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PubMed2006

Demography and sex work characteristics of female sex workers in India.

BACKGROUND: The majority of sex work in India is clandestine due to unfavorable legal environment and discrimination against female sex workers (FSWs). We report data on who these women are and when they get involved with sex work that could assist in increasing the reach of HIV prevention activities for them. METHODS: Detailed documentation of demography and various aspects of sex work was done through confidential interviews of 6648 FSWs in 13 districts in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The demography of FSWs was compared with that of women in the general population. RESULTS: A total of 5010 (75.4%), 1499 (22.5%), and 139 (2.1%) street-, home-, and brothel-based FSWs, respectively, participated. Comparison with women of Andhra Pradesh revealed that the proportion of those aged 20-34 years (75.6%), belonging to scheduled caste (35.3%) and scheduled tribe (10.5%), illiterate (74.7%), and of those separated/divorced (30.7%) was higher among FSWs (p < 0.001). The FSWs engaged in sex work for >5 years were more likely to be non-street-based FSWs, illiterate, living in small urban towns, and to have started sex work between 12-15 years of age. The mean age at starting sex work (21.7 years) and gap between the first vaginal intercourse and the first sexual intercourse in exchange for money (6.6 years) was lower for FSWs in the rural areas as compared with those in large urban areas (23.9 years and 8.8 years, respectively). CONCLUSION: These data highlight that women struggling with illiteracy, lower social status, and less economic opportunities are especially vulnerable to being infected by HIV, as sex work may be one of the few options available to them to earn money. Recommendations for actions are made for long-term impact on reducing the numbers of women being infected by HIV in addition to the current HIV prevention efforts in India.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Laparoscopic evaluation of congenital absence of the uterus. a case report.

Anatomic gynecologic anomalies, including congenital absence of the uterus, occur with surprising frequency in referral practice of reproductive endocrinology and reproductive surgery. Female individuals with uterus agenesis have normal external genitalia and, therefore, the diagnosis is rarely made in infancy. We report a case of congenital absence of the uterus in a young woman 25 years old, presenting with primary amenorrhea. The patient had a normal karyotype and normal secondary sex characteristics. Sex hormones were within normal limits, indicating normal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. The diagnosis was set by bimanual gynecologic examination, which was followed by vaginal ultrasound examination. The patient underwent a laparoscopic investigation, which revealed the absence of the uterus and the presence of small rudimentary uterine horns, connected to normal fallopian tubes. Ovarian morphology was bilaterally normal. In conclusion we believe that every patient with genital tract abnormalities has to be dealt with individually, depending on the patient's anatomy, desires and age.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Correlation of anthropometric measurements, strength, anterior cruciate ligament size, and intercondylar notch characteristics to sex differences in anterior cruciate ligament tear rates.

We performed a prospective study based on the hypothesis that physiologic differences exist between men and women in strength after adjustments for body weight; that the size of the anterior cruciate ligament is proportionate to the strength of its antagonists, the quadriceps muscles; and that women have a relatively small anterior cruciate ligament, thus predisposing them to a disproportionate number of anterior cruciate ligament injuries. One hundred matched high school basketball players, 50 male and 50 female, were evaluated with anthropometric measurements, body fat analysis, muscle strength evaluation, and magnetic resonance imaging measurements of the intercondylar notch and cross-sectional area of the anterior cruciate ligament at the outlet. The male players were taller and heavier than their female counterparts, although they had 11% less body fat. Male players had statistically greater quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength than female players, even when adjustments were made for body weight. With adjustments for body weight, the size of the anterior cruciate ligament in girls was found to be statistically smaller than in boys. There was no statistically significant difference in the notch width index between the sexes. The study data support our hypothesis that sex differences in anterior cruciate ligament tear rates are caused primarily by several interrelated intrinsic factors. Most importantly, stiffness and muscular strength increase stress on the anterior cruciate ligament in female athletes. The anterior cruciate ligament, when adjustments have been made for body weight, is smaller in female athletes, and therefore, probably does not compensate for the lack of stiffness and strength.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Age-related characteristics and sex differences in the anatomical structure of the incisive canal].

Age- and sex-associated features in the anatomy of the incisor canal were studied in 254 human skulls aged 22 to 70 with orthognathic intact occlusion and in 66 maxillofacial saw cuts with the use of craniometric and statistical methods of investigation. The findings evidenced age- and sex-linked differences in the mean length of the incisor canal and its openings in mature age. The incisor canal is situated near the central incisor root apexes, the mean distance being 7.4 +/- 0.1 mm. The incisor opening is situated on the lower surface of the maxillary palatal process along the median line at a distance of 9.8 +/- 0.2 mm from the point formed by the medial angles of the central incisor crowns, irrespective of the subject's sex. The distance between the incisor opening and the central incisor roots in adults is 3.5 +/- 0.1 mm.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Male sex workers in Córdoba, Argentina: sociodemographic characteristics and sex work experiences.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the sociodemographic characteristics and work experiences of 31 male sex workers (MSWs) in the city of Córdoba, Argentina. METHODS: Information on each of the MSWs was collected using a questionnaire that covered his personal characteristics and his work background, self-assessed general health status, and use of health and social services. Scales were included in order to assess attitudes towards condom use, knowledge about safe sex, perceptions about the risk of getting HIV, individual self-efficacy, and locus of control. The questionnaire also asked each respondent to rank his level of agreement with interactive strategies for gaining client compliance with safe sex practices. RESULTS: In terms of their self-identity, out of the 30 MSWs who answered the question, 10 of them (33.3%) self-identified as heterosexual and 9 (30%) as bisexual. Alcohol and drug consumption and unsafe sexual practices were relatively low among the MSWs. Of the 31 MSWs responding, 21 of them (67.7%) reported that they had been tested for HIV, but only 13 of them (41.9%) said they had been vaccinated for either hepatitis A or hepatitis B. A variety of differences were found between the study's 17 street sex workers (sex workers who offer their services in public places such as streets and parks) and the 14 independent sex workers (sex workers who are self-employed, advertise and manage their own business, and have an exclusive location for their commercial sex work). The street MSWs were younger and had less formal education. Independent MSWs were economically more settled, had been working longer in the sex industry, and were more comfortable about having sex with men. Independent MSWs were also more likely to report a gay sexual orientation and less likely to report using alcohol, marijuana, or other substances. CONCLUSIONS: The differences between street MSWs and independent MSWs are important since they could influence the negotiating of safer sex practices with clients. Programs aimed at preventing the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and promoting responsible self-care among MSWs in Córdoba should be introduced. Such programs could increase the proportion of MSWs who know their HIV serostatus and could make MSWs more aware of the risk of different sex acts performed in commercial sex encounters. Given the differences that we found between street MSWs and independent MSWs, specific strategies and educational materials should be developed for those two subgroups within the MSW population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Male sex workers in three Australian cities: socio-demographic and sex work characteristics.

This article describes the socio-demographic and sex work characteristics of sex workers in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. A total of 185 male sex workers completed the questionnaire component of the study. The results of this study serve to debunk many of the myths surrounding the popular view of the male sex worker (MSW). The respondents in this study were on average 27 years old, and the majority had completed secondary education, with 30% having gained some form of tertiary qualification. Interestingly, those MSWs who had not completed secondary education were mostly street workers and were generally aged under 25 years. The majority of sex workers lived in rented accommodation, with only 6% reporting to be homeless. Half of all respondents identified as being "gay," 31% as "bisexual" and 5.5% as "straight." More than half of the respondents were in a permanent relationship. Only 7.3% of this group reported using heroin daily, although the majority consumed alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and ecstasy. The majority of sex workers had been in the profession for less than six months, although some had been working in the industry for more than ten years. Most of the sex workers reported having taken an HIV test and a preference to offer safer sex. The article highlights ways in which the work context of MSW can be better understood and supported by education and public policy programs.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Differences in personality and risk characteristics in sex, violent and general offenders.

BACKGROUND: Studies examining the characteristics of sex and violent offenders have found differences in personality and offence characteristics. However, none of these studies has examined differences in personality characteristics between violent, sex and general offenders using the Special Hospitals Assessment of Personality and Socialization (SHAPS). METHOD: Using a retrospective archival research design, data on 153 male offenders were divided into three groups, sexual (n = 85), violent (n = 46) and general offenders (n = 22). Of the sample 139 offenders had completed the SHAPS. The Sexual Violence Risk-20 (SVR-20) measure was used to categorize levels of risk. Reconviction data collected over a 10-year follow-up period were analysed using the receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: Violent offenders had significantly more chaotic lifestyles, displayed greater psychopathology than sex or general offenders, and were most likely to reoffend, with over a quarter committing further violent offences. The sexual offender group share more in common with the general offenders, in terms of personality characteristics and recidivism rates, than with the violent offenders. More of the violent offenders were categorized as at medium or high risk of recidivism than any other group. The SVR-20 significantly predicted any reconviction over five- and 10- year follow-up periods. DISCUSSION: The results from this study support the use of self-report inventories in assessing differences between offender groups. Such information may assist clinicians in prioritizing management and intervention strategies for those offenders, and in turn lower the risk of further offending.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Hormone treatment of the adult transsexual patient.

Hormonal reassignment has two aims: (1) to reduce the hormonally induced secondary sex characteristics of the original sex and (2) to induce the secondary sex characteristics of the new sex. In Europe, cyproterone acetate is generally used to inhibit androgens in male-to-female transsexuals. Medroxyprogesterone acetate is an acceptable, though less effective, alternative. To induce feminization there is a wide range of oestrogens. Oral ethinyloestradiol is a potent and inexpensive oestrogen, but it may cause venous thrombosis. Oral 17beta-oestradiol valerate or transdermal 17beta-oestradiol is the treatment of choice. The goal of treatment in female-to-male transsexuals is to induce virilization, including a male pattern of sexual hair, a male voice and male physical contours, and to stop menses. The principal hormonal treatment is a testosterone preparation. Hormone-dependent tumours have been encountered and surveillance is necessary.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1997

Pubertal development and onset of psychosis in childhood onset schizophrenia.

In this study, pubertal development was examined for a sample of children and adolescents with childhood onset schizophrenia (COS) defined as psychosis by age 12. Developmental and psychiatric histories were obtained for 28 adolescents (mean age 14.5 +/- 2.3 years) with severe, treatment refractory COS (14 males, 14 females). Age of onset of psychosis was also examined in relation to menarche and development of secondary sex characteristics. Girls had a trend towards developing secondary sex characteristics earlier than boys (P = 0.06), consistent with North American norms. Males (N = 14) and females (N = 14) had similar age of onset of psychosis. The age of development of secondary sex characteristics was associated with onset of psychosis for girls, but this finding was driven by one outlier. There was no significant correlation between development of psychosis and menarche. Neither male nor female probands differed significantly from their well siblings or from North American norms in their age of onset of pubertal development. There was no evidence of early onset of secondary sex characteristics for this sample. Finally, there was an absence of a clear relationship between onset of psychosis and indices of sexual development for these very early onset cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Life-cycle exposure of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to an ethinylestradiol concentration below 1 ng/L reduces egg fertilization success and demasculinizes males.

Forty-eight hours after fertilization, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) eggs were exposed to the synthetic estrogen 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) at nominal concentrations of 0.32 and 0.96 ng/L and measured concentrations of 3.5, 9.6, and 23 ng/L. The fish were observed through the larval, juvenile, and adult stages. Growth, secondary sex characteristics, the liver somatic index, the gonadosomatic index, and fecundity were examined after several lengths of exposure. No significant changes were seen in fry or juvenile growth from 8 to 30 days posthatch (dph). An increase in the ovipositor index (a female secondary sex characteristic) was the most sensitive early response at 60 dph and was seen in fish exposed to EE2 concentrations > or = 3.5 ng/L. Continuation of the EE2 exposure until 150 dph, through maturation and reproduction, allowed measurement of two sensitive end points: decreased egg fertilization and sex ratio (skewed toward females), both of which were significantly affected at the lowest EE2 concentration tested, 0.32 ng/L. The next most sensitive end point was demasculinization (decreased male secondary sex characteristic index) of males exposed to an EE2 concentration of 0.96 ng/L. The effects of low concentrations of EE2 (0.32 and 0.96 ng/L) were manifested in male fish (decreased male sex characteristics and reduced egg fertilization success), whereas female fish showed no changes in the gonadosomatic index. Exposure to higher EE2 concentrations negatively affected females, as shown by a reduced gonadosomatic index at 150 dph in fish exposed to > or =3.5 ng/L EE2. Although there were some end points that showed changes at 60 dph, the reproductive end points and external sex characteristics measured in mature fish at 150 dph were more sensitive, with response thresholds of EE2 ranging from 0.32 to 0.96 ng/L. The concentrations of EE2 that negatively affected fathead minnows were similar to or lower than those detected in many municipal wastewater effluents. In conclusion, life-cycle exposure of fathead minnows proved to be a very sensitive bioassay, and responses were seen at concentrations of less than 1 ng/L, which are environmentally relevant concentrations of EE2.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

The relationship of self-reported sex-role characteristics and attitudes toward homosexuality.

The present study investigated the relationship between self-reported sex-role characteristics and attitudes toward homosexuality using the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the Personal Attributes Questionnaire and the Attitudes toward Homosexuality Scale. Relationships occur for both males and females who are exhibiting greater amounts of cross-sex traits. Females with more instrumental characteristics were more accepting while males with more expressive characteristics were more rejecting. These findings are discussed in relation to those of Weinberger and Millham (1979) who also investigated this relationship, as well as to research investigating the relationship between attitudes toward homosexuality and attitudes toward sex roles and feminism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Developmental effects in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to nonylphenol ethoxylates and their degradation products.

The endocrine modulating potency of five alkylphenol compounds to fish, including nonylphenol (NP), three nonylphenol ethoxylate mixtures (NP1EO, NP4EO, NP9EO) and one nonylphenol ethoxycarboxylate (NP1EC) was assessed using in vivo tests conducted with Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Medaka exposed to test materials from 1 day to 100 days post-hatch were monitored for alterations to sex ratios and secondary sex characteristics and development of gonadal intersex (i.e., testis-ova). The treatment with 100 microg l-1 NP (measured 29 microg l-1) induced gonadal intersex in over 80% of exposed males, mixed secondary sex characteristics in over 40% of exposed fish and suppression of the development of papillae on the anal fin of 100% of males. The 30 microg l-1 NP (measured 8.7 microg l-1) treatment induced gonadal intersex in only one of the 22 exposed males and mixed secondary sex characteristics in approximately 20% of the exposed fish. An elevated incidence of fish with mixed secondary sex characteristics and suppression of papillae development was also observed in the treatment with NP1EO at the highest test concentration of 300 microg l-1 (measured 105 microg l-1). There was no evidence of mixed secondary sex characteristics or gonadal intersex in treatments with the remaining test mixtures. This study confirms that NP is an estrogenic compound that could affect gonadal development in fish chronically exposed to concentrations in the range of 10 microg l-1. NP1EO is very weakly estrogenic at concentrations that are an order of magnitude higher than the lowest observed effect concentration for nonylphenol.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Personality characteristics of sex offenders: a review.

Research utilizing psychometric instruments to assess personality characteristics of sex offenders is reviewed. A methodological shortcoming of this research is the frequent use of the MMPI. It is argued that this test was originally developed as a measure of types of psychopathology and has not been validated as a personality test. Studies using tests other than the MMPI have seldom controlled for institutionalization and impression management. Further, little attention has been paid to criminal history, making it difficult to conclude that the current offense is representative of past behavior. In the case of child molesting, there has been a failure to specify and/or control for age and sex of victim and degree of force used. Results suggest that men who engage in rape and child molesting are guilt-ridden individuals who inhibit aggression, but these findings are tentative because of the aforementioned methodological problems.

Child↗