Reproductive Health - Latest Comments

Evaluation of Sexual Communication Message Strategies

Bulelwa Frieda Mayeye — 2012-01-04T11:47:26Z

Dear Editor,
I would like to commend Evans, Davis, Umanzor and Khan on the article ¿Evaluation of Sexual Communication Message Strategies¿ published in the Reproductive Health Journal, 2011 at http/www.reproductive ¿ health ¿ journal.com/content/8/1/15. This article is about parent-child communication regarding sex as an important proximal reproductive health outcome. Lack of communication between parents and children on aspects of sexuality is a problematic issue bothering public health practitioners around the world including South Africa. This article is relevant to the needs and challenges that are confronting our youth as they become victims of abuse, human trafficking, sexually transmitted infections drugs and alcohol abuse. Parents need to be empowered to communicate effectively with their children using evidence based communication strategies. Information received from parents is always more reliable than messages from peers.
According to the authors, the ¿Parents Speak Up National Campaign¿ (PSUNC) is an evidence-based social marketing campaign that has been shown to be efficacious in increasing parent-child communication and behavioral determinants such as beliefs and intentions to communicate. Similarly, I believe ¿Activation of Model of Information Exposure¿ used in this project would be very useful within our communities with similar issues. However, I would like to encourage the authors to indicate where and when this model was tested and its effectiveness in building skills for effective communication.
It would also be very useful if this study could be replicated and tested in a setting such as South Africa where single parents, poor families and participants from different ethnic groups could be recruited as participants. I also support the use of secondary data since issues of sexuality and reproductive health in settings like ours are not culturally discussed between parents and children.

Sincerely,
Bulelwa Frieda Mayeye
University of Fort Hare
East London Campus, South Africa, e-mail: frieda.mayeye@gmail.com

A Positive Move Forward

Susan Stafford — 2011-02-14T16:50:13Z

Dr. Castle has clearly elucidated the political, cultural and social obstacles in the United States to the provision of abortion and reproductive health services. These obstacles exist nation-wide, not just in the states described. The strategy employed to integrate these services into existing networks that serve women, children, and families is a brilliant one. It is holistic in its scope and moves up and across institutions that have an impact on the problem, promoting the basic right of women to control their bodies, as well as advocacy and access. Institutions such as Planned Parenthood Federation and NARAL would do well to begin using this approach to combat the regressive forces that are undermining women's right to decent reproductive/sexual health care and women's rights in general. The model could also be adapted internationally to effect change.

An Inspiring Paper

Richard Helfman — 2011-02-14T16:48:45Z

I was quite impressed with Ms. Castle's paper. It is timely, accessible, and well researched. The paper exposes the insidious aspect of current reactionary forces in the United States who are bent on attacking human rights. The highly commendable operational model in the field of women's reproductive health which was presented here can also be used by other progressive organizations to promote basic human rights worldwide.

Safety for our patients seeking treatment in other countries

Shaun Fountain — 2009-02-11T05:55:37Z

I don't think that the age of the patient is such an issue as the transfer of more than one embryo created using donated eggs. Whilst patients are at an increased risk of obstetric complications when donated eggs are used and also at increasing risk at older ages, natural conceptions do occur in older women. Transferring more than one embryo is irresponsible practice. As an obstetrician I have had patients returning from treatment abroad where they have had 3 or even 4 embryos transferred and higher order pregnancies resulted which, in my opinion is reckless practice and should be outlawed.

Facts

Ugochukwu Akoma — 2005-08-31T01:22:21Z

I was present when the case discussed was managed and i can attest to it. I know the autor has other unpublished works and i am looking forwards to reading more of his works.