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The Journal of Adolescent Health :... Jul 2016Access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services is vital for sexually active adolescents; yet, their SRH care needs are often unmet. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services is vital for sexually active adolescents; yet, their SRH care needs are often unmet.
METHODS
We conducted a qualitative systematic review of mixed methods studies to assess adolescent and provider views of barriers to seeking appropriate medical care for sexually transmitted infection (STI) services for adolescents. We searched peer-reviewed literature for studies published between 2001 and 2014 with a study population of youth (aged 10-24 years) and/or health service providers. Nineteen studies were identified for inclusion from 15 countries. Thematic analyses identified key themes across the studies.
RESULTS
Findings suggest that youth lacked knowledge about STIs and services. In addition, youth experienced barriers related to service availability and a lack of integration of services. The most reported barriers were related to acceptability of services. Youth reported avoiding services or having confidentiality concerns based on provider demographics and some behaviors. Finally, experiences of shame and stigma were common barriers to seeking care.
CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents in low- and middle-income countries experience significant barriers in obtaining STI and SRH services. Improving uptake may require efforts to address clinic systems and provider attitudes, including confidentiality issues. Moreover, addressing barriers to STI services may require addressing cultural norms related to adolescent sexuality.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Health Services; Confidentiality; Developing Countries; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Male; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Qualitative Research; Reproductive Health Services; Sexual Behavior; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Social Stigma
PubMed: 27338664
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.03.014 -
Reproductive Health Dec 2019Domestic violence is common public health problem. Domestic violence related disclosure is an important first step in the process of prevention, control and treatments... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Domestic violence is common public health problem. Domestic violence related disclosure is an important first step in the process of prevention, control and treatments of domestic violence related adverse effect. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of domestic violence related disclosure and synthesize its associated factors.
METHODS
We followed the PRISMA Guidelines to report the results of the finding. Databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library and Web of Sciences were searched. The heterogeneity between studies was measured by the index of heterogeneity (I statistics) test. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to determine publication bias. Moreover, sensitivity analysis was carried out. To calculate the pooled prevalence, a random effects model was utilized.
RESULTS
Twenty one eligible studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of domestic violence related non-disclosure was found to be 36.2% (95% CI, 31.8-40.5%). Considering violence as normal or not serious, shame, embarrassment and fear of disclosure related consequences were the common barriers for non-disclosure.
CONCLUSION
More than one third of women and girls were not disclosed their experience of domestic violence. The finding of this study suggests the need of evaluation and strengthening of the collaborative work among different sectors such as: policy-makers, service providers, administrative personnel and community leaders including the engagement of men partner. This study also suggests the needs of women empowerments against the traditional belief, attitude, and practice.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Disclosure; Domestic Violence; Ethiopia; Female; Humans; Prevalence; Sexual Partners
PubMed: 31870388
DOI: 10.1186/s12978-019-0845-z -
Clinical Psychology Review Mar 2017Many trauma survivors seem to be reluctant to seek professional help. The aim of the current review was to synthesize relevant literature, and to systematically classify... (Review)
Review
Many trauma survivors seem to be reluctant to seek professional help. The aim of the current review was to synthesize relevant literature, and to systematically classify trauma survivors' perceived barriers and facilitators regarding mental health service utilization. The systematic search identified 19 studies addressing military personnel and 17 studies with trauma survivors of the general population. The data analysis revealed that the most prominent barriers included concerns related to stigma, shame and rejection, low mental health literacy, lack of knowledge and treatment-related doubts, fear of negative social consequences, limited resources, time, and expenses. Perceived facilitators lack attention in research, but can be influential in understanding mental health service use. Another prominent finding was that trauma survivors face specific trauma-related barriers to mental health service use, especially concerns about re-experiencing the traumatic events. Many trauma survivors avoid traumatic reminders and are therefore concerned about dealing with certain memories in treatment. These perceived barriers and facilitators were discussed regarding future research and practical implications in order to facilitate mental health service use among trauma survivors.
Topics: Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Mental Health Services; Military Personnel; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Social Stigma; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Survivors
PubMed: 28013081
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.12.001 -
PloS One 2016Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is a critical HIV prevention tool. Since 2007, sub-Saharan African countries with the highest prevalence of HIV have been... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is a critical HIV prevention tool. Since 2007, sub-Saharan African countries with the highest prevalence of HIV have been mobilizing resources to make VMMC available. While implementers initially targeted adult men, demand has been highest for boys under age 18. It is important to understand how male adolescents can best be served by quality VMMC services.
METHODS AND FINDINGS
A systematic literature review was performed to synthesize the evidence on best practices in adolescent health service delivery specific to males in sub-Saharan Africa. PubMed, Scopus, and JSTOR databases were searched for literature published between January 1990 and March 2014. The review revealed a general absence of health services addressing the specific needs of male adolescents, resulting in knowledge gaps that could diminish the benefits of VMMC programming for this population. Articles focused specifically on VMMC contained little information on the adolescent subgroup. The review revealed barriers to and gaps in sexual and reproductive health and VMMC service provision to adolescents, including structural factors, imposed feelings of shame, endorsement of traditional gender roles, negative interactions with providers, violations of privacy, fear of pain associated with the VMMC procedure, and a desire for elements of traditional non-medical circumcision methods to be integrated into medical procedures. Factors linked to effective adolescent-focused services included the engagement of parents and the community, an adolescent-friendly service environment, and VMMC counseling messages sufficiently understood by young males.
CONCLUSIONS
VMMC presents an opportune time for early involvement of male adolescents in HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health programming. However, more research is needed to determine how to align VMMC services with the unique needs of this population.
Topics: Adolescent; Africa South of the Sahara; Circumcision, Male; HIV Infections; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Male; Patient Satisfaction; Reproductive Health Services
PubMed: 26938639
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149892 -
Seizure Jan 2022Stigma is reported to cause as much distress and effect on quality of life for individuals with epilepsy as the physical symptoms of seizures. Existing quantitative... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Stigma is reported to cause as much distress and effect on quality of life for individuals with epilepsy as the physical symptoms of seizures. Existing quantitative reviews have focused on describing levels of stigma in epilepsy, but no qualitative review has been undertaken despite the increasing number of relevant studies. We provide a qualitative synthesis to aid the understanding of stigma experiences in adults with epilepsy across different sociocultural contexts.
METHODS
A systematic database search yielded an initial set of 3,032 relevant papers, of which 28 were included. A meta-synthesis was conducted according to a meta-ethnographic approach which has been adapted for health research.
RESULTS
Five themes were generated: 1) Societal negative perceptions of epilepsy result in discrimination and rejection; 2) Internal attributions of blame lead to negative self-perception and shame; 3) Stigma impacts everyday life and contributes to reliance on others; 4) Stigma is managed through concealment and avoidance; 5) Support from others is beneficial but dependant on own and others' understandings of epilepsy. These themes highlighted the key individual experiences of epilepsy stigma, which appeared to some degree culture-specific. Culturally-informed misconceptions of epilepsy were readily internalised, resulting in emotional challenges and affecting participants' lives. Strategies for coping with this were also described.
SIGNIFICANCE
This synthesis characterised the experiences of stigma among adults with epilepsy and highlighted key similarities and differences in these experiences across sociocultural contexts. Educational programmes to inform communities about epilepsy hold importance going forward.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Epilepsy; Humans; Qualitative Research; Quality of Life; Seizures; Social Stigma
PubMed: 34915348
DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2021.11.021 -
BMC Public Health Feb 2023Breastfeeding provides all the necessary energy and nutrients for an infant and provides many benefits for mothers and babies. The effects of colonisation have...
BACKGROUND
Breastfeeding provides all the necessary energy and nutrients for an infant and provides many benefits for mothers and babies. The effects of colonisation have contributed to reduced prevalence and duration of breastfeeding among Australian Aboriginal women and widespread use of infant formula as a substitute for breastmilk. This review aimed to synthesise qualitative evidence about the factors that influence breastfeeding and infant feeding practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families.
METHODS
MEDLINE, CINAHL, Informit and Google Scholar were systematically searched for qualitative studies that included the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families about the factors influencing infant feeding decisions. Included studies were appraised using an Indigenous quality assessment tool and were synthesised via inductive thematic analysis informed by an ecological framework.
RESULTS
The search identified 968 studies with 7 meeting the inclusion criteria. Key factors influencing breastfeeding and infant feeding practices of Aboriginal women included cultural practices, normalisation of bottle feeding, shame associated with breastfeeding in public, access to culturally safe nutrition education, support services and health professionals, family/partner support, knowledge of the benefits of breastfeeding, experiences with previous babies and concern that the baby was not getting enough milk.
CONCLUSION
The perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women must be considered when providing breastfeeding and infant feeding advice. This can be achieved through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people designing, implementing, and leading the delivery of education and information regarding breastfeeding and health infant feeding practices that have been influenced by the priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant; Australia; Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; Health Services, Indigenous; Qualitative Research; Breast Feeding; Bottle Feeding
PubMed: 36759814
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14709-1 -
Addiction (Abingdon, England) Mar 2023People who inject drugs are at high risk of contracting hepatitis C (HCV). The introduction of direct acting antiviral (DAA) drugs to treat HCV has the potential to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND AIM
People who inject drugs are at high risk of contracting hepatitis C (HCV). The introduction of direct acting antiviral (DAA) drugs to treat HCV has the potential to transform care; however, uptake of DAAs has been slower than anticipated. The strong link between HCV and injecting drug use frames HCV as a shameful, stigmatising disease, reinforcing an 'addict' identity. Linking HCV care to a recovery journey, 'clean' identity and social redemption may provide compelling encouragement for people to engage with treatment and re-evaluate risk and behaviours, reducing the incidence of HCV re-infection. The aim of this review was to identify actions, interventions and treatments that provide an opportunity for a change in identity and support a recovery journey and the implications for HCV care.
METHODS
Databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ProQuest Public Health, ProQuest Sociological Abstracts, CINAHL and Web of Science) were searched following our published strategy and a grey literature search conducted. A narrative synthesis was undertaken to collate themes and identify common threads and provide an explanation of the findings.
RESULTS
Thirty-two studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The narrative synthesis of the studies identified five over-arching analytical themes: social factors in substance use and recovery, therapeutic communities, community treatment, online communities, and finally women and youth subsets. The change from an 'addict' identity to a 'recovery' identity is described as a key aspect of a recovery journey, and this process can be supported through social support and turning point opportunities.
CONCLUSIONS
Recovery from addiction is a socially mediated process. Actions, interventions and treatments that support a recovery journey provide social connections, a recovery identity and citizenship (reclaiming a place in society). There is a gap in current literature describing how pathways of care with direct acting antivirals can be designed to promote recovery, as part of hepatitis C care.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adolescent; Antiviral Agents; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Hepatitis C; Hepacivirus; Substance-Related Disorders
PubMed: 35993427
DOI: 10.1111/add.16031 -
Reproductive Health Jun 2022Globally, experiences of menarche and subsequent menstruation are embedded in social and cultural beliefs, norms and practices. Menarche is an important developmental... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Globally, experiences of menarche and subsequent menstruation are embedded in social and cultural beliefs, norms and practices. Menarche is an important developmental milestone in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) for females. Menarche is intertwined with socio-cultural norms, beliefs and practices, which can impact on women's ability to manage menstruation with dignity. This paper reviews the social and cultural factors that affect women's ability to effectively manage their menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).
METHODS
A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA scoping review guidelines and inclusion/exclusion criteria. An online search was conducted for peer-reviewed publications in Medline/OVID; Medline/PubMED; PsycINFO; CINAHL; Scopus and JSTOR, and Google Scholar. A search for grey literature was conducted in Google Scholar and websites of international and local organizations. Experts in the field also contributed additional references. Extracted data were summarised in an Excel spreadsheet. Searches were conducted between May and June, 2019, and then repeated in July, 2020.
RESULTS
A total of 11 studies were included; 10 qualitative and one mixed methods study. Studies were conducted in Melanesian (n = 9), Polynesian (n = 1) and Micronesian (n = 1) PICTs. All 11 studies reported elements of societal and personal factors; ten studies reported evidence relating to interpersonal factors; nine studies reported elements relating to environmental factors; and two studies presented evidence linked to biological factors. Managing menstrual health with dignity is challenging for many women and girls because menstruation is associated with menstrual taboos and shame.
CONCLUSION
This review found that the MHH experiences of women in PICTs are affected by social and cultural beliefs, norms and practices. Beliefs, norms and practices about menarche need to be incorporated in SRH planning, programs and education in order to be relevant to diverse village and urban settings.
Topics: Female; Humans; Menarche; Menstruation; Pacific Islands; Reproductive Health; Women's Health
PubMed: 35655221
DOI: 10.1186/s12978-022-01398-7 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023Gendered racism against Asian American women has become an increasing public health threat in recent years. Although discrimination (i.e., co-occurring race- and...
INTRODUCTION
Gendered racism against Asian American women has become an increasing public health threat in recent years. Although discrimination (i.e., co-occurring race- and gender-based discrimination) against Asian American women is not new, research on this topic is lacking. The present scoping review sought to explore how Asian American women report experiences of intersectional discrimination through a systematic examination of the current literature. We included studies that or discuss intersectional discrimination. We also aimed to identify indicators of psychological wellbeing and coping associated with these experiences.
METHODS
Following PRISMA Guidelines for Systematic Scoping Reviews, database searches were conducted for peer-reviewed articles. A total of 1,476 studies were title- and abstract-screened by two independent reviewers. Then, 148 articles were full-text screened for eligibility.
RESULTS
A final sample of 23 studies was identified (15 qualitative and 8 quantitative). Only nine of the included studies explicitly used an intersectional framework. Results from qualitative studies revealed that Asian American women experience intersectional discrimination through fetishization, the ascription of passivity, invalidation through lack of representation and pervasive white beauty ideals, and workplace tokenization and scrutiny. Study findings suggested that Asian American women experience these forms of intersectional discrimination across multiple levels of influence (i.e., internalized, interpersonal, institutional, structural). Findings from both qualitative and quantitative studies also indicated how discrimination, whether explicitly or implicitly intersectional, contributes to adverse mental health outcomes such as body shame, disordered eating, depression, and suicidality. Studies also touched on common coping mechanisms employed by Asian American women when facing or anticipating discrimination, such as avoidance, shifting, proactive coping, and leaning on networks of support. There was a lack of studies using quantitative assessments of intersectional discrimination. Also, most studies did not include disaggregated data by ethnicity, age, sexual identity, religion, socioeconomic status, immigration status, or skin color, all of which are likely to shape their experiences.
DISCUSSION
Our scoping review highlights how the marginalization of Asian American women is an urgent threat to their mental wellbeing. These findings are discussed to inform future research, interventions, and policy changes that prevent racialized and gendered violence against Asian American women.
Topics: Humans; Female; Asian; Intersectional Framework; Mental Health; Racism; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 36923035
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.993396 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jan 2023Alopecia is associated with significant psychological burden. There is limited evidence on the use of psychological interventions in conditions of hair loss. This... (Review)
Review
Alopecia is associated with significant psychological burden. There is limited evidence on the use of psychological interventions in conditions of hair loss. This manuscript systematically reviews the current state of literature on psychological treatments for quality of life, mental health, and hair growth in various forms of alopecia. PubMed and Embase were searched with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Reference lists were also examined for relevant studies. Nine articles met our criteria and are included in this review. Eight of the articles related to alopecia areata and one related to scarring alopecia. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was found to improve quality of life-related subjective symptoms, relationship impacts, anxiety, phobia, distress, and psychological symptom intensity. Alopecia-specific collocated behavioral health (CLBH) treatment showed a trend for psychosocial improvement in areas such as appearance shame, activity avoidance, negative emotions, and coping. Hypnotherapy was found to improve anxiety and depression, quality of life measures, and alexithymia. There was also some evidence for significant hair growth with hypnosis, but the data are mixed. Psychotherapy combined with immunotherapy led to more hair growth, and supported self-confidence. Finally, coping strategies modulated the subjective burden of alopecia, and were associated with disease improvement. Further research will be necessary to better establish the efficacy and optimal administration of these interventions in alopecia.
PubMed: 36769612
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12030964