1. Social determinants of health: Social forces that shape women and men's knowledge of reproductive health in a resource-limited setting
- Author
-
Sarah Chivers, Leesa Costello, and Jane Namasasu
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Rural Population ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,Malawi ,Social Determinants of Health ,Sexual Behavior ,Population ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Nursing ,Medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Social determinants of health ,education ,Health policy ,Qualitative Research ,Reproductive health ,education.field_of_study ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,business.industry ,Focus Groups ,Middle Aged ,Focus group ,Reproductive Health ,Socioeconomic Factors ,General Health Professions ,Life course approach ,Women's Health ,Health education ,Female ,Reproductive Health Services ,Rural area ,business ,Men's Health - Abstract
Social forces shape people's reproductive health in many ways. We examined people's knowledge about reproductive health using focus group data collected from 93 participants in rural districts of Malawi. Participants' perspectives were contextualized by explaining the socioeconomic, cultural, and gender factors that determine reproductive health for rural Malawians. Strategies to improve reproductive health care in environments lacking in health infrastructure, staff, and economic resources are then provided. We call for a reproductive health agenda to target preventive care by providing information about anatomy and biology, communicating information in culturally competent ways, and educating men and women over the life course.
- Published
- 2016