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PloS One 2021Violence against women has been one of the most prominent issue and a major public health concern. It is a principle violation of basic human rights and has both...
BACKGROUND
Violence against women has been one of the most prominent issue and a major public health concern. It is a principle violation of basic human rights and has both physical and mental effect on the victim. This study focuses on married and unmarried girls aged 15 to 19 years, belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India. This study attempts to examine depression level among married and unmarried girls who have faced violence against them. With the unprecedented growth in social networking, online digital platform and its accessibility, the study also brings out the pertinent aspect of internet based violence and its psychological outcome on adolescent girls. Hence, the study can be seen as an important and needed value addition to the existing pool of knowledge on the subject.
METHODS
The study uses Understanding the lives of adolescents and young adults (UDAYA) project data for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Depressive symptoms among adolescent girl is the outcome variable of the study. Descriptive statistic and bivariate analysis has been used to get to preliminary results. Chi-squared test is used to test the significant of variables. Further, multi-variate analysis (logistic regression) was used.
RESULTS
Almost 29, 23 and 26 percent of married adolescent girls had faced emotional, physical and sexual violence respectively. It was found that about five per cent of unmarried and eight per cent of married girls had high depressive symptoms. It was found that unmarried adolescent girls who had witnessed their father beating mother were 71 percent more likely to suffer from higher depressive symptoms [OR: 1.71, 1.09-2.69]. Adolescents who faced perpetrated bullying had 90 per cent [OR: 1.90, 1.32-2.72] and 86 per cent [OR: 1.86, 0.98-3.52] higher likelihood to suffer from higher depressive symptoms.
CONCLUSION
The study goes beyond intimate partner violence and includes various covariates to explain the association between violence and depressive symptoms among married and unmarried adolescents. Hence, more inclusive policies are needed to address the issue of violence against women as the spectrum of the violence is expanding with time.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Depression; Female; Gender-Based Violence; Humans; India; Intimate Partner Violence; Marriage; Sex Offenses; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
PubMed: 33765009
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248396 -
BMC Public Health Mar 2018Child marriage, defined as marriage before age 18, is associated with adverse human capital outcomes. The child marriage burden remains high among female adolescents in...
BACKGROUND
Child marriage, defined as marriage before age 18, is associated with adverse human capital outcomes. The child marriage burden remains high among female adolescents in Indonesia, despite increasing socioeconomic development. Research on child marriage in Southeast Asia is scarce. No nationally representative studies thus far have examined determinants of child marriage in Indonesia through multivariate regression modeling.
METHODS
We used data from the nationally representative 2012 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey and the Adolescent Reproductive Health Survey to estimate determinants of child marriage and marital preferences. We ran multivariate models to estimate the association between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and the following early marriage outcomes: 1) ever been married or cohabited, 2) married or cohabited before 18 years, 3) married or cohabited before 16 years, 4) self-reported marital-age preferences and 5) attitudes approving female child marriage.
RESULTS
Among the child marriage research sample (n = 6578, females aged 20-24 at time of survey), approximately 17% and 6% report being married before 18 and 16 years old respectively. Among the marital preferences research sample (n = 8779, unmarried females 15-24), the average respondent preferred marriage at approximately 26 years and 5% had attitudes approving child marriage. Education, wealth and media exposure have protective effects across marriage outcomes, while rural residence is a risk factor for the same. There are significant variations by region, indicating roles of religious, ethnic and other geographically diverse factors.
CONCLUSION
This research fills a gap in understanding of child marriage determinants in Indonesia. There appears to be little support for child marriage among girls and young women, indicating an entry point for structural interventions that would lead to lasting change. Future research efforts should prioritize rigorous testing of gender-transformative education and economic strengthening interventions, including cost-effectiveness considerations to better understand how interventions and policies can be leveraged to deliver on ending child marriage in Indonesia and globally.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Empirical Research; Female; Humans; Indonesia; Marriage; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
PubMed: 29587705
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5313-0 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series B,... Jan 2014Widowhood may result in declines in health and potentially stressful changes to daily routines. However, little research has examined how daily stressors contribute to...
OBJECTIVES
Widowhood may result in declines in health and potentially stressful changes to daily routines. However, little research has examined how daily stressors contribute to physical and emotional well-being in widowhood. The objectives of the current study were to examine daily stressor exposure and reactivity in widowed versus married older adults.
METHOD
Participants included all 100 widowed and 342 married adults aged 65 and older from the National Study of Daily Experiences, a daily diary study from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States. Daily stressors were measured using the Daily Inventory of Stressful Events; multilevel modeling assessed daily reactivity to stressors using daily negative affect (emotional reactivity) and daily physical symptoms (physical reactivity) as outcomes.
RESULTS
Married participants reported more stressors in general, and specifically more interpersonal stressors (e.g., arguments). Both married and widowed participants were reactive to daily stressors. Married participants were physically and emotionally reactive to interpersonal stressors. Widowed participants were more physically reactive to home-related stressors.
DISCUSSION
Attention to the types of daily stressors that widowed older adults experience in daily life and the potential physical effects of daily stressors during widowhood may help to alleviate some of the physical distress that widowed older adults may experience.
Topics: Activities of Daily Living; Affect; Aged; Emotions; Female; Humans; Life Change Events; Male; Marital Status; Marriage; Psychological Tests; Stress, Psychological; Widowhood
PubMed: 23685921
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbt035 -
Journal of Global Health 2021Early marriage and childbearing have substantial detrimental effects on both, the affected girls and women at the micro level, as well as entire economies on the macro...
OBJECTIVE
Early marriage and childbearing have substantial detrimental effects on both, the affected girls and women at the micro level, as well as entire economies on the macro level. West and Central African countries have some of the highest prevalence rates of early marriage and maternity worldwide. This work attempts to quantify the long-term economic, societal, and fertility effects of marriage and pregnancy in early and late adolescence in West and Central Africa.
METHODS
We used pooled cross-sectional data collected between 1986 and 2017 in 21 West and Central African countries within the DHS and MICS programs to estimate the associations of marriage and maternity during early (10-14) and late (15-19) adolescence retrospectively on wealth accumulation, educational attainment, as well as the woman's lifetime fertility.
RESULTS
Descriptively, women who married or gave birth as young or very young adolescents are overrepresented among the poorest and least educated quintiles of the adult population and underrepresented among the richest and most educated. These gradients were confirmed within a regression analysis which additionally controlled for current age of the woman and PSU fixed effects. Marrying in early/late adolescence was associated with a 12%/6% higher likelihood of being in the poorest wealth quintile in later life and 29%/20% increased likelihood of not completing primary education, as compared to women who married as adults. Maternity in early/late adolescence was associated with a 7%/4% higher likelihood of belonging to the poorest quintile and 17%/10% higher likelihood of being uneducated. Moreover, women who married/gave birth during early or late adolescence, on average, have 2.2/2.3 or 1.4/1.5 more children than those who have married/become mothers as adults.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the dire consequences of early marriage and maternity hit youngest girls the hardest - both immediately and long-term. Hence, it is not only worthwhile to prevent adolescent marriage and pregnancy in general, but also specifically target very young girls below age 15 to attempt to at least delay such far-reaching demographic life events.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Africa, Central; Age Factors; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Educational Status; Female; Fertility; Humans; Marriage; Pregnancy; Retrospective Studies; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 34484711
DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.13004 -
PloS One 2021The present global study attempts to verify the links between marital satisfaction and the number of children as well as its moderators in an international sample. Data...
The present global study attempts to verify the links between marital satisfaction and the number of children as well as its moderators in an international sample. Data for the study was obtained from our published dataset and included 7178 married individuals from 33 countries and territories. We found that the number of children was a significant negative predictor of marital satisfaction; also sex, education, and religiosity were interacting with the number of children and marital satisfaction, while there were no interactions with economic status and individual level of individualistic values. The main contribution of the present research is extending our knowledge on the relationship between marital satisfaction and the number of children in several, non-Western countries and territories.
Topics: Child; Databases, Factual; Family Characteristics; Female; Humans; Male; Marriage; Personal Satisfaction; Socioeconomic Factors; Spouses; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 33886597
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249516 -
PloS One 2020Child marriage, defined by the United Nations as marriage before the age of 18, is considered a violation of human rights with negative consequences for girls' health....
Child marriage, defined by the United Nations as marriage before the age of 18, is considered a violation of human rights with negative consequences for girls' health. We systematically reviewed existing academic literature and news media to learn what is known about the frequency of child marriage in Canada and its effects on health. Approximately 1% of 15-19-year-olds in Canada were married or in common law unions in 2016. News reports document cases of child marriage among religious minority communities but no nationwide estimates of the frequency of marriage before the age of 18 were identified. Sources consistently show girls are more likely to marry as teens than boys. Information on married teens between 15 and 19 years of age suggests similarities in marriage patterns among this age group in Canada and child marriage practices globally. Further research is needed to measure Canada's progress toward eliminating child marriage.
Topics: Adolescent; Age Factors; Canada; Child; Educational Status; Female; Health Status Disparities; Human Rights; Humans; Male; Marriage; Socioeconomic Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 32126116
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229676 -
PloS One 2022Child marriage is a significant social and health concern in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This harmful practice violates children's rights and...
INTRODUCTION
Child marriage is a significant social and health concern in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This harmful practice violates children's rights and continues to be widespread across developing nations like Bangladesh. This study investigated the mortality trend among Bangladeshi children and the impact of child marriage on under-5 children morbidity and mortality in Bangladesh.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
A sample of 8,321 children under-5 years old was analyzed using bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques collected from the recent 2017-18 BDHS data. Chi-square test and logistic regression (unadjusted and adjusted) were used to determine the influence of covariates on the target variable.
RESULTS
Results revealed that child mortality was significantly higher among children whose mothers married at an early age than their counterparts. Although the general trend in the prevalence of different childhood mortality in Bangladesh was declining gradually from 1993 to 2018, it was still high in 2018. Also, marriage after 18 years lessens likelihood of diarrhea (adjusted OR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.76-1.16) and cough (adjusted OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.78-1.17) among children. Furthermore, findings reveal that likelihood of different child mortality is higher among early married women.
CONCLUSION
Immediate intervention through rigorous enforcement of policies and different programs to raise the age at marriage and by lessening socioeconomic disparities can combat the prevalence of high morbidity and mortality of under-5 years old children. Findings from this study will be helpful to accelerate strategies for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to child and maternal health by 2030.
Topics: Marriage
PubMed: 35139075
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262927 -
PloS One 2024Child marriage has been associated with a range of negative maternal and reproductive health outcomes. This study explored these associations in Liberia and Sierra Leone...
BACKGROUND
Child marriage has been associated with a range of negative maternal and reproductive health outcomes. This study explored these associations in Liberia and Sierra Leone and examined how child marriage intersected with other measures of social disadvantage.
METHODS
Data were derived from 631 and 1,325 married or cohabitating women aged 20-24 interviewed in the 2019-2020 Liberia and 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Surveys, respectively. Analyses were stratified by country. Regression models examined associations between age at first marriage (<15, 15-17, and 18+ years) and reproductive and maternal health outcomes, as well as interactions between child marriage and measures of social disadvantage. Multivariable regression results were presented as adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS
Over half of currently married/cohabitating women aged 20-24 in Liberia (52%) and Sierra Leone (54%) married before age 18, and over one in 10 married before age 15. In both countries, after adjusting for other factors, being married before the age of 18 was significantly associated with early fertility, high fertility, and low fertility control. Associations were particularly strong among women who first married before age 15. In Liberia, women who married at age 15-17 had significantly lower odds of skilled attendance at delivery and institutional delivery if they lived in the North Central region. Sierra Leonean women who married before age 15 had lower odds of institutional delivery and lower odds of four or more ANC visits if they lived in the North Western region.
CONCLUSION
This study found clear associations between child marriage and negative reproductive health outcomes in Liberia and Sierra Leone, with stronger associations among women married in early adolescence. Child marriage and region of residence intersected to shape young women's access to skilled attendance at birth and institutional delivery. These findings call for further investigation and targeted intervention.
Topics: Humans; Female; Liberia; Sierra Leone; Marriage; Cross-Sectional Studies; Young Adult; Adolescent; Maternal Health; Reproductive Health; Adult; Child; Pregnancy
PubMed: 38768254
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300982 -
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social... Nov 2015This study examined the prevalence and correlates of sexting (i.e., sending sexual messages via mobile phones) within a sample of married/cohabiting couples (180 wives...
This study examined the prevalence and correlates of sexting (i.e., sending sexual messages via mobile phones) within a sample of married/cohabiting couples (180 wives and 175 husbands). Married adults do sext each other, but it is much less common than within young adult relationships, and consists mainly of sexy or intimate talk (29% reported engaging in sexy talk with partners) rather than sexually explicit photos or videos (12% reported sending nude or nearly-nude photos). Sending sexy talk messages was positively related to relationship satisfaction only among those with high levels of avoidance, and sending sexually explicit pictures was related to satisfaction for men, and for women with high levels of attachment anxiety. Additionally, sending sexually explicit pictures was related to greater ambivalence among both men and women. These findings support and extend previous research with young adults.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Marriage; Middle Aged; Personal Satisfaction; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners; Text Messaging; Young Adult
PubMed: 26484980
DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2015.0334 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series B,... Nov 2022Past research has established a link between romantic relationships and depressive symptoms among adults, including those in later life. There is, however, still a lack...
OBJECTIVES
Past research has established a link between romantic relationships and depressive symptoms among adults, including those in later life. There is, however, still a lack of evidence regarding whether romantic relationship status or relationship quality is a better predictor of psychological well-being among middle-aged and older Black adult women.
METHODS
The present study draws on data from the Family and Community Health Study, a multisite, longitudinal survey of health and psychosocial experiences of Black families, to examine how relationship status and quality relate to depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Black adult women (N = 571). A series of negative binomial regression models, with 95% confidence intervals and internal moderators, were used to assess the research questions.
RESULTS
Middle-aged and older Black women in married, cohabiting, and dating relationships who reported higher levels of relationship quality had a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms than those who reported lower levels of relationship quality or who did not report being in any romantic relationship when controlling for baseline depressive symptoms. The findings from our study indicate that relationship quality is a better predictor of depressive symptoms than relationship status.
DISCUSSION
Our findings extend the body of literature on the impact of romantic relationships on individual well-being and provide compelling evidence that such relationships, particularly those of high quality, are significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Black women.
Topics: Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Aged; Depression; Marriage; Black People; Longitudinal Studies
PubMed: 35091742
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac016