Study calls for easier access to the pill
Simplifying women’s access to hormonal contraceptives such
as the pill would improve women’s health, according to a UC
San Fransisco study that appeared in Wednesday’s issue of the
Journal of the American Medical Association.
Traditionally, women choosing to start use of hormonal
contraceptives have been required to wait until after getting a
clinical breast and pelvic exam. Researchers at the UCSF Center for
Reproductive Health Research and Policy and colleagues concluded
that, in most cases, waiting to schedule a pelvic and breast exam
may cause an unnecessary – and potentially dangerous – delay.
“Exam requirements often cause delay for women who need
effective contraceptive protection, and in some cases constitute a
serious obstacle because of costs, scheduling difficulties, or
fear,” said Felicia H. Stewart, M.D., co-director of the UCSF
Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy and the lead
author of the study.
More than 16 million U.S. women use the birth control pill as
their form of contraception.
“The study’s conclusions are especially important
for young women, who often wait several months between initiating
sexual activity and seeking health care to obtain
contraception,” said Stewart, who is a UCSF adjunct professor
of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences. Having to get
a pelvic exam is one of the reasons young women cite for their
delay in seeking care, she added.
A sexually active woman of reproductive age has an annual risk
of pregnancy of 85 to 90 percent without contraception.
Healthy brains win College Bowl contest
The UCLA Department of Health Services College Bowl Team beat
Cal State Long Beach on April 27, in a competition among health
administration and policy programs in Southern California.
The competition between health administration and policy
programs in Southern California was held at the Cal State
Northridge.
The team is coached by Diana Hilberman, an adjunct assistant
professor in health services and director of the master’s
program in Health Policy & Management in the School of Public
Health.
Other programs that participated in the competition included Cal
State Northridge, Cal State Long Beach, Loma Linda, Cal State San
Bernardino and Cal State Los Angeles.
Mayoral hopeful files complaints
Antonio Villaraigosa’s mayoral campaign filed two
complaints with the city Ethics Commission alleging campaign
finance violations by rival mayoral candidate James Hahn,
Villaraigosa officials said Thursday.
Villaraigosa accused Hahn in the complaints filed Wednesday of
failing to properly disclose almost $2.6 million in media
expenditures and of improperly coordinating with an independent
expenditure committee in violation of state and city law.
Hahn campaign consultant Kam Kuwata dismissed the complaints as
“a trumped-up charge” designed to divert
attention from a city council vote scheduled for Friday on a
separate campaign finance issue.
A proposed city ordinance set for action Friday would require
disclosure by political parties, unions and other organizations
that spend more than $10,000 on mailers and communications urging
their members to support or oppose a candidate in the upcoming
mayoral election. Voter-approved Proposition 34, passed in
November, allows groups to spend unlimited sums on such
communications without immediately disclosure.
Villaraigosa, former state assembly speaker, and Hahn, longtime
city attorney, are gearing up for a runoff June 5.
Compiled from Daily Bruin wire reports.