perspectives and a broader understanding of factors that shape ACA attitudes. We investigated social, reproductive, and attitudinal factors associated with women's disagreement with the passage of the ACA.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the Women's Health Care Experiences and Preferences Study, our population-based internet survey of 1,078 randomly sampled United States women ages 18-55 years conducted in September 2013. Items measured ACA attitudes, including disagreement with the ACA's passage. We examined relationships between ACA disagreement, sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics, health service experiences, and reproductive health care and policy attitudes with logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among women who had heard of the ACA (n=888), 35% disagreed with it and 38% did not know how they felt. Black women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03-0.55) and women with incomes of >$75k (aOR 0.38, CI 0.17-0.88), Medicare/Medicaid insurance (aOR 0.24, CI 0.10-0.61), and infrequent religious service attendance (aOR 0.57, CI 0.35-0.93) were less likely to disagree with the ACA's passage, compared with their counterparts. Republican party affiliation was the strongest predictor of ACA disagreement (aOR 17.10, CI 9.12-32.09). Negative beliefs about the ACA's ability to improve access to preferred care and regarding employers' and the government's roles in reproductive health care were positively associated with ACA disagreement.

CONCLUSIONS

Many women who could benefit from the ACA disagree with or do not know how they feel about its passage, which may influence participation in ACA benefits and services.

Screening and counseling for Intimate Partner Violence: a vision for the future

We describe a vision of screening and intervention for Intimate Partner Violence informed by deliberations during the December 2013 Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Counseling Research Symposium and the resultant manuscripts featured in this special issue of the Journal of Women's Health. Our vision includes universal screening and intervention, when indicated, which occurs routinely as part of comprehensive physical and behavioral health services that are both patient centered and trauma informed. Areas for future research needed to realize this vision are discussed.

Interprofessional Intervention to Support Mature Women: A Case Study

Understanding the impact interprofessional teamwork has on patient outcomes is of great interest to health care providers, educators, and administrators. This article describes one clinical team, Women’s Health Specialists, and their implementation of an interprofessional health intervention course: “Mindfulness and Well-being: The Mature Woman” (MW: MW) to support mature women’s health needs in midlife (age 40–70 years) and empower patient involvement in self-care. The provider team works to understand how their interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) interventions focused on supporting midlife women are associated with improved quality and clinical outcomes. This case study describes the work of the Women’s Health Specialists clinic in partnership with the National Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice to study the impact an interprofessional team has on the health needs of women in midlife. This article summarizes the project structure, processes, outputs, and outcomes. Data collection, analysis, strategy, and next steps for future midlife women’s projects are also discussed.

Relationship between gestational weight gain and birthweight among clients enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Hawaii, 2003-2005

To investigate the relationship between gestational weight gain (GWG) and birthweight outcomes among a low-income population in Hawaii using GWG recommendations from the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines. Data were analyzed for 19,130 mother-infant pairs who participated in Hawaii's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children from 2003 through 2005. GWG was categorized as inadequate, adequate, or excessive on the basis of GWG charts in the guidelines. Generalized logit models assessed the relationship between mothers' GWG and their child's birthweight category (low birthweight [LBW: < 2,500 g], normal birthweight [2,500 g ≤ BW < 4,000 g], or high birthweight [HBW: ≥ 4,000 g]). Final models were stratified by prepregnancy body mass index (underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese) and adjusted for maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, smoking status, parity, and marital status. Overall, 62% of the sample had excessive weight gain and 15% had inadequate weight gain. Women with excessive weight gain were more likely to deliver a HBW infant; this relationship was observed for women in all prepregnancy weight categories. Among women with underweight or normal weight prior to pregnancy, those with inadequate weight gain during pregnancy were more likely to deliver a LBW infant. Among the low-income population of Hawaii, women with GWG within the range recommended in the 2009 IOM guidelines had better birthweight outcomes than those with GWG outside the recommended range. Further study is needed to identify optimal GWG goals for women with an obese BMI prior to pregnancy.

Social disparities in women's health service use in the United States: a population-based analysis

PURPOSE

Poor and disparate reproductive health outcomes in the United States may be related to inadequate and differential receipt of women's health care. We investigated trends in and determinants of adult U.S. women's health service use, 2006-2010.

METHODS

We analyzed population data from 7897 women aged 25-44 years in the National Survey of Family Growth from 2006 to 2010 using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Women's health service use in the past year was reported by 74% of the sample. Among noninfertile, sexually active women, 47% used contraceptive services; fewer used pregnancy (21%) and sexually transmitted infection (14%) services. In multivariable models, the odds of service use were greater among older, poor, unemployed women and women with less educational attainment than younger and socioeconomically advantaged women. Black women had greater odds of using pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection and gynecologic examination services than white women (odds ratio, 1.4-1.6). Lack of insurance was associated with service use in all models (odds ratio, 0.4-0.8).

CONCLUSIONS

Although age-related differences in women's health service use may reflect fertility transitions, social disparities mirror reproductive inequalities among U.S. women. Research on women's health service use and outcomes across the reproductive life course and forthcoming sociopolitical climates is needed.