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Global Public Health Jan 2023Environmental crises such as climate change threaten the realisation of sexual and reproductive health and rights. In this scoping review, we examine the evidence for... (Review)
Review
Environmental crises such as climate change threaten the realisation of sexual and reproductive health and rights. In this scoping review, we examine the evidence for the relationship between environmental crises and child marriage. We conducted a search of Google Scholar, Scopus and MedLine from their origin to 4th June 2021 for both peer-reviewed academic literature and 'grey' literature. A total of 24 relevant articles were identified, including both quantitative and qualitative work. while there are limitations of the current evidence base such as its narrow geographical scope, we find that environmental crises worsen known drivers of child marriage, pushing families to marry their daughters early through loss of assets and opportunities for income generation, displacement of people from their homes, educational disruption, and the creation of settings in which sexual violence and the fear of sexual violence increase. Local socio-cultural contexts such as bride price or dowry practices further shape how these factors affect child marriage. Given many of the areas with the highest current rates of child marriage face the gravest environmental threats, action to tackle child marriage must take account of the link identified in this review.
Topics: Child; Humans; Marriage; Sex Offenses; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 36403290
DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2095655 -
The Journal of Adolescent Health :... Mar 2022This study explores links among marianismo, girls' mobility and sexuality, and child marriage among adolescent girls in rural areas of Honduras.
PURPOSE
This study explores links among marianismo, girls' mobility and sexuality, and child marriage among adolescent girls in rural areas of Honduras.
METHODS
We analyze quantitative and qualitative data collected in 2008-2016 for a longitudinal cohort study of rural Honduran adolescent girls. These data include interviews (n = 10 married before age 18) and surveys (n = 563; 155 married early). We also use qualitative data from focus groups in 2016 that included students, parents, teachers, and community members (n = 120).
RESULTS
We find that girls who scored higher on a scale of traditional gender norms were more likely to marry early. Furthermore, our qualitative findings indicate that girls experienced control over their mobility and their sexuality because of rigid gender norms prevalent in their communities. The control girls experience clashes with undergoing psychosocial changes that are associated with increased desire for autonomy and intimacy as well as increased awareness of their sexuality. In some cases, girls believed that marriage was better than staying in their restrictive households, and/or they viewed marriage as the only way to have a romantic relationship.
DISCUSSION
Rigid gender norms that promote excessive regulation of girls' behavior and sexuality influence girls' decision-making processes to enter child marriage. Educational initiatives that challenge sexist gender norms and explain and normalize attraction and intimacy during adolescence should be a central component of child marriage prevention programming for adolescents, parents, and community members.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Female; Gender Identity; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Marriage; Sexual Behavior; Sexuality
PubMed: 35184826
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.11.007 -
Journal of Health and Social Behavior Mar 2016We develop a gendered marital biography approach-which emphasizes the accumulating gendered experiences of singlehood, marriage, marital dissolution, and remarriage-to...
We develop a gendered marital biography approach-which emphasizes the accumulating gendered experiences of singlehood, marriage, marital dissolution, and remarriage-to examine the relationship between marital statuses and transitions and heavy alcohol use. We test this approach using individual-level (n = 10,457) and couple-level (n = 2,170) longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, and individual-level (n = 46) and couple-level (n = 42) in-depth interview data. Quantitative results show that marriage, including remarriage, reduces men's but increases women's drinking relative to being never married and previously married, whereas divorce increases men's but decrease women's drinking, with some variation by age. Our qualitative findings reveal that social control and convergence processes underlie quantitative results. We call attention to how men's and women's heavy drinking trajectories stop, start, and change direction as individuals move through their distinctive marital biography.
Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Alcohol Drinking; Divorce; Female; Humans; Male; Marital Status; Marriage; Middle Aged; Models, Psychological; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 26957135
DOI: 10.1177/0022146515628028 -
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 -
BMC Public Health Apr 2021Child marriage is a human rights violation disproportionately impacting girls in low- and middle-income countries. In the Middle East region, conflict and displacement...
BACKGROUND
Child marriage is a human rights violation disproportionately impacting girls in low- and middle-income countries. In the Middle East region, conflict and displacement have prompted concerns that families are increasingly resorting to child marriage to cope with economic insecurity and fears from sexual violence. This study set out to examine child marriage among Syrian refugees residing in Egypt with the aim of understanding drivers of child marriage in this context of displacement as well as how child marriage affects refugee girls' wellbeing.
METHODS
This analysis draws from 15 focus group discussions (FGD) conducted with married and unmarried girls, as well as parents of adolescent girls in three governorates in Egypt. FGDs included a participatory ranking exercise and photo-elicitation. Additionally, we conducted 29 in-depth interviews with girls and mothers, as well as 28 key informant interviews with health providers, community leaders, and humanitarian actors. The data was thematically analyzed using a combination of inductive and deductive coding.
RESULTS
A prevalent phenomenon in pre-war Syria, child marriage has been sustained after the influx of Syrian refugees into Egypt by pre-existing cultural traditions and gender norms that prioritize the role of girls as wives and mothers. However, displacement into Egypt engendered different responses. For some families, displacement-specific challenges such as disruptions to girls' education, protection concerns, and livelihood insecurity were found to exacerbate girls' vulnerability to child marriage. For others, however, displacement into urban areas in Egypt may have contributed to the erosion of social norms that favored child marriage, leading to marriage postponement. Among girls who were married early, we identified a range of negative health and social consequences, including lack of family planning use, disruption to schooling and curtailment of girls' mobility as well as challenges with marriage and birth registration which accentuated their vulnerability.
CONCLUSION
Efforts to address child marriage among Syrian refugees must acknowledge the different ways in which displacement can influence child marriage attitudes and practices and should capitalize on positive changes that have the potential to catalyze social norm change. Moreover, targeted, focused and contextualized interventions should not only focus on preventing child marriage but also on mitigating its impacts.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Egypt; Female; Humans; Marriage; Middle East; Refugees; Syria
PubMed: 33827503
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10718-8 -
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 -
The Lancet. Global Health Jul 2020Early marriage and fertility are major social determinants of health and wellbeing. Rapid shifts in the past three decades, including a rise in sexual activity in...
BACKGROUND
Early marriage and fertility are major social determinants of health and wellbeing. Rapid shifts in the past three decades, including a rise in sexual activity in unmarried adolescents, a large population of young migrant workers, and a high proportion of males relative to females, have the potential to alter patterns of reproductive health in Chinese adolescents and young women. We aimed to establish long-term trends of marriage and fertility for girls and women aged 15-24 years in China.
METHODS
We did a longitudinal study in which we extracted aggregated data for marriage and childbearing status for Chinese girls and women aged 15-24 years from the Chinese National Population Census (in 1990, 2000, and 2010) and the Chinese 1% National Population Sample Survey (in 1995, 2005, and 2015). The census included all individuals with Chinese nationality who resided in China when the survey was done. For the 1% sample survey, communities or villages were randomly selected and all residents with Chinese nationality in the selected communities or villages were included. In all censuses and sample surveys, forms that included information on basic demographic characteristics, education, marriage, and fertility were completed and verified by the census enumerators at the household residence, based on responses provided by the householder or another adult in the household. We calculated the ever-married rate and age-specific fertility rate (ASFR) for all included individuals. We built multivariate random-effects generalised least squares regression models on panel data to test whether marriage or fertility rate was associated with education level, sex ratio, and the proportion of the population who are an ethnic minority in a province.
FINDINGS
The ever-married rate for those aged 15-19 years decreased from 4·7% in 1990 to 1·2% (95% CI 1·2-1·3) in 2000, but rebounded to 2·4% (2·4-2·5) in 2015. The ASFR for this age group decreased from 22·0 births per 1000 individuals in 1990 to 6·0 (5·9-6·0) births per 1000 in 2000, and rebounded to 9·2 (8·9-9·4) births per 1000 in 2015. The rebound was found in most provinces. In women aged 20-24 years, the ever-married rate generally declined from 58·6% in 1990 to 25·5% (95% CI 25·4-25·6) in 2015, and the ASFR decreased from 198·8 births per 1000 in 1990 to 55·0 (54·5-55·5) births per 1000 in 2015. In 2015, the ever-married rate and ASFR for girls and women in rural areas aged 15-19 years were three-times higher than those of their urban counterparts (3·8% [95% CI 3·7-3·9] vs 1·1% [1·1-1·1] for the ever-married rate and 15·4 [14·9-15·9] vs 4·1 [3·9-4·3] births per 1000 for the ASFR). There were large disparities in ever-married rate across individuals of different education levels, with increases in the ever-married rate of 15-19-year-olds not attending senior high school between 2000 and 2010. Those aged 15-19 years were more likely to be married or give birth in the western provinces. Education held a protective association against adolescent childbearing, whereas a high ratio of males to females and a high proportion of ethnic minorities were associated with greater risk.
INTERPRETATION
Although China's total fertility rate remains far less than replacement, after a period of steady decline, there has been a rebound in adolescent marriage and childbearing in the past decade. A range of adolescent-targeted strategies will be needed across provinces, including scaling up comprehensive sex education, ensuring that girls continue in school, and providing adequate reproductive health services, which specifically meet the needs for modern contraception in sexually active unmarried girls.
FUNDING
Humanities and Social Sciences Planning Fund Project, Sports and Health Special Project of Education and Scientific Research, and China Scholarship Council.
Topics: Adolescent; China; Female; Fertility; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Marriage; Young Adult
PubMed: 32562651
DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30130-3 -
Journal of Epidemiology and Community... Mar 2006A growing number of countries have introduced a form of marriage or civil partnership registration for same sex couples. Marriage confers health benefits on heterosexual... (Review)
Review
A growing number of countries have introduced a form of marriage or civil partnership registration for same sex couples. Marriage confers health benefits on heterosexual men and women and similar benefits could arise from same sex civil unions. The authors argue that legal and social recognition of same sex relationships may reduce discrimination, increase the stability of same sex relationships, and lead to better physical and mental health for gay and lesbian people.
Topics: Adult; Civil Rights; Female; Homosexuality; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Marriage; Prejudice; Public Health; Public Policy; Social Change
PubMed: 16476745
DOI: 10.1136/jech.2005.040410 -
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue... Mar 2024
Topics: Humans; Marriage; Decision Making
PubMed: 37312503
DOI: 10.1177/07067437231182564 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jan 2010There is little information on inbreeding during the critical early years of human existence. However, given the small founding group sizes and restricted mate choices... (Review)
Review
There is little information on inbreeding during the critical early years of human existence. However, given the small founding group sizes and restricted mate choices it seems inevitable that intrafamilial reproduction occurred and the resultant levels of inbreeding would have been substantial. Currently, couples related as second cousins or closer (F >or= 0.0156) and their progeny account for an estimated 10.4% of the global population. The highest rates of consanguineous marriage occur in north and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and west, central, and south Asia. In these regions even couples who regard themselves as unrelated may exhibit high levels of homozygosity, because marriage within clan, tribe, caste, or biraderi boundaries has been a long-established tradition. Mortality in first-cousin progeny is approximately 3.5% higher than in nonconsanguineous offspring, although demographic, social, and economic factors can significantly influence the outcome. Improving socioeconomic conditions and better access to health care will impact the effects of consanguinity, with a shift from infant and childhood mortality to extended morbidity. At the same time, a range of primarily social factors, including urbanization, improved female education, and smaller family sizes indicate that the global prevalence of consanguineous unions will decline. This shift in marriage patterns will initially result in decreased homozygosity, accompanied by a reduction in the expression of recessive single-gene disorders. Although the roles of common and rare gene variants in the etiology of complex disease remain contentious, it would be expected that declining consanguinity would also be reflected in reduced prevalence of complex diseases, especially in population isolates.
Topics: Biological Evolution; Consanguinity; Female; Fetal Death; Genetic Diseases, Inborn; Humans; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Male; Marriage; Religion
PubMed: 19805052
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0906079106