South African abortion attitudes from 2007-2016: the roles of religiosity and attitudes toward sexuality and gender equality

ABSTRACT

Abortion is legal in South Africa, but negative abortion attitudes remain common and are poorly understood. We used nationally representative South African Social Attitudes Survey data to analyze abortion attitudes in the case of fetal anomaly and in the case of poverty from 2007 to 2016 (n = 20,711; ages = 16+). We measured correlations between abortion attitudes and these important predictors: religiosity, attitudes about premarital sex, attitudes about preferential hiring and promotion of women, and attitudes toward family gender roles. Abortion acceptability for poverty increased over time (b = 0.05, p < .001), but not for fetal anomaly (b = ?0.008, p = .284). Highly religious South Africans reported lower abortion acceptability in both cases (Odds Ratio (OR)_anomaly = 0.85, p = .015; OR_poverty = 0.84, p = .02). Premarital sex acceptability strongly and positively predicted abortion acceptability (OR_anomaly = 2.63, p < .001; OR_poverty = 2.46, p < .001). Attitudes about preferential hiring and promotion of women were not associated with abortion attitudes, but favorable attitudes about working mothers were positively associated with abortion acceptability for fetal anomaly ((OR_anomaly = 1.09, p = .01; OR_poverty = 1.02, p = .641)). Results suggest negative abortion attitudes remain common in South Africa and are closely tied to religiosity, traditional ideologies about sexuality, and gender role expectations about motherhood.     

Has Hepatitis A Virus Been Transmitted by Clotting Factor Concentrates among Hemophiliacs in the United States?

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection occurred after administration of factor VIII concentrate in Europe associated with one manufacturing process. We determined if there was an excess prevalence of anti-HAV among hemophiliacs in the United States, and whether any infections here were potentially concentrate-associated. We observed clotting disorder patients and household members for up to 7 years at 6-month intervals. Selected specimens were titered for anti-HAV-immunoglobulin G content to distinguish whether they were passively or actively acquired. Our results show that anti-HAV prevalence was 20–25%, but males with clotting deficiencies had a 44% rate (p < 0.001). Passive anti-HAV (≥ 30 to < 950 mIU/ml) from intermediate-purity factor VIII may have protected against community HAV exposure. Factor IX concentrates, which contain no anti-HAV, did not protect and a few instances of past transmission are possible. Criteria for present-day concentrate-associated cases were developed; no subject conclusively met these criteria during the period between late 1985 and May 1993. In conclusion, the excess of anti-HAV prevalence in male clotting disorders is attributable to both passive administration in concentrate, and past therapy prior to concentrates. No untoward HAV event related to concentrate was found in our population, but measures to prevent transmission of nonenveloped viruses should be instituted.     

A randomized controlled trial of electromagnetic therapy in the primary care management of venous leg ulceration

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to establish the potential efficacy, tolerabilityand side-effect profile of electromagnetic therapy as an adjunctto conventional dressings in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. METHOD: A prospective, randomized, double blind controlled clinicaltrial was carried out in a dedicated leg ulcer clinic basedin one urban general practice. Nineteen patients with leg ulcersof confirmed venous aetiology were assessed. The main outcomemeasures were rate and scale of venous leg ulcer healing, changesin patient-reported pain levels, quality of life, degree ofmobility, side effect profile and acceptability to patientsand staff. RESULTS: Sixty-eight per cent of patients attending this dedicated clinicachieved improvements in the size of their ulcer (4, 21%, healedfully) and in reduced pain levels (P < 0.05) during the trial,despite the chronicity of ulcer histories. Patients treatedwith electromagnetic therapy at 800 Hz were found at day 50to have significantly greater healing (P < 0.05) and paincontrol (P < 0.05) than placebo therapy or treatment with600 Hz. All patients reported improved mobility at the end ofthe study. The electromagnetic therapy was well tolerated bypatients, with no differences between groups in reporting adverseevents, and proved acceptable to staff. CONCLUSION: Despite the small numbers in this pilot study, electromagnetictherapy provided significant gains in the healing of venousleg ulcers and reduction in pain. Keywords. Electromagnetic therapy, RCT, leg ulcers, primary care.