Women’s Magazines &

Health Cherry Butcher

FHS-2450

In general, how are women’s sexual health issues presented in the magazines?

Glamour: February 2011 talks about the possibility of oral sex causing

cancer. Information presented by a magazine journalist

I’m Pregnant: April 2011 talks about what to expect when your baby is breech. Information presented by a mid-wife

Practical Parenting & Pregnancy: March 2011 talks about pregnancy complications Information presented by a mid-wife

Women’s Day: April 2011 talks about chronic pain Information presented by MD who is president of the American Pain

Foundation Curve magazine:

April 2011 talks about symptoms of PCOS Information presented by Dr. Andrea Lee

Did you learn anything new about women’s health?

I really didn’t because I am already a registered nurse, but to someone not in the medical field it may provide information for them before discussing it with their doctor.

I was surprised at how accurately the articles presented the information.

Do you think magazines are good sources of information?

It can be depending on the magazine and the validity of the information presented.

I believe that if someone has an issue that is covered in a magazine, they should visit with their doctor as well.

The articles I researched correlated with the current medical teaching standards, but I can’t speak for all articles presented in magazines.

Analyzing each article individually, were the articles informational and based on facts? Glamour: Could oral sex cause cancer?

Small article quotes a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people with head and neck cancers also test positive for oral HPV, approximately 60-80%

Upon doing my own research, the Department of Epidemiology states “Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a cause of oropharyngeal cancer” also “the odds of infection developing independently increased with increases in the lifetime number of oral or vaginal sex partners”. “Oral sex and open-mouthed kissing are associated with the development of oral HPV infection” (Souza.G., et al, 2009)

1-D’Souza G; Agrawal Y; Halpern J; Bodison S; Gillison M.L, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

2-Oral sexual behaviors associated with prevalent oral human papallomavirus 3-Journal of Infectious Diseases (J INFECT DIS), 2009 May 1; 199(9): 1263-9

Analyzing each article individually, were the articles informational and based on facts?

I’m Pregnant: What if my baby’s breech?

This is a short article that discussed complications and treatments for women with babies in the breech position.

The complications and solutions discussed in the article were similar to the teachings in the text. (pg. 506)

Contemporary Maternal-Newborn Nursing Care, sixth edition, Ladewig, London, Davidson

Analyzing each article individually, were the articles informational and based on facts? Practical Parenting & Pregnancy: Handle with care!

This is a medium sized article that discussed possible complications during pregnancy, and provided definitions and treatment options for these conditions.

I compared each of the main topics with a nursing text book. Each item had the same information as the book, just not as detailed as the book had.

Gestational diabetes (text pg. 299-300) Pre-eclampsia (text pg. 341-343) Placenta praevia (text pg. 515) High blood pressure (text pg. 341-343) Placental abruption (text pg. 503) Polyhydraminos (text pg. 523) Oligohydraminos (text pg. 524) Contemporary Maternal-Newborn Nursing Care, sixth edition, Ladewig, London, Davidson

Analyzing each article individually, were the articles informational and based on facts? Women’s Day: The chronic pain puzzle

This is a medium sized article that addresses the issues associated with people who experience chronic pain and the disparities' that it causes.

Upon my own research I found that “The healthcare system has an obligation to provide comfort and pain management.” “Traditionally, healthcare professionals have not been adequately trained in pain assessment and management. This lack of sensitivity to the problem of pain and its sequelae has contributed to both under recognition and under treatment of pain ” “Primary care physicians need to work with pain specialists, and education for practitioners is the key to assuring optimum care”

AGS Panel on Persistent Pain in Older Persons, “The Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons” 2002, The American Geriatrics Society

Analyzing each article individually, were the articles informational and based on facts? Curve magazine: What a bad period may mean. Five common

symptoms of PCOS Short article covers five basic symptoms experienced by women that

could be diagnosed as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) Upon doing my own research, I found that some symptoms may be

hirsutism (excessive hair growth), abdominal obesity, infertility, acne which correlated with the magazine article.

“Many patients with PCOS also have features of the metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia, suggesting an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Increased awareness of this overlap advocates therapies that improve insulin resistance and often ameliorate PCOS symptoms”

Julie L. Sharpless, MD, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Metabolic Syndrome

Summary All of the articles discussed different health

issues surprisingly when research was done on these topics the information presented was fairly accurate.

These magazines were a good start on discussing these topics, but like with many other things, they also should be discussed with your personal doctor.