Search

Background: Mutations in the BRCA 1/2 genes increase the risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer compared with the general population. However, the risk is low at age 30, and for women younger than 25, no preventive or screening options are available. Scientists wonder whether genetic predictive BRCA testing is appropriate at a very young age. Furthermore, although young women have positive attitudes toward testing, their understanding of genetic information seems scarce., Objective: To assess how young (18-24) versus adult (30-45) women at general population- level risk understand information about BRCA testing., Methods: 302 women read an informative pamphlet and answered an ad-hoc questionnaire assessing usefulness of the information for decision making, intention to undergo predictive testing, and comprehension (perceived, general, and risk comprehension; open-ended questions)., Results: Younger women had a lower comprehension of important BRCA information; it was more difficult for young women to identify the risk figures of cancer, and they showed errors when answering open-ended questions., Limitations: Results are limited by the study's hypothetical nature., Conclusions: Young women seem to have particular difficulty understanding BRCA information., Practice Implications: Counsellors should be aware of the difficulties young women have in understanding information about BRCA predictive testing., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite concerted prevention efforts, young South African women remain at the epicenter of the HIV epidemic. Although these women have grown up in a community powerfully affected by HIV, systematic investigation into how this "second generation" of HIV-affected youth navigates HIV risk is lacking. This study qualitatively explored a complex interplay of factors influencing HIV risk among young pregnant women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We conducted in-depth interviews with 35 pregnant women (22 HIV-uninfected and 13 HIV-infected) aged 18-21, 18 healthcare providers, and focus groups with 19 community stakeholders. Among the young women, HIV knowledge was high, and many reported taking some action to prevent pregnancy or HIV; however, these efforts were not routinely implemented. Themes related to HIV acquisition risk from all participants were organized using a socioecological framework and revolved around individual and developmental experiences (personal experience with HIV, perceived invincibility), family barriers (lack of adult supervision, pressure to leave school), relational barriers (lack of disclosure and partner communication, "burn out" around attempts to discuss condom use with partners, overdependence on partners), community-level barriers (township environment, lack of structured activities), and social barriers (poverty, HIV-related stigma). Some novel concepts emerged from the data, including an understanding of how overdependence on the romantic relationship may develop. Current HIV prevention efforts, including traditional HIV counseling and testing, condom distribution, and biomedical agents for HIV prevention, are unlikely to be effective without a broader, ecological up-to-date understanding of the evolving, intertwined, and complex constellation of factors that drive HIV risk behavior in this high-risk population.

This study explored the predictors of young women's compliance with unwanted sexual activities, integrating the social with the cognitive and behavioral correlates of sexual compliance. In total, 222 young heterosexual women completed measures examining the Sexual Self-Control model, including reasons for consenting, sexual resourcefulness, and compliance with unwanted sex, as well as gender role measures pertaining to sexual script theory, including the sexual double standard, gender role stress, and virginity scripts. An exploratory analysis of serial indirect effects demonstrated that women scoring lower in sexual resourcefulness endorsed higher female gender role stress, which in turn was associated with higher endorsement of reasons for consent, translating into more frequent compliance with unwanted sexual activities. The relationship between one's ability to refuse and their decision to refuse appears quite complex. Understanding one's decision requires consideration of the social aspects of gender role endorsement.

Body pride may be a predictor of health and well-being among Aboriginal youth. Body pride could potentially be addressed in health interventions, but it is critical to understand how body pride is conceptualized among Aboriginal youth. The purpose of this qualitative description study was to better understand the experiences of body pride among young Aboriginal women living in urban centers in Alberta, Canada. Eight young Aboriginal women (15-18 years old) participated in one-on-one interviews. A qualitative content analysis highlighted five themes that represent the participants' meanings of body pride. Participants described how body pride is: (a) accepting everything about your body, (b) who you are and how you show it, (c) connected to culture, (d) being healthy, and (e) being thankful to be Native. This research makes a contribution to the growing body pride literature by providing an initial glimpse into the complexities of young Aboriginal women's body pride experiences., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Recently, a number of studies have identified self-employed Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) as effective in decreasing the level of alcohol-related harm among young people. However, much of the published research has ignored important gender differences, such as women's increased tendency to rely on PBS that are social in nature. To further the understanding of women's PBS, the current study sought to investigate the nature and correlates of the strategies young women employ to keep their friends safe when drinking (i.e., peer-directed PBS)., Method: A scale measuring peer-directed PBS was developed and administered in conjunction with existing measures of alcohol consumption, personal PBS, and peer attachment. Participants consisted of 422 women aged 18-30 years, recruited among psychology students and the general public., Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed two clusters of peer-directed PBS; those that were aimed at reducing intoxication among one's friends and those that were designed to minimize alcohol-related harms. Further analysis found a positive relationship between women's tendency to implement personal and peer-directed PBS and that risky drinkers were less likely to engage in personal or peer-directed PBS (either type)., Conclusion: Findings indicate that personal and peer-directed PBS are related behaviors that are less frequently adopted by risky drinkers., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

During recent decades numerous feminist scholars have scrutinized the two-sex model and questioned its status in Western societies and medicine. Along the same line, increased attention has been paid to individuals' experiences of atypical sex development, also known as intersex or 'disorders of sex development' (DSD). Yet research on individuals' experiences of finding out about their atypical sex development in adolescence has been scarce. Against this backdrop, the present article analyses 23 in-depth interviews with women who in their teens found out about their atypical sex development. The interviews were conducted during 2009-2012 and the interviewees were all Swedish. Drawing on feminist research on female embodiment and social scientific studies on diagnosis, I examine how the women make sense of their bodies and situations. First, I aim to explore how the women construe normality as they negotiate female embodiment. Second, I aim to investigate how the divergent manners in which these negotiations are expressed can be further understood via the women's different access to a diagnosis. Through a thematic and interpretative analysis, I outline two negotiation strategies: the "differently normal" and the "normally different" strategy. In the former, the women present themselves as just slightly different from 'normal' women. In the latter, they stress that everyone is different in some manner and thereby claim normalcy. The analysis shows that access to diagnosis corresponds to the ways in which the women present themselves as "differently normal" and "normally different", thus shedding light on the complex role of diagnosis in their negotiations of female embodiment. It also reveals that the women make use of what they do have and how alignments with and work on norms interplay as normality is construed., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Younger women rely on altering cardiac output (Q̇$\dot{Q}$) to regulate blood pressure (BP). In contrast, older women rely more on altering vascular tone. However, evidence suggests that the ability to alter systemic vascular conductance (SVC) is diminished in older women. In the present study, cardioselective β‐blockade was utilized to diminish the relative contribution of Q̇$\dot{Q}$ to BP regulation and thereby evaluate age‐related vascular limitations in women at rest and during large muscle dynamic exercise. Younger (n = 13, mean age 26.0 years) and older (n = 14, mean age 61.8 years) healthy women performed submaximal bouts of semi‐recumbent cycling exercise at varying intensities while receiving an intravenous infusion of esmolol, a β1‐antagonist, or saline control in a repeated‐measures crossover design. Q̇$\dot{Q}$ was attenuated during esmolol infusion, with greater reductions during exercise (moderate, –1.0 (95% CI, –1.6 to –0.5) L/min, P < 0.001; heavy, –2.0 (95% CI, –2.6 to –1.5) L/min, P < 0.001) than seated rest (–0.5 (95% CI, –1.1 to 0.0) L/min, P = 0.048), and this reduction was not significantly different between age groups (P = 0.122). Older women exhibited a greater attenuation in mean arterial pressure (MAP) during esmolol (–7 (95% CI, –9 to –4) mmHg, P < 0.001) relative to younger women (–2 (95% CI, –5 to 0) mmHg, P = 0.071). These changes coincided with a greater reduction of SVC in the younger women during esmolol (–15 (95% CI, –20 to –10) mL/min/mmHg, P < 0.001) compared to older women (–3 (95% CI, –9 to 2) mL/min/mmHg, P = 0.242). Together, these findings provide evidence that older, postmenopausal women have a diminished ability to adjust SVC in order to regulate MAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study sought to determine if inequities exist in Hispanic women's pregnancy intentions and birth outcomes by metropolitan status. In the U.S. pregnancy intentions and birth outcomes of young Hispanic women are a significant public health problem as they are often overlooked on health issues such as pregnancy and childbirth. Data were from the 2015 to 2019 National Survey of Family Growth and focused on the first pregnancies of Hispanic women aged 18 to 24 years old who were not pregnant at the time of the interview and answered the nativity question. Multivariable multinomial regression was used to evaluate how metropolitan status affects pregnancy intentions and birth outcomes. Additionally, multivariable multinomial regression was used to evaluate how metropolitan status affects each pregnancy intention-birth outcome combination. There was no significant association solely between metropolitan status and pregnancy intention (i.e. unintended pregnancy). Metropolitan Hispanic women reported more miscarriages than live births. Hispanic women in the suburbs were more likely to miscarry during an intended pregnancy than those in urban. These findings can improve family planning services for rural women by identifying the specific factors that affect pregnancy intentions and developing targeted interventions to reduce unintended pregnancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media provides African youths an alternative platform for, inter alia, engaging and reconstructing taboo subjects, including harmful myths and stereotypes. They exploit the medium to refuse misconceptions and re-make perceptions of their lived experiences. With the increasing availability of web 2.0 channels to Africans, youths have taken up these spaces to express their talents. Recently, a new generation of young women has leveraged TikTok to circulate performances that spark multi-continental conversations, pushing back negative/unfounded narratives of Africans propounded by non-Africans. The study examines this form of online refusal, focusing on the dramatic aspects of such TikTok videos. Specifically, one such woman, Charity Ekezie of Nigerian descent, produces hilarious TikTok skits owning up non-Africans’ primordial view of Africa as a continent lacking internet access, running water, and other basic infrastructure. Through analyses of selected TikTok gigs produced by the young woman, I argue that her content deploys humor to reject typecast narratives pigeonholing Africans to barbarity. Although Ekezie playfully embodies these negative conceptions of the continent, the undercurrents of her acts counteract these self-identifications. I read them as acts of refusal that dismantle deleterious notions of Africa, foreground the naivety of accusers, and make them the butt of laughter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study examines the impact of nurse uniforms, the coronavirus pandemic, and the image of nurses and the nursing profession on the career choice of young Muslim Arab women in nursing, with a focus on policy implications. Background: The global nursing shortage poses significant challenges, including in Israel. Attracting young Muslim Arab women to nursing careers is vital. Understanding how nurse uniforms, the pandemic, and perceptions of nurses and the nursing profession shape their career decisions can inform policy interventions. Methods: A cross‐sectional study utilized digital questionnaires administered to 200 Muslim Arab women aged 20–30 in Israel. The study adhered to the EQUATOR checklist for cross‐sectional studies. Results: Only 29.2% of participants expressed interest in studying nursing. Findings revealed a positive correlation between the pandemic's impact and intention to pursue nursing. A linear regression analysis shows the impact of the white uniform, the image of nurses, and the image of the profession on the choice of a career in nursing. Discussion: The study emphasizes the significance of nurse uniforms, the image of nurses, and the image of the nursing profession in shaping young Muslim Arab women's career choices in nursing. Policy interventions should raise awareness about nursing roles, expand responsibilities, and highlight nurses' contributions to society. Conclusion: Strategies to attract young Muslim Arab women to nursing careers should address nurse uniforms, the image of nurses, and the image of the nursing profession. Implications for policy: Policy interventions should prioritize diversity, promote positive images of nurses and the nursing profession, and raise awareness of nursing roles and contributions among young Muslim Arab women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On August 2nd, 2022, Kansas held a vote to lift state constitutional protections for abortion access. The vote gained national attention, as it was the first statewide plebiscite on the subject since the U.S. Supreme Court had issued its ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which had overturned the remaining U.S. Constitutional blocks on restricting abortion that had been in place since Roe v. Wade. The turnout for the election was unprecedented for a primary in the state, and to the surprise of many, the amendment failed by a large margin in deep red Kansas. In this paper, we use both precinct-level election results and individual-level voter registration and history data to explore who was mobilized to vote in the August 2022 primary and their behavior in the November 2022 general election. We find that the primary mobilized an electorate that had more women and young people, fewer Republicans, and more first-time voters than a normal primary, but that these demographics were also more likely to then abstain in the general election. Thus, the engagement of young people, especially young women, on the abortion issue remains, but preliminary findings suggest the future of this groups' electoral participation separate from abortion activism is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While female ejaculation is viewed as a potential enhancer of women's sexual experiences and their relationships with their sexual partners, existing studies to date emphasize the need for further exploration of the squirting phenomenon. Aim: The study sought to explore experiences and perceptions about the phenomenon of squirting in young adult women. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted between December 2022 and March 2023. Seventeen young adult women who experienced squirting were recruited using a convenience and snowball sampling. ATLAS.ti v.9 software was used for a thematic analysis of the interview data. The study adhered to the recommendations for reporting qualitative research (Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research). Outcomes: The outcomes included (1) exploring factors influencing initial squirting experiences, (2) insights gained through squirting experiences, (3) communication as the cornerstone in sexual relationships, and (4) resources and sources for knowledge on the squirting phenomenon. Results: After the analysis of the results, the following subthemes emerged: (1) first perceptions on squirting, (2) facilitating factors, (3) physical sensations and psychological aspects in squirting experience, (4) sources of information about squirting and (5) addressing squirting in comprehensive sex education. Clinical Implications: Frontline healthcare providers should undergo specific training to address anxiety related to squirting among certain individuals and enhance societal awareness while offering emotional support for diverse sexual response variations. Strengths and Limitations: Acknowledging limitations in our study of young women's experiences with squirting, a more diverse sample could provide alternative insights. Despite this, our findings contribute valuable knowledge, suggesting avenues for professional training to promote sexual and reproductive health in a more realistic and sensitive manner. Conclusion: This study explored the emotional and psychological effects of squirting on women's sexual experiences, ranging from heightened arousal to feelings of humiliation and embarrassment. It emphasized the importance of a partner's reaction in interpreting the event and the limited understanding of squirting, often influenced by pornography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In mid-2022 Australia's National Cervical Screening Program made self-collection of a vaginal sample an option for screening for young women or people with a cervix aged 25 to 29 years for the first time. This study explored what young women thought about, and wanted to know about, self-collection, and what their future screening preferences are. Methods: Young women (n = 21), aged 24–29 years, were recruited through social media. Semi-structured interviews explored screening history, screening preferences and thoughts about self-collection. Data were analysed using an a priori coding framework informed by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Results: Young women valued the addition of self-collection to the national cervical screening program, believing it to be less invasive and more convenient. However, they also valued the choice to opt for a clinician-collected specimen if preferred. Conclusions: Self-collection is a valuable addition to the National Cervical Screening Program. This study suggests that continued efforts are needed to raise awareness of its availability, and improve understanding about its accuracy, the ease of collection, that you still need to engage with a primary healthcare service to access it and that you can still opt for a clinician-collected test. Now available for the first time to young women and people with a cervix (aged 25–29 years), self-collection cervical screening is a safe, accurate and easy method to complete regular cervical screening without the use of a speculum. However, the best ways to communicate and promote self-collection to this age group has not been researched. This is important, because self-collection creates a positive screening experience, and will encourage young people to continue screening throughout their life, ultimately preventing cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: One of the most painful experiences in the collapse of romantic relationships is the experience of love trauma. The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) on love trauma syndrome and symptoms of depression and anxiety in young women with experiences of emotional breakup. Methods and Materials: This study employed an applied quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population of this study included all women aged 20-35 who visited counseling centers in Amol in 2022. The sample consisted of 40 women from the statistical population of Amol, who were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: the emotion-focused therapy group (n=20) and the control group (n=20). Data were collected using the Ross Love Trauma Inventory (1999), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) (1996). The sessions of emotion-focused therapy by Greenberg et al. (2008) were conducted in 12 weekly 90-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using repeated measures and SPSS-26 software. Findings: The results indicated that emotion-focused therapy was effective on anxiety (F = 18.410), depression (F = 41.531), and love trauma syndrome (F = 74.597) in young women with experiences of emotional breakup. Therefore, it can be concluded that emotion-focused therapy was effective on anxiety (F = 18.410), depression (F = 41.531), and love trauma syndrome (F = 74.597) in young women with experiences of emotional breakup. Conclusion: It can be concluded that emotion-focused therapy was effective on love trauma syndrome and symptoms of depression and anxiety in young women with experiences of emotional breakup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Exercise is an important intervention used to improve body image. The present non-randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the effects of Nirvana Fitness (NF) and functional training (FT) on body appreciation and its correlates in young women. Methods: Twenty-two students participated in FT, 21 in NF, and 47 in the control (CN) group. The mean age of the study participants was 22.79 ± 6.14 years. The FT and NF groups participated in sessions 2 days per week for 8 weeks, and the CN group did not participate in any sessions. All the participants were evaluated at pre- and post-intervention, filling in the Body Appreciation Scale 2 (BAS-2), Mind-Body Connection from the Physical Activity Body Experiences Questionnaire (PABEQ), Body Surveillance from the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS), the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS), intrinsic exercise motivation from Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 2 (BREQ-2), and perceived physical fitness. Results: Significant improvements were found in terms of all outcome measures in the FT group, and improvements of body and mind connection and body surveillance in the NF group, while no improvements were observed in the CN group. FT's effect on body appreciation appeared to operate through the improvement of the mind-body connection in the FT and NF groups and via decreased body surveillance in the FT group. Conclusion: These findings support the developmental theory of embodiment and provide initial evidence that professionally delivered FT and NF might be used as effective strategies for the promotion of positive body image in young women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various studies have highlighted that women are at a higher risk of becoming victims of cyberbullying, with the severity of cyberbullying among women in many countries increasing and the urgency of having necessary intervention steps by governments and legal institutions in place. Nonetheless, the taboo of discussing mental health and individual struggles has hindered victims from disclosing their cyberbullying experiences they have gone through or are still currently experiencing due to the fear of being discriminated against. Therefore, this study aimed to explore cyberbullying from a victim's perspective among women with heavy social media usage, as well as their coping strategies. A qualitative research design was utilised to understand the cyberbullying experience and coping strategies among five young women aged between 20 to 26 years old. Participants were recruited through social media. Collected data were analysed using thematic analysis which revealed three cyberbullying themes: "harassment", "relational aggression" and "trolling", three initial reaction themes: "anger", "sadness" and "confusion", two crossroad themes: "helplessness" and "sense of control" that either lead to the relapse of cyberbullying experience or coping strategies, and three coping strategy themes: "social coping", "emotion-focused coping" and "problem-focused coping" and lastly, cognitive reappraisal. The findings provide comprehensive insights into understanding cyberbullying experiences and coping strategies among women with heavy social media usage. Understanding the effectiveness of various forms of coping allows mental health professionals to support their clients by finding out the implemented coping strategy and expanding on other forms of coping to build a more holistic support for their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although studies often report the prevalence of obesity, community-based studies reporting the incidence of overweight or obesity in India are scarce. Such incidence data are crucial for improving projections about the future burden of obesity. Methods: A non-concurrent follow-up study was done in 2015 in urban Vellore, Tamil Nadu, among two groups of women aged 30-40 years, with body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m² (normal) and BMI ≥25 kg/m² (overweight/obese) in 2012, to assess changes in BMI. The sampling frame consisted of 473 women: 209 women with BMI <25 kg/m², and 264 women with BMI ≥25 kg/m², who were part of a cross-sectional survey in 2012. A randomly selected list of 370 women (80% of the original cohort) was used to trace the women. Measurements at follow-up included weight, height, dietary and other risk factors. Results: Of 370 women, 170 (45.9%) were followed up at the end of three years, which included 82 with BMI <25 kg/m² and 88 with BMI >25 kg/m². The incidence of overweight (BMI ≥25 kg/m²) in three years, was 29.2% (24/82), among women with a normal BMI (<25 kg/m²) in 2012. Among the 88 women who were overweight/obese in 2012, there was no regression to normal BMI within the three years of follow-up. There was an association between the incidence of overweight and the intake of carbohydrates (adjusted odds ratios (AORs): 3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04 to 8.63) and protein intake (AOR: 20.0, 95% CI: 2.5 to 158.3). Conclusions: This study found an incidence of nearly one-third (29.2%) of developing high BMI (≥25.0 kg/m²) in 30-40-year-old urban women from Vellore, implying a rapid increase in overweight and obesity among young women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This qualitative case study aims to investigate how current services meet the emotional needs of young women growing up with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Young women (15–19 years old), caregivers and service providers were recruited through three multidisciplinary HIV management centres in Malawi. Design/methodology/approach: In-depth interviews were used to collect data for 14 "cases" (each "case" involved a young woman, a caregiver and a service provider, for a total of 42 participants). The interviews with adolescents were conducted using an innovative visual method known as the "my story" book. Findings: Thematic analysis revealed that young women experienced traumatic experiences and emotional neglect after being diagnosed as HIV positive. Lack of adult support networks and social isolation were identified as intersecting factors contributing to their mental distress. According to the findings of this study, HIV care should more explicitly include comprehensive mental health-care services. This provision should include ongoing individualised counselling sessions, supplemented by communication skills training to help break the prevalent cultural silence on HIV issues. Young people living with HIV, in general, and young women, are more likely to experience mental health issues than their non-infected peers. Integrating comprehensive mental health evaluation and treatment into HIV care for young people can be beneficial. Practical implications: Mental health issues are critical and underserved challenges among young people living with perinatally acquired HIV. Women experience a higher prevalence of mental challenges than men. Integrating comprehensive mental health evaluation and treatment into HIV care for young people can be beneficial. Therefore, interventions to assist young people with mental health issues are needed within the context of HIV management in Malawi. Originality/value: Many studies on mental health and HIV/AIDS have been conducted. However, there is very little information as regards the emotional needs of young women growing up with perinatally acquired HIV. This study fills the void. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China in 2021 greatly facilitated the legal procedure for changing one's name. The current study collected 334 cases of young Chinese women's given name changes from January to June 2022 on the Xiaohongshu app, a lifestyle platform that inspires people to discover and connect with a range of diverse lifestyles. After collecting the 334 former and 334 present names of the Chinese women included in this research, the reasons the respondents gave for changing their given names were examined. These reasons included following superstition, correcting registration mistakes, and clarifying gender confusion. The decisions to adopt new names were found to have been motivated by several different reasons. These motivations are explained in detail. As will be shown, the self-renaming practices discovered in this study demonstrate how modern Chinese women can use their personal names to reflect their personal identity. The findings of this study increase our collective understanding of women's efforts to express their self-awareness through name change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increased presence of women at home, unfavourable living conditions affect them disproportionately. This situation makes it essential to consider their lifestyle, needs, and preferences when designing housing. This exploratory study collected data through the utilization of qualitative research techniques, including semi-structured interviews and observations. The cohort comprised twenty women, ranging in age from 20 to 40, who were intentionally selected from Tehran province. Using the MAX QDA software, the interview data was coded. Additionally, diagrams that were oriented toward behavior and space were constructed. The findings highlight the pivotal role of rooms within residential spaces in women's lives, and it revealed that the contemporary social, economic, and cultural conditions of Iran have shaped a distinct lifestyle among women in this age, significantly impacting their housing preferences. The perceived environmental attributes of young women--"efficiency and functionality, beauty and order, privacy, flexibility and adaptability, cleanliness, and hygiene"--are crucial design elements for rooms in residential apartment units. Furthermore, physical characteristics including illumination, ventilation conditions, heating and cooling, the number of bedrooms, interior furniture and its arrangement, texture and color of materials, window views and their exposure, lighting, room size and other proportions, spatial configuration, noise pollution, ventilation conditions, and heating and cooling systems are also taken into consideration. In order to accommodate the lifestyle of young women, it is critical to contemplate appropriate areas for sleeping, working, and leisure, while also guaranteeing personal seclusion and integrating personal preferences and cultural sensitivity into the design of the room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estudios Demográficos y Urbanos is the property of El Colegio de Mexico AC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Emotional contagion is achieved by inferring and emotionally resonating with other persons' feelings. It is unclear whether age-related changes in emotional contagion for infant sounds are modulated by the experience of childbirth or childcare. This study aims to evaluate changes in inference and emotional resonance for positive and negative infant sounds (laughter and crying) among women, based on age and parous experience. Methods: A total of 241 women (60 young nulliparous, 60 young parous, 60 old nulliparous, and 61 old parous) completed a web-based questionnaire. After listening to three types of infant sounds (laughter, cooing, and crying), participants responded with their valence for hearing infant sounds and estimated infant valence on an 11-point Likert scale. Results: The analysis for emotional resonance revealed that the correlation coefficient between self and estimated infant valences was greater in young parous and old nulliparous women than in young nulliparous women, in laughter and cooing sounds. However, correlation coefficients for crying did not differ among any of the four groups. Conclusion: The degree of emotional resonance for infant valence increased depending on age and parous-experience for positive infant sounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed: Cervical screening rates for young women aged between 25 and 35 are lower than older Australian women, however, little research has been conducted to understand why. This study aimed to identify and explore the barriers and enablers faced by young Victorians with a cervix to regular cervical screening. Methods: This study used a mixed method exploratory design consisting of qualitative focus groups and a quantitative online survey. Four focus groups were conducted with 24 Victorians with a cervix aged between 25 and 35. Barriers, enablers and knowledge of cervical screening were explored. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis of common themes. A supporting online survey was completed by 98 respondents. Summary statistics were analysed for differences in age. Results: Focus groups and the online survey revealed four main factors that influence young people's cervical screening behaviour. These include past negative screening experiences, practitioner factors, priority placed on cervical screening, and cervical screening knowledge. These factors differ to the opinions of people older than 35, with young people focusing more on the psychological elements of cervical screening compared with practical factors. Conclusions: This research provides a unique insight into cervical screening barriers faced by women and people with a cervix aged between 25 and 35 as well as what factors motivate them to screen. So What?: These findings should be utilised to inform the design of public health campaign messaging targeting this age demographic. Findings can also assist practitioners to improve how they communicate with young people in a clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a public disease of young female worldwide, it affects their daily performances. Severe recurrent uterine cramps are the main complaints in 90% of adolescents and 50% of reproductive-age females. This study aimed to evaluate the use of magnetic field therapy in the treatment of severe dysmenorrhea grade 3 and provide an encouraging goal to continue daily work without pain. Methods: Two hundred and fifty female patients were recruited in this study from gynecological clinics in Basrah, southern Iraq. All had severe dysmenorrhea, patients were subjected to a questionnaire form, Visual Analog Scale, and verbal multidimensional scoring system to determine the pain intensity and grade of dysmenorrhea. Only 38 young females had severe dysmenorrhea grade 3 with ages ranging from 16 to 28 years with a mean age of 22.04 ± 1.43 years and body mass index 23.81 ± 1.94, patients subjected to electromagnetic field therapy (EMFT), two sessions per week for 20 min each for 6 weeks. Three categories were assessed, working ability, associated symptoms, and drugs used. Data were collected and statistically analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The present study showed statistically significant progress (P < 0.05) in reducing pain, rare physical and mental complaints, and improved working ability with no need for drugs in majority of patients. Conclusion: EMFT has better results than other methods in relieving pain and symptoms of dysmenorrhea with a settled lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chlamydia remains the most notified bacterial sexually transmissible infection in Australia with guidelines recommending testing for re-infection at 3 months post treatment. This paper aimed to determine chlamydia retesting and repeat positivity rates within 2–4 months among young women in Australia, and to evaluate what factors increase or decrease the likelihood of retesting. Methods: Chlamydia retesting rates among 16–29-year-old women were analysed from Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of sexually transmissible infection and bloodborne virus (ACCESS) sentinel surveillance data (n = 62 sites). Among women with at least one positive test between 1 January 2018 and 31 August 2022, retesting counts and proportions within 2–4 months were calculated. Logistic regression was performed to assess factors associated with retesting within 2–4 months. Results: Among 8758 women who were positive before 31 August 2022 to allow time for follow up, 1423 (16.2%) were retested within 2–4 months, of whom 179 (12.6%) tested positive. The odds of retesting within 2–4 months were 25% lower if tested in a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-9) pandemic year (2020–2022) (aOR = 0.75; 95% CI 0.59–0.95). Among 9140 women with a positive test before 30 November 2022, 397 (4.3%) were retested too early (within 7 days to 1 month) and 81 (20.4%) of those were positive. Conclusions: Chlamydia retesting rates remain low with around a sixth of women retested within 2–4 months in line with guidelines. Re-infection is common with around one in eight retesting positive. An increase in retesting is required to reduce the risk of reproductive complications and onward transmission. Chlamydia remains as the most notified bacterial sexually transmissible infection in Australia and repeat infections can lead to significant reproductive complications, particularly for women. Guidelines recommended retesting at 3 months following a chlamydia diagnosis, but current retesting rates in line with guidelines are low, and re-infections are common. Increased efforts to improve timely retesting can aid in earlier identification, management and reduced risk of disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mundo Agrario is the property of Universidad Nacional de La Plata and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 there have been intermittent protests against the ruling regime over civil rights issues, with the 2022 protests often regarded as the most significant challenge to the status quo so far. These protests were perceived as being led by young women. For the first time, this study uses survey data to analyze why that should be. It investigates the evolving values of women in Iran with respect to gender equality, the impact of increased levels of female education and the adoption of new technologies that changed the way they socialized, to explain why young women led the protests. Using data from the World Values Surveys in Iran (in 2005 and 2020), and existing literature, it places this social conflict into the context of recent cultural changes in Iran. Specifically, it analyses data on the differing values and opinions of various segments of the population, by age and gender, and how they changed over time, to explore the influences that led to the protests and provide historical context as to why they occurred when they did. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young women's risky drinking cultures are pertinent to the world of amateur Australian Football League, yet they have received limited research attention. Drawing on surveys, focus groups, and semi-structured 'scroll-back' interviews, this study provides an in-depth investigation of negotiations of gender and risky drinking in such cultures. A range of intersecting socio-cultural themes were identified, summarised into four overarching elements: drinking as central to initial homosociality; awareness of appropriateness; divergences between women's and men's cultural priorities and alcohol behaviours; and young women's unique cultural prioritisation of collectivity and mutuality. The findings further sociological knowledge on risky drinking and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) marked its silver anniversary by releasing its sixth report on the representation of women in the global media landscape, and in 2021, the NGO Plan International unveiled the tenth edition of its report "State of the World's Girls: The Truth Gap". The study focused on how misinformation impacts equal opportunities for girls, adolescents, and young women worldwide, and proposed strategies to combat the "truth gap". These examples showcase the collective efforts made in recent decades by professionals, academia, institutions, NGOs, and activists to enhance the state of information globally. The aspiration is ambitious, aiming to make information more transparent, accessible, and inclusive, fostering equality, truth-seeking, and the visibility of women, young people, and rural populations. However, the findings from the GMMP reports, as well as the analysis conducted by Plan International and numerous other works, underscore that despite evident social changes worldwide—particularly in the educational, labor, and social realms for women—access to truthful and high-quality information remains elusive. Simultaneously, studies reveal a declining public trust, especially among young people, in traditional media, a shift to alternative information sources, and a deterioration in the quality benchmarks of the journalism profession. Journalism, a pursuit of truth from sources to the public, has historically been and should remain a pillar upholding democracy and freedom. This article employs a qualitative case study methodology to analyze the best practices proposed across various domains to safeguard information quality. Special attention is given to initiatives that aim to involve women and young people in the collective effort against misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has examined the relationships among mindfulness facets (i.e., observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging of inner experience, and non-reactivity to inner experience), self-compassion, and aggression in men. The research examining these relationships in women has been limited. Thus, the present study aims to examine the relationships among mindfulness facets, self-compassion, and aggression in a sample of young adult women. Participants (N = 125) aged 18 to 25 (M = 21.16, SD = 1.72) completed self-report measures of mindfulness facets, self-compassion, and aggression. Regression analysis indicated significant negative correlations between aggression and describing (p =.003), acting with awareness (p <.001), non-judging (p <.001), non-reactivity (p =.001), and self-compassion (p <.001). There was not a statistically significant negative correlation between aggression and observing (p =.373). Furthermore, self-compassion explained variance in aggression above and beyond individuals' mindfulness scores (p =.008). Results indicate that mindfulness facets and self-compassion may be valuable protective factors for aggression in young adult women. Future research on coping mechanisms for aggression should focus primarily on the facets of describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, and non-reactivity. Research should further explore the possible role of self-compassion in reducing aggression in young adult women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Young women are typically thought to be protected from cardiovascular disease (CVD) before menopause. However, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases CVD risk in women by up to threefold. Data in predominantly male cohorts point to physiological mechanisms such as vascular and autonomic derangements as contributing to increased CVD risk. The purpose of the study reported here was to determine whether young women diagnosed with PTSD, compared to those without, present with arterial stiffness and impaired autonomic control of the heart. Methods: A total of 73 healthy young women, ranging in age from 18 to 40 years, with a history of trauma exposure were included in this study, 32 with and 41 without a clinical PTSD diagnosis. We measured resting pulse wave velocity (PWV), central hemodynamics, augmentation pressure and augmentation index (AI) via pulse wave analysis using applanation tonometry. Heart rate variability was also assessed via peripheral arterial tone. Results: In comparison to controls, women with PTSD showed higher central arterial pressure (mean ± standard deviation: systolic blood pressure 104 ± 8 vs. 97 ± 8 mmHg, p < 0.001; diastolic blood pressure 72 ± 7 vs. 67 ± 7 mmHg, p = 0.003), PWV (6 ± 0.3 vs. 5 ± 0.6 m/s, p < 0.001) and AI (22 ± 13 vs. 15 ± 12%, p = 0.007) but lower standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN; 44 ± 17 vs. 54 ± 18 ms, p = 0.005) and root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD; 37 ± 17 vs. 51 ± 22 ms, p = 0.002). Conclusion: PTSD in young women is associated with higher brachial and central pressures, increased arterial stiffness and blunted parasympathetic control of the heart. These findings illustrate potential mechanisms underlying high risk for CVD in young women with PTSD, suggesting possible treatment targets for this at-risk group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young women in Australia experience serious risks from intimate partner violence (IPV) as a form of family violence. However, there has been a lack of attention to the impact of this on young women and, as a result, these risks are not well understood. This article critically examines existing literature, policy and research and in doing so, specifically explores the ways in which young women aged between 10 and 20 years old are represented and positioned in contemporary family violence discourses. Framed by a review of socio-political and cultural history, the paper highlights the early colonial, patriarchal foundations of Australia, which have specific implications for the challenges that contemporary young women experience in situations of IPV. With a particular emphasis on the Australian context, this article employs both an intersectional and critical feminist lens, with a key focus on the dimensions of adolescent development and youth social geographies. Focusing specifically on these dimensions, including development, gender and age, highlights the important role that feminist social work perspectives and practices can contribute to uncovering, understanding and responding to young women's experiences of intimate partner violence through policy and advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an exploration of women's experiences of engaging in digitally mediated care work. Data for this article is drawn from qualitative interviews conducted with 15 young women in Australia to explore their experiences of securing care work through a digital platform. Importantly, we focus on both online and offline dimensions of securing work, thus contributing to the extant literature which has tended to focus on the online aspects of securing platform work. Through the complementary lenses of performativity and affective atmospheres, we examine the complexities of presenting an idealised self to obtain work opportunities from an online pool of diverse care-seekers, and the bodily performances and attributes required offline to secure actual work. We conclude by reflecting on how online and offline interactions explicate the normative performativity required by young women to successfully access digitally mediated service work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 marked a new chapter in global development and laid the foundations for addressing inequalities that hinder holistic progress. However, gender gaps pose a significant threat to achieving these goals. Project DREAM (Developing Resilience, Education, Aspiration, and Motivation) sought to explore women's sense of aspiration, achievement, and lived experience in India, Syria, and the Philippines, as well as develop pilot interventions to address gender disparities. Semi-structured interviews with 69 young women from India, Syria, and the Philippines informed the development of three interventions, namely an aspiration and job skills workshop series in the Philippines, Motivational Interviewing training in Syria and the Philippines, and a social media presence and launch event worldwide. This paper presents the findings of this international project, identifying four key parallels underpinning women's lived experience: poverty, incomplete education, tradition, and patriarchy. Preexisting gender inequalities, aggravated by the widespread health, economic, and social disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, must be urgently addressed to ensure that no one is left behind on the road to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between food insecurity and transactional sex is well recognized, but less is known about this relationship among adolescents. We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data from 3,130 female secondary students aged 12–19 enrolled in a three-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial to examine the association between food insecurity and transactional sex. The explanatory variable was food security and the outcome was ever engaging in transactional sex. Over one quarter (28.7%) reported any food insecurity and 1.9% of all participants (9.6% of sexually active participants) reported ever engaging in transactional sex. In adjusted models, ever experiencing any food insecurity was associated with a higher prevalence of ever transactional sex (PR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.49) compared to little to no food insecurity. These results provide insight into potential predictors of higher-risk sexual behavior in Rwanda; they also provide policy-makers with populations with whom to intervene on upstream determinants of transactional sex, notably poverty and food insecurity. Resumen: La inseguridad alimentaria y el sexo transaccional están poco estudiados entre las adolescentes ruandesas. Analizamos datos de referencia transversales de 3,130 estudiantes secundarias de 12 a 19 años de edad inscritas en un ensayo controlado aleatorio por grupos de tres brazos para examinar la asociación entre la inseguridad alimentaria y el sexo transaccional. La variable independiente fue la seguridad alimentaria y la variable dependiente fue participation en sexo transaccional por lo menos una vez. Más de una cuarta parte (28,7%) informó alguna inseguridad alimentaria y el 1,9% de todos los participantes (9,6% de los participantes sexualmente activos) informaron haber tenido relaciones sexuales transaccionales alguna vez. En modelos ajustados, experimentar alguna inseguridad alimentaria alguna vez se asoció con una mayor relación sexual transaccional (PR: 1,60; IC del 95%: 1,02, 2,49) en comparación con poca o ninguna inseguridad alimentaria. Estos resultados brindan información sobre posibles predictores de comportamiento sexual de mayor riesgo en Ruanda; también brindan a los formuladores de políticas poblaciones para intervenir en los determinantes anteriores del sexo transaccional, en particular la pobreza y la inseguridad alimentaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Female genital amputation is a harmful traditional practice that has adverse risks on health outcomes. Consequently, it affects girls and women's physical, psychological, and mental health conditions. However, evidence on female genital amputation factors among adolescent girls and young women in Ethiopia was limited. Method: Secondary data analysis was conducted from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. A weighted sample size included in this study was 2961 adolescent girls and young women. Data management and further analysis were performed using Stata 14 software. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used for measuring a significant relationship between factors with the outcome variable. Result: This study found that the prevalence of female genital amputation among adolescent girls and young women in Ethiopia was 53.4%. Among individual- and community-level variables included in the multivariable multilevel analysis: maternal age, religious status, marital status, maternal educational level, occupational status, residence areas, community uneducated level, and community mass media were significant factors for female genital amputation. Conclusion: The prevalence of female genital amputation among adolescent girls and young women in Ethiopia remains high. Those individual- and community-level factors influence female genital amputation among adolescent girls and young women in Ethiopia. It requires health interventions on female genital amputation to improve behavioral changes and create awareness about harmful practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MARSSI (Momentary Affect Regulation – Safer Sex Intervention) is a counseling-plus-mobile health (mhealth) intervention to reduce sexual and reproductive health (SRH) risks for women with depression and high-risk sexual behavior. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic limiting in-person care, we sought to develop the counseling and mhealth app onboarding for virtual implementation. A team with SRH, adolescent medicine, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and technology expertise adapted the counseling through an iterative consensus process. We identified essential aspects of the counseling, specified the content so the counseling could be delivered in person or virtually with fidelity, and considered best practices for telehealth for the focus population. Virtual counseling retained key elements from in-person counseling while including enhancements with engaging visual and audio–video aids. Instructions and programming were developed to support virtual counseling delivery and onboarding for the mhealth app component of MARSSI. After testing the virtual format in mock sessions, we implemented a small-scale feasibility study in an adolescent medicine clinic with women with depressive symptoms and high-risk sexual behavior age 18–24 years (N = 9). Participants experienced minimal technical difficulties and expressed satisfaction with the virtual format, and all were able to complete app onboarding successfully. Expanding delivery options for SRH interventions to include virtual can improve access, particularly for populations with psychological and environmental barriers to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to investigate the effect of the α1-adrenergic receptor blockade during handgrip exercise (Grip), isolated metaboreflex activation (Metabo), and cold pressor test (CPT) on coronary circulation in young (YW) and postmenopausal women (PMW). Ten YW and 9 PMW underwent two protocols: (1) 3 min of baseline followed by 3 min of CPT and (2) 3 min of rest, 3 min of Grip followed by 3 min of Metabo. Protocols were carried out under control conditions and α1-adrenergic receptor blockade (oral prazosin 0.03 mg·kg−1). Coronary blood velocity (CBV) and vascular conductance (CCI) were lower in PMW. Grip increased CBV only in YW (YW: Δ18.0 ± 21.1% vs. PMW: Δ4.2 ± 10.1%; p < 0.05), and the blockade did not change the CBV response to Grip in YW and PMW. During the Metabo, CBV returned to resting levels in YW and was unchanged from rest in PMW, before (YW:Δ1.7 ± 8.7% vs. PMW: Δ− 1.5 ± 8.6) and under the blockade (YW: Δ4.5 ± 14.8% vs. PMW: Δ9.1 ± 29.5%). CPT did not change CBV in both groups (YW: Δ3.9 ± 8.0 vs. PMW: Δ− 4.1 ± 6.2%), following the α1-blockade, CPT increased CBV only in YW (YW: Δ11.2 ± 12.8% vs. PMW: Δ2.2 ± 7.1%; p < 0.05 for group and condition). CCI decreased during Grip, Metabo, and CPT in YW and PMW, while the blockade prevented that decrease only in YW. The α1-adrenergic receptor plays a role in the control of coronary circulation in young women, evoking stronger vasoconstriction during CPT than Grip and Metabo in YW. PMW have impaired vasomotor control in the coronary circulation, which seems not to be caused by the α1-adrenergic receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unexplained subfertility (UEI) describes a couple whose standard subfertility workout consider acceptable but unable to conceived. This retrospective study was conducted in the Advanced Reproductive Centre, UKM Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, from January 2016 to December 2019. The data of 268 UEI couples were obtained from the clinical database. Women aged 21–45 years old was included and further divided into four groups according to the female partner's age and subfertility duration: group A (age <35 years and subfertility <2 years), group B (age <35 years and subfertility >2 years), group C (age >35 years and subfertility <2 years), and group D (age >35 years and subfertility <2 years). All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 22.0 for Windows. A total of 255 cases were included in this study. The mean age of the women was 32.9 ± 4.04 years, and the mean subfertility duration was 5.04 ± 2.9 years. A total of 51 (20 %) cases underwent timed sexual intercourse, 147 (57.6 %) cases had intrauterine insemination (IUI), whereas 57 (22.4 %) cases opted for in vitro fertilization (IVF). A total of 204 cases underwent active management (IUI/IVF), which showed a significant difference (p<0.05). Out of eight clinical pregnancies, half of them were from group B. Active management in younger women with a shorter subfertility duration revealed a better pregnancy outcome. Otherwise, individualized treatment should be considered in selecting a suitable treatment plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental objectives of this study were to investigate into the weekly market (locally call "lumoo") elderly women and young women vendors' level knowledge of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), its causes, negative impacts, preventive methods; and services needed by survivors. The study was a descriptive survey and purposive random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The survey concentrated on six core areas: level of knowledge of FGM/C, Level of understanding of FGM/C, Level of knowledge of the causes of FGM/C, Level of knowledge of the negative impacts of FGM/C, Level of knowledge of the support services needed by survivors of FGM/C; and Level of knowledge of the preventive methods of FGM/C. Because of limited resources, the study took approximately one year and five months. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data from participants. The data was presented and analyzed using tables and percentage. The results indicate high level of awareness of FGM/C among the sample population. It practices though negatively affects all survivors, participants are deeply divided on stopping it. Regardless of government being principal protectors of all children, participants feel everyone is needed both in supporting survivors, perpetrators and the fight against it for subsequent eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small, tight-knit communities often have the image of being places that are full of gossip and where everybody knows each other's business. This closeness can be claustrophobic for individuals who might not want to live by the accepted social norms of the community. Gossip and rumours can be used to keep such individuals in their place by enforcing social norms through social control. Shaming is crucial to this form of social control, where certain behaviour is punished and shamed through the spread of gossip. Shaming is gendered and is used more harshly against women than against men, particularly in regard to women's behaviour in public and their sexual activity. This paper examines how gossip and shame are a part of gendered social control in small villages/towns in Iceland, and how it affects young women's lives. The discussion here is based on interviews about gossip with young Icelandic women who either live in or come from small fishing villages. The main themes that were constructed from the analysis were the social control of women through shaming, reputation, and slut-shaming. The analysis shows that slutshaming and the fear of shame control women's behaviour and sexual activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the emerging meanings of hijab practice as feminist strategy, and as a symbol of visibility for young Muslim women and girls in India. Through digital ethnography based on Instagram pages of selected retailers of hijabs, we explore the possibility of hijab as a costume of insubordination, and Islamic fashion as a critical practice against the backdrop of the 2022 Karnataka hijab row. We employ an analysis of Instagram posts to mark the intersecting points of faith, fashion media, and market in framing aesthetics for clothing practices among young Indian Muslim women. We also explore new contours of feminist assertions in the Muslim community, and how the digitally mediated visibility of Muslim women and girls contests the notion of Islamic fashion as oxymoronic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Regular consumption of nuts and peanuts may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease due to the bioactive compounds found within them. Previous research suggests that including nuts and seeds as part of an overall healthy dietary pattern may help manage blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting blood glucose levels, but few studies have examined the specific effect of dry-roasted, skinless peanuts on these outcomes. Objective: The objective was to examine the effect of regular consumption of dry-roasted, skinless peanuts on markers of metabolic health among women. Methods: This was a pre-post test study. Eligible women were randomized into either the intervention group (49 g peanuts/day, n=30) or the control group (participants' usual diet minus peanuts, n=28) for 12 weeks. Anthropometrics, cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, and blood pressure levels were measured at baseline and end-line. Results: There were no significant between-group differences for any of the outcomes of interest. For the peanut group, there was a significant within-group decrease in systolic blood pressure (-7.0 mmHg; 95% CI: 1.3, 12.6), and a significant increase in total: HDL cholesterol ratio from baseline to endline (0.2; 95% CI: -0.3, 0.02). There was a significant within-group decrease in diastolic blood pressure for the control group (-6.3 mmHg; 95% CI: 2.0, 10.6). Conclusion: Among healthy young women, the addition of daily peanuts to a usual diet does not appear to negatively affect body composition as measured by BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the effect of peanut consumption on indicators of cardiovascular health in different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Owing to the reproductive health needs of the budding adolescent and young population, the present study aims to determine the factors associated with and decomposing the gap in contraceptive use among adolescents and young women in India. Design: Cross sectional design. SettingThe present study is based in India using the appended datasets (IV and V rounds) of the Indian Demographic Health Survey (DHS), also known as National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted in 2015-16 and 2019-21. Sample: The adequate sample size was 475,294 adolescents and young women in NFHS-4 and 229,705 in NFHS-5, totaling 704,999 adolescents (appended for NFHS-4 and 5) for the present study. Measures: Sociodemographic, sexual and reproductive history and contraceptive measures. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and a binary logistic regression model were executed. Additionally, a decomposition technique called Fairlie decomposition was employed to identify the primary causes of the difference in the prevalence of contraceptive use between the two survey periods. Results: Almost 96% of young women aged 15-24 knew about contraception, but only 12% used it. Regression analysis revealed that contraceptive use was associated with higher age (AOR 1.09), higher education (AOR 1.28), married adolescents (AOR 4.08), richest wealth quantile (AOR 2.95), joint decision making (AOR 4.40), knowledge of ovulatory cycle (AOR 1.47), interaction with a health worker about any methods of family planning (AOR 3.29) and three and above children ever born (AOR 18.54). Decomposition analysis showed that factors like decision-making of contraception, age, interaction with family planning worker, the intention of last pregnancy, place of residence and age at first sex contributed to increasing the probability of contraceptive use from NFHS-4 to 5. Conclusion: A target-based approach dedicated to understanding the mindset of adolescents and keeping up with their unique needs is the need of the hour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual violence against women is commonly justified in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) despite international commitments to halt it. This study investigated the association between healthcare decision-making capacity and the justification of sexual violence among women in SSA. We used current datasets of 30 sub-Saharan African countries published between January 2010 and December 2018. The sample included 259,885 women who were in sexual unions. We extracted and analysed the data with Stata version 14. Chi-square test and multilevel logistic regression models were used to analyse the data. Results for the regression analysis were presented as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results showed that women who decided on their healthcare alone had lower odds [AOR=0.93; CI=0.91–0.96] of justifying sexual violence compared to those who were not deciding alone. We also found that women aged 45-49 [AOR=0.85; CI=0.82-0.89], those with higher education [AOR=0.26; CI=0.24-0.29], cohabiting women (AOR=0.82, CI=0.80-0.85], richest women [AOR= 0.58; CI=0.56-0.60], women living in urban areas [AOR=0.74; CI=0.73-0.76], and Christians [AOR=0.52; CI=0.51-0.54] had lower odds of justifying wife beating if a woman refuses to have sex with her partner. On the contrary, women who engaged in agriculture had higher odds of justifying sexual violence than those who were not working [AOR=1.07; CI=1.04-1.09]. Groups that should be prioritised with anti-sexual violence initiatives are the poor, rural residents, and young women. It is also vital to institute policies and interventions focused on educating men about women's right to make decisions, and why partner violence is unjust and intolerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Women are well known for having lower handgrip strength (HGS) compared to men. However, factors contributing to lower HGS in women remain unclear. This study investigated the influence of body and hand anthropometric characteristics (HAC) on HGS among young Nigerian undergraduate women. Methods: Apparently healthy 500 young female adults from a Nigerian University were recruited conveniently. Age and physical characteristics were recorded. Right and left (R&L) HGS were measured using an electronic dynamometer. HAC including R&L arm girth (ArG), forearm girth (FaG), wrist girth (WrG), finger span (FSp), finger breath (FBr), finger length (FLg) and palm length (PLg) were measured. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.46 ± 3.72 years. Age and body mass index (BMI) contributed about 20.0 and 12.0% to the prediction of HGS, respectively. Similarly, R&L HAC: ArG, FaG, WrG, FSp, FBr, FLg and PLg contributed about 22.8 and 14.8% to the prediction of HGS, respectively. Significant correlations occurred between HGS and each of BMI, R&L HAC (p <.05). Furthermore, significant correlations were also found between age and each of R&L HAC (p <.001). Conclusions: Age, BMI and HAC have significant influence on the HGS of young Nigerian undergraduate women. Hence, physical factors such as weight, height, BMI, and hand anthropometric measurements are recommended as part of routine assessment for effective rehabilitation plans in the care of women with hand disability or poor hand function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women are often portrayed as the victims of pornography. Their active consumption and the ways in which pornography shapes their sexuality are still under-researched. This article has three goals: to explore how and why young women watch pornography; to analyse how they perceive the influence of pornography on their sexual scripts; and to determine related positive and negative factors. Guided by sexual script theory, I thematically analysed responses from an open-ended form completed by 80 young Czech women (18-30 years old). The analysis resulted in six themes related to cultural, interpersonal and intrapsychic sexual scripts – in other words, the domains of what is societally appropriate, interpersonal relationships, and inner desires. These findings have important implications: pornography simultaneously influences several domains of sexuality. Findings show that under certain conditions, pornography may be beneficial for sexual empowerment and sexual satisfaction, but at the same time, it may also produce negative effects – providing a complex and often contradictory experience for the individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Española de Sociología is the property of Federacion Espanola de Sociologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)