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Heliyon Jun 2024In low-income countries, social norms play a significant role in intrahousehold food allocation practices. These norms can sometimes lead to discrimination against...
BACKGROUND
In low-income countries, social norms play a significant role in intrahousehold food allocation practices. These norms can sometimes lead to discrimination against specific groups, posing a public health concern. This study focuses on the social norm surrounding food allocation within households and food taboos affecting adolescent girls in rural Ethiopia.
METHOD
A qualitative study was conducted using vignettes as prompts for 20 focus group discussions and 32 in-depth interviews. The vignettes were tailored to the local context. Participants were chosen purposefully, and data were collected in a comfortable setting. All sessions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was done using Open Code qualitative analysis software with a thematic framework approach.
FINDINGS
In the community, adolescent girls were expected to eat after serving the male family members. Those who did not follow this expectation faced sanctions such as being labeled as disrespectful and could even be insulted or beaten by their spouses and siblings. However, there were some exceptions to this rule, such as when girls were giving birth, breastfeeding, sick, or when male family members were traveling. Certain foods were also prohibited for adolescent girls, including spicy foods like chili, animal products such as meat and milk, and nuts. These foods were believed to increase girls' sexual desire, potentially leading them to engage in premarital or extramarital sex. Additionally, eating outside of the house was not considered appropriate behavior for adolescent girls in this community.
CONCLUSION
In many households, social norms dictate that adolescent girls are not given enough food or are denied essential nutrients for their health. It is important to challenge these norms to ensure fair food distribution within households and support the healthy development of adolescent girls.
PubMed: 38912476
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32295 -
Cell Death & Disease Jun 2024The transmembrane death receptor Fas transduces apoptotic signals upon binding its ligand, FasL. Although Fas is highly expressed in cancer cells, insufficient cell...
The transmembrane death receptor Fas transduces apoptotic signals upon binding its ligand, FasL. Although Fas is highly expressed in cancer cells, insufficient cell surface Fas expression desensitizes cancer cells to Fas-induced apoptosis. Here, we show that the increase in Fas microaggregate formation on the plasma membrane in response to the inhibition of endocytosis sensitizes cancer cells to Fas-induced apoptosis. We used a clinically accessible Rho-kinase inhibitor, fasudil, that reduces endocytosis dynamics by increasing plasma membrane tension. In combination with exogenous soluble FasL (sFasL), fasudil promoted cancer cell apoptosis, but this collaborative effect was substantially weaker in nonmalignant cells. The combination of sFasL and fasudil prevented glioblastoma cell growth in embryonic stem cell-derived brain organoids and induced tumor regression in a xenograft mouse model. Our results demonstrate that sFasL has strong potential for apoptosis-directed cancer therapy when Fas microaggregate formation is augmented by mechano-inhibition of endocytosis.
Topics: Humans; Endocytosis; Apoptosis; Animals; Fas Ligand Protein; fas Receptor; Mice; Cell Line, Tumor; 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; Glioblastoma
PubMed: 38909035
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06822-3 -
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Jun 2024A quarter of women and 11% of men report being survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) during their lifetimes in the United States. Despite being victims...
A quarter of women and 11% of men report being survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) during their lifetimes in the United States. Despite being victims themselves, people who kill their IPV abuser can still be subject to criminal proceedings. Given this complexity, the law has employed battered spouse syndrome (BSS) as a tool used in some jurisdictions to support a claim that an IPV survivor killed in self-defense. A defendant who is attempting to claim self-defense using BSS may introduce testimony of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, a diagnosis of PTSD can pose problems in admission during litigation as the occurrence of a traumatic event is often what is being decided. The present study examined how college students, living on the U.S.-México border, perceive survivors-turned-defendants in a BSS mock trial. Specifically, we had each participant read a written trial transcript of a mock trial where gender of the defendant and clinical diagnosis of PTSD were manipulated. The current study hypothesized that jurors would be more lenient toward female defendants than male defendants (), jurors would be influenced by a PTSD diagnosis of the defendant (), and female jurors would be more lenient than male jurors (). We also wanted to examine the impact of victim blaming, sexism, stigma of PTSD, and prior exposure to IPV on decision-making (. Findings showed jurors were more lenient with female defendants than male defendants, however there was no effect of clinical diagnosis except on difficulty of decision. Implications of the role defendant gender has in decision-making is discussed.
PubMed: 38907659
DOI: 10.1177/08862605241257594 -
Nordisk Alkohol- & Narkotikatidskrift :... Jun 2024Research has shown that a family member's problematic substance use has significant deleterious mental and physical health impacts on other members of the family. Women...
Research has shown that a family member's problematic substance use has significant deleterious mental and physical health impacts on other members of the family. Women are more often affected than men. These negative health effects persist as the person with problematic substance use ages, and they vary according to the relationship status. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how women experience and are affected by their family member's substance use problems. A metaphorical analysis of narrative interviews with 11 daughters and five wives of older adults (>65 years) with problematic substance use. We identified four areas of signification in which metaphors were employed: (1) experiences (chaos and crash and walking on eggshells); (2) strategies (complicity and silencing); (3) dilemmas (deceit or a disease and open or closed dilemmas); and (4) consequences (obtaining or retaining an identity, health and different types of help). Family life with a parent or spouse with a substance use problem was described as chaotic, unsafe, uncertain and with no prospects of change. The study illustrates how metaphors are used to mediate experiences and worldviews pertaining to existential matters founded in deep negative emotions, deceit, shame and stigma. Metaphors make up a crucial material for communicating emotions and themes that are difficult to convey due to shame and stigma.
PubMed: 38903891
DOI: 10.1177/14550725241230744 -
PLOS Global Public Health 2024Smokeless tobacco (ST) use in South Asia is culturally ingrained and socially accepted. A better understanding of these sociocultural influences could inform behavioural...
Smokeless tobacco (ST) use in South Asia is culturally ingrained and socially accepted. A better understanding of these sociocultural influences could inform behavioural approaches to prevent ST use. We sought to understand how family members influence pregnant women's behaviour, attitudes, and perceptions towards ST use. Moreover, we captured the influence of community health workers in this context. A qualitative study using a framework analysis was conducted in selected Indian populations. Eight in-depth interviews among pregnant and postpartum women were conducted in Gujarati, the local language, investigating ST use during pregnancy and the influence of family and peers. All transcripts were transcribed verbatim and translated into English and analyzed in NVivo. The social norms and expectations around ST during pregnancy appeared to have shifted away from promoting towards discouraging its use in the past few years. Women described how their spouses and other family members encouraged them to stop using ST during pregnancy, with some women must hide their ST use from their family members. They also received advice on the harms of ST use from community health workers (Accredited Social Health Activist-ASHA workers). Influenced by the advice received from such workers, several women tried to reduce their ST use during pregnancy. Our findings suggest that the acceptability of ST use in pregnancy may be in decline among families in India. Hence, efforts to promote ST prevention during pregnancy are likely to be "pushing against an open door". Furthermore, community health workers appeared to play an influential role in supporting women to abstain from ST use during pregnancy.
PubMed: 38900772
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002828 -
Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland) May 2024This manuscript describes the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) international consensus guidelines updated at the last two ABC international consensus conferences (ABC 6 in...
This manuscript describes the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) international consensus guidelines updated at the last two ABC international consensus conferences (ABC 6 in 2021, virtual, and ABC 7 in 2023, in Lisbon, Portugal), organized by the ABC Global Alliance. It provides the main recommendations on how to best manage patients with advanced breast cancer (inoperable locally advanced or metastatic), of all breast cancer subtypes, as well as palliative and supportive care. These guidelines are based on available evidence or on expert opinion when a higher level of evidence is lacking. Each guideline is accompanied by the level of evidence (LoE), grade of recommendation (GoR) and percentage of consensus reached at the consensus conferences. Updated diagnostic and treatment algorithms are also provided. The guidelines represent the best management options for patients living with ABC globally, assuming accessibility to all available therapies. Their adaptation (i.e. resource-stratified guidelines) is often needed in settings where access to care is limited.
PubMed: 38896983
DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2024.103756 -
Health Expectations : An International... Jun 2024To explore the experiences, acceptability and utility of a decision aid for family carers of people with dementia towards the end of life.
OBJECTIVES
To explore the experiences, acceptability and utility of a decision aid for family carers of people with dementia towards the end of life.
METHODS
We conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample of family carers enroled into a 6-month feasibility study in England, sampling to gain a range of experiences and views, based on relationship to person they cared for (e.g., spouse, adult child), age, gender, and self-reported use of the decision aid during the feasibility study. Interviews were conducted in March 2021-July 2021 and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. We used COREQ checklist to report our methods and results.
RESULTS
Family carers found the decision aid acceptable, describing it as comprehensive, accessible with relevant information and its presentation enabled good engagement. Experiences of the decision aid covered four main themes which demonstrated the perceived acceptability and utility: 1. A source of support and reassurance; 2. Empowering conversations and confidence; 3. Including the person living with dementia; and 4. Breaking down complexity.
CONCLUSIONS
An aid focussing on decisions about dementia end of life care supported family carers break down complex and emotive decisions, not only with making decisions in the moment but also in future planning.
PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
Our three Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) members (all former family carers) were crucial throughout the wider study. PPI supported development of the topic guides, supported trialling the topic guide and interview procedures and finally supported the development of themes as part of the analysis.
Topics: Humans; Dementia; Female; Male; Caregivers; Qualitative Research; Terminal Care; Aged; Middle Aged; Decision Support Techniques; Interviews as Topic; England; Decision Making; Feasibility Studies; Adult; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 38896012
DOI: 10.1111/hex.14123 -
Differentiating mechanism from outcome for ancestry-assortative mating in admixed human populations.BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024Population genetic theory, and the empirical methods built upon it, often assume that individuals pair randomly for reproduction. However, natural populations frequently...
Population genetic theory, and the empirical methods built upon it, often assume that individuals pair randomly for reproduction. However, natural populations frequently violate this assumption, which may potentially confound genome-wide association studies, selection scans, and demographic inference. Within several recently admixed human populations, empirical genetic studies have reported a correlation in global ancestry proportion between spouses, referred to as ancestry-assortative mating. Here, we use forward genomic simulations to link correlations in ancestry between mates to the underlying mechanistic mate-choice process. We consider the impacts of two types of mate-choice model, using either ancestry-based preferences or social groups as the basis for mate pairing. We find that multiple mate-choice models can produce the same correlations in ancestry proportion between spouses; however, we also highlight alternative analytic approaches and circumstances in which these models may be distinguished. With this work, we seek to highlight potential pitfalls when interpreting correlations in empirical data as evidence for a particular model of human mating practices, as well as to offer suggestions toward development of new best practices for analysis of human ancestry-assortative mating.
PubMed: 38895317
DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597727 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024(1) Background: Illness perception (IP) is an important psychological construct for couples dealing with cancer, which impacts health outcomes and the psychological...
(1) Background: Illness perception (IP) is an important psychological construct for couples dealing with cancer, which impacts health outcomes and the psychological adjustment to cancer. More research is needed to explore the traits of IP and the efforts of couples coping with cancer. Thus, this study was designed to explore the coping experiences and features of the IPs of couples dealing with cancer. (2) Methods: A total of 24 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and 20 spousal caregivers (SCs) participated in semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed, and analyzed by using an inductive thematic analysis. (3) Results: Two themes (individualized and predominant IP; IP sharing and restructuring) were developed. A preliminary framework was formulated to illustrate the relations among subthemes and the relations between themes with an adjustment of a positive IP to CRC. In this framework, based on multiple sources and factors, the natural disparities formed the IPs of the partners of couples and determined the incongruence of IPs. The effects of IP incongruence on lives under the disease guided the three directions of coping approaches (i.e., information and available support, appropriate disclosure and reflection, and leaving the CRC diagnosis behind) which were adopted by couples dealing with CRC to share and restructure the IP with their spouses for effective dyadic coping. (4) Conclusions: This study provides insights to healthcare providers into the experiences of couples dealing with CRC and the development of couple-based IP intervention programs: (a) it initially provides adequate factual knowledge for enhancing beliefs in the ability to control illness, (b) encourages illness-centered conversations and disclosure regarding thoughts and emotions for promoting positive congruence of IP between the partners of couples dealing with a hard dilemma, and (c) guides couples to perceive positive changes and explore the illness's meaning. Understanding each theme of personalized IP and adopting effective IP coping approaches can help guide couples dealing with CRC to efficiently promote constructive IP and better health outcomes.
PubMed: 38891148
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12111073 -
JMIR Research Protocols Jun 2024Receiving a diagnosis of cancer is a profound and often very stressful experience. Few studies have prospectively recruited patients prior to receiving a new diagnosis... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
Quality of Life in Patients and Their Spouses and Cohabitating Partners in the Year Following a Cancer Biopsy (the Couples Cope Study): Protocol for a Prospective Observational Study.
BACKGROUND
Receiving a diagnosis of cancer is a profound and often very stressful experience. Few studies have prospectively recruited patients prior to receiving a new diagnosis of cancer and included spouses or partners.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the Couples Cope Study is to understand the impact of undergoing a diagnostic biopsy and receiving a new cancer diagnosis on quality of life (QoL) in both patients and their spouses or partners, as well as on the quality of their relationship. This protocol paper describes the study design and assesses the feasibility of recruitment and retention.
METHODS
Study staff reviewed the schedules of collaborating physicians using specific encounter codes to identify patients scheduled for breast or prostate biopsies. Potential participants were prescreened via the electronic health record and sent a recruitment letter at least 2 to 3 weeks prior to their biopsy procedure. Patients subsequently underwent a phone screening to determine eligibility. Patients who enrolled provided study staff with contact information for their spouses or partners. All consent forms were completed online. Surveys were completed online prior to receiving the biopsy results (baseline), and at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months after the biopsy. Study staff engaged in ongoing, personalized contact with participants and sent assessment completion reminders via phone and email.
RESULTS
A total of 2294 patients undergoing a breast or prostate biopsy were identified and 69% (n=1582) were eligible for phone screening following electronic health record prescreening. Of the 431 patients who underwent phone screening, 75% (n=321) were eligible to participate. Of the eligible patients, 72% (n=231) enrolled and 82% (n=190) of enrolled patients had an accompanying partner or spouse who also enrolled. A total of 77% (34/44) of patients who received a cancer diagnosis and 72% (26/36) of their spouses or partners were retained through 9 months, while 80% (53/66) of patients who received a benign diagnosis and 68% (42/62) of their partners were retained.
CONCLUSIONS
Prospective recruitment of patients undergoing diagnostic biopsy and their partners is feasible and requires both strategic collaboration with providers and concerted prescreening and recruitment efforts by study staff. Importantly, this study was able to conduct all study activities online without disrupting clinical workflow and without requiring patients and their spouses or partners to come into the laboratory. Consideration should be given to the ratio of biopsies to cancer diagnoses, which can vary significantly by cancer type. Prospective studies are needed and can inform our ability to provide effective support earlier to couples facing a possible cancer diagnosis. Future studies should examine other tumor types that have received less attention in QoL studies, include behavioral and neurobiological assessments beyond self-report measures, and follow couples beyond 9 months in order to examine long-term effects on QoL.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)
DERR1-10.2196/52361.
Topics: Humans; Spouses; Prospective Studies; Male; Quality of Life; Female; Biopsy; Breast Neoplasms; Prostatic Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Adult; Neoplasms; Aged
PubMed: 38889402
DOI: 10.2196/52361