Fertility preferences of Turkish married women during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic had serious impact on the social, economic, psychological, and physical aspects of a large segment of the society, including women who were married or in stable relationships.Aim:To evaluate changes in the desire to become mothers among married women in Türkiye during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:This cross-sectional study used data from a self-administered questionnaire that examined the demographics and fertility preferences of 520 married Turkish women. We used the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to measure fear, depression and anxiety related to COVID-19. We evaluated fertility preferences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 11.5.Results:Fifty of 112 study participants who planned to get pregnant halted their plans because of the pandemic. In contrast, 21 of 408 study participants who did not plan a pregnancy decided to get pregnant during the pandemic to enhance their positive disposition and overcome loneliness, and because of the increased leisure time and intimacy with their spouses. Mean scores (standard deviation) for all participants for PHQ-9, GAD-7, and FCV-19S were 7.4 (6.02), 4.93 (4.84), and 17.28 (6.16), respectively.Conclusion:This study highlights the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s fertility preferences in Türkiye due to uncertainty and anxiety. To confirm the results of this study, more research is needed to examine the longer-term impact and among a larger population.

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal [2023; Vol.29, Issue 11]

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal is the official health journal published by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization. It is a forum for the presentation and promotion of new policies and initiatives in health services; and for the exchange of ideas concepts epidemiological data research findings and other information with special reference to the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It addresses all members of the health profession medical and other health educational institutes interested NGOs WHO Collaborating Centres and individuals within and outside the Region

المجلة الصحية لشرق المتوسط هى المجلة الرسمية التى تصدرعن المكتب الاقليمى لشرق المتوسط بمنظمة الصحة العالمية. وهى منبر لتقديم السياسات والمبادرات الجديدة فى الصحة العامة والخدمات الصحية والترويج لها، و لتبادل الاراء و المفاهيم والمعطيات الوبائية ونتائج الابحاث وغير ذلك من المعلومات، و خاصة ما يتعلق منها باقليم شرق المتوسط. وهى موجهة الى كل اعضاء المهن الصحية، والكليات الطبية وسائر المعاهد التعليمية، و كذا المنظمات غير الحكومية المعنية، والمراكز المتعاونة مع منظمة الصحة العالمية والافراد المهتمين بالصحة فى الاقليم و خارجه

La Revue de Santé de la Méditerranée Orientale est une revue de santé officielle publiée par le Bureau régional de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour la Méditerranée orientale. Elle offre une tribune pour la présentation et la promotion de nouvelles politiques et initiatives dans le domaine de la santé publique et des services de santé ainsi qu’à l’échange d’idées de concepts de données épidémiologiques de résultats de recherches et d’autres informations se rapportant plus particulièrement à la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. Elle s’adresse à tous les professionnels de la santé aux membres des instituts médicaux et autres instituts de formation médico-sanitaire aux ONG Centres collaborateurs de l’OMS et personnes concernés au sein et hors de la Région

Exploring barriers to family planning service utilization and uptake among women in Iraq

Background: Family planning helps to avoid unwanted pregnancy and reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. Contraceptive prevalence is still relatively low (58%) in Iraq compared with other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and the unmet need (12%) and total fertility (4.2 children per woman) rates are still high. Services are available free of charge or heavily subsidized in many public and private health facilities, yet many women may still not use them due to social, cultural, financial or health care services constraints. Aims: This scoping review explores barriers to family planning services utilization and uptake among women in Iraq. Methods: The review uses an adapted conceptual framework from quality of care and human rights-based frameworks to analyse published scientific studies. Results: At policy level, the government has supported family planning but not enough resources were allocated. At the service level, low family planning promotion from health care providers (especially during antenatal care visits) along with provider bias for certain types of contraception, have contributed to inaccurate information and misconceptions. At the community and individual level, women’s choice is still largely influenced by the husband’s position on contraception as men are still considered the key decision-makers in regard to fertility. Valuing a large family is still a barrier to family planning services utilization and uptake whereas religion was found to support the use of family planning. Conclusion: There is a need to provide promotional messages and encouraging mutual fertility decisions.

The Egyptian health map: a guide for evidence-based decision-making

Background: The Egyptian health system is characterized by the multiple entities in charge of service regulation, financ-ing and provision. Moreover, health outcomes in Egypt mirror epidemiologic transition; increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and persistent high levels of selected communicable diseases (CDs) place a huge financial burden on the health system’s limited resources. This together with financial inefficiencies aggravate inequality in health services coverage and health outcomes. Aims: We aimed to map and link health services with key health outcomes to support efficient utilization of scarce re-sources and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).Methods: Data on health services and health outcomes were obtained from the Ministry of Health and Population and key national surveys for the year 2014. Data on health services’ availability and coverage were compared in different ge-ographical regions. Correlation analysis was used to test the relation between selected service availability indicators and mortality rates from key NCDs.Results: There was a high coverage of key maternal and child health services. However, there was in general low achieve-ment of national targets for service availability as well as wide geographical disparities. Cardiovascular diseases were the leading cause of death and there was a marked reduction in the incidence of major CDs in Egypt, particularly vaccine preventable diseases.Conclusion: : Wide geographical disparities and increased burden of NCDs and their risk factors are identified as key challenges facing the healthcare system in Egypt. Priority setting in the light of these findings is crucial to support nation-al efforts to attain health equity and UHC.

Contexte : Le système de santé égyptien se caractérise par la multiplicité des entités chargées de la réglementation, du financement et de la prestation de services. En outre, les résultats sanitaires en Égypte reflètent la transition épidémiologique ; l’augmentation de la prévalence des maladies non transmissibles (MNT) et les niveaux élevés persistants de certaines maladies transmissibles font peser une énorme charge financière sur les ressources limitées du système de santé. Cette situation, conjuguée à l’inefficacité financière, aggrave les inégalités en matière de couverture des services de santé et de résultats sanitaires. Objectifs : Notre objectif était de cartographier et de relier les services de santé aux principaux résultats sanitaires afin de favoriser l’utilisation efficace des ressources limitées et de réaliser la couverture sanitaire universelle (CSU).Méthodes : Les données sur les services de santé et les résultats sanitaires ont été obtenues du ministère de la Santé et de la Population ainsi qu’à partir des principales enquêtes nationales pour l’année 2014. Les données sur la disponibilité et la couverture des services de santé ont été comparées dans différentes régions géographiques. Une analyse de corrélation a été utilisée pour tester la relation entre certains indicateurs de disponibilité des services et les taux de mortalité due aux principales MNT.Résultats : Les principaux services de santé maternelle et infantile étaient largement couverts. Toutefois, dans l’ensemble, les objectifs nationaux en matière de disponibilité des services n’ont guère été atteints et les disparités géographiques étaient importantes. Les maladies cardio-vasculaires représentaient la principale cause de décès et l’incidence des principales maladies chroniques en Égypte, en particulier des maladies à prévention vaccinale, a nettement diminué.Conclusions : Les larges disparités géographiques et l’augmentation de la charge des maladies non transmissibles et de leurs facteurs de risque sont identifiées comme les principaux défis auxquels le système de santé égyptien est confronté. L’établissement des priorités à la lumière de ces résultats est crucial pour appuyer les efforts nationaux visant à atteindre l’équité en santé et réaliser la CSU.

Demographics and the social reckoning in the Arab region

Demographic transitions in the Arab countries, due to declining birth rates and mortality rates since the 1980s, are reflected in a low proportion of children, a relatively stable proportion of elderly and a high proportion of people of working age. This [youth bulge] of young, active, working-age individuals in the current population may open a demographic window for countries to benefit from increased savings and investment This paper reviews the demographic situation in the Arab region and the impact of education, employment/ migration, health status and participation in society on the further development of the region, including the impact of these factors on ageing and gender issues. The intent is to draw attention to the importance of these demographic changes and highlight the need for action to maximize the potential benefit to the population in this region

Fertility and its relationship with sociocultural factors in Kuwaiti society

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of some sociocultural variables on the fertility of Kuwaiti women. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 7749 married women [aged 15'78 years] selected randomly from 10 primary health care clinics in Kuwait. The fertility rate was 3.58 live births per woman. Fertility was higher among Sunni Muslim women, those of Bedouin ethnicity, and those in a consanguineous marriage [P < 0.001]. There was a significant negative relationship between fertility and respondents' educational level, occupation, age at marriage, socioeconomic status and type of marriage [consanguineous or not]. There was a positive relationship between fertility and the respondents' age and the family income

Reproductive health: a call to the research community

Reproductive health has been receiving increasing recognition and attention. Its elements are included as 3 of the 8 Millennium Development Goals adopted by the world government community, and it is considered essential for reaching the other goals. Reproductive health problems still account for a major share of the burden of disease, particularly in women. The 57th World Health Assembly adopted a reproductive health strategy to accelerate progress towards the attainment of international development goals and targets. A research component is indispensable. The research community is called upon to enhance the responsiveness and potential impact of its contribution. Ten propositions are submitted