Women’s Health Homework
· Students please go to http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/
1. Smokers who want to quit at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44036
2. Sleep apnea at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44030
3. Mindful eating at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44028
4. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44027
5. High Blood Pressure at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44024
6. Heart Disease at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44023
7. Menopause at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44018
8. Promoting Pap Tests for Queer Women and Trans Men at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?id=44012
9. Domestic Abuse look out at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44006
10. Why men matter preventing abuse against women at http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/resources/show_res.cfm?ID=44001
Instructions-
· Please read one feature article from the above list.
· Discuss main points
· Discuss any possible recommendations or solutions given in the article
· Share the information with someone you think needs to hear this message: Give name, age and relationship to you.
· Discuss your observations about sharing this information-
· This exercise should take one page
· Post your assignment on our blog
The article I chose to read was the one that directly dealt with issues close to home. I decided to read the article on Queer women and Trans men receiving pap tests. The point of this Ontario based Women’s health program is to raise consciousness of women who have sex with women that they are still at risk for contracting HPV or cervical cancer. Not only will Trans men and Queer women be enlightened but also health care providers. These advertisements are imperative in order to demythologize the notion that women who have sex with women are not at risk for such illnesses. Another point tackled in the article was how health centers need to be more Queer/Trans friendly in order to attract these cervixes to receive a screening. Along with appeal, this will allow for more research, and consequently information, to be brought to light about Queer women and Trans men. As of now, there aren’t that many resources available for the two.
ReplyDeleteWithin the Canadian border, local health centers are marketing towards Queer women and Trans men. The best part about this is that these advertisements are not succumbed under one. For instance, they have an ad directed towards Queer women and an ad directed towards Trans men. More recommendations were brought forth through surveys about what would bring Queer women and Trans men to health centers to take pap tests. Some suggestions made by respondents were to talk about the test before the actual appointment, bring a friend, meditate, focus attention elsewhere, or even take a mild sedative. Also, one particular health center is having drop-in appointments specifically for Queer women who would like to receive a pap test. The on board staff for the drop-in appointments is women friendly so that these women feel comfortable and safe.
After reading this information I spoke to one of my friends (trans man, 24, CB) about receiving a pap test. CB found the information very useful for his future explorations into the “correct” identity. He was also misinformed that he would not need to receive a pap test after a full transitioning from female to male. Nonetheless, we both agreed on how progressive and queer friendly Canada is to its patrons. In the States, many Queer women and Trans men are not aware of the risk of cervical cancer and HPV because we are led to believe that such does not happen to women who have sex with other women. This common misconception around the queer community is that we do not contract diseases because of our sexual lifestyle. Obviously, this is not the case. Regardless, CB still seemed reluctant to get a pap smear before and after transitioning. Being involved with the queer community helps me see such reluctance towards getting such test. For so long now, we have believed that these “woman” tests/standards are not required, and thus we have prioritized our queer lives around not seeing a gynecologist. Also, this sense of unwillingness comes from not wanting to be the health care industry’s guinea pig. This attraction to have Queer women and Trans men come to a health center and get tested could possibly lead to other “tests” not authorized by these individuals especially if health care providers are looking for more information on these particular women.
MICHAELA
ReplyDeleteThe main points of this article are simple. It discusses the issues of over eating. The causes of an unhealthy lifestyle and the triggers that spur overeating and how to control those triggers are the main focus of the article. It encourages the reader to take an 80/20 strategy when choosing healthy food versus unhealthy food. It discusses something that the author calls “heart hunger”, referring to when people eat for emotional reasons, not for nutritional ones.
Many different suggestions are offered in this article to cut down on “mindless eating”. The first is simple. If you are eating to comfort yourself from stressful situations, try to eliminate these stresses from your life. The second is to keep a food journal. An over eater may not realize how much they eat in a day unless the keep a log of it. It might also help them realize what triggers these over eating incidents. The third, and most important one, it to really define, recognize and control these triggers. Try to see what stats them, stops them and how much control you can have over them. The author suggests waiting just a minute before giving into a craving that you are having. It also discusses the VERY prevalent problem of people simple over eating at meals because they eat too fast and are not able to tell that they are hungry. The author recommends to the reader that they slow down while eating, utilize portion control and wait 20 minutes before going back for seconds.
I shared this information with my 22 year old best friend, Michelle. She had just been talking about how she wishes shoe could lose a little weight but with the stresses of school she eats as an excuse to take a break from studying. We have a very frank relationship so I did not hesitate to approach her with this information. Most women would take offence to someone offering weight loss advice out of the blue but she was interested in what the article had to say and was very perceptive.
I chose the article about Domestic Abuse in the workplace due to the recent research I did for my presentation last week. The article describes how it is very clear when there is abuse present in the life of someone close to you such as a family member or a friend, but that is not the case when it is a coworker. You may see them everyday but they do not share details on a personal level as a friend outside of work would. The Neighbors, Friends and Family campaign was created to help prevent these exact cases. Their goal is to try and educate coworkers to raise awareness and also look for signs of abuse in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteThe article discussed how the issue has been perceived in Canada, and how there is a strong misconception that woman abuse is not an issue that the workplace should be concerned about. While there is no law stating that there should be concern in the workplace for domestic abuse, Ontario may be passing a bill that would put the responsibility on employers to try and help prevent violence in the workplace and harassment. It was proven that almost forty percent of men in male batterer social programs are white collar workers. A study in 1995 found that the cost of time off work as a result of woman abuse was one billion dollars per year, and my belief is that estimate has definitely gone up in the passed fifteen years. A main reason why abuse could be so difficult to recognize is that it could be either emotional, sexual, or physical. Emotional abuse is very hard to detect.
This article explains that if you are in a situation where a coworker is being abused you must recognize the warning signs and risks for the woman being abused. This could be her job performance or attendance. You may notice anxiety or constant stress, or her being overly sensitive in talking about her home life. If this is the case, you must respond immediately instead of waiting for her to approach you, because she may never do it. There are many Assaulted Women’s Helplines that are designed for women to call in anonymously and get advice.
I shared the information that I learned from both this article and also my presentation last week with my room mate Kristin Florez (21 years old) who was actually in an abusive relationship a couple years back. She knows how important it is to break the cycle, so I felt that this article was informative for her. It is crucial to continuously educate her and any other woman who has ever been in this position about this subject to make sure that they never go back.
I choose the article on smoking because my mother is a social smoker, I wish she would quit forever. She has quit a few times, even for years but it is never actually done with addicting drug.
ReplyDeleteSmoking has become the second most common drug in the world. 87% has tried to quit and failed. Smokers should unite and research how much harm there is in tobacco. It is disgusting to know the chemicals they are consuming. The chemicals are so harmful for their body. I do not believe people are researching their drugs and the consequences that arrive while taking these harmful products.
My mom did smoke and occasionally smokes in a social situation. While hearing the effect and the harm, she is less and less interested in smoking. Moving from Europe, where everyone smokes cigarettes, she is not use to a lifestyle of not harming oneself with this drug. As someone who loves her, I inform her about nicotine, and its terrible effects. My mother is forty-five, and she’s an intelligent woman that came from a country, where they did not discuss the effects of cigarettes. Instead it was so common, that women who did not smoke cigarettes were singled out. It was not common that a Russian woman does not smoke cigarettes, maybe it’s because she has lung problems or heart problems. The women who were not smokers were estranged.
As a non smoker, I believe cigarettes are like a disease. People start and cannot get over this harmful drug. It is even sadder to think people are harming their loved ones, such as their children because they cannot stop smoking. I will educate my children on how terrible this drug can be and if they see their friends smoking to inform them on the terrible things they are doing to their own body.