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BMC Public Health Feb 2024Despite technological, political and economic progress, Pakistan is still a traditionally patriarchal society, and cultural norms curb women's freedom of socialization,...
BACKGROUND
Despite technological, political and economic progress, Pakistan is still a traditionally patriarchal society, and cultural norms curb women's freedom of socialization, which contributes to poor mental health. The digital technology spaces are rampant with male dominance, and offline cultural behaviours are replicated. Therefore, the current research in Pakistan intends to focus solely on women, their social media uses and the consequent impact on their psychological well-being. Furthermore, the mediation role of social capital is explored, which is linked to women's socialization. In virtual communication, women can expand their connection or remain limited to known people.
METHODS
An online survey collected 240 responses from women social media users. The questionnaire was divided into demographics, social media use patterns like access, online time, frequency of use, social media uses, online social capital and psychological well-being. The obtained responses were statistically analyzed using Smart PLS.
RESULTS
Pakistani women use social media extensively; however, their uses are culturally influenced. The women use social media and socialize online but do not openly disclose their personalities and emotions to extend the connection. They seek information only from acquaintances and do not trust newly developed online contacts. Therefore, the mediation role of bonding social capital is significant, referring to the importance of close ties and trust in psychological well-being. Though virtual spaces provide an opportunity for bridging social capital, women use social media for socialization; however, it doesn't contribute to women's psychological well-being.
CONCLUSION
Despite the higher penetration of digital technologies, cultural power still rules in developing countries like Pakistan. Social media uses are gender- and culturally specific, contributing to psychological well-being and developing social capital. The results from Pakistani society recommend ensuring a secure digital experience for women to get maximum benefits from social media and enhance their psychological well-being.
Topics: Female; Male; Humans; Social Media; Social Capital; Psychological Well-Being; Social Behavior; Gender Identity
PubMed: 38395820
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18013-y -
Archives of Sexual Behavior May 2024Gender dysphoria and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) co-occur at high rates. Yet, it is unknown whether gender dysphoria and ASD are associated with common or distinct...
Gender dysphoria and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) co-occur at high rates. Yet, it is unknown whether gender dysphoria and ASD are associated with common or distinct neurobiological correlates or how they relate to experiences of gender-related body incongruence. Using the Social Responsiveness Scale, we assessed autistic traits in 99 transgender and 99 cisgender individuals and investigated their associations with gender-related body incongruence, measured via a visually based "Body Morph" test, and with cortical thickness in the brain. Autistic traits were significantly higher among transgender individuals, and those with higher autistic traits had higher body incongruence scoring. Among transgender individuals, higher autistic traits were linked with a thinner cortex bilaterally in the temporal pole and the superior and inferior temporal gyri. Autistic traits were only partly associated with cortical morphology patterns previously reported in transgender individuals; instead, they were primarily linked to temporal lobe areas mediating social cognition. While replicating the previous literature on the increased prevalence of autistic traits among transgender individuals, this study reports specific regions in the brains of transgender individuals where cortical thickness is associated with autistic traits.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Adult; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Gender Dysphoria; Transgender Persons; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Young Adult; Brain; Body Image; Temporal Lobe; Adolescent; Cerebral Cortex; Transsexualism; Autistic Disorder
PubMed: 38388763
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-024-02809-5 -
BMC Public Health Feb 2024Most unwanted sexual contact victimization (USCV) research utilizes predominantly white, cisgender, heterosexual college student samples. Estimates of USCV prevalence...
IMPORTANCE
Most unwanted sexual contact victimization (USCV) research utilizes predominantly white, cisgender, heterosexual college student samples. Estimates of USCV prevalence and demographic variation can determine the need for dedicated funding and culturally relevant campus services for students in high-risk groups.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the national prevalence and demographic variation in self-reported USCV within the first three months of college.
DESIGN
Data are from the Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergrads (SAPU) (2020-2021) dataset. SAPU is an online intervention program administered to students on more than 600 college campuses in the United States (N = 250,359). Group differences were assessed by race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual identity, and then stratified by gender to assess within-gender group differences.
SETTING
The SAPU dataset includes public and private institutions and 2-year and 4-year colleges with varying sizes of enrollment.
PARTICIPANTS
The sample is demographically diverse, and consists of newly matriculated U.S. college students, most of whom complete the SAPU program within the first three months of enrollment.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome measure is self-reported USCV within the first three months of college enrollment, analyzed for subgroup differences. We hypothesized that USCV would be higher among students from racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual minority populations.
RESULTS
Nearly 8% of transgender men reported USCV, followed by 7.4% of transgender women, 7.4% of genderqueer/gender non-conforming students, 4.5% of women, and 1.5% of men. Several subgroups reported exceedingly high rates of USCV, including Black students who identified as transgender women (35.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students who identified as trans men (55.6%) or genderqueer/gender non-conforming (41.7%).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Universal and targeted (selective and indicated) intervention programs are needed to lessen USCV, particularly among gender minority students who also identify as Black, Indigenous, other person of color, or as a sexual minority.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; United States; Gender Identity; Prevalence; Sexual Behavior; Crime Victims; Students; Sexual and Gender Minorities
PubMed: 38388526
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18018-7 -
Advances in Physiology Education Jun 2024Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer plus (LGBTQ+) students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors are more likely to drop...
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer plus (LGBTQ+) students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors are more likely to drop out than their cisgender, heterosexual peers despite having equivalent grades and research exposure. It has been demonstrated that a sense of belonging, a very strong predictor of student retention, is low in LGBTQ+-identified STEM undergraduates. It has further been posited that faculty openness and authenticity can enhance a sense of belonging for LGBTQ+ students through the creation of an inclusive classroom culture. The authors of this article, three LGBTQ+-identified faculty in the health sciences department at Boston University, surveyed students enrolled in their courses to elicit student thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regarding the effect of faculty ) sharing their identity openly in the classroom, and ) actively working to create open, inclusive dialogue and space in their classrooms. Of 86 student participants across multiple classes, the large majority of students, both LGBTQ+-identified and non-LGBTQ+-identified, described feeling safe, included, and welcomed in the classroom. They described engaging more in peer-to-peer education and felt that instructor authenticity created a safe and inclusive classroom. A minority of LGBTQ+-identified students and non-LGBTQ+-identified students reported feeling unsure of voicing their opinions, for the former related to insecurity about being LGBTQ+ and the latter feeling a liberal bias existed in the classroom. Altogether, these results suggest a positive effect on student sense of belonging when faculty authenticity and intentionality create inclusive classroom environments in the health sciences. Openness and authenticity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer plus (LGBTQ+)-identified faculty in the health sciences positively affect students by helping them feel seen, welcomed, and included for both students who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who do not. Moreover, faculty openness fostered student action by encouraging them to have peer-to-peer discussions about inclusive language and engage more openly in classroom discussions. Creating academic job security for LGBTQ+-identified faculty to be open can enhance classroom culture, student engagement, and learning.
Topics: Female; Humans; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Gender Identity; Homosexuality, Female; Students; Faculty
PubMed: 38385195
DOI: 10.1152/advan.00200.2023 -
BMC Medical Education Feb 2024Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and other sexual and gender identities (LGBTIQ+) individuals face health inequities. Additionally, medical students...
BACKGROUND
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and other sexual and gender identities (LGBTIQ+) individuals face health inequities. Additionally, medical students report a lack of confidence in providing specific health care to LGBTIQ + individuals, and medical schools do not offer the breadth and depth of coverage needed to fully prepare and make them comfortable in caring for these individuals. This study aims to characterize the teaching of curricular content related to LGBTIQ + health issues in medical schools in Chile.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional descriptive mixed-methods study based on a 15-question survey sent to school directors of the 24 medical schools in Chile, conducted between October 2020 and July 2021. The questions included in the study were mostly based on two pre-existing questionnaires covering content, assessment methods, and identification of barriers to teaching this content.
RESULTS
The validated questionnaire was answered by 14 of 24 Chilean medical schools, with 11 schools (78.9%) declaring that they included some training in their curriculum. The predominant range of time allocated to LGBTIQ + training in medical programs was between 1 and 5 h. The most addressed topics were HIV (92.85%), sexual orientation (78.57%), and chronic disease risk in LGBTIQ + populations (78.57%). Most schools, accounting for 71.5%, considered the content they delivered to be "moderately insufficient" or "insufficient". Regarding the teaching methodologies, the most used were lectures (92.8%), clinical cases (42.9%), and clinical simulation (28.6%).
CONCLUSION
Most surveyed medical schools reported curricular spaces dedicated to teaching health issues of LGBTIQ + individuals, primarily during the pre-internship training period. However, the time allocated is insufficient, and there is little approach to topics beyond the patient's sexual history or sexual orientation. Given the crucial role of medical schools, they must adopt both local and national strategies to enrich training focused on the care of LGBTIQ + patients.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Transgender Persons; Cross-Sectional Studies; Chile; Schools, Medical; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Gender Identity; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 38383416
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05150-6 -
Journal of Endocrinological... Jun 2024Despite the increasing interest in transgender health research, to date little is known about the size of the transgender and gender diverse (TGD) population.
BACKGROUND
Despite the increasing interest in transgender health research, to date little is known about the size of the transgender and gender diverse (TGD) population.
METHODS
A web-based questionnaire survey was developed, including a collection of socio-demographic characteristics and disseminated online through social media. Gender incongruence was evaluated by using a 2-item approach assessing gender recorded at birth and gender identity. The primary objective of the present population-based study was to estimate the proportion of TGD people across ages among a large sample of people who answered a web-based survey. The secondary endpoints were to identify gender-affirming needs and possible barriers to healthcare access.
RESULTS
A total of 19,572 individuals participated in the survey, of whom 7.7% reported a gender identity different from the sex recorded at birth. A significantly higher proportion of TGD people was observed in the youngest group of participants compared with older ones. Among TGD people who participated in the study, 58.4% were nonbinary, and 49.1% experienced discrimination in accessing health care services. Nonbinary TGD participants reported both the need for legal name and gender change, along with hormonal and surgical interventions less frequently compared to binary persons.
CONCLUSIONS
Being TGD is not a marginal condition In Italy. A large proportion of TGD persons may not need medical and surgical treatments. TGD people often experience barriers to healthcare access relating to gender identity.
Topics: Humans; Transgender Persons; Male; Female; Adult; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Health Services Accessibility; Adolescent; Gender Identity; Italy; Health Services Needs and Demand; Aged
PubMed: 38372939
DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02251-9 -
International Journal of Reproductive... Dec 2023A mismatch between chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sexes in individuals with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) creates problems in sex assignment and...
BACKGROUND
A mismatch between chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sexes in individuals with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) creates problems in sex assignment and psychosexual identification.
OBJECTIVE
To identify psychosexual and sex assignment peculiarities of individuals with different forms of AIS.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this qualitative study, 41 individuals with AIS aged between 15 and 31 yr who referred to the Universe Center for Reproductive Medicine Tbilisi, Georgia between 2016 and 2021 were studied. All individuals underwent clinical, genealogical, hormonal, ultrasonographic, and cytogenetic examinations. In-depth interviews and medical records assessed psychosexual profiles and sex assignment histories.
RESULTS
32 cases were diagnosed with the complete form of AIS (CAIS), 8 individuals with the partial form (PAIS), and one with a mild form (MAIS). Individuals with CAIS and PAIS were assessed at birth and raised as girls. Individuals with CAIS and female psychosexual disposition were referred to us due to amenorrhea. Adolescent individuals with PAIS assessed as girls referred to us due to masculinization detected in puberty. An individual with MAIS was assessed at birth and raised as a boy with male genitalia. All individuals with AIS had typical hormonal data and sex chromosome complex for men. 20 sexually active individuals with CAIS had penile-vaginal contact with the man. None of the individuals with CAIS and PAIS thought about gender reassignment after being diagnosed, only the individual with MAIS aimed for male-to-female transition.
CONCLUSION
Psychosexual identification remains a significant challenge in AIS management. Detection of female psychosexual disposition in one participant that is unusual to MAIS may be associated with somatic mosaicism of the androgen receptor gene.
PubMed: 38370487
DOI: 10.18502/ijrm.v21i12.15036 -
BMJ Mental Health Feb 2024All-cause and suicide mortalities of gender-referred adolescents compared with matched controls have not been studied, and particularly the role of psychiatric morbidity...
BACKGROUND
All-cause and suicide mortalities of gender-referred adolescents compared with matched controls have not been studied, and particularly the role of psychiatric morbidity in mortality is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To examine all-cause and suicide mortalities in gender-referred adolescents and the impact of psychiatric morbidity on mortality.
METHODS
Finnish nationwide cohort of all <23 year-old gender-referred adolescents in 1996-2019 (n=2083) and 16 643 matched controls. Cox regression models with HRs and 95% CIs were used to analyse all-cause and suicide mortalities.
FINDINGS
Of the 55 deaths in the study population, 20 (36%) were suicides. In bivariate analyses, all-cause mortality did not statistically significantly differ between gender-referred adolescents and controls (0.5% vs 0.3%); however, the proportion of suicides was higher in the gender-referred group (0.3% vs 0.1%). The all-cause mortality rate among gender-referred adolescents (controls) was 0.81 per 1000 person-years (0.40 per 1000 person-years), and the suicide mortality rate was 0.51 per 1000 person-years (0.12 per 1000 person-years). However, when specialist-level psychiatric treatment was controlled for, neither all-cause nor suicide mortality differed between the two groups: HR for all-cause mortality among gender-referred adolescents was 1.0 (95% CI 0.5 to 2.0) and for suicide mortality was 1.8 (95% CI 0.6 to 4.8).
CONCLUSIONS
Clinical gender dysphoria does not appear to be predictive of all-cause nor suicide mortality when psychiatric treatment history is accounted for.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS
It is of utmost importance to identify and appropriately treat mental disorders in adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria to prevent suicide.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Suicide; Finland; Gender Identity; Mental Disorders
PubMed: 38367979
DOI: 10.1136/bmjment-2023-300940 -
Brain Structure & Function Apr 2024Gender inequality and diversity in STEM is a challenging field of research. Although the relation between the sex/gender of the researcher and the scientific research...
Gender inequality and diversity in STEM is a challenging field of research. Although the relation between the sex/gender of the researcher and the scientific research practices has been previously examined, less interest has been demonstrated towards the relation between sex/gender of the researcher and the way sex/gender as a variable is explored. Here, we examine, from a neurofeminist perspective, both questions: whether sex/gender identity is related to the examination of sex/gender as a variable and whether different approaches towards examining sex/gender are being used in different topics of study within neuroscience. Using the database of submitted posters to the Organization of Human Brain Mapping 2022 annual conference, we identified abstracts examining a sex/gender-related research question. Among these target abstracts, we identified four analytical categories, varying in their degree of content-related complexity: (1) sex/gender as a covariate, (2) sex/gender as a binary variable for the study of sex/gender differences, (3) sex/gender with additional biological information, and (4) sex/gender with additional social information. Statistical comparisons between sex/gender of researcher and the target abstract showed that the proportion of abstracts from Non-binary or Other first authors compared to both Women and Men was lower for all submitted abstracts than for the target abstracts; that more researchers with sex/gender-identity other than man implemented analytical category of sex/gender with additional social information; and, for instance, that research involving cognitive, affective, and behavioural neuroscience more frequently fit into the sex/gender with additional social information-category. Word cloud analysis confirmed the validity of the four exploratorily identified analytical categories. We conclude by discussing how raising awareness about contemporary neurofeminist approaches, including perspectives from the global south, is critical to neuroscientific and societal progress.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Gender Identity; Brain; Sex Factors; Head
PubMed: 38366123
DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02750-8