PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Researchers find misinformation about emergency contraception common in low-income neighborhoods

2011-12-19
(Press-News.org) Boston – Researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that in low-income neighborhoods, misinformation about access to emergency contraception is a common occurrence. These findings appear as a research letter in the Dec. 19 on-line issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration facilitated access to emergency contraception among adolescents by making it available over-the-counter to individuals age 17 years and older.

From September to December 2010, female research assistants posing as adolescents who recently had unprotected intercourse were randomly assigned to call every commercial pharmacy in Nashville, Tenn.; Philadelphia; Cleveland; Austin, Texas; and Portland, Ore. Cities were chosen in geographically diverse states without pharmacy access laws that supersede uniform federal regulations. Callers followed standardized scripts to simulate real-world calls and elicit specific information on emergency contraception availability and access.

Researchers then examined same-day availability of emergency contraception, (regardless of reason), whether emergency contraception could be accessed by the caller, and whether the pharmacy communicated the correct age at which emergency contraception was accessible over-the-counter.

Although the researchers found the availability of emergency contraception did not differ based on neighborhood income, in 19 percent of calls the adolescent was told she could not obtain emergency contraception under any circumstance. This misinformation occurred more often (23.7 percent compared to 14.6 percent) among pharmacies in low-income neighborhoods.

When callers queried the age threshold for over-the-counter access, they were given the correct age less often by pharmacies in low-income neighborhoods (50.0 percent compared to 62.8 percent). In all but 11 calls, the incorrect age was stated as erroneously too high, potentially restricting access.

"Even though we found approximately 80 percent same-day availability of emergency contraception in these metropolitan cities, misinformation regarding access was common-particularly in low-income neighborhoods," said lead author Tracey Wilkinson, MD, MPH, a Fellow in the Division of General Pediatrics pediatrician at BMC/BUSM.

While the study design did not determine why disparities in access to emergency contraception exists, the researcher believes possible explanations include differences in pharmacy staffing or training, frequency of requests for information or organizational cultures around customer service. "Our study assessed only telephone calling and not in-person visits. Despite this limitation, the finding that misinformation regarding emergency contraception access is more common in neighborhoods with the highest teen pregnancy rates suggests that targeted consumer or provider education for consumers and pharmacy staff may be necessary," she said. "We look forward to working with various companies, organizations and pharmacy staff to improve education regarding current regulations on emergency contraception access."

###Funding for this study was provided by the Joel and Barbara Alpert Endowment for the Children of the City and Boston University School of Medicine.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Targeting EETs to treat cardiovascular disease may prove a double-edged sword

2011-12-19
Boston, Mass. – A group of small molecules called EETs – currently under scrutiny as possible treatment targets for a host of cardiovascular diseases – may also drive the growth and spread of cancer, according to researchers at the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC) and other institutions. Their findings also raise the possibility that drugs that block EETs could serve as a new avenue for cancer treatment. This study, led by Dipak Panigrahy, MD, of DF/CHCC and the Vascular Biology Program at Children's Hospital Boston, appeared online December 19 ...

Cockroach hookup signal could benefit endangered woodpecker

Cockroach hookup signal could benefit endangered woodpecker
2011-12-19
A North Carolina State University discovery of the unique chemical composition of a cockroach signal – a "Let's hook up" sex pheromone emitted by certain female wood cockroaches to entice potential mates – could have far-ranging benefits, including improved conservation of an endangered woodpecker. Dr. Coby Schal, Blanton J. Whitmire Professor of Entomology at NC State and the corresponding author of a paper describing the discovery, says that the study, published the week of Dec. 19 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, advances the knowledge of fundamental ...

Wayne State study finds soybean compounds enhances effects of cancer radiotherapy

2011-12-19
Detroit - A Wayne State University researcher has shown that compounds found in soybeans can make radiation treatment of lung cancer tumors more effective while helping to preserve normal tissue. A team led by Gilda Hillman, Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology at Wayne State University's School of Medicine and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, had shown previously that soy isoflavones, a natural, nontoxic component of soybeans, increase the ability of radiation to kill cancer cells in prostate tumors by blocking DNA repair mechanisms and molecular survival ...

Infrared technology for measuring the effect of fire on materials

Infrared technology for measuring the effect of fire on materials
2011-12-19
This press release is available in Spanish. The main problem associated with measuring the effects of fire on materials lies in the temperature of the flames, which reaches over 1000 ºC and can obscure the actual temperature of the material. In addition, there is the problem of the high concentration of gasses (CO2, H2O and others), which makes it difficult to obtain clear images of the sample being subjected to fire. In order to solve this problem, the UC3M scientists who developed this method used a measurement that utilizes the infrared spectrum. "To do this, ...

First aid after tick bites

2011-12-19
This press release is available in German.For years, Mrs. S. suffered from joint pain and headaches. After an odyssey through doctors' waiting rooms, one doctor diagnosed Lyme borreliosis – an infectious disease transmitted by ticks. With its bite, the parasite introduced bacteria that then spread throughout the entire body. Mrs. S. is not alone – very often, the disease is recognized too late or not at all, or is not properly treated. Doctors are provided with no clues if the characteristic redness around the bite area is missing. Left untreated, Lyme borreliosis can cause ...

Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies are bright star clusters

Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies are bright star clusters
2011-12-19
Astronomy & Astrophysics is publishing the results of a detailed investigation of how many 'ultra-compact dwarf galaxies' (UCDs) can be found in nearby galaxy clusters. UCDs were recognized as a populous and potentially distinct class of stellar systems about a decade ago. But they are still mysterious objects that are characterized by a compact morphology (30-300 light-years in size) and high masses (more than one million solar masses). More generally, their properties (e.g., their size, shape, or luminosity) are similar to those of both star clusters and dwarf galaxies. ...

Article Catalog, a New Article Directory, Offers Free Search Engine Optimization Opportunities for All

2011-12-19
Article Catalog, a new article directory, launched today, Thursday, 15 December, 2011. The site offers users free, unlimited submissions of articles to its directory. Articles are categorized by industry and have to be a minimum of 300 words and a maximum of 2000 words in length. The site is available to companies worldwide and is visually appealing, and has an easy-to-use, straightforward login system and an aesthetically pleasing interface design. "The idea behind launching this directory was to offer another article marketing opportunity for companies looking ...

Many Business Supplies & Services Consolidated by Grand Rapids, MI Vendor

2011-12-19
Grand Rapids, Michigan's small business community has many vendors to turn to for business supplies and services such as printing, direct marketing and merchant services, but until recently, no vendor sought to simplify small business operations by offering all these services and supplies under one roof. Dodson Group started operations in 1998 providing office supplies and direct mail marketing solutions to automotive dealerships, but as their client base increased, Dodson Group began offering supplemental services to businesses in other industries. Today, the Grand ...

German research team targets 'at risk' data on biodiversity

2011-12-19
Copenhagen, Denmark – A new German-based project is setting out to rescue biodiversity data at risk of being lost, because they are not integrated in institutional databases, are kept in outdated digital storage systems, or are not properly documented. The project, run by the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, provides a good example for a GBIF recommendation to establish hosting centres for biodiversity data. This is one of a set of data management recommendations just published by GBIF. The team behind the German project called reBiND (http://rebind.bgbm.org/), ...

Sensational bird finding in China

Sensational bird finding in China
2011-12-19
In June 2011, a team of Chinese and Swedish researchers rediscovered the breeding area for the poorly known Blackthroat Luscinia obscura, in the Qinling mountains, Shaanxi province, north central China. Seven singing males were observed in Foping and seven more in Changqing National Nature Reserves – which almost equals the total number of individuals observed of this species since its discovery in the late 19th century. Nearly all of the birds were on mountain slopes at 2400 meters above sea level in large, dense expanses of bamboo in open coniferous and mixed coniferous-broadleaved ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Graz University of Technology opens up new avenues in lung cancer research with digital cell twin

Exoplanets are not water worlds

Study shows increasing ‘healthy competition’ between menu options nudges patients towards greener, lower-fat hospital food choices

New insights into melanoma plasticity uncover a critical role of iron metabolism

A graphene sandwich — deposited or transferred?

New light-powered motor fits inside a strand of hair

Oil rig study reveals vital role of tiny hoverflies

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researchers boost widespread use of dental varnish across pediatric network

iRECODE: A new computational method that brings clarity to single-cell analysis

New NUS-MOH study: Singapore’s healthcare sector carbon emissions 18% lower than expected, a milestone in the city-state’s net zero journey

QUT scientists create material to turn waste heat into clean power

Major new report sets out how to tackle the ‘profound and lasting impact’ of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health

Cosmic crime scene: White dwarf found devouring Pluto-like icy world

Major report tackles Covid’s cardiovascular crisis head-on

A third of licensed GPs in England not working in NHS general practice

ChatGPT “thought on the fly” when put through Ancient Greek maths puzzle

Engineers uncover why tiny particles form clusters in turbulent air

GLP-1RA drugs dramatically reduce death and cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients

Psoriasis linked to increased risk of vision-threatening eye disease, study finds

Reprogramming obesity: New drug from Italian biotech aims to treat the underlying causes of obesity

Type 2 diabetes may accelerate development of multiple chronic diseases, particularly in the early stages, UK Biobank study suggests

Resistance training may improve nerve health, slow aging process, study shows

Common and inexpensive medicine halves the risk of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer

SwRI-built instruments to monitor, provide advanced warning of space weather events

Breakthrough advances sodium-based battery design

New targeted radiation therapy shows near-complete response in rare sarcoma patients

Does physical frailty contribute to dementia?

Soccer headers and brain health: Study finds changes within folds of the brain

Decoding plants’ language of light

UNC Greensboro study finds ticks carrying Lyme disease moving into western NC

[Press-News.org] Researchers find misinformation about emergency contraception common in low-income neighborhoods