July 2019: Power Updates Edition

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July 2019: Power Updates Edition

July 31, 2019

There are plenty of articles, publications, and stories published every month. In an effort to help you distinguish fact from fiction, save time in your already busy day, and share news you may not have otherwise seen, here are seven stories from the last month we thought you might find interesting:

Implicit Bias and Contraceptive Counseling

Unfortunately, race/ethnicity continues to be one of the primary reasons for unequal treatment in this country. In the health care setting, provider bias has been linked to this disparity. While conscious bias has been previously studied among health care provider, this article explores unconscious bias to determine if it exists and what, if any, relationship it has with contraceptive counseling.

Sexual Consent in K–12 Sex Education

This study found that only two of the 18 states reviewed explicitly mention sexual consent in their K-12 health education standards. The authors recommend states explicitly include consent within their curriculum and emphasize the nuance of consent and communication prior to sexual debut.

Barriers to Care Experienced by Women in the United States

This infographic visually shows how women incur more health care costs than men. Though they have lower uninsured rate than men, they are more likely to skip tests or treatments because of cost, and younger women are even more likely to report not having a regular provider.

State abortion restrictions and the new Supreme Court

The authors summarize current US abortion restrictions and argue that while a complete reversal of Roe v. Wade is unlikely, future Supreme Court rulings could uphold state-level efforts to restrict abortion access, which would disproportionately affect disadvantaged and underserved women. 

Abortion Rights in Peril — What Clinicians Need to Know

This article summarizes the state of abortion access in the United States and outlines the hurdles to expanding access further. The author summarizes that, “believing in your patients’ rights to maintain their bodily autonomy and dignity and to determine their own lives and futures requires supporting the right to abortion.”

A map of the US illustrating that in 2019, 30 states demonstrate hostility to abortion rights, while 14 states demonstrate support

Key Factors Influencing Comfort in Delivering and Receiving Sexual Health Education

Researchers interviewed both middle school students and health teachers to examine their comfort with delivering and receiving sexual health education. This paper details three key barriers identified by both groups: disruptive behavior, insufficient time, and lack of dedicated classrooms.

Adolescent Connectedness and Adult Health Outcomes

This paper examined the relationship between how connected young people feel and their future health outcomes. Findings show that young people who felt more connected at home and at school are more likely to have better mental and sexual health outcomes and less likely to experience negative outcomes such as violence or substance use as adults.