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Journal of Research in Health Sciences Jan 2021Temporary marriage is a legal form of marriage in Shia Islam allowing a man and a woman to become married in a fixed period of time. This review was conducted to...
BACKGROUND
Temporary marriage is a legal form of marriage in Shia Islam allowing a man and a woman to become married in a fixed period of time. This review was conducted to identify the potential effects of temporary marriage on the sexual and reproductive health of women.
STUDY DESIGN
A systematic review .
METHODS
Electronic databases, including Web of Knowledge, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, ProQuest, IranMedex, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Magiran, were searched up to October 2020 to identify the studies carried out on sexual and reproductive health challenges in temporary marriage. All the selected articles were assessed for eligibility according to their titles and abstracts.
RESULTS
During the search on articles published within 1995 to October 2020, 1,802 relevant records were identified, and after evaluation 30 full-text papers were included in the present systematic review. Out of the 34,085 study participants in the selected studies, 3,547 subjects had temporary marriage who were studied under six different categories, namely (1) sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/human immunodeficiency viruses, (2) early child marriage, (3) unplanned pregnancy and induced abortion, (4) violence, (5) psychosocial disorders, and (6) other issues. Individuals with temporary marriage are vulnerable and need to have easy access to health education and sexual and reproductive health services in a safe and unprejudiced environment. Ignoring the aforementioned facts will cause serious public health problems, especially for women from a lower socioeconomic background.
CONCLUSION
In the current situation with under-reporting of temporary marriage-related events due to social stigma and absence of quality services in sexual and reproductive health, women with temporary marriage are under the additional risk of STIs, unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and violence.
Topics: Child; Female; Humans; Male; Marriage; Pregnancy; Reproductive Health; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Health; Sexually Transmitted Diseases
PubMed: 34024762
DOI: 10.34172/jrhs.2021.42 -
BMC Women's Health Jun 2022Intimate partner violence remains a major public health problem, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the factors associated with married women's...
BACKGROUND
Intimate partner violence remains a major public health problem, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the factors associated with married women's attitudes towards wife-beating in sub-Saharan Africa.
METHODS
We used Demographic and Health Survey data of 28 sub-Saharan African countries that had surveys conducted between 2010 and 2019. A sample of 253,782 married women was considered for the analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out, and the results were presented using crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) at 95% confidence interval.
RESULTS
The pooled result showed about 71.4% of married women in the 28 countries in this study did not justify wife-beating. However, the prevalence of non-justification of wife-beating varied from 83.4% in Malawi to 17.7% in Mali. Women's age (40-44 years-aOR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.16-2.24), women's educational level (secondary school-aOR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.13-1.91), husband's educational level (higher-aOR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.31-0.95), women's occupation type (professional, technical or managerial-aOR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.06-2.62), wealth index (richest-aOR = 5.52, 95% CI 3.46-8.80) and women's decision-making power (yes-aOR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.19-1.62) were significantly associated with attitude towards wife-beating.
CONCLUSION
Overall, less than three-fourth of married women in the 28 sub-Saharan African countries disagreed with wife-beating but marked differences were observed across socio-economic, decision making and women empowerment factors. Enhancing women's socioeconomic status, decision making power, and creating employment opportunities for women should be considered to increase women's intolerance of wife-beating practices, especially among countries with low prevalence rates such as Mali.
Topics: Adult; Attitude; Female; Humans; Intimate Partner Violence; Malawi; Marriage; Socioeconomic Factors; Spouses
PubMed: 35717213
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-022-01809-8 -
PloS One 2021Women's decision-making autonomy is very crucial for the improvement of women empowerment, and maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare utilization. As time immemorial,...
BACKGROUND
Women's decision-making autonomy is very crucial for the improvement of women empowerment, and maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare utilization. As time immemorial, Ethiopian culture is largely gender stratified, and the position of women is subordinate to men in various household and health-seeking decision-making matters. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence on women's decision-making autonomy, especially in the household and on maternal and newborn healthcare utilization. Therefore, this study assessed married women's decision-making autonomy in the household and on maternal and neonatal healthcare utilization and associated factors in Debretabor, Northwest Ethiopia.
METHODS
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 1st to 30th, 2019. A two-stage sampling technique was used to select 730 married women. Data were collected using a structured, pretested, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into EPI INFO 7 and analyzed by SPSS version 23. Multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with women's decision-making autonomy in the household and maternal and neonatal healthcare utilization. The adjusted odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of significance at a p-value of ≤ 0.05.
RESULTS
A total of 730 married women were included in the analysis. Thus, three-fourths (75.1%) of women had higher decision-making autonomy on their health, neonatal health, and other socio-economic aspects. Besides, the proportion of four and above antenatal visits, delivery at a health facility, postnatal checkup, knowledge of neonatal danger signs, and appropriate health-seeking practices for sick newborns among autonomous women were 52.1%, 56.1%, 71.4%, 32%, and 80% respectively. Age greater than 35 years old (AOR = 2.08; 95% CI: 1.19, 3.62), monthly income of > 5000 ETB (AOR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.36, 7.07), husband involvement (AOR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.55, 3.43), and adequate knowledge of neonatal danger signs (AOR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.4, 3.2) were factors independently associated with women's decision-making autonomy on maternal and neonatal healthcare utilization and other socio-economic affairs.
CONCLUSION
Our findings show that women's decision-making autonomy in the household and maternal and neonatal healthcare utilization was optimal. Increasing household income level, promotion of husband's involvement starting from the prenatal period, and increasing women's knowledge of maternal and neonatal danger signs will have a great role in the improvement of women's decision-making autonomy.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Decision Making; Ethiopia; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Marriage; Maternal Health Services; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Personal Autonomy; Prenatal Care; Socioeconomic Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 34570781
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255021 -
The Journal of Adolescent Health :... Mar 2022Marriage without meaningful consent persists in India, yet early marriage programs have rarely addressed consent, and research on the practice and its consequences for...
PURPOSE
Marriage without meaningful consent persists in India, yet early marriage programs have rarely addressed consent, and research on the practice and its consequences for married life is limited. This study explores how consent in marriage decisions affects married life, specifically, agency, gender attitudes, spousal communication, contraception, and marital violence outcomes.
METHODS
A subset of 1991 married girls and young women was drawn from a 2018 state-representative survey of adolescents and youth aged 15-21 years in Jharkhand. We compared outcomes between those in self-arranged marriages (n = 392), those in semi-arranged marriages who were acquainted with their husbands before marriage (n = 612), and those in fully parent-arranged marriages with no premarital contact (n = 995). Logistic regression analyses identify associations between marriage decision-making and outcomes of interest, controlling for confounding sociodemographic factors.
RESULTS
Compared with girls whose marriages were self-arranged, those in both fully parent- and semi-arranged marriages were less likely, respectively, to make household decisions (odds ratios [OR], .37 and .60), hold egalitarian gender role attitudes (OR, .48 and .66), uphold girls' rights (OR, .41 and .48), communicate with their husbands (OR, .48 and .64), and practice contraception (OR, .51 and .67). Those in fully family-arranged marriages also had less freedom of movement (OR, .64) and were less likely to express self-efficacy (OR, .64). Marital violence was unrelated to marriage arrangements.
CONCLUSIONS
Self-arranged marriage is associated with more positive outcomes than family-arranged ones, including semi-arranged ones, but marriage arrangements are unrelated with marital violence. Findings reaffirm the need to breakdown prevailing patriarchal norms and promote girls' right to meaningful, "free and full consent".
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Contraception; Family Characteristics; Female; Humans; India; Informed Consent; Marriage; Young Adult
PubMed: 35184837
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.07.005 -
Reproductive Health May 2020Infertility is detrimental to the health of married couples, especially women. Despite the consequences associated with the condition, little is done to reduce the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Infertility is detrimental to the health of married couples, especially women. Despite the consequences associated with the condition, little is done to reduce the repercussions. This study throws more light on the lived experiences of infertile women and on how they can be helped to improve their own condition.
METHODOLOGY
We interviewed 30 infertile married women in the Northern and Ashanti regions of Ghana, 15 from each region. A qualitative method, phenomenological study design and thematic analysis was employed to explore their lived experiences.
RESULTS
Due the huge stigma, some women reported that their loved ones encouraged them to try to conceive. Others revealed that, they were considering relocating from their current communities to reduce the insults, intense pressure, stress, and stigma. Though some revealed maltreatment from their husbands and in-laws, others stated their husbands disclosed their fertility status to their own family members to avoid these families pressuring these women.
CONCLUSIONS
To reduce the stigma, pronatalist societies urgently need education and sensitization. Would-be couples should be counselled to have a plan to deal with such occurrences should they experience them.
Topics: Adult; Emotions; Female; Ghana; Humans; Infertility, Female; Marriage; Qualitative Research; Social Stigma
PubMed: 32434580
DOI: 10.1186/s12978-020-00920-z -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2023Domestic chores are a topic of great interest for couple relationships since they are a source of conflict between intimate partners. The purpose of the present research...
Domestic chores are a topic of great interest for couple relationships since they are a source of conflict between intimate partners. The purpose of the present research is to investigate offering and asking for help with domestic chores and the respondents' tendency to be intuitive or verbal or to do chores alone. A vignette applied to children and married adults. The respondents were 116 boys and 116 girls and 110 male partners and 300 female partners, who completed individual questionnaires, online using Google Forms, regarding helping behaviour. Research findings indicate that men are more verbal and women are more intuitive when offering help, but when asking for help with domestic chores, men and women are statistically similar. The present research raises questions about the role of gender differences in couple relationships, and about educational solutions for couples and provides opportunities for future research.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Male; Female; Sexual Behavior; Men; Sexual Partners; Marriage; Activities of Daily Living
PubMed: 36834402
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043708 -
PloS One 2024Family planning (FP) is crucial for improving maternal and newborn health outcomes, promoting gender equality, and reducing poverty. Unmet FP needs persist globally,...
INTRODUCTION
Family planning (FP) is crucial for improving maternal and newborn health outcomes, promoting gender equality, and reducing poverty. Unmet FP needs persist globally, especially in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa leading to unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal fatalities. This study aims to identify the determinants of unmet needs for FP from a nationally representative survey.
METHODS
We analyzed the data of 11,180 currently married women from nationally representative Nepal Health Demographic Survey 2022. We conducted weighted analysis in R statistical software to account complex survey design and non-response rate. We conducted univariate and multivariable binary and multinomial logistic regression to assess association of unmet need for FP with independent variables including place of residence, province, ecological belt, ethnicity, religion, current age, participant's and husband's education, occupation, wealth quintile, parity, desire for child, and media exposure.
RESULTS
The total unmet FP need was 20.8% (95%CI: 19.7, 21.9) accounting 13.4% (95%CI: 12.5, 14.4) for unmet need for limiting and 7.4% (95%CI: 6.8, 8.0) for unmet for spacing. Lower odds of total unmet need for FP were present in 20-34 years and 35-49 years compared to <20 years, women belonging to Madhesi ethnic group (AOR: 0.78; 95%CI: 0.64, 0.95) compared to Brahmin/Chhetri, women from richest (AOR: 0.69; 95%CI: 0.56, 0.84), richer (AOR: 0.82; 95%CI: 0.68, 0.97) and middle wealth quintile (AOR: 0.82; 95%CI:0.70, 0.98) groups compared poorest wealth quintile group and women belonging to rural area (AOR: 0.89; 95%CI: 0.80, 0.99) compared to urban area. Higher odds of unmet need for FP were present among women with basic (AOR: 1.34; 95%CI: 1.17, 1.54), and secondary level (AOR: 1.32; 95%CI: 1.12, 1.56) education compared to women without education, among women from Madhesh (AOR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.22, 1.98), Gandaki (AOR: 2.11; 95%CI: 1.66, 2.68), Lumbini (AOR: 1.97; 95%CI: 1.61, 2.42) and Sudurpashchim province (AOR: 1.64; 95%CI: 1.27, 2.10) compared to Koshi province and among women whose husband education was basic level (AOR:1.37; 95%CI: 1.15, 1.63), or secondary level (AOR: 1.32; 95%CI: 1.09, 1.60) education.
CONCLUSION
Nepal faces relatively high unmet FP needs across various socio-demographic strata. Addressing these needs requires targeted interventions focusing on age, ethnicity, religion, education, and socio-economic factors to ensure universal access to FP services.
Topics: Humans; Female; Nepal; Family Planning Services; Adult; Young Adult; Middle Aged; Health Surveys; Adolescent; Marriage; Health Services Needs and Demand; Socioeconomic Factors; Pregnancy
PubMed: 38820547
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303634 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2022Afghanistan is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of spousal violence (56%) and a low prevalence of contraceptive use (23%), yet there is no study...
OBJECTIVE
Afghanistan is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of spousal violence (56%) and a low prevalence of contraceptive use (23%), yet there is no study assessing how spousal violence is related to contraceptive use, and what methods are most used by women. Therefore, this study examined the association between the number of types of spousal violence and contraceptive use.
METHOD
Using data from 18,985 Afghan married women, aged 15 to 49, who responded to the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey, the current contraceptive method was grouped into five categories: male-involved methods, pills, injectables, long-acting reversible contraception, female sterilization, and Lactation Amenorrhea Method. The number of types of spousal violence in the past 12 months was categorized as none, one type, or two or more types, based on women's experiences with verbal, physical, and sexual violence. For analysis, binary and multinomial logistic regression were used.
RESULTS
After adjusting for the covariates, the experience of any spousal violence was associated with contraception use (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.64-2.27, = 0.0001). Among those using contraception, experiencing two or three types of spousal violence was associated with using pills (adjusted risk ratio (aRRR) = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.63-2.77, = 0.0001), injections (aRRR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.26-2.41, = 0.001), and LAM (aRRR = 3.27, 95% CI: 2.05-5.20, = 0.0001), compared to male-involved methods.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study may inform policymakers and program implementers in designing interventions to address the pervasive problem of violence against women, and make pills and injectables more accessible to Afghan women, since these methods are under women's control and more often used in Afghanistan.
Topics: Contraception; Contraception Behavior; Contraceptive Agents; Female; Humans; Male; Marriage; Violence
PubMed: 36011419
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169783 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2020Lebanon hosts over one million refugees displaced from Syria as a result of the armed conflict-of whom, approximately 15% are adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years of...
Lebanon hosts over one million refugees displaced from Syria as a result of the armed conflict-of whom, approximately 15% are adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years of age. Many female adolescent migrants report a decrease in quality of life and an increase in family tensions. This study sought to investigate the emotional well-being of adolescent Syrian girls in Lebanon. We hypothesized that married girls may experience additional hardships and thus greater feelings of dissatisfaction in daily life, given their young marriage and responsibilities at home. This study was part of a large mixed-methods study on the experiences of Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon (n = 1422). Using line-by-line coding and thematic analysis, 188 first-person narratives from Syrian girls were analysed. Our results highlight poor emotional well-being among married and unmarried girls, with sadness, fear and anger commonly mentioned. Some participants expressed feelings of hope, happiness, gratefulness and empowerment. Unmarried girls (n = 111) were more likely to associate their shared stories with negative feelings such as sadness (47% vs. 22%), disappointment (30% vs. 19%), and frustration (32% vs. 22%) than were married girls (n = 77). Four themes emerged as important determinants: access to education, perceived safety, peer support, and longing for life back in Syria. Continued efforts to improve emotional well-being for married and unmarried refugee girls are needed in Lebanon, in particular those that address the nuances for these groups.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Emotions; Female; Humans; Lebanon; Marriage; Mental Health; Quality of Life; Refugees; Single Person; Syria
PubMed: 32599758
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17124543 -
PloS One 2023Adolescent pregnancies, a risk factor for obstetric complications and perinatal mortality, are driven by child marriage in many regions of South Asia. We used data...
Adolescent pregnancies, a risk factor for obstetric complications and perinatal mortality, are driven by child marriage in many regions of South Asia. We used data collected between 2017-2019 from 56,155 married adolescents and women in a health and demographic surveillance system to present a population-level description of historical trends in child marriage from 1990-2019 as well as epidemiologic associations between maternal age and pregnancy outcomes in Baliakandi, a rural sub-district of Bangladesh. For pregnancies identified between 2017-2019, we used Kaplan-Meier estimates to examine timing of first pregnancies after first marriage and multinomial logistic regression to estimate associations between maternal age and perinatal death. We described the frequency of self-reported obstetric complications at labor and delivery by maternal age. In 1990, 71% of all marriages were to female residents under 18 years of age. This decreased to 57% in 2010, with the largest reduction among females aged 10-12 years (22% to 3%), and to 53% in 2019. Half of all newly married females were pregnant within a year of marriage, including adolescent brides. Although we observed a decline in child marriages since 1990, over half of all marriages in 2019 were to child brides in Baliakandi. In this same population, adolescent pregnancies were more likely to result in obstetric complications (13-15 years: 36%, 16-17 years: 32%, 18-34 years: 23%; χ2 test, p<0.001) and perinatal deaths (13-15 years: stillbirth OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.01-2.42; 16-17 years: early neonatal death OR 1.57, 95% CI: 1.01-2.42) compared to adult pregnancies. Preventing child marriage can improve the health of girls and contribute to Bangladesh's commitment to reducing child mortality.
Topics: Pregnancy; Adult; Adolescent; Infant, Newborn; Humans; Female; Child; Perinatal Death; Bangladesh; Marriage; Pregnancy Outcome; Maternal Age
PubMed: 37467226
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288746