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Reports generated from data from registry participants:

Heart Rate Variability Reflects Self-Regulatory Strength, Effort, and Fatigue

Suzanne C. Segerstrom and Lise Solberg Nes
Experimental research reliably demonstrates that self-regulatory deficits are a consequence of prior selfregulatory effort. However, in naturalistic settings, although people know that they are sometimes vulnerable to saying, eating, or doing the wrong thing, they cannot accurately gauge their capacity to self-regulate at any given time. Because self-regulation and autonomic regulation colocalize in the brain, an autonomic measure, heart rate variability (HRV), could provide an index of self-regulatory strength and activity. During an experimental manipulation of self-regulation (eating carrots or cookies), HRV was elevated during high self-regulatory effort (eat carrots, resist cookies) compared with low self-regulatory effort (eat cookies, resist carrots). The experimental manipulation and higher HRV at baseline independently predicted persistence at a subsequent anagram task. HRV appears to index self-regulatory strength and effort, making it possible to study these phenomena in the field as well as the lab.

Violence against Women Raises Risk of Cervical Cancer

An emerging literature suggests that violence against women (VAW), particularly sexual violence, may increase the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and, therefore, may be associated with cervical cancer development. The purpose of this cross-sectional analysis was to determine if women who had experienced violence had higher prevalence rates of invasive cervical cancer. [PDF format]

The Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence, Substance Use Behaviors and Mental Health Outcomes in Kentucky Women

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) on mental health outcomes and substance use. [PDF format]

A History of Adverse Pregnancy Events Associated with Cardiovascular Disease in Women 50 Years of Age and Older

This study investigates the association between history of pregnancy complications and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among women aged 50 years or older and aims to identify particular adverse pregnancy events that increase risk for CVD, and determine a dose-response between the number of pregnancy complications and CVD. [PDF format]

You may also view a PowerPoint presentation here.

Analysis of Smoking Behaviors of Kentucky Women's Health Registry Participants

The primary goal of this project is to explore the smoking behaviors of women participating in the Kentucky Women's Health Registry (KWHR). The literature review covers use of programs that target smoking, the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and smoking, and the health and social context of the women of Kentucky. Women were asked about public health program use, but because few women reported any use, this variable was reported as a simple frequency and was not useful for further analysis. A logistical regression analysis that modeled factors predicted to affect current smoking status was performed. Independent variables included age, health insurance coverage, education, general health status, and employment status. [PDF format]

You may also view a PowerPoint presentation here.