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Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant social issue affecting women in rural India, with deleterious consequences for their physical and mental health. The "mental health problems and psychosocial factors associated with IPV" is an under-researched topic in Central India. The cross-sectional observational descriptive study was part of a project aimed at strengthening the health sector response to gender-based violence. Eighty consenting women from 19 villages in a district in Central India, who acknowledged experiencing IPV, participated in the study. A predesigned and pretested sociodemographic questionnaire, the WHO multicountry women's questionnaire, and self-report scales for depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were used to interview the women. The mean age of the respondents was 31.13 ± 6.96 years. The majority of the women (95%) experienced severe physical violence. In addition, a majority of these women simultaneously faced emotional abuse, whereas more than one-third suffered from sexual abuse from their partners. Self-reporting measures showed that nearly two-thirds of the participants had PTSD and moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety. A substantial number of study participants believed that IPV is a private matter for a couple and justified violence if the wife was unfaithful, disobedient, or neglectful of children and household duties. The under-reporting of IPV, presence of misconceptions, and high prevalence of associated mental health problems among IPV-affected women highlight the need for interventions tailored to the needs of battered women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the author's qualitative field research on contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Algerian women. The research aims to address the challenges of conducting fieldwork on women's health topics in Algeria, where social norms and the medical model influence reproductive health decisions. The study reveals insights into women's experiences with contraception, highlighting the importance of understanding socio-cultural factors in addressing unmet contraceptive needs in Algeria. The author's research approach involves in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and an online survey to explore women's lived experiences and contribute to existing evidence on contraceptive practices in Algeria. [Extracted from the article]

Domestic violence is a major contributor to physical and mental malaise of women and is evident, to some degree, in every society in the world. To eradicate gender discrimination and all forms of violence against women, it is crucial to comprehend the pervasive culture of prejudice and violence. Using the case study method, the current study was undertaken in a rural area of Manipur using the narratives of ten women aged between 24 and 49. The primary cause of domestic violence was found to be an alcoholic husband. It was also typical for spouses' relatives to incite their wives to beat them. The respondents faced various forms of abuse such as physical, verbal and emotional from their spouse and relatives. The study's other findings showed that most of the women chose to remain silent despite experiencing abuse and were determined not to leave their abusive relationships due to financial instability, societal pressure, social stigma cultural beliefs and for the sake of their children's lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sabine Winn (1734–1798) was an elite Swiss woman who moved to England upon her marriage to Rowland Winn, the fifth Baronet of Nostell Priory in Wakefield. Like many eighteenth-century married women, Sabine's archival traces are fragmentary because of the split-nature of her life between Switzerland, Nostell and London. This article embraces fragmented evidence to partially reconstruct Sabine's reading experiences through her surviving book collection and personal papers. This article points to new methodological approaches by making space for the books on the shelves that contain little to no sign of readership and including non-textual, material signs of reading such as library furniture. By focusing on just one reader in a family library where generations of a family sit alongside each other on the shelves, this article demonstrates that in family spaces readers accessed far more than the fragmentary collection left on the shelves today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international literature on women and work calls on scholars to consider geographical, sociocultural, and institutional contexts governing women's employment dynamics over their life course. In Indonesia (and other lower middle‐income regions in Southeast Asia), female labor force participation is lower in urban areas than rural areas. The largest drop‐off occurs after marriage and childbearing. In this article, we argue that class and spatial context matters in examining the relationship between gender norms, gendered mobilities, and employment outcomes in mega‐urban settings. Using qualitative research, we probe beyond conventional demographic studies to explore the dynamics of married women's (decisions to stay, leave, change, or return to) employment in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia's largest urban core. Our participants were discouraged from employment participation by norms that prioritize married women's role as primary caregivers, and spatial and workplace/regulatory constraints. Our analysis underscores how the participants' employment‐related decisions consistently revolve around the concept of opportunity costs, defined as conflicts and tensions arise from mother's time away from children due to gender norms, lack of childcare and flexible formal employment options, and the long working and commuting hours in Greater Jakarta. Economic pressures for women to participate in the labor market are not matched by work–family policies, which are still rooted in entrenched ideals of women as wives and mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the study is to examine the work-life balance of married female nurses during the COVID period. Methodology: Psychotherapists believe that middle class women professionals are having more work-life imbalances and especially nursing profession is facing numerous challenges especially in this pandemic situation which are the key hurdles in the progress of nursing. As a result, the research was conducted with 200 respondents comprised of married women nurses from Western Districts of Tamil Nadu and both primary and secondary data are used. Questionnaire is the major data collection tool and a statistical model factor analysis has been used to find the significant variables in work life balance of the nurses. Findings: The results of the study revealed that flexible guidelines and procedures can be adopted by hospital management to ensure a smooth work life balance among the nurses. Novelty: Women nurses are striving to serve their best for the sake of the society people at large during COVID pandemic, relatedly their work life related problems have to be addressed and resolved to ensure their healthy life and continued service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Early marriage, defined as marriage under the age of 18, is widely recognized as a human rights violation with deleterious consequences on women's health and well-being. It persists as a significant global public health issue, predominantly being practiced in South Asian countries. In Countries like Bangladesh, this practice contributes to an increase in early pregnancies among women of reproductive age, further exacerbating adverse maternal and child health outcomes. While certain predictors of early marriage are recognized, additional investigation is warranted due to diverse socio-economic and demographic circumstances. This study, therefore, aimed to identify the prevalence and determinants of early marriage among women in Bangladesh. Methods: This study included a total weighted sample of 18,228 married women aged 18 to 49 years, extracted from the most recent nationally representative Bangladesh Demography and Health Survey (2017–18). We estimated the survey weighted pooled prevalence of early marriage among women and stratified by their different characteristics. We used multilevel mixed-effect binary logistic regression model and estimated the odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to identify the individual-, household-, and community-level factors associated with early marriage practice. All analyses were performed by Stata software version 18. Results: Overall, 74.27% [95% CI: 73.15, 75.35] women got married before reaching the age of 18 years. Early marriage was more prevalent in Rajshahi (82.69%), Rangpur (81.35%), and Khulna division (79.32%). Women with higher education (OR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.12), husband's higher education (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.67), and non-Muslim women (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.52) were associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing early marriage. Compared to those household heads aged ≤35 years, the likelihood of early marriage among women was lower for those household heads aged 36–55 years (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.76, 0.93) and >55 years (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.69–0.88). Women aged 18–24 years (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.40), husbands with agricultural occupation (OR = 1.22, 95% CI:1.06, 1.41), middle wealth index level (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.28), family size five or more (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.31), and rural residence (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.30) were more likely to experience early marriage. Conclusion: This study underscores the alarming prevalence of early marriage among women in Bangladesh, with three-fourths experiencing early marriage, particularly in specific regions. Notably, women education and older household heads were significantly associated with a reduced likelihood of early marriage. Our findings suggest that culturally sensitive interventions should focus on empowering older household heads, alongside initiatives to increase awareness among younger household heads, and enhance education, particularly in rural and impoverished households. These efforts could potentially alter socio-cultural practices and reduce early marriage in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Abortion influences the composition and size of population. Estimating the overall and type-specific abortion rates, the reasons to choose the abortion can be helpful in designing and implementing preventive intervention. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the: (i) prevalence of abortion, (ii) attitude of married women of reproductive age towards abortion, and (iii) reasons for choosing abortion by married women of reproductive age in Qazvin province. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and April 2023, and comprised married women of reproductive age (N = 1571) referred to urban and rural comprehensive health centers in five cities of Qazvin province. Utilizing multi-stage proportional sampling process, data for the survey (including demographic and fertility information, reasons for choosing abortion, and attitudes toward abortion) were collected online. Results: The lifetime prevalence of abortion was 18.6% (among the total sample). The past-year prevalence was 22.3% (among those who reported having had an abortion). Of those reporting having had an abortion, 73.6% reported it was their first one, and 65.1% reported it was non-spontaneous. Women's reasons for choosing abortion fell into one of three main clusters: (i) couple's behavior, health and relationship problems, (ii) fertility-related stressful experiences, and (iii) family economic situations. The main reported reason to choose abortion was a couple's behavior (e.g., drug use), health (e.g., physical disease, psychological problems), and relationship problems (e.g., sexual infidelity, divorce) explaining 27% of the variance. Also, pro-abortion attitude was the most important attitude towards non-spontaneous abortion explaining 26.33% of variance. The variables that increased the likelihood of non-spontaneous abortion included choosing a reason for abortion vs. having no reason (OR = 1.77, p = 0.05), having poor vs. good mental health (OR = 1.74, p = 0.03), having a pro-abortion attitude (OR = 1.09, p = 0.09), and having ≥ 3 children vs. having no children (OR = 0.53, p = 0.06). Conclusion: Women in high-risk groups for non-spontaneous abortion (i.e., those aged over 35 years, those married for more than five years, those with an infertility history, those with a lower number of children, those living in rural areas, and those having poor mental health status) should be assessed by primary healthcare services during preconception and have early prenatal counseling to help in decisions regarding abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite relative progress, it is an overt fact that women still take on the heavier burden of unpaid work in the household compared to men in the United States. Our study expands the horizons of previous studies by looking at women specifically and analyzes how women’s performance of unpaid labor differentiates based on various contexts such as generational status, household composition, race, and ethnicity. Using the pooled cross-sectional data from the 2011-2021 American Time Use Survey (ATUS), we test hypotheses derived from an absolute resources perspective and a structural perspective to examine migrant generational differences among married, cohabiting, and single women as well as investigate the intra-group differences of racial and ethnic groups. From our descriptive analysis and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses, we find support for the structural perspective for housework, as the generational differences remain even after controlling for socioeconomic factors, but only for first-generation married women. However, socioeconomic factors account for the differences between cohabiting or single first-generation women, which is supported by the absolute resources perspective. Our intra-group analysis by racial and ethnic groups yielded similar findings but found that Hispanic and Asian first-generation women take on a larger proportion of housework, relative to later-generation women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims Methodology Result Conclusion The purpose of this research is to quantify the knowledge of students about HIV, social media contribution, and their satisfaction with the government and society's acceptance of HIV patients.A cross‐sectional survey of 579 participants was conducted at Punjab University, University of Peshawar, Karachi University, Baluchistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences University, and Quaid‐i‐Azam University. Student self‐administered surveys included demographics, knowledge, government satisfaction, social media rumors, and PLWHA acceptability.The response rate was 96.5%. The four variables are knowledge, government satisfaction, social media rumors, and HIV patient acceptance. The knowledge score in married males (Beta = –0.075) and married females (Beta = –0.022), government satisfaction in married males (Beta = 0.087) and females (–0.412), social media rumors in married males (Beta = –0.125) and married female (Beta = –0.301, and HIV acceptance in society married male –0.301 and married female 0.07. the knowledge and government satisfaction, score showed that males had higher knowledge about HIV than married females. Married women say HIV acceptability in society is strong, whereas men believe social media spreads less misinformation. Similarly, there is a negative correlation between government satisfaction social media rumors (–0.687**) and HIV acceptance in society (–0.687**). HIV acceptance has a strong correlation with knowledge (0.711**) and social media rumors (0.727**). The p < 0.001 indicates that there is a significant correlation.Sufficient knowledge and the positive role of social media, effective government contributions to eradicate HIV, and more awareness and knowledge can significantly change the attitude of the community toward PLWHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying the factors affecting emotional divorce due to the negative consequences of this social problem in women can play an important role in preventing its occurrence. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between internet addiction, domestic violence, and emotional divorce among married women in Tehran. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among married women in Tehran, Iran. Sampling was conducted first through a multi-stage cluster method and then continued using a random method. Tehran was divided into five parts: central, northern, southern, eastern, and western. The sample size was divided by 5, resulting in 80 participants selected from each part. In each part, two regions were selected, and in each region, 40 houses were randomly selected. Researchers visited the selected houses, and the questionnaires were filled out at home by the women. Tools such as Gottman's Emotional Divorce Test, Young's Internet Addiction Test, and the Domestic Violence against Women Survey were used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data in SPSS (version 24) software. Results: A total of 400 women participated in the study. 46% of all married women suffered emotional divorce. The analysis of these tests showed that are positive and significant relationships between emotional divorce and internet addiction (r = 0.626, p < 0.0001), emotional divorce and domestic violence (r = 0.632, p < 0.0001), and internet addiction and domestic violence (r = 0.455, p < 0.0001). It was also found that there are significant negative relationships between emotional divorce and both the level of education (r=-0.115, p = 0.021) and employment status (r=-0.512, p < 0.0001). Additionally, there are significant negative relationships between internet addiction and age (r=-0.285, p < 0.0001), duration of marriage (r=-0.237, p < 0.0001) and employment status (r=-0.694, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, it was revealed that there are significant negative relationship between domestic violence and age (r=-0.104, p = 0.037) and level of education (r=-0.156, p = 0.002). Conclusion: Almost half of the married women in this study experienced emotional divorce, internet addiction, and domestic violence. These factors have a direct relationship with emotional divorce. Future studies are needed to understand how internet addiction might be associated with separation, emotional divorce and family problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionThough the measurement of social norms is important for evaluating entertainment-education interventions, there is a dearth of validity evidence for measuring tools to assess different social norm constructs.Identical survey items were used to assess family planning norms among married Zambian women in 2019 and 2022 following an entertainment-education radio program intervention. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used for confirmation of the internal structure of several subscales used to measure social norms found in a previous study.There were no statistically significant demographic differences between participant groups at T1 and T2. CFA supported a five-factor model at T2 comprising descriptive norms (4 items), outcome expectations (3 items), and 3 different constructs capturing injunctive norms (3 items each).Results indicate good structural validity evidence for measuring social norms in entertainment-education using existing tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Marriage is a significant milestone in one's life, and the age at which individuals choose to get married can have various implications. By examining the age at marriage and its determinants in different regions, such as Kerala and Bihar, we can gain insights into Socio-demographic factors that influence this decision. Methods: The National Family Health Survey (2019–2021) data was used. A total of 41,392 ever married women from Kerala (8, 579) and Bihar (32,813) were analysed using bivariate and multiple binary logistic regression approaches to meet the study aim. Result: The significant association was found between explanatory factors and age at first marriage in Karala and Bihar. In Bihar, educated women from the poorest families had a higher rate of early marriages. Conversely, in Kerala, uneducated women from non-majority religions and larger households (more than 6 members) were more likely to be married before18. After accounting major effects of background characteristics, the adjusted odds ratio showed that In Kerala Muslim religion women have significantly higher odds of getting married before 18 (OR: 3.09, CI 2.67–3.57) then the Hindu women whereas in Bihar Muslim religion women has the significantly lower chance of getting married before turning 18 (OR: 0.87, CI 0.81–0.93) compared to Hindu. In both the states Kerala and Bihar General social group women had the significantly lower odds of getting married below 18 (OR: 0.73, CI 0.57–0.93 and OR: 0.88, CI 0.81–0.96) with respect to SC/ST social group women's. Conclusion: Women in Bihar usually marry in younger age due to socioeconomic and traditional reasons, whereas in Kerala reverse is true, because of a greater emphasis on education and a more progressive social outlook. These regional variations reflect different cultural norms and socioeconomic environments, shape different marriage age patterns between the two regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify factors that affect the health behaviors of married immigrant women and Korean husbands towards their young children. Our cross-sectional descriptive study included 169 married immigrant women and 143 Korean husbands. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires and analyzed using multiple regression, with SPSS/Win 23.0 software. The significant differences between married immigrant women and Korean husbands included parental health behavior towards young children (t = 4.66, p < 0.001), parenting efficacy (t = 3.73, p < 0.001), intercultural adaptation attitudes (t = 4.94, p < 0.001) and family strength (t = 2.52, p = 0.012). Parental health behavior was significantly positively correlated with parenting efficacy, intercultural adaptation attitudes, and family strength, in both married immigrant women and Korean husbands. A multiple regression analysis showed that the factors affecting parental health behavior in married immigrant women were family strength (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) and intercultural adaptation attitudes (β = 0.25, p = 0.002), whereas factors affecting Korean husbands were family strength (β = 0.36, p < 0.001) and parenting efficacy (β = 0.19, p = 0.046). Specifically, the factors that most influenced parental health behavior was family strength, for both married immigrant women and Korean husbands. Considering the results of this study, a family-focused approach is necessary to promote parental health behaviors toward young children in multicultural families. Furthermore, intervention strategies should be implemented to support the intercultural adaptation attitudes of parents in multicultural families and improve the parenting of Korean husbands. Highlights: Individual and family factors influencing intercultural couples' health behaviors towards young children should be considered. Family strength was a significant influencing factor on parental health behavior in both parents. For married immigrant women, intercultural adaptation attitudes affected their health-promoting behaviors, but not parenting self-efficacy. For Korean husbands, parenting self-efficacy affected their health-promoting behaviors, but not intercultural adaptation attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burn is one of the leading causes of death in India. Burn cases are one of the most common cases that autopsy surgeons encounter during the examination of a Medicolegal Autopsy. It is commonly seen in newly married women with suicidal, accidental, or homicidal intentions; hence, it has a social impact and is also of medicolegal importance for the agency investigating the crime. The present study aims to discover the pattern of burn injury and various factors that influence and result in causing the burn injury. The study is based on observation and findings from post-mortem examination of burned deceased brought to the Mortuary of the medical college. The data is analyzed using various demographic and socioeconomic factors, including causative factors for burn injury. All parameters were compared with multiple research articles published in the standard journal on similar matters, and a conclusion was drawn after that. The present study shows flame burns, involvement of female sex, married women, accidental burn injury, and rural residence as commonly associated factors in case of burn injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social media and internet usage is undeniably high. Misinformation obtained from the internet and wrong treatment methods can cause serious problems in patients with acne vulgaris (AV). In this study, the sociodemographic data of AV patients, their frequency of using the internet as an information source, the relationship between them, and their attitudes and behaviors regarding their disease due to these programs were examined. Methods: 481 patients aged 14 and over diagnosed with AV were included in the study. It was conducted in a descriptive cross‐sectional type. Acne severity of all patients included in the study was determined using the Global Acne Grading System. Results: 78.3 percent of participants use social media to get information about AV. It was determined that men and single people used social media about their illnesses at a statistically significantly higher rate than women and married people (p = 0.004). In addition, patients aged 13–18 and high school graduates use social media as a source of information about their diseases, and this rate is statistically significantly higher (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Especially in the last decade, the use of social media tools to spread health messages has increased significantly. Because it has a chronic course and can cause cosmetic problems, AV patients may frequently resort to communication sources such as social media. Considering the possibility of social media misinforming patients, physicians should be aware that their patients with AV frequently use social media and should improve themselves in creating correct awareness on this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by the stress process perspective, this study examined if combat exposure was indirectly associated with marital satisfaction through work performance stress. Additionally, we tested whether unit cohesion served as a moderator of this indirect effect. Data were drawn from 1,122 married Soldiers who participated in the All-Army Study component of the Army STARRS study, a probabilistic sample of Army Soldiers. Indicative of stress proliferation and spillover, our results showed that combat exposure may negatively impact marital satisfaction through work performance stress, but the pathways of this indirect effect varied as a function of unit cohesion. Consistent with the stress buffering hypothesis, unit cohesion buffered the positive association between combat exposure and work performance stress for Soldiers reporting higher levels unit cohesion, such that this association was no longer statistically significant. However, for Soldiers reporting higher levels of unit cohesion, the negative association between work performance stress and martial satisfaction was exacerbated but was not statistically significant for those reporting lower levels of unit cohesion. The results underscore the importance of understanding the contextual nature of relational resources within the stress process framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pandemics have affected many people's social and emotional lives. Conception planning, contraceptive usage, and pregnancy intentions are activities with minimal research. This study is the first to evaluate how the COVID‐19 pandemic influenced reproductive plans and contraceptive use among women during the pandemic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2022. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted by sending an online questionnaire to married women from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included demographics, personal obstetrics information, changes in pregnancy intentions owing to the COVID‐19 pandemic, and questions about contraceptive usage. Qualitative data were presented as frequencies, and a χ2 test was performed to determine the relationships among the variables. Results: A total of 639 women enrolled in the study; most participants were 25–34 years old, and most indicated they changed their reproductive intentions during the pandemic (49%). Family planning accounted for 25.8% of participants who changed their reproductive intentions. Only 17.5% changed their choices because of fear of the COVID‐19 impact. The percentage of women using contraception was significantly reduced during the lockdown, to 36.8%. Oral contraceptive pills were the most frequently used method during the curfew period (17.5%). Conclusion: The COVID‐19 lockdown affected the reproductive intentions of most women in Jeddah, and it significantly reduced contraceptive use. Synopsis: The COVID‐19 lockdown affected the reproductive intentions of most women in Jeddah (49%), and it significantly reduced contraceptive use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the naming customs of married women in Taiwan during the nineteenth century. By attempting to unveil the factors that caused women to prefix the husband's surname, it shows that the practice likely developed from legal and property documents. It also elaborates the convention's relationship with women's family identity, arguing that women were "dual outsiders" in both the natal and affinal family. However, this study finally demonstrates that prefixing the husband's surname did not connote their passivity or subjugation as married women, especially widows who could rely on it to call upon their rights within the family and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined co-rumination among married men and women and its influence on their reports of marital quality and depressive symptoms. Data were collected online through social media from 78 married men and 78 married women resulting in a total sample of 156 individuals residing in urban centers in Pakistan. Each participant had been married for at least one year, was at least 18 years old, and lived with their marital partner at the time of the survey. Although the results from multiple regression analyses revealed an increase in co-rumination was related to a decrease in the levels of depression, the moderating effect of the sex of participants indicated that the negative relationship between co-rumination and depression was only significant for married women. Furthermore, co-rumination was positively associated with marital relationship satisfaction. The findings suggest that that co-rumination with one's spouse has implications for improved mental health and marital satisfaction among married men and women in Pakistani families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reproductive tract infection (RTI) is a broad term that encompasses STIs (sexually transmitted infections) as well as other infections of the reproductive tract that are not transmitted through sexual intercourse. Women remain at a high risk for various reproductive health problems especially RTIs. The study was conducted to estimate the proportion of RTI among women of Aligarh and its association with obstetric history of the women. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 330 married women of the study area of a tertiary hospital of North India, selected by simple random sampling. A predesigned, semi-structured and pretested questionnaire was utilized to take the interview of eligible women. Results: More symptomatic women were those who got married at 18 years or less than those of more than 18 years, 26.7% and 14.1% respectively. Majority of the symptomatic women (31.9%) were lying in the group where they had been married for 5-10 years as compared to another group. The proportion of RTIs was significantly higher in grand multi para (26.3%). The proportion of RTI was higher in women who had the history of abortion (20.8%) as compared to those who had no history of abortion (17.7%). Ageat the time of marriage, duration of marriage, parity was found to be significant determinants of reproductive tract infections. Conclusions: From the study, it was concluded that proportion of women having Reproductive Tract Infection was 19.1% and it was also influenced by obstetric history of the women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to develop and validate a structural model of marital satisfaction among married women, based on self-differentiation, critical thinking, and emotional self-regulation, with happiness as a mediating variable. Methods: This study utilized a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design with a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The sample comprised married women who visited the counseling centers at the University of Tehran between January 2023 and August 2023. A total of 330 participants were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using validated questionnaires, including the Self-Differentiation Scale, Critical Thinking Questionnaire, Emotional Self-Regulation Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale. The data were analyzed using SEM to assess the model's fit and test the hypothesized relationships between variables. Findings: The results indicated that the proposed structural model fit the data well, with satisfactory model fit indices (χ²/df = 3.618, RMSEA = .061, CFI = .923). Self-differentiation (β = .217, p = .033), critical thinking (β = .230, p = .01), and emotional self-regulation (β = .201, p = .01) had significant direct effects on marital satisfaction. Additionally, happiness significantly mediated the relationships between self-differentiation (β = .229, p = .01), critical thinking (β = .178, p = .01), and emotional self-regulation (β = .200, p = .01) with marital satisfaction. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of self-differentiation, critical thinking, and emotional self-regulation as key factors influencing marital satisfaction among married women. The mediating role of happiness highlights its significance in enhancing marital satisfaction by fostering positive emotions and reducing stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of examining the effectiveness of schema therapy on anger management and rumination in married women with high marital dissatisfaction. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design, utilizing a pretest-posttest control group with baseline assessment, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up measurements. A total of 30 married women with high marital dissatisfaction, who attended couples therapy clinics in the western part of Tehran between April and July 2022, were selected based on inclusion criteria and their willingness to participate in the research (with written informed consent obtained). These participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (schema therapy; n=15) or the control group (n=15) using random allocation. All participants completed the Anger Control Scale and Rumination Questionnaire at three stages of measurement. The therapy sessions were conducted in a group format over eight sessions, each lasting 1 to 1.5 hours, according to the schema therapy protocol. The hypotheses regarding the effectiveness of the intervention were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Findings: The results of this study indicated that there was no significant difference in the mean variables of anger management and rumination between the two groups at the pretest stage, suggesting the homogeneity of the research groups at this stage. However, there were significant differences between the two groups at the posttest and follow-up stages, indicating the effectiveness of the intervention on the mentioned variables and the persistence of its effects at the follow-up stage. A comparison between the experimental and control groups also revealed significant differences in the components of anger management and rumination. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the aforementioned therapy can be utilized as a psychological intervention to improve anger management and rumination in married women with high marital dissatisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the predictive roles of self-compassion and marital self-regulation on marital adjustment among married women attending counseling centers in Tehran in 2023. It sought to enrich the understanding of how these psychological constructs contribute to marital satisfaction and stability. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 350 married women selected through available sampling from various counseling centers in Tehran. Measures included the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) to assess marital adjustment, the Self-Compassion Scale developed by Neff (2003) for evaluating self-compassion levels, and a 16-item scale by Wilson et al. (2005) for measuring marital self-regulation. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27, with linear regression analyses performed to explore the relationships between the constructs. Findings: The findings revealed that both self-compassion and marital self-regulation significantly predicted marital adjustment among the participants. Specifically, higher levels of self-compassion and marital self-regulation were associated with better marital adjustment. The regression model explained 37% of the variance in marital adjustment scores, highlighting the substantial impact of these factors on marital satisfaction. Conclusion: This study underscores the critical importance of self-compassion and marital self-regulation in fostering marital adjustment. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at enhancing these psychological resources could contribute significantly to improving marital satisfaction and relationship stability among couples, particularly those seeking counseling services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of sexual cognitive behavioral therapy on sexual awareness, psychological functioning, and self-control in married women. Methods: The research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The study population included all married female students at the Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, in 2023. Based on the population, 30 participants (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) were purposively selected and randomly assigned. Data were collected using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the Sexual Awareness Questionnaire by Snell and colleagues (1991), along with Dr. Mehrnaz Aliakbari's sexual cognitive behavioral therapy protocol. Findings: The results indicated that sexual cognitive behavioral therapy significantly and positively affected sexual awareness, psychological functioning, and self-control in married women. Conclusions: Therefore, sexual cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to improve psychological functioning and self-control in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Proper sexual functioning is among the factors affecting marital satisfaction. A satisfactory sexual relationship plays a crucial role in individuals' sexual satisfaction, increased life satisfaction, and, consequently, family stability. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of women dealing with sexual separation. Methods: To this end, a qualitative research approach was employed using a descriptive phenomenological method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with thirteen married women who reported having experienced sexual separation for more than a year and were living with their husbands at the time of the interview. Data analysis was conducted using Colaizzi's method. Findings: Ultimately, two main themes emerged: the nature of sexual separation and the reasons for sexual separation. The nature of sexual separation was divided into two sub-themes: lackluster relationship and wrong path. The reasons for sexual separation were coded into six sub-themes: personal injuries, emotional divorce, emotional wounds, beyond tolerance, unilateral pleasures, and backgrounds. Conclusion: According to the research findings, it can be inferred that sexual separation has different culturally dependent meanings. However, what stands out more prominently in the categories derived from this study is the reduction in frequency and duration of sexual relations and the lack of sexual desire and enthusiasm towards the spouse. Additionally, the factors causing sexual separation are an intertwined set of various reasons, with the most influential being emotional wounds and emotional divorce. The findings of this study indicate that some cases of sexual separation lead to sexual divorce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study estimates the long‐term effect of parenthood on labor market outcomes and explores the variations within this effect by gender and education. We use the event study method to track changes in a range of labor market outcomes from 3 years before to 8 years after the first birth, with a sample of 556 married women and 528 married men from the Korea Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS). We find that women experience an immediate drop in wages following birth, whereas men experience continuous wage growth even before birth. The decline in women's wages arises largely from their withdrawal from the labor market, while the increase in men's wages could be explained by a positive selection bias among fathers. In addition, mothers' wage trajectories do not vary significantly by education level, whereas other labor market outcomes show discernible trends. These patterns are the opposite of those observed for men. The findings indicate that severe gender inequality in the Korean labor market lowers the wages of mothers, regardless of their education, while the wages of fathers are more likely to be affected by education. Based on the findings, we make policy suggestions for improving the work‐family balance for all genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the causal effects of grandmothers' geographical proximity on labour supply decisions of married women with young children by leveraging a novel data set from Turkey. We deal with the reverse causality and endogeneity problems arising from mothers' and grandmothers' joint location and labour supply decisions by implementing a two‐stage least squares estimation method using the number of alive grandmothers as an instrument. We argue that grandmothers' proximity can increase mothers' labour supply through their free and flexible childcare services. On the other hand, geographically close grandmothers can reduce mothers' labour supply by imposing the traditional gender norms prevalent in Turkey or requiring them to take on elderly caregiving duties. The overall effect depends on the relative size of these opposing factors. Our findings suggest that living in the same neighbourhood as grandmothers increases the probability of labour force participation and the employment rates of women with young children by 18.2 ppt and 16.4 ppt, respectively. These results are mostly driven by the non‐village sample. The 'traditional gender norm' channel explains the insignificant impact of grandmothers' proximity on the labour market outcomes of mothers who have been raised in villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies the DID method to the 3rd and 5th Time Use Survey in Korea to demonstrate the impact of South Korea's free childcare policy on time allocation of women with preschool children. Estimation results indicate that the free childcare policy increased working hours of married women with preschool children and free time for full-time housewives. These results imply that the free childcare policy promotes women's work-family balance and prevents women's career interruptions. It also highlights the reality of daycare facilities-oriented operation which is a characteristic of Korea's free childcare policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to develop a causal model of the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and attachment styles with attitudes toward marital infidelity among married men and women attending counseling centers in Tonekabon. Methods and Materials: This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of methodology, conducted as a survey using the statistical method of structural equation modeling. A total of 75 individuals, both men and women attending counseling centers in Tonekabon, were selected using simple random sampling to test the hypotheses and model fit. Data were collected using the Young Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire (1998), the Hazan and Shaver Attachment Styles Questionnaire (1998), and the Mark Whitley Marital Infidelity Questionnaire (2009). Data were analyzed using SPSS22 and SmartPLS3 software. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to assess the normality of data, confirmatory factor analysis was employed to validate the questions and identify key factors of each component, and structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the fit of the research model. Findings: Based on the results, the causal relationship model of the aforementioned variables exhibited an acceptable fit. The results indicated that all fitness indices showed the model's alignment with the data. Overall, in the proposed research model, all paths were significant, thus confirming the hypotheses related to these paths. Additionally, the findings revealed that early maladaptive schemas had a significant positive effect on attitudes toward marital infidelity (β = 3.338), secure attachment styles on attitudes toward marital infidelity (β = 4.048), avoidant attachment styles on attitudes toward marital infidelity (β = 2.946), and ambivalent attachment styles on attitudes toward marital infidelity (β = 3.925), all of which are greater than the value of 1.96, indicating a significant positive effect at a 95% confidence level. Attachment styles, through early maladaptive schemas, had a significant indirect effect on attitudes toward marital infidelity among married men and women attending counseling centers in Tonekabon. Conclusion: The findings suggest that as the level of early maladaptive schemas and attachment styles change in clients, their attitudes toward marital infidelity increase correspondingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the predictive roles of psychological flexibility and frustration discomfort on marital adjustment among married women. Specifically, it sought to assess how these psychological constructs influence marital satisfaction and cohesion. Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional design was employed, sampling 350 married women from various counseling centers in Tehran in 2023. Participants completed standardized questionnaires measuring marital adjustment (Dyadic Adjustment Scale), psychological flexibility (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire - II), and frustration discomfort (Frustration Discomfort Scale). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 27 to explore the predictive value of psychological flexibility and frustration discomfort on marital adjustment, adjusting for potential confounders such as age and gender. Findings: The results revealed that both psychological flexibility (ß = 0.25, p < 0.01) and frustration discomfort (ß = 0.29, p < 0.01) significantly predicted marital adjustment, accounting for 42% of the variance in marital adjustment scores. These findings indicate that higher levels of psychological flexibility and lower levels of frustration discomfort are associated with better marital satisfaction and cohesion. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of psychological flexibility and frustration discomfort in influencing marital adjustment. It suggests that interventions aimed at enhancing psychological flexibility and reducing frustration discomfort may contribute to improving marital satisfaction and stability. These findings highlight the need for a holistic approach in marital counseling and therapy that considers these psychological constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study aimed to explore contextual factors influencing couples’ leisure practices and experiences through in-depth interviews with 15 Taiwanese heteronormative married couples. Findings suggested that despite Taiwanese women’s performance in the public sphere, husbands benefit from using work-family narratives and attendant gender order and practices as unconscious “social defenses” to rationalize leisure inequality generated by gender norms. When married women are under pressure to accept gender norms attached to wives or mothers, they reconfigure their understanding of gender roles to implicitly acknowledge male dominance in a “system justification” manner. In addition, they further redefine motherhood in the way they feel best fits their position in the family and curb their desire for personal leisure. Unequal gender relationships determine couples’ perceptions and patterns of leisure, which contributes, at least in part, to the persistence of leisure inequalities in the family environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used the theory of planned behaviour to examine the relationships between companion animal attachment, fertility intention, psychological capital, and parenting sense of competence among 551 young Chinese women. The results indicated that companion animal attachment positively influenced the respondents' fertility intention. For unmarried women and cat caretakers, psychological capital enhanced fertility intention. For married women and dog caretakers, parenting sense of competence played a more significant role in enhancing fertility intention. The study also found that companion animal attachment indirectly affected fertility intention through the sequential mediation of psychological capital and parenting competence. This study provides a framework for understanding how companion animal attachment impacts fertility intention and offers insights for future research and policy making. For instance, its findings can guide government efforts to promote women's fertility intention through courses and activities focused on companion animal attachment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the use of the marriage bar at the Irish national broadcaster Radio/Telefís Éireann from 1962, when the station went to air, until 1972, when the station lifted the bar. The marriage bar was a regulation that required women to give up their jobs upon marriage. It applied, on a statutory basis, to all female civil servants, and as a cultural practice for most lines of white collar employment in Ireland. This article takes the Irish national broadcaster as a case study to examine the implication of the bar in the media sector in Ireland. It looks at multiple classes of women at the national broadcaster and examines the varied implementation of the bar and its impact on female workers. To that end, it looks first at women at the higher levels of the station who worked as department heads and producers. It then moves on to discuss the marriage bar’s impact on women who worked on screen at Radio/Telefís Éireann. Finally, it looks at women in the lower ranks of programme making roles who worked as Production Assistants and Research Assistants. It argues that the Irish national broadcaster utilised the marriage bar similarly to other public sector bodies in that it was used to reinforce a male breadwinner ideal within the organisation. This article will discuss multiple classes of women workers at the station drawing out some of the differences and similarities in the bar’s implementation across classes. It will first discuss the ways in which the marriage bar was applied to producers and directors, the highest-ranked female workers at the station. It will then move on to the treatment of married women who worked on screen before addressing women who worked as production assistants and research assistants. Significantly, those who worked as PAs and RAs represented some of the lowest ranking women at the national broadcaster. Finally, the article will discuss the end of the marriage bar at the station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Refugees and conflict‐affected areas are often unreached by national strategies and programs. As a result, high unmet needs are more likely because of their social interruption with their traditional information sources, support, protection, and lack of income which limits refugees' ability to make a free choice that would allow them to plan and space the number of children they desire. Information on the unmet needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) women is scarce. This study is aimed at assessing the magnitude of the unmet need for modern contraceptive methods and associated factors among IDPs currently married reproductive‐age women. Methods: A community‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted among 393 internally displaced women currently married reproductive‐age women using a simple random sampling method using a structured, pretested, and interview‐administered questionnaire. A logistic regression model was used to identify associated factors. Statistically significant variables at p value < 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were entered into multivariable analysis, and statistical significance was declared at p value ≤ 0.05. Results: About 160 (40.7%) (95% CI: 35.94%–45.67%) of women had an unmet need for modern contraceptive methods, 139 (35.4%) for spacing, and 21 (5.3%) for limiting. Less than 18 years of age at first marriage, lack of access to modern contraception, lack of discussion with healthcare providers, and travel time of 30 min or more to obtain family planning were found to be risk factors for unmet contraceptive needs. The risk of unmet need for modern contraceptives was high among women who were married at age of less than 18 years of age in comparison with women who were married at 18 and above (AOR = 1.559; 95%CI = 1.019–2.385). Unmet needs were higher among participants who had no adequate availability of modern contraceptive methods than those who had adequate availability of modern contraceptive methods (AOR = 1.738; 95%CI = 1.125–2.684). Similarly, the odds of unmet needs were 1.673 times higher among participants who did not discuss FP with healthcare providers than those who discussed FP with healthcare providers (AOR = 1.673; 95%CI = 1.085–2.581). Moreover, the odds of unmet needs were 1.551 times higher among participants who traveled 30 min and above to access family planning services as compared to those respondents who traveled below 30 min (AOR = 1.551; 95%CI = 1.002–2.401). Conclusion and Recommendations: The magnitude of the unmet need for modern contraceptive methods was higher than both the Ethiopian national and Oromia regional state total unmet need for the general population. Governmental and nongovernmental organizations should increase their efforts to reduce this high magnitude of unmet needs by emphasizing those factors that have a great contribution to unmet needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Marital satisfaction is one of the important components of quality of life. Women's marital satisfaction is affected when they enter the middle age period, due to the mental and emotional tensions caused by the physical changes. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the association of quality of life with marital satisfaction, stress, and anxiety in middle-aged women referring to health centers of Ahvaz city, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 1,000 middle-aged married women (30-59 year of age) under the auspices of health centers of Ahvaz city, Iran in 2019. The subjects were selected by simple random sampling method, and were asked to complete demographic characteristics, quality of life questionnaire, Enrich marital satisfaction questionnaire, Holmes-Raheh stress questionnaire, and Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory. The data were analyzed by using SPSS 0.22 software through mean, standard deviation, frequency, Pearson correlation and regression (p = 0.05). Results: Based on the results, 42.4% of the participants were between 40 and 50 years of age, 35.6% had a high school diploma, and 50% of them were housewives. Also, the results of Pearson's correlation showed a positive and significant relationship between quality of life and marital satisfaction (r = 0.178) (p < 0.001). However, quality of life had a negative and significant relationship with anxiety (r = -0.552) (r < 0.001) and stress (r = -0.188) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Given the positive and significant relationship between quality of life and marital satisfaction, appropriate trainings are highly recommended for couples to increase the quality of life and marital satisfaction of middle-aged women and thus strengthen the health of family and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial vaginosis is a polymicrobial syndrome characterized by the decrease of Lactobacilli and an overgrowth of facultative and anaerobic bacteria in vaginal fluid. Though it has received little attention, it has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, such as pre-term labor and delivery, premature rupture of membranes, low birth weight, spontaneous abortion, and postpartum infections. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics from September 15 to December 14, 2021, at public hospitals in West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 260 pregnant women, and systematic random sampling was employed to recruit the study participants. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and the vaginal swab was collected using a sterile cotton swab. The gram staining result was interpreted using the Nugent scoring system. Data was entered into an Excel spreadsheet and exported to STATA-14 for analysis. Data were presented using tables and graphs. Binary and multivariable logistic regressions were performed. Variables with a P value ≤ 0.25 at the binary logistic regression were entered into the multivariable logistic regression. Finally, variables with a P value ≤ 0.05 were considered predictors of bacterial vaginosis and interpreted using adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 260 pregnant women attending antenatal care were included in the study. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis according to the Nugent scoring system was 22.3% (95% CI 17.4 to 27.9%). Pregnant women with other marital status were at reduced risk of bacterial vaginosis as compared with married pregnant women (AOR = 0.260, 95% CI 0.068 to 0.9995; P = 0.05). Rural residence (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.05 to 4.24; P = 0.036), use of one pant per week (AOR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.04 to 7.2; P = 0.041), and use of two or more pants per week (AOR = 4.96, 95% CI 1.49 to 16.57; P = 0.009) were significantly associated with bacterial vaginosis. In the current study, a high magnitude of bacterial vaginosis was reported. Residence, marital status, and number of pants used per week were found significantly associated among pregnant women. Hence, screening for the disease should be integrated into the recommended basic laboratory investigations during antenatal visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on housework has mainly focused on nuclear households. This study proposes a new theoretical framework, power negotiation preference in different family contexts, to understand how women’s resources bring different levels of power when negotiating with different household members. Empirically, this study examines how the effect of married women’s education on their housework hours varies based on whether or not they live with their parents and/or in-laws. Using OLS regression on data from the China Family Panel Studies, a nationally representative survey, this study finds that the direct effect of women’s education lowering their housework hours is stronger when they live with their parents or in-laws. In addition, the effect of women’s education is stronger on weekdays compared to weekends when women do not live with parents or in-laws, but does not differ by weekdays or weekends when they live with their parents or in-laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cervical cancer ranks third in terms of cancer incidence and mortality in Cape Verde. Understanding the factors associated with the age of cervical cancer screening (CCS) is essential because it helps identify populations at risk of delayed screening, enabling targeted interventions to ensure timely detection and treatment, ultimately reducing the burden of cervical cancer. We examined the factors associated with age at first screening for cervical cancer among adult Cape Verdean women. Methods: Data from the 2020 WHO STEPs survey were used. We analyzed data from 1,082 women aged 30–69 years who had ever screened for cervical cancer. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were computed in STATA version 18. Results: Overall, 30.6% of women in the study had their first CCS before or at age 30. Except for visits to the health facility within the last 12 months, all variables significantly predicted women's first age for CCS in the crude model. In the adjusted model, women with tertiary education showed greater odds [AORs = 9.85; 95% CI: 4.12–23.54] compared to those with no formal education. Compared to those who were never married, previously married women had significantly lower odds of screening at an early age [AOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.39–0.99]. Women without hypertension had higher odds [AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.18–2.34] of early screening compared to those with hypertension. Also, women who were currently working had significantly higher odds of early screening than those unemployed [AOR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.09–2.04]. Conclusion: In conclusion, implementing targeted educational campaigns, addressing socio-economic barriers, and integrating cervical cancer screening into routine healthcare services can increase the early screening uptake among Cape Verdean women. There is a need to integrate CCS in the routine healthcare services of women living with hypertension. Also, the positive association between formal education and age at first screening, it is imperative for the Cape Verdean public health departments to implement comprehensive education programs within schools to promote awareness about CCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnancy termination or induced abortion is not decriminalized, and access to safe abortion services is largely unavailable in Papua New Guinea (PNG). However, the practice is common throughout the country. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and determine factors associated with pregnancy termination among married women aged 15–49 years in PNG. Methods: Secondary data from the 2016–2018 PNG Demographic and Health Survey (PNGDHS) was used. A total weighted sample of 6,288 married women were included. The Complex Sample Analysis method was used to account for the cluster design and sample weight of the study. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess factors associated with pregnancy termination. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were reported. Results: The prevalence of pregnancy termination was 5.3%. Nearly half (45.2%) of all pregnancy terminations occurred in the Highlands region. Women aged 35–44 years (aOR = 8.54; 95% CI: 1.61–45.26), not working (aOR = 6.17; 95% CI: 2.26–16.85), owned a mobile phone (aOR = 3.77; 95% CI: 1.60–8.84), and lived in urban areas (aOR = 5.66; 95% CI: 1.91–16.81) were more likely to terminate a pregnancy. Women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) were 2.27 times (aOR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.17–4.41) more likely to terminate a pregnancy compared to those who did not experience IPV. Women with unplanned pregnancies were 6.23 times (aOR = 6.23; 95% CI: 2.61–14.87) more likely to terminate a pregnancy. Women who knew about modern contraceptive methods and made independent decisions for contraceptive use were 3.38 and 2.54 times (aOR = 3.38; 95% CI: 1.39–8.18 and aOR = 2.54; 95% CI: 1.18–5.45, respectively) more likely to terminate a pregnancy. Conclusion: The findings highlight the role of sociodemographic and maternal factors in pregnancy termination among married women in PNG. Efforts aimed at reducing unplanned pregnancies and terminations should focus on comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and improving easy access to contraceptives for married couples. Post-abortion care should also be integrated into the country's legal framework and added as an important component of existing sexual and reproductive health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The notion of unmet need for family planning indicates the gap between women's contraceptive practice and their reproductive intention. Although universal access to sexual and reproductive health services including contraceptive methods is a bedrock for sustainable development goals, the unmet need for contraception is high among young women in low-income countries including Ethiopia. The unmet need for contraception is associated with unintended pregnancy which most of the time end in unsafe abortion. Hence, this study aimed to assess the determinants of unmet need for family planning among young married women in Ethiopia using nationally representative data. Method: This study utilized secondary data collected in the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). A two-stage cluster sampling method was used. The analysis included a total of 2444 sexually active married young women (15–24 years). Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify individual and community level factors associated with unmet need for contraceptives and the results were presented as adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at 95% confidence interval (CI), declaring statistical significance at a p-value <0.05 in all analyses. Results: In this study, the prevalence of unmet need for contraceptive method among married young women was 18.4% [95% CI: (16.9, 20.0)]. Female head of the household [AOR: 1.62, CI (1.25, 2.11)], primary level of education [AOR: 1.53, CI: (1.16, 2.03)], family size ≥5 [AOR: 1.53, 95%CI: (1.22, 1.93)], undecided to have child [AOR: 2.86, 95%CI: (1.58, 5.20)] and infecund [AOR: 1.54, 95%CI: (1.08, 2.20)] were factors positively associated with unmet need for family planning. Whereas the odds of unmet need for contraceptive method was lower among women-initiated sex between 15–17 years and >17 years [AOR:0.72, 95%CI (0.53, 0.98)] and [AOR: 0.58, 95%CI: (0.40, 0.85)] respectively and community with high proportion of poverty [AOR: 0.68, 95%CI: (0.46, 0.99)]. Conclusion: The prevalence of unmet need for contraceptive methods among young married women was relatively high. Being female household head, age at first sexual intercourse, educational status of the woman, family size, desire for more children, and community poverty were significantly associated with unmet need for family planning. Hence, interventions targeting these special populations at the individual and community level would play a paramount role in meeting the unmet need for contraception among young married women in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Design Setting Population Methods Main Outcome Measures Results Conclusions Child marriage forces a girl into adult roles before physical and psychological maturity, which can take a toll on women's health over the life course. This article aims to assess whether child marriage and adolescent childbearing are associated with elevated risk of gynaecologic disorders leading to hysterectomy.Cross‐sectional and time‐to‐event analysis.India.528 816 ever‐married women, aged 20–49 years.Women were grouped in four mutually exclusive categories: (i) married adult—not an adolescent mother (reference category), (ii) married adult—adolescent mother, (iii) married child—not an adolescent mother and (iv) married child—adolescent mother. Multivariable logistic regressions were fitted to assess the odds of hysterectomy for these groups. Nonparametric Kaplan–Meier survivor functions were estimated to evaluate survival rates across the groups.Whether had a hysterectomy and age when hysterectomy was performed.Compared to women married as adults, not an adolescent mother, women married in childhood and gave birth in adolescence were 1.87 (95% CI: 1.78–1.96) times more likely to have a hysterectomy. The latter group also had the lowest survival probability for hysterectomy at all ages (e.g., 85.80% [95% CI: 85.41–86.18] at age 49 years as compared to 91.65% [95% CI: 91.37–91.89] for the former group). Women married as children but not adolescent mothers and married as an adult but gave birth in adolescence also had higher odds of hysterectomy—1.40 (95% CI: 1.31–1.50) and 1.53 (95% CI: 1.40–1.66) times of that of the reference group, respectively.Our results, showing a strong relationship between child marriage and hysterectomy, contribute to the literature on later‐life health consequences of child marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major health problem with a paucity of available information about its impact on female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Aim: We aimed to study the association between NAFLD and FSD in Egyptian premenopausal women. Methods: Sexually active married premenopausal women who visited our NAFLD outpatient screening clinic (2019 to 2022) were divided into NAFLD and non-NAFLD (control) groups based on liver ultrasound and fatty liver index data. All participants completed the Arabic Female Sexual Function Index (ArFSFI) questionnaire. The resulting data were used to calculate the domains and total scores. FSD is then graded as follows: no FSD (≥28.2), minimal (21.7-28.1), mild (14.5-21.6), moderate (7.3-14.4), and severe (≤7.2). Outcomes: We determined the proportions of patients and controls for whom ArFSFI scores indicated dissatisfaction with their sexual lives. Results: Of 995 women participants whose FSFI scores were available, NAFLD was detected in 487 (48.9%) and absent in 508 (51.1%). The two groups were comparable in age, socioeconomic level, residence, and history of female genital cutting. The NAFLD patients had significantly much lower mean scores for the sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain domains of the FSFI (P < .001 for all), while no statistical difference was noticed in the desire domain for NAFLD patients compared with the controls. NAFLD women had significantly lower mean total FSFI scores than the controls (mean [SD] 16.7 [6.8] vs 21.7 [5.1], respectively; P < .001) with higher rates of FSD (98.5% vs 82.1%; P < .001, respectively). Most NAFLD women had higher FSD grades than controls (%): no FSD (1.5, 17.9), minimal (20.6, 51.8), mild (42.5, 38.8), moderate (26.2, 9.4), and severe (10.7, none), respectively. Clinical Implications: Given the high prevalence of FSD in patients with NAFLD, greater attention to FSF could improve the quality of life in patients with NAFLD. Strengths and Limitations: This study was limited by the lack of testing of sex hormones and some other important factors that were not tested (eg, age, socioeconomic level, residence, and female genital cutting), as these characteristics were previously matched. Strengths of the study include the large study size, to our knowledge the largest to date to investigate the possible link between FSD and NAFLD in premenopausal women, together with the inclusion of the detailed version of the validated ArFSFI. Conclusions: In Egyptian premenopausal women, NAFLD could harm their sexual function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Ghana has embraced the concept of women's empowerment as a vital tool for sustainable development, it has become crucial to evaluate the role that women's empowerment plays in the fertility preferences of married and cohabiting women in the country. The study's objective was to examine the association between women's empowerment, the ideal number of children and women's ability to have their desired number of children. This cross-sectional study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Both Poisson and binary logistic regression analyses were carried out. Women who had justification for wife-beating (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.98 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.96 to 0.99]) and those who were autonomous (IRR 0.94 [95% CI 0.93 to 0.95]) had lower rates of having the ideal number of children. Moreover, women who had justification for wife-beating (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.25 [95% CI 1.13 to 1.39]) and those who were involved in decision-making (aOR 1.31 [95% CI 1.19 to 1.44]) had higher odds of having the ability to have the desired number of children. However, autonomous women (aOR 0.78 [95% CI 0.71 to 0.86]) had lower odds of having the ability to have the desired number of children. Significant associations were found between women's empowerment (women's attitude towards justification for wife-beating, autonomy), an ideal number of children and the ability to have the desired number of children. These findings present target areas for policies and interventions aimed at determining Ghanaian women's fertility preferences and empowering them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the theme of intentional action in "The Graduate" novel and film adaptation. It explores how the protagonist, Benjamin Braddock, grapples with the question of what to do after college. The article connects this theme to two philosophical symposia from the 1960s and discusses the shift in the philosophy of action. It also analyzes specific scenes and objects in the story that symbolize different relationships and meanings. The overall focus is on the differences in portraying intentional action between the novel and film. [Extracted from the article]

This study examines the perspectives of Israeli-Jewish men who are married to Israeli-Arab women. Given religious, ethnic, and political tensions and challenges, romantic relationships between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs are not common. The homophilic tendency is a common model used to choose a partner based on religious, social, linguistic and educational similarities. This study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis approach to focus on a unique and rather rare phenomenon in Israel to understand the lived experiences and coping mechanisms of Jewish men who married Christian or Muslim women in Israel. Fifteen Israeli men married to Arab Muslim or Christian Israeli women were included interviewed. Based on the analysis of the findings, several themes were identified which describe how participants utilize a pragmatic approach to bridge family, social, religious and political tensions. These themes strengthen recent studies, which found a certain degree of flexibility toward homophily among Jews and Arabs in Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High rates of depression and suicidal ideation are found in women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), but their temporal relationship is unclear. This study explores the bidirectional causality between IPV victimization, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts among adolescent and young married women in India. Data sourced from the UDAYA longitudinal survey in India, comprising 3,965 women aged 15–22. Employing Pearson's correlation coefficient, we analyzed the relationship between variables. Additionally, a two-wave cross-lagged autoregressive panel model explored the bidirectional link between IPV, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Approximately 25 % and 45 % of the participants reported some form of partner violence at baseline and at follow-up after three years, respectively. Exposure to IPV at baseline was significantly associated with depressive symptoms at follow-up [β = 0.10, p < 0.001], and the association between depressive symptoms at baseline and IPV at follow-up was statistically not significant [β = −0.02, 95 % CI: −0.06-0.02]. Similarly, exposure to IPV at baseline was significantly associated with suicidal thoughts at follow-up [β = 0.24, p < 0.001], and the association between suicidal thoughts at baseline and IPV at follow-up was statistically not significant [β = 0.003, 95 % CI: −0.001-006]. The findings suggest that exposure to IPV is consistently and strongly associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in adolescent and young married women. However, the reciprocal relationships did not hold true in this study, implying that reducing IPV during adolescence could potentially minimize the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts during young adulthood. • Study explored bidirectional relationship between IPV and mental health in young married women. • Exposure to IPV at baseline was associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts at follow-up. • Depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts at baseline were not associated with exposure to IPV at follow-up. • Reducing IPV in adolescence could minimize depression and suicidal thoughts among young married women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In October 1884, New Zealand followed legislative reform taking place across the common law world that addressed married women's legal position by passing its version of the Married Women's Property Act. The Acts, both in New Zealand and in other common law jurisdictions, recognised wives as autonomous legal subjects by mitigating the inhibiting doctrine of coverture that had restricted married women's ability to own or control property, or act as legal persons. However, wives' presence in contractual litigation involving moveable property in the colonial courts of New Zealand prior to the reforms shows that, despite coverture, wives enacted degrees of legal personhood through several intricate legal mechanisms. The Married Women's Property Act 1884 had no significant impact on the economic activity of wives. Furthermore, women's social, legal, and economic position in relation to moveable property remained as diverse and legally complicated as it did prior to the Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary times, enterprises run by married women have emerged as a rapidly expanding entrepreneurship group in Tamil Nadu, India. This study explores the influential factors that drive married women to initiate and succeed in their own businesses and to explain their levels of achievement. Based on the insights collected from interviews, observation and focus groups comprised of 50 entrepreneurs, we developed an instrument that included five variables that relate to the driving factors (freedom, spousal support, flexibility, respect and identity) and five variables that relate to the achievement factors (experience, education, government assistance, networks and unique traits/ competencies) of entrepreneurship among married women. Using survey data from 150 entrepreneurs, we further examined key relationships. Among other findings, this study highlights the central role of spousal support as a driving force for the greater success of married female entrepreneurs. The implications of the study findings are examined for both academics and practitioners, and recommendations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]