-
Co-designing safe spaces for menstrual health management in humanitarian settings
Construction in progress of one of the Cocoon Mini’s in a household compound (Photo: Joseph Kwesiga) Menstruation in a Refugee Settlement In humanitarian settings, individuals who menstruate face numerous obstacles in managing their menstrual health (MH). The barriers are profound, including scarcity of sanitary materials, washing supplies, and safe, private spaces for changing and disposal.…
-
Schistosomes as a threat to human reproduction
Figure 2. Hand-held colposcopic image with FGS areas highlighted (left). Histopathology section of one of the FGS lesions showing S.haematobium eggs (right). Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is a disabling and neglected gynaecological disease caused by the egg-deposition of the Schistosoma haematobium parasite in the genital tract. Transmission is facilitated by freshwater snails, as an intermediate…
-
What difference does a law make?
Flickr via Compfight cc Worldwide, as many as 19-20 million women resort to unsafe abortions every year. Many of these result in complications that cause considerable damage and even death, making abortion a key issue of women’s health and gender equity. Nevertheless, abortion remains a contentious issue among global health actors, and is often neglected…
-
The Importance of Recognizing Disability in Midlife: Questions and Answer
The BMC Journal, Women’s Midlife Health, is running a thematic series titled “Disability in Midlife.” The series aims to highlight women in this specific subgroup. Recently, the blog team at BMC got a chance to speak with the series’ guest editors, Dr. Carrie Karvonen-Guitierrez, from The University of Michigan School of Public Health and Elsa…
-
How do sex hormones influence migraine?
Of the one billion people worldwide that suffer from migraines, the vast majority of them are women. Roughly one in four women will experience migraine in their lives, compared to one in 16 men, making migraine one of the leading serious health problems affecting women. © iagodina / Getty Images / iStock Migraine affects women…
-
The little tissue that couldn’t – the hymen’s role in determining sexual history or assault
© zakokor / iStock Conversations about the female body, reproductive organs, sexuality, and virginity have dominated cultural discourse for centuries. They have been the subject of works of fiction, Renaissance art, romantic tales, religious missives, feminist theories and counter-theories, historical narratives, political movements, global health initiatives, and of course, scientific articles. This dialogue often begins…
-
Research into wellness for refugees (and the rest of us)
This blog was crossposted from SpringerOpen blog In step with the UN’s solidarity theme, the investigative focus of the papers below extends to the wellbeing of other people in humanitarian crises, as well as the aid workers who may walk alongside displaced people and who face a constellation of complex issues. Here are synopses of…