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The Gerontologist Feb 2023Within relationships, sexual motives and stress are independent determinants of psychological health, with notable gendered patterns. However, previous research largely...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Within relationships, sexual motives and stress are independent determinants of psychological health, with notable gendered patterns. However, previous research largely focuses on young adults and different-sex couples. Both sexual motives and levels of stress may be uniquely important to psychological health in midlife, and in potentially different ways for same-sex and different-sex couples. This study examined how the associations between sexual motives, stress, and depressive symptoms differ for midlife men and women in same-sex and different-sex marriages.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Using dyadic data from same-sex and different-sex midlife married couples (N = 830 individuals; 415 couples), we examined the associations of intrinsic (e.g., sex for enjoyment and pleasure) and extrinsic (e.g., sex to please one's spouse) motives for having sex with depressive symptoms and tested whether these associations differed by levels of stress for same-sex and different-sex spouses.
RESULTS
Intrinsic sexual motives were associated with fewer depressive symptoms only for same-sex married couples under high stress. Extrinsic sexual motives were related to greater depressive symptoms for women in low-stress conditions and men in high-stress conditions, and this did not differ for same-sex compared to different-sex marriages.
DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
Results show that the interplay between sexual motives and stress varies for men and women in same-sex and different-sex marriages. These findings underscore the importance of considering both gender and sexuality in studying sexual motives in midlife and suggest sexual motives as a useful treatment focus for protecting the psychological health of midlife married couples.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Depression; Sexual Behavior; Motivation; Gender Identity; Marriage
PubMed: 36063367
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnac136 -
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 -
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency... Jan 2014Studies suggest that the prevalence of HIV is higher among long-term marital/consensual relationships than in the unmarried. We assessed the risk of incident HIV...
OBJECTIVE
Studies suggest that the prevalence of HIV is higher among long-term marital/consensual relationships than in the unmarried. We assessed the risk of incident HIV infection by marital status in rural Rakai, Uganda.
DESIGN
Longitudinal data from the Rakai Community Cohort Study between 1999 and 2011.
METHODS
We estimated HIV incidence per 100 person years (py) in sexually active individuals aged 15-49 years with a total of 44,179.6 py who were never married (women 2929 py and men 4261 py), currently married or in long-term consensual relationships (currently married women 29,823 py and men 21,299 py) and previously married (women 3563 py and men 1475). Poisson multivariable regression was used to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of HIV acquisition.
RESULTS
The HIV incidence among currently married persons was 0.93/100 py, which was lower than that for the never-married (1.51/100 py) and previously married (2.85/100 py) persons. The risk of HIV acquisition was significantly lower in the currently married compared with that in the never married among women (Adj IRR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.42), but not among men (Adj IRR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.31 to 1.52). HIV incidence was lower among first marriages (0.73/100 py) compared with that among second- or higher-order marriages (1.38/100 py). Multiple sex partners significantly increased the risk of HIV acquisition in both women (Adj IRR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.6 to 3.97) and men (Adj IRR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.20 to 2.60).
CONCLUSIONS
Current marriage especially first-order marriage was associated with a reduced risk of HIV acquisition in women, but not in men, and multiple sex partnerships increased HIV risk for both sexes.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Incidence; Male; Marriage; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners; Uganda; Young Adult
PubMed: 24419066
DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182a7f08a -
Biological Psychology Feb 2023Couples' emotions and physiology change across interactions and based on behaviors. Aging couples' emotions and physiology may be closely related as they spend more time...
How aging couples' emotional and physiological associations change across positive, supportive, and conflictual discussions: Roles of capitalization and responsive behaviors.
BACKGROUND
Couples' emotions and physiology change across interactions and based on behaviors. Aging couples' emotions and physiology may be closely related as they spend more time together and rely on each other for support. We examined aging couples' emotional and physiological associations across multiple indices and marital interactions; we also assessed how couples' capitalization and responsive behaviors during the first discussion were protective in subsequent emotional conversations.
METHODS
Married couples (n = 107 couples, 214 individuals) engaged in positive event, social support, and conflict discussions. Emotional and physiological assessments across discussions included: positive and negative emotion, electrodermal activity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability. We coded partners' capitalization and responsive behaviors during the first discussion.
RESULTS
There were ties in spouses' positive emotion, negative emotion, electrodermal activity, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability during positive, supportive, and conflictual discussions. Emotional and physiological associations reflecting shared stress (negative emotion, electrodermal activity, systolic blood pressure) were stronger in couples who were less capitalizing or responsive earlier that day; associations reflecting physiological adaptation (heart rate variability) were stronger for more capitalizing and responsive couples.
CONCLUSION
Aging couples' emotions and physiology tracked together during discussions central to maintaining relationships, and their past behaviors carried over into future interactions and across contexts. Enthusiastic, caring, and understanding behaviors may protect partners from shared emotional and physiological stress; lacking such behaviors may increase emotional and physiological vulnerability. This research identifies behavioral, emotional, and physiological pathways connecting relationships to health in adulthood.
Topics: Humans; Emotions; Aging; Spouses; Marriage; Social Support
PubMed: 36646301
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108500 -
PloS One 2021COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people around the globe. Countries, including Indonesia, implemented large-scale social restrictions. Since marriage is found to be...
COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people around the globe. Countries, including Indonesia, implemented large-scale social restrictions. Since marriage is found to be beneficial to people's quality of life (QoL), the study aimed to examine the QoL of married people in Indonesia during a large-scale social restriction of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online cross-sectional survey using Qualtrics was conducted in June 2020. Respondents' sociodemographic data, spouse data (as reported by the respondents), and pandemic-related data were collected, followed by QoL data, measured by WHQOOL-BREF. WHOQL-BREF consists of 26 questions grouped into four domains: physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H and Spearman correlation analyses were employed to compare QoL between groups of sociodemographic characteristics. In total, 603 respondents were recruited. The respondents' mean age is 35.3 years (SD = 7.61), most are females (82%), bachelor degree graduate (95%), Islam (78%), employed (69%), and assigned to work from home during the pandemic (76%). Married men reported better QoL in almost all domains than women; employed respondents reported higher QoL scores than unemployed; higher educated respondents reported higher QoL than those with lower education; respondents with higher income reported higher QoL than those with lower income. We found significant positive correlations between the QoL scores and age, spouse's age, and marriage length, although they were considered small. Compared to Indonesian population normative scores pre-pandemic, our sample reported no difference in physical and social domains, lower in the psychological domain, but higher in the environmental domain. Indonesian married people, especially women, those with low level of education, currently out of work, and below-average financial condition are the ones who reported worse quality of life during the lockdown. These results can help direct the Indonesian government efforts in dealing with psychosocial problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for married couples.
Topics: Adult; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Indonesia; Male; Marriage; Pandemics; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34496005
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256643 -
Child Abuse & Neglect Aug 2021Worldwide, there has been a massive increase in child marriages following the COVID-19 crisis. In Indonesia, too, this figure has risen with Indonesia ranked amongst ten...
BACKGROUND
Worldwide, there has been a massive increase in child marriages following the COVID-19 crisis. In Indonesia, too, this figure has risen with Indonesia ranked amongst ten countries with the highest rates of child marriage in the world. One of the Indonesian provinces with a high incidence of child marriage cases is in Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB).
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to examine what is causing the rate of child marriages to increase since the outbreak of COVID-19 in NTB.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
Using snowball sampling techniques, the researcher selected 23 study participants, including ten parents (seven mothers and three fathers) with children who were married underage and 13 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years old (ten females and three males) who were married between March and December 2020. They came from two different regencies of NTB: Lombok Barat and Lombok Utara.
METHODS
This study employed qualitative phenomenology as the method of inquiry. Data was obtained through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed in a two-stage coding model. The results of the analysis were asserted on phenomenological themes.
RESULTS
The data reveals that teenagers get married because: 1) they believe that marriage is an escape-from schoolwork, house chores, and the stress and boredom of studying and staying at home during the pandemic; 2) the customary law- some local customs encourage or permit child marriage; 3) there is a lack of understanding of the impact and long term implications of underage marriage; 4) economic problems- financial problems trigger parents to marry their children at a young age; and 5) the influence of the surrounding environment and peers, which encourages early marriage.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest a number of recommendations for the prevention of child marriage: 1) socializing the prevention of child marriage; 2) offering alternative activities and support systems for adolescents to overcome frustration and pressure due to online learning and staying at home; 3) changing society's view that marrying children solves adolescent promiscuity, prevents pregnancy, and addresses the issue of non-marital pregnancy.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; COVID-19; Child; Female; Humans; Indonesia; Male; Marriage; Pregnancy; Young Adult
PubMed: 34157610
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105168 -
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 -
BMC Women's Health Jun 2022Marriage is considered beneficial for mental health when stable and of high quality. Yet, it is unclear whether marriage is equally advantageous for everyone regardless...
BACKGROUND
Marriage is considered beneficial for mental health when stable and of high quality. Yet, it is unclear whether marriage is equally advantageous for everyone regardless of marital timing or migrant background. This study aimed to investigate the association between early marriage and mental disorder, defined by outpatient mental healthcare (OPMH) service use, and whether the association varies between migrant and non-migrant women.
METHODS
Using data from four Norwegian national registers, we applied discrete-time logistic regression analyses to study the aims of interest, among 602 473 young women aged 17-35 years. All women were followed from 2006 or the year they turned 17, and until first OPMH consultation, 2015 (study end), the year they turned 35, when emigrated, died, or changed marital status from married to separated, divorced, or widowed.
RESULTS
Results show that unmarried and early married women had increased odds of mental disorder when compared to on-time married women. However, the differences between the early and on-time married women were explained by differences in educational level. There was no significant interaction between marital status and migrant background.
CONCLUSIONS
Differences in mental health between early- and on time married women are attributed to poorer educational attainment of women who marry early. Furthermore, migrant background seems to have a limited role in the association between marital timing and mental disorder. The promotion of formal education among young women could contribute to the accumulation of socioeconomic and psychosocial resources, thus, reducing the risk of mental disorder, also among early married women.
Topics: Divorce; Female; Humans; Marital Status; Marriage; Mental Disorders; Transients and Migrants
PubMed: 35761261
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-022-01836-5 -
Social Science & Medicine (1982) Sep 2014The present study aimed to identify potential cohort differences in midlife women's self-reported functional limitations and chronic diseases. Additionally, we examined...
The present study aimed to identify potential cohort differences in midlife women's self-reported functional limitations and chronic diseases. Additionally, we examined the relationship between marital status and health, comparing the health of divorced, widowed, and never married women with married women, and how this relationship differs by cohort. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we examined potential differences in the level of functional limitations and six chronic diseases in two age-matched cohorts of midlife women in the United States: Pre-Baby Boomers, born 1933-1942, N = 4574; and Early Baby Boomers, born 1947-1956, N = 2098. Linear and logistic regressions tested the marital status/health relationship, as well as cohort differences in this relationship, controlling for age, education, race, number of marriages, length of time in marital status, physical activity, and smoking status. We found that Early Baby Boom women had fewer functional limitations but higher risk of chronic disease diagnosis compared to Pre-Baby Boom women. In both cohorts, marriage was associated with lower disease risk and fewer functional limitations; however, never-married Early Baby Boom women had more functional limitations, as well as greater likelihood of lung disease than their Pre-Baby Boom counterparts (OR = 0.28). Results are discussed in terms of the stress model of marriage, and the association between historical context and cohort health (e.g., the influence of economic hardship vs. economic prosperity). Additionally, we discuss cohort differences in selection into marital status, particularly as they pertain to never-married women, and the relative impact of marital dissolution on physical health for the two cohorts of women.
Topics: Age Factors; Aged; Chronic Disease; Cohort Studies; Female; Health Status; Health Surveys; Humans; Marital Status; Marriage; Middle Aged; Mobility Limitation; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; United States
PubMed: 24983699
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.06.040 -
Cancer Epidemiology Oct 2012This study examines the association between marriage and colorectal endoscopy exam, and whether this association varies by gender and financial benefits of marriage...
PURPOSE
This study examines the association between marriage and colorectal endoscopy exam, and whether this association varies by gender and financial benefits of marriage including improved access to health insurance and pooled family income.
METHODS
Representative survey data of the non-institutionalized United States population were used from the 2000, 2005, and 2008 National Health Interview Survey. Analyses targeted persons 50-85 years of age without a personal history of cancer and with complete information on all study variables (n=21,760). Multivariate logistic regression was used to model marital status differences in the probability of undergoing a colorectal endoscopy exam with interaction effects used to model variation over time by gender, health insurance, and poverty level.
RESULTS
Married persons were more likely than unmarried persons to report ever having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.29), and the difference between married and unmarried persons in the probability of undergoing a colorectal endoscopy exam remained stable over time. Married persons were more likely than unmarried persons to report having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam within the past 10 years (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.15-1.95). For each survey year, married men were significantly more likely than women and unmarried men to report having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam. For example, in 2008, 56% of married men reported having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam, compared to 49% of unmarried men, 52% of married women, and 50% of unmarried women. Among persons with health insurance, married persons were significantly more likely than unmarried persons to have undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam. Among persons who were poor, there was no difference by marital status in the likelihood of having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam. However, among persons who were not poor, married persons were more likely than unmarried persons to have undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam.
CONCLUSION
Given that colorectal endoscopy exams are a potentially life-saving procedure, persistently higher uptake of colorectal endoscopy for married persons over time may be an important health promoting benefit of marriage. Therefore, clinicians and policy makers should focus on improving the use of cancer prevention services among unmarried persons.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Colonoscopy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Educational Status; Female; Health Behavior; Humans; Male; Marriage; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Population Surveillance; Socioeconomic Factors; United States
PubMed: 22633538
DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2012.05.005