Gendered powerlessness in at-risk adolescent and young women: an empirical model.

In the United States, youth aged 13-24 comprised approximately 21% of new HIV infections in 2017; 13% of these infections occurred among women, the majority of whom (86%) acquired HIV through heterosexual contact (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2019a. HIV and youth. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/age/youth/index.html, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2019b. HIV among women. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/gender/women/index.html). We fit and validated a developmentally appropriate empirical model of Connell's Theory of Gender and Power (Connell, R. W. 1987. Gender and power: Society, the person and sexual politics. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, Connell, R. W. 2013. Gender and power: Society, the person and sexual politics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons) in a sample of young women and assessed whether gendered powerlessness reflected a multidimensional higher-order latent factor, as the theory implies. Anonymous computer-assisted interviews were administered to at-risk, sexually active young women (N = 1,101). Factor analyses and structural equation modeling were used to determine the dimensionality of gendered powerlessness. Associations with condom use were examined to validate the model. We fit a three-component model of gendered powerlessness, but not a higher-order latent factor. We observed that high scores on two dimensions of gendered powerlessness - cathexis and sexual division of power - were associated with lower likelihood of condom use. Our three-component model helps elucidate the role that components of gendered powerlessness play in young women's health behaviors and underscores the need for measures tailored to young women at high risk of contracting HIV.

Dietitians' attitudes, perceptions, and usage patterns for fresh-cut fruit and vegetables.

PURPOSE: New fresh-cut fruit and vegetable products are being developed worldwide. Nutrition educators' perceptions of these products were studied. METHODS: Professional dietitians in Nova Scotia were asked to complete a questionnaire on their use of fresh-cut produce. The questionnaire also elicited their attitudes and perceptions about the convenience, taste/quality, nutrition/health benefits, cost, and safety of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent of respondents reported eating five to six servings of fruit and vegetables a day. This group most frequently consumed fresh-cut fruit as snacks or dessert, and vegetables in stir-fry dishes or salads or cooked with meals. In general, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables were perceived as convenient, safe, and nutritious. While approximately 50% of participants felt fresh-cut produce did not differ in taste from whole fresh produce, almost the same number considered whole fresh produce superior in taste. CONCLUSIONS: Dietitians have a generally positive perception of fresh-cut products; however, there is uncertainty about the nutritional value, cost/benefit, and use of the products. Dietitians require more information on the nutrient value of these products and on suggested alternative uses. Attention should be paid to developing fresh-cut products that have good sensory quality.