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Biomedical subjects

L A Bernhard

Publications and source records attributed to L A Bernhard.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Lesbian health and health care.

Research on lesbian health and health care is very limited, but is beginning to increase. Evidence of limited access to care, homophobic attitudes of health care professionals, and expected or actual negative experiences in interactions with health care professionals help to explain why lesbians are less likely than other women to seek health care. Lesbians have many of the same physical health needs that other women do, but the most prevalent topics on which research could be found were screening for breast and cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV. More research has been conducted in areas related to mental health, such as stress, use of therapy, alcohol abuse and recovery, and violence. The chief conclusion from this review is that there is a need for all types of research in all areas of lesbian health.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2000

Smoking behavior, dysphoric states and the menstrual cycle: results from single smoking sessions and the natural environment.

A 2-way factorial repeated measures design examined the effects of menstrual cycle phase and smoking on: 1) smoking behavior, 2) mood state, 3) nicotine withdrawal symptomatology, and 4) menstrual symptomatology. Female smokers, aged 20-39, were followed for two consecutive menstrual cycles with two data collection sessions per cycle, which were conducted in the University's General Clinical Research Center (GCRC). Participants were randomly assigned to order of smoking condition, which included: 1) smoking ad libitum, and 2) 24-hour abstinence prior to data collection. Data were collected in the mid-to-late follicular (MLF) phase (between days 6 through to 11) and the four days prior to menses in late luteal (LL) phase. Participants completed the Profile of Mood States and Menstrual Symptom Severity List and recorded daily cigarette smoking rate in the natural environment during MLF and LL phases. Nicotine boost and carbon monoxide (CO) boost were measured and the Shiffman-Jarvick Tobacco Withdrawal Questionnaire was administered during GCRC data collection sessions. Results indicated that subjects smoked more cigarettes per day during the LL phase and CO boost was greater during MLF. No difference was noted in nicotine boost by condition or phase. No difference in mood state was noted by either condition or phase. Withdrawal symptomatology and craving for cigarettes were increased after 24 hours of abstinence. No difference was noted in menstrual symptoms by condition or phase. Further investigations are still needed to characterize the importance of cycle phase in the design of smoking cessation interventions for women of reproductive age.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Health care dilemmas for women with serious mental illness.

Women with serious mental illness are a population at risk because of their invisibility. A comprehensive and critical literature review documents the issues and gaps in this aspect of the health care environment for women. A conceptual model outlines the current health-related risks for women with serious mental illness. Use of a feminist perspective challenges the underlying assumptions and opens new arenas for research and practice. The speculative, theoretical context thus created encourages and supports the questioning process that is the precursor to change.

Female↗
PubMed1993

Sexual counseling of women having gynecologic surgical procedures.

A feminist, women's health perspective is described to aid nurses in providing sexual counseling to women having gynecologic surgical procedures. Suggestions are given concerning areas of sexual assessment, resource development, and when and what to teach women about the sexual effects of gynecologic operations.

Female↗
PubMed1992

Men's views about hysterectomies and women who have them.

Men's (N = 25) views about the effects of hysterectomy on women and on their relationships with women they knew who had experienced hysterectomies were solicited by interviews. Many men were not knowledgeable about hysterectomy. They perceived negative psychological, social and sexual effects of hysterectomy on women; but they did not think hysterectomy affected their relationships with women. However, they also communicate very little with women or health care professionals about hysterectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Redefining sexuality from women's own experiences.

Traditionally women's sexuality has been defined and described using narrow and socially prescribed concepts. In the past 20 years new ideas about women's sexuality have emerged. At the same time, sexuality has become a legitimate concern for health professionals. Nurses and their clients can benefit from learning about the emerging woman-centered concepts of sexuality. Women's sexuality is not primarily a response to men's sexuality but has its own characteristics. A woman's sexuality is an expression of mutuality, involving not only physical gratification but also a sense of herself as a woman in the context of her life, her relationships, and emotions. Several groups of women whose sexual needs have traditionally been unmet by nurses and other health care professionals include adolescents, physically disabled women, lesbians, and older women. A self-care frame-work differentiates socially constructed definitions of sexuality from lived experience and suggests the importance of attending to individual women's experiences throughout life.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationships between nursing and women's studies.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between nursing and women's studies units in institutions of higher education that have both units. A mailed survey was completed by 173 units (97 nursing and 76 women's studies) in 38 states. Seventy-eight per cent of the nursing units and 75 per cent of the women's studies units reported some type of relationship with the counterpart. Collaborative activities included courses, guest lectures, joint sponsorship of seminars, research, and many other activities. Barriers to collaboration that were identified included different geographic locations and other structural barriers, as well as units' negative views of each other, and problems unique to nursing. Recommendations to foster communication and collaboration between nursing and women's studies units are discussed.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Consequences of hysterectomy in the lives of women.

A longitudinal study of 63 adult, premenopausal women of low socioeconomic status who underwent hysterectomies is reported. Face-to-face in-depth interviews with the women were conducted on the day before hysterectomy and 4 weeks and 3 months after hysterectomy. After the interview, each woman completed the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (Derogatis & Melisaratos, 1979). The Responses to Hysterectomy tool was mailed to the women about 2 years after hysterectomy. Before their hysterectomies, most of the women had both positive and negative feelings about the hysterectomy. By 3 months posthysterectomy, most women had fairly positive general and sexual outcomes. However, by 2 years posthysterectomy, there were less positive outcomes. Most women reported at least sometimes having negative symptoms that they associated with their hysterectomy. More research must be conducted to fully understand the experience of hysterectomy in women's lives.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Laser endometrial ablation: an alternative to hysterectomy.

Laser endometrial ablation has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an alternative to hysterectomy for the treatment of chronic menorrhagia. The purpose of the present study was to document women's feelings and outcomes after having the procedure. In-depth interviews were conducted with 65 women who were among the first to undergo this surgery in the United States. For these women, laser endometrial ablation resulted in the end of enduring unpleasant symptoms without the need for a hysterectomy. Nearly all (91%) of the women considered the ablation a success, and all would recommend ablation to another woman. Access to laser endometrial ablation for all women is one method of decreasing the number of hysterectomies performed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Partner communication about hysterectomy.

Communication between marital partners about a woman's hysterectomy may be difficult and serve as a source of marital conflict. This study was conducted to determine marital partners' usual communication behaviors as well as what they communicated about hysterectomy with each other. Twenty-two educated Caucasian couples participated in the study. Individual, semistructured interviews were conducted with the women in the hospital following their hysterectomies and with their partners at a later time. Couples also completed the Primary Communication Inventory. Results showed that the couples had generally good usual communication. Couples reported that they communicated "everything" about the hysterectomy, but evidence (i.e., further questioning) showed that they communicated little. The authors discuss possible explanations for this apparent contradiction between perceived and actual communication behaviors.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of stress and stress management strategies between lesbian and heterosexual women.

Stress is said to be part of life, but stress may be uniquely experienced by different groups of women. We conducted this study to compare the experiences of stress and the methods of stress management used by lesbian and heterosexual women. A convenience sample of 215 (136 lesbian and 79 heterosexual) urban women was used. All women reported generally good mental health; however, more than 80% of the women reported moderate or severe stress. There were more similarities than differences between the groups, but lesbians reported more stress due to sexual identity, being female, and mental problems, and heterosexual women reported more stress due to parents and children. Both groups used a wide range of stress management strategies, although lesbians more frequently used meditation and therapy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Endometriosis.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health, symptoms, self-care, and dyadic adjustment in menopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationships among perceived health, menopausal symptoms, and self-care responses in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional survey. SETTING: A large midwestern city in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: One-hundred-one menopausal women who were over age 40, used no hormones during the previous 6 months, and had an intact uterus. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Four standardized survey instruments. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between self-rated health and health perceptions (r = .44, p = .0004), self-rated health and total symptoms (r = -.30, p = .0023), self-rated health and worrisome symptoms (r = -.26, p = .0085), health perceptions and worrisome symptoms (r = .30, p = .0195), health perceptions and self-care responses (r = .43, p = .0009), and total symptoms and worrisome symptoms (r = .38, p = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Health is related to menopausal symptoms and self-care. Dyadic adjustment is not related to health, menopausal symptoms, or self-care. Healthy menopausal women provide self-care and need not automatically be treated for menopause.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

After hysterectomy.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adaptation, Psychological↗