Changes in unmet need for family planning among married women of reproductive age in Nigeria: A multilevel analysis of a ten-year DHS wave.

INTRODUCTION: Unmet need for family planning [UNFP] remains a serious public health concern in Nigeria. Evidence suggests that UNFP remains high over the last fifteen years despite numerous policies and programmes aimed at generating demand for family planning. This study used three Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted over a ten-year period (2008-2018) to assess the changes in unmet need for family planning and associated contextual determinants. Understanding changes in unmet need for family planning among women and its associated contextual factors is crucial for designing appropriate interventions. METHODS: We analysed datasets the Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys of 2008, 2013 and 2018 to assess changes and contextual determinants of unmet need for family planning. Data were analysed using frequency distribution, chi-square statistical test and multilevel binary logistic regression models. Due to the hierarchical structure of the data in which individuals are nested within households, multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression models were constructed. We used a multilevel binary logistic regression model after adjusting for variables not significant at the bivariate level. An adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was reported, with a p-value less than 0.05 declared to be significant predictors of unmet need for family planning. RESULTS: Unmet need for family planning decreased from 20.21% to 16.10% between 2008 and 2013 but subsequently rose later from 16.10% to 18.89% between 2013 and 2018. The pattern of changes in unmet need for either limiting or spacing was consistently high over the 10-year period, with the highest rate of each of the indicators of unmet need for family planning occurring in 2018 while the lowest rate was in 2008, thus indicating an increase in the proportion of respondents having unmet need for family planning over the referenced period. Age of respondents, educational level, wealth status, religious affiliation, parity, sex of head of household, partner educational level, region of residence, and community socioeconomic status were significant factors associated with the unmet need for family planning across the different data waves in Nigeria (p < 0.05). An intraclass correlation (ICC) of 4.9% showed that the individual and household level factors had a greater influence on the variation in the unmet need for family planning than did community factors in Nigeria. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of unmet need for family planning was consistently high over the ten-year period and community-level factors had lowest influence on the variation in unmet need for family planning compared to household and individual-level factors in Nigeria. Policies and interventions should focus on improving women's socio-economic and demographic characteristics at individual, household, and community levels to improve unmet need for family planning.

Child marriage and quality of marriage among young married women in a rural district, Lorestan Province, Iran.

PURPOSE: Child marriage remains a significant socio-cultural phenomenon with profound implications for the quality of marital relationships, particularly among young women. This study investigates the association between child marriage and the quality of marriage among young married women in Iran. METHODS: This study employed a population-based cross-sectional research design. A total of 70 young women, aged 18-20 years, who had married before reaching 18 years of age, were selected from four primary health care (PHC) centers in Papi District, Lorestan Province, Iran, employing a systematic random sampling approach. Subjects were categorized into women experiencing relationship distress and those without such distress using the Quality of Marriage Index (QMI). Concurrently, their level of sexual satisfaction was assessed utilizing the Hudson's Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). Furthermore, Social Support was evaluated using the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ). RESULTS: The mean age (SD) of women was 18.9 (0.7) years, and their mean age (SD) of marriage was 15.2 (2.1) years. Women experiencing distress showed significant differences in age of menarche (P = 0.006), education levels (P = 0.039), spouses' education (P = 0.025), spouses' occupations (P = 0.004), household income satisfaction (P = 0.041), and household structure (P = 0.045). Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis revealed significant and positive correlations between sexual self-efficacy and social support with marital quality (r = 0.73, p < 0.001 and r = 0.55, p < 0.001, respectively). Conversely, there was a significant negative correlation between the score of indexes of sexual satisfaction and marital quality (r = -0.65, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings emphasize the complex factors affecting marital quality and underscore the urgent need for interventions to support young women in early marriages. It is essential to reinforce policies aimed at reducing child marriage to improve the quality of marriage among young married women.

Formation of human kinship structures depending on population size and cultural mutation rate.

How does social complexity depend on population size and cultural transmission? Kinship structures in traditional societies provide a fundamental illustration, where cultural rules between clans determine people's marriage possibilities. Here, we propose a simple model of kinship interactions that considers kin and in-law cooperation and sexual rivalry. In this model, multiple societies compete. Societies consist of multiple families with different cultural traits and mating preferences. These values determine interactions and hence the growth rate of families and are transmitted to offspring with mutations. Through a multilevel evolutionary simulation, family traits and preferences are grouped into multiple clans with interclan mating preferences. It illustrates the emergence of kinship structures as the spontaneous formation of interdependent cultural associations. Emergent kinship structures are characterized by the cycle length of marriage exchange and the number of cycles in society. We numerically and analytically clarify their parameter dependence. The relative importance of cooperation versus rivalry determines whether attraction or repulsion exists between families. Different structures evolve as locally stable attractors. The probabilities of formation and collapse of complex structures depend on the number of families and the mutation rate, showing characteristic scaling relationships. It is now possible to explore macroscopic kinship structures based on microscopic interactions, together with their environmental dependence and the historical causality of their evolution. We propose the basic causal mechanism of the formation of typical human social structures by referring to ethnographic observations and concepts from statistical physics and multilevel evolution. Such interdisciplinary collaboration will unveil universal features in human societies.

A protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of Balika Bodhu: A combined empowerment and social norm based sexual and reproductive health and rights intervention for married adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are vital for both individual well-being and development. Bangladesh has made long strides in improving SRHR over the last few decades. However, the progress has been uneven across various groups of reproductive-aged females, with the married adolescent girls (MAGs) often being more vulnerable to denial of SRHR than other women. This study intends to develop Balika Bodhu, a combined empowerment and social norm intervention for promoting SRHR among the MAGs and assess its impact. METHODS: The evaluation will employ a mixed-method two-arm Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (CRCT) design, where Arm 1 receives the intervention, and Arm 2 serves as the control. The trial will cover 32 clusters (villages) in Rajbari Sadar sub-district, randomized into two equally distributed study arms. A total of 1,120 MAGs aged 15-19 years will be randomly selected from the clusters (35 per cluster) to form a cohort. The MAGs, their husbands, selected elderly women (26 per village) and influential community members (26 per village) will receive group sessions in the intervention clusters. The MAGs and their husbands will be interviewed at baseline and endline. A randomly selected cross-sectional sample of community members aged 35-59 years at baseline and endline will also be surveyed to measure attitudes and social norm regarding SRHR of MAGs. Qualitative data will be collected using 32 In-depth Interviews, six Key Informant Interviews, and eight Focus Group Discussions from two intervention villages. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis will be performed to assess the impact of the intervention. Narrative analysis and the Grounded Theory approach will be used to analyze the qualitative data. CONCLUSION: Rigorous evaluation of Balika Bodhu should contribute to the literature on what works and what does not in addressing denial of SRHR to MAGs using empowerment and social norm intervention and inform policies and programs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov: identifier: NCT06126770; Date: Oct 7, 2023. Version 1.

Where have I got to? Associations of age at marriage with marital household assets in educated and uneducated women in lowland Nepal.

Background: Women's underage marriage (<18 years) is associated with adverse maternal and child health outcomes. Poverty in the natal household has been widely considered to be a key risk factor for underage marriage, but the evidence base is unreliable. When investigating this issue, most studies use marital wealth inappropriately, as a proxy for wealth in the natal household. In contrast, we investigated whether the timing of women's marriage was associated with the wealth of the households they marry into, and how this may vary by women's education level. This approach allows us to explore a different set of research questions which help to understand the economic value placed on the timing of women's marriage. Methods: We used data on 3,102 women aged 12-34 years, surveyed within 1 year of marriage, from the cluster-randomized Low Birth Weight South Asia Trial in lowland rural Nepal. Linear mixed-effects regression models investigated independent associations of women's marriage age and education level with marital household wealth, and their interactive effects. Models adjusted for marital household traits. We analysed the full sample, and then only the uneducated women, who comprised a substantial proportion in our sample. Results: In the full sample, we found that each later year of women's marriage was associated with 1.5% lower asset score for those with primary education, and with 0.3% and 1.3% higher asset score for those with lower secondary or secondary/higher education, respectively. For uneducated women, relative to marrying ≤14 years, marrying at 15, 16, 17 and ≥18 years was associated with 1.5%, 4.4%, 2.4% and 6.2% greater marital asset score respectively. Conclusion: On average, marrying ≥18 years was associated with greater marital assets for secondary-educated women. There were only very modest benefits in terms of marital household wealth for delaying marriage beyond 16 years for uneducated women or those with low education. These findings elucidate potential trade-offs faced by families, including decisions over how much education, if any, to provide to daughters. They may help to understand the economic rationale underpinning the timing of marriage, and why early marriage remains common despite efforts to delay it.

Joint decision on contraceptive use and determinant factors among married women of reproductive ages (15-49) in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis using Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey; 2016 data.

BACKGROUND: Contraceptive usage in Ethiopia is significantly influenced by the decision-maker at the household level. Joint decision-making involving both women and their husbands/partners is considered ideal for improving contraceptive uptake among women and for managing health outcomes related to contraceptive side effects. However, there is a lack of substantial evidence regarding the prevalence and impact of joint decision-making on contraceptive use in Ethiopia. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the magnitude of joint decision-making on contraceptive use and its determinant factors among married, contraceptive-using, reproductive-age women in Ethiopia. METHODS: This study was conducted based on the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016 data. A total weighted sample of 3,669 married, contraceptive-using, reproductive-age women were included in the study. Multilevel logistic regression was employed due to the hierarchical nature of the data. Variables with a p-value of ≤ 0.2 in the bivariate multilevel analysis were included in the multivariable multilevel analysis. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine the direction and strength of associations. Variables with a p-value of < 0.05 in the multivariable multilevel analysis were considered statistically significant for joint decision-making on contraceptive use. RESULTS: The prevalence of joint decision-making on contraceptive use in Ethiopia was 78.81% [95% CI: 71.35-74.23%]. Several factors were found to be statistically significant in relation to joint decision-making on contraceptive use: Women educational level primary, secondary, and higher (Adjusted odds' ratio (AOR = 1.5; CI 1.2-1.9), (AOR = 1.9; CI 1.3-2.9), and (AOR = 2.1; CI 1.2-3.5) respectively, protestant in religion (AOR = 1.7; CI 1.7-2.5), wealth status rich (AOR = 1.4; CI 1.1-1.9), media exposure (AOR = 1.4; CI 1.1-1.9), and community poverty high (AOR = 0.6; CI 0.6-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: In Ethiopia, the majority of contraceptive users are married, reproductive-age women, and their decision to use contraceptives is typically made jointly with their husbands or partners. Factors positively associated with joint decision-making on contraceptive use include women's educational level (primary, secondary, and higher), being Protestant, having a higher wealth status, and media exposure. Conversely, women living in communities with high poverty levels are less likely to make joint decisions about contraceptive use. Health care providers, health care programmers and policy makers should be focused on these determinant factors to enhance joint decision-making in women's contraceptive use in Ethiopia.

Exploring the impact of maternal marital status on child health: insights from the 2022 Tanzanian Demographic and Health Survey.

The SDG 2.2 targets the end of all forms of malnutrition by 2030. Despite the efforts by the Tanzania government to attain this goal, over 30 percent of children under-five are stunted. This study explored the relationship between maternal marital status and child health outcomes in Tanzania using the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey data set of 2022. A multiple logistic regression was conducted with the binary outcome variable "Stunted," using predictors such as the mother's age and education level, the child's birth size, birth order, and gender, as well as other household characteristics. The study findings highlight a significant association between maternal marital status and child stuntedness. The mothers in a marriage relationship are 30% less likely to have stunted children (OR=0.70, 95%CI, 0.56-0.86) compared to the mothers outside the marriage relationship. Mothers with primary and secondary education or higher, show a lower likelihood of having stunted children (OR=0.90, 95%CI 0.70-1.17) and (OR=0.68, 95%CI 0.44- 1.03) respectively compared to their uneducated counterparts. In other words, a mother being married or educated reduces the odds of her children being stunted. The probability of child stuntedness reduces as the wealth quintile of the household increases. This study contributes to the understanding of the factors influencing child health outcomes in Tanzania especially the role of marriage.

L'ODD 2.2 vise à mettre fin à toutes les formes de malnutrition d'ici 2030. Malgré les efforts du gouvernement tanzanien pour atteindre cet objectif, plus de 30 % des enfants de moins de cinq ans sont atteints de retard de croissance. Cette étude explore la relation entre le statut matrimonial des mères et les résultats de santé des enfants en Tanzanie en utilisant l'ensemble de données de l'Enquête Démographique et de Santé de Tanzanie de 2022. Une régression logistique multiple a été réalisée avec la variable de résultat binaire "retard de croissance", en utilisant des prédicteurs tels que l'âge et le niveau d'éducation de la mère, la taille à la naissance de l'enfant, l'ordre de naissance, le sexe, ainsi que d'autres caractéristiques du ménage. Les résultats de l'étude mettent en lumière une association significative entre le statut matrimonial des mères et le retard de croissance des enfants. Les mères mariées sont 30 % moins susceptibles d'avoir des enfants atteints de retard de croissance (OR = 0,70, IC à 95 %, 0,56-0,86) par rapport aux mères vivant hors d'une relation matrimoniale. Les mères ayant suivi des études primaires et secondaires ou supérieures présentent une probabilité moindre d'avoir des enfants atteints de retard de croissance (OR = 0,90, IC à 95 %, 0,70-1,17) et (OR = 0,68, IC à 95 %, 0,44-1,03) respectivement, par rapport à leurs homologues non éduquées. En d'autres termes, le fait que la mère soit mariée ou éduquée réduit les chances que ses enfants soient atteints de retard de croissance. La probabilité de retard de croissance infantile diminue à mesure que le quintile de richesse du ménage augmente. Cette étude contribue à la compréhension des facteurs influençant les résultats de santé des enfants en Tanzanie, en particulier le rôle du mariage.

Leaving the parental home, cohabitation, and marriage after a hematologic malignancy in childhood-A register-based cohort study from the SALiCCS research program.

INTRODUCTION: Transitioning to adulthood often involves achieving independence from the parental home. We assessed whether the likelihood of leaving the parental home, cohabitation, and marriage was similar between patients who experienced a hematologic malignancy at a young age and their peers. METHODS: We identified 11,575 patients diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy under the age of 20 years between 1971 and 2011 in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, 57,727 country-, age-, and sex-matched population comparisons and 11,803 sibling comparisons and obtained annual information on family and marital status by linking to the statistical institute databases. Hazard ratios (HR) for leaving the parental home, cohabitation and marriage were estimated using Cox proportional hazards modeling. RESULTS: Young adults with a history of a hematologic malignancy were slightly less likely to leave the parental home (HR 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86-0.92; HR 0.87 [95% CI 0.82-0.92]), cohabit with a nonmarital partner (HR 0.83 [95%CI 0.78-0.87]; HR 0.84 [95% CI 0.77-0.92]) and be married (HR 0.87 [95% CI 0.82-0.91]; HR 0.86 [95% CI 0.79-0.93]), compared with population comparisons and siblings, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide reassurance that young adults with a history of a hematologic malignancy show only a slight decrease in their likelihood of gaining independence from their childhood family and forming close interpersonal relationships compared to peers. While most patients are coping well in the long term, integrating structured psychosocial support into long-term follow-up is recommended to facilitate a timely and adequate transition into adulthood.

Validity, reliability and factor structure of the Female Sexual Well-Being Scale in married Iranian women.

Background Promoting the quality of women's sex life is crucial for their overall well-being. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Iranian adaptation of the Female Sexual Well-Being Scale (FSWB), and assess its cross-cultural comparability. Methods The Persian version of the FSWB was developed through forward and backward translations, followed by revision by a research team and pilot testing. A total of 400 women completed the FSWB questionnaire. Test-retest reliability was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient, whereas Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to assess internal consistency. Construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis using principal axis factorisation with varimax rotation, followed by confirmatory factor analysis. Results Only one factor was found in the scale by factor analysis using the principal component method and varimax rotation. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure demonstrated high sampling adequacy (0.961), and Bartlett's test of sphericity confirmed the appropriateness of the correlation matrix for exploratory factor analysis (P Conclusions The Persian version of the FSWB (consisting of 17 questions) and its scoring system showed robust validity and reliability in assessing women's sexual well-being in the Iranian context.

Cost of mate choice: Changing patterns of global age disparity in marriage and their consequences to women's health including maternal mortality and menopause.

BACKGROUND: Consistent across cultures and throughout time is the male preference for younger females. Given its prevalence, the mate choice theory proposes that age-disparate relationships may have contributed to the evolution of maternal mortality and menopause. OBJECTIVES: The objective is to document evidence for age disparity in marriage from past and present populations and evaluate their relevance to maternal mortality and menopause. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data were collected from various regions and time points, ranging from the Roman era to the current decade. METHODS: To analyze both the age disparity in marriage and age at marriage, data were collected from Ancestry.ca for Quebec, Massachusetts, India, South Africa, and England and Wales. Additional data were taken from the United Nations as a more recent and comprehensive source. To analyze the relationships between age disparity in marriage and different social factors, data on gross domestic product, maternal mortality rates, fertility, primary school enrollment, child marriage rates, and percentage of women in the total labor force were collected from the World Health Organization, World Bank, and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. RESULTS: The results showed that males were significantly older than females at first marriage in all populations and time frames sampled, supporting the assumption underlying the mate choice theory. Maternal mortality rates were strongly associated with age-disparate relationships, increasing by 275 per 100,000 live births for each additional year in the age disparity. CONCLUSION: The results from this study provide support for the assumption underlying the mate choice theory of maternal mortality and menopause.

Changing patterns of global age disparity in marriage provide support for the mate choice theory of menopause, raising the possibility of a gradual shift in delayed reproduction and delayed menopause. Living things have inherent capacity to survive and reproduce until they die, with one exception: humans. Women go through menopause while men remain fertile. Among the many explanations offered for the origin of menopause, grandmother hypothesis is the leading one. Being too old to reproduce, it is argued, grandmothers stop reproducing and make up for the loss of fitness through helping (grand mothering) their grand offspring. There are two problems with this theory: first, grand mothering and menopause need not be connected, and second, grandmothers cannot be simultaneously too old to reproduce and not too old to be able to gather resources to make up for their loss of fitness. We proposed a mate choice theory of menopause which posits that human mating system is non-random, that is, males have preference for younger females, depriving older females from reproduction and allowing deleterious fertility mutations to accumulate giving rise to menopause. Male preference for younger females is consistent across cultures and dominates all social relations affecting mate choice including monogamy, serial monogamy, widowers remarrying, polygamy, harem, and others. In this study, we wanted to test if male preference for younger females has been widespread through time. We collected data on age disparity in marriage from past and present populations, from Roman era to the current decade, and evaluated their relevance to the origin of maternal mortality and menopause. The results showed that males were significantly older than females at first marriage in all populations and time frames sampled, supporting the assumption underlying the mate choice theory of menopause. Maternal mortality rates were strongly associated with age­disparate relationships, increasing by 275 per 100,000 live births for each additional year in the age disparity. Through repeated cycles of widowers marring younger women, maternal mortality would have functioned as a reinforcer of the origin of menopause.

Measuring social norms related to child marriage among married women and men in Niger.

BACKGROUND: Child marriage remains prevalent in the Sahel region. Pervasive norms regarding child marriage, and sexual behavior persist. We explored norms from multiple perspectives to strengthen interventions aimed at delaying age at marriage. METHODS: This study analyzed a cross-sectional household survey conducted in Niger in 2022 with women aged 15-49 (n = 2,726) and a subset of their male household members aged 15-59 (n = 1,136). Separate logistic regression models assessed factors associated with three descriptive (e.g., perception of what others do) and injunctive (e.g., perception of a group's approval or disapproval) normative outcomes related to practices that support marriage as soon as a girl reaches puberty and beliefs related to premarital sex. RESULTS: Our study found a greater proportion of men described early marriage as protective from the fear of socially induced ruined marital prospects for women (70% vs. 64%), while women expressed its protection from being harassed (62% compared to 42%). The injunctive norm outcome that "my neighbors think that one should marry off one's daughter as soon as she reaches puberty" was significantly associated with the belief that child marriage was protective for females among women (OR = 4.49; 95% CI 3.13. 5.50) and men (OR = 8.21; 95% CI 5.88, 11.45). CONCLUSIONS: Programs addressing child marriage should consider both male and female perspectives to address differences and foster an environment where communities and families shift norms to delay early marriage.

Who Divorces Whom: Unilateral Divorce Legislation and the Educational Structure of Marriage.

The introduction of unilateral divorce legislation (UDL) starting in the late 1960s led to spikes in U.S. divorce rates. We ask whether making divorce easier affected the educational structure of marriage. Using marriage and divorce certificate data covering 1970-1988, we provide new evidence on the evolution of the educational structure of marriage inflows (newlyweds) and outflows (divorces). Next, we leverage the timing of UDL introduction across states to estimate its effects on both flows. We find that UDL affected the educational structure of divorce but not of new marriages: it made generally unstable hypogamous couples (women married to less educated partners) less likely to divorce and made homogamous couples more stable than hypergamous ones (women married to more educated partners).

The impact of marriage equality campaigns on stress: Did a Swiss public vote get under the skin?

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) individuals encounter persistent structural inequalities and discrimination that can lead to detrimental psychological and physiological health outcomes. Amid evolving legal landscapes, little attention has been directed toward understanding the physiological health effects of societal shifts on these communities. This study aims to explore the impact of a national marriage equality vote and associated debates on psychological and biological stress among LGBTIQ+ individuals and cisgender, heterosexual, endosex individuals (termed cis-heterosexual) in Switzerland. We gathered longitudinal survey and biological data collected in hair samples among LGBTIQ+ and cis-heterosexual individuals before, during, and after the 2021 national vote (survey data: NT1T2 = 954; NT2T3 = 880; biological data: NT1T2 = 393; NT2T3 = 354). Preregistered analyses reveal a notable increase in biological stress levels (i.e., cortisol and cortisone levels), but not perceived stress, among both LGBTIQ+ as well as cis-heterosexual individuals who were close to them during the campaign. Results further point out the negative impacts of the campaign against marriage equality (i.e., no-campaign) on LGBTIQ+ individuals' biological stress levels as well as on those of their allies. These effects were, however, moderated by exposure to the campaign for marriage equality (i.e., yes-campaign), indicating the powerful buffering effects of the yes-campaign on the impact of discrimination on individuals' health. However, these positive effects appear to come at a cost, potentially impacting the well-being of individuals engaged in advocating for the yes-campaign. This research underscores the lasting impact of political campaigns on individuals' health.

Parenting experiences of marriage immigrant women in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive phenomenological study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the experiential meaning of child-rearing for marriage immigrant women in Korea in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: Using the hermeneutic descriptive phenomenology framework developed by Colaizzi, 10 marriage immigrant women rearing preschool and school-age children were invited through purposive and snowball sampling from two multicultural support centers in Korea. The participants were rearing one or two children, and their original nationalities were Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, and Chinese. Individual in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted from September 1 to November 30, 2021. We extracted significant statements from the transcripts, transformed these into abstract formulations, and organized them into theme clusters and themes to authentically capture the essence of the participants' subjective experiences. RESULTS: Four theme clusters with 14 themes were derived. The four theme clusters identified were "navigating child healthcare alone," "guilt for not providing a social experience," "worry about media-dependent parenting," and "feelings of incompleteness and exclusion." This study explored the perspectives of mothers raising children as marriage migrant women who experienced physical and emotional health crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: The findings underscore that marriage immigrant women encountered heightened challenges in managing their children's health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic due to linguistic and cultural barriers limiting access to healthcare and information. Additionally, these women experienced considerable emotional stress from perceived inadequacies in providing a holistic social and developmental environment for their children under extensive social restrictions.

Causal association between family health, perceived relationship quality components, and attitudes toward childbearing in Iranian women: A WHO model analysis.

BACKGROUND: Given the unprecedented global decline in fertility as a major demographic development in recent years, the present study was conducted to determine Causal association Between Family Health, Perceived Relationship Quality Components, and Attitudes toward Childbearing in Iranian Women: A WHO Model Analysis METHODS: In 2023, this descriptive study recruited 400 married women presenting to selected comprehensive health centers affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran. The data were collected through multistage stratified cluster sampling and using a socioeconomic status questionnaire (Ghodratnama), the Perceived Relationship Quality Components (PRQC) scale, the family-of-origin scale (FOS), the attitudes toward fertility and childbearing scale (AFCS) and a demographic checklist were analyzed in SPSS 25 and LISREL 8.8. RESULTS: According to the path analysis, family health exerted the most significant and positive causal effect on attitudes to childbearing directly through one path (B = 0.334) and relationship quality (B = 0.698) and duration of married life (B = 0.387) both directly and indirectly. The number of children (B = -0.057), however, exerted the most significant and negative causal effect on attitudes to childbearing through both paths. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggested the significant effects of family health and relationship quality on attitudes toward childbearing. It is therefore recommended that these variables be screened in comprehensive health centers, the associated limitations and problems be identified and appropriate training and counseling solutions be provided by health specialists.

Detecting month and year of birth effects on reproduction and marriage patterns in two long-term data sets.

This study examines the effects of birth month on reproduction and mating behavior using historical and contemporary census data from 1820 to 1970. The research examines the effect of birth month on the number of children for women and their male spouses, finding a monthly cycle for both men and women. In addition, the study examines whether birth month influences whether a person has ever been married. In support of previous research, we find clear birth month effects on the number of children for both women and their spouses, while the time series of ever being married shows a 60-month and a 10-year cycle, the latter possibly related to the solar cycle. Although the effects are small, both results, based on a large and representative dataset, indicate the importance of early life factors on mating and reproduction.

Factors influencing use of contraceptives among literate married women in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area, Oyo State.

Background: Contraceptives uses are issues of concern around the world due to the adverse effects of unsafe sexual behaviours, such as unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among women. Objective: To investigate the factors influencing use of contraceptives among literate married women in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area, Oyo State. The study also examined whether the variables of age, religion and educational qualification would influence the respondent's view. Methods: Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to draw a total of 210 respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. Mean and rank order was used to answer the research question while Analysis of Variance was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results: Findings revealed that factors influencing contraceptive use among literate married women are educational qualification, health condition and number of children among others. Findings also revealed that there were no significant differences in the factors influencing use of contraceptives among literate married women based on age and religious affiliation while significant difference was found in educational qualification. Conclusion: Majority of the respondents attested to the factors influencing contraceptive use among literate married women. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that contextual and cultural considerations are recommended for comprehensive understanding of factors influencing contraceptive use among Nigerian women, educative interventions by service providers on the necessity of continuous contraception even at older age before menopause should be recommended.

Physical and psychological health consequences of intimate partner violence among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial Zone of Delta State, Nigeria: Implication for marital stability.

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious health issue among couples which is recorded more among married partners. Dishearteningly, IPV among couples who are teachers is underreported due to shame, thereby increasing the prevalence of IPV in the area of the study. Objectives: The study examined physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married primary school teachers. Methods: The design was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted on married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria from 22nd February - 29th November, 2021. Three hundred and thirteen 313 (207 women and 106 men who have experienced various forms of IPV) who were identified as victims of IPV were used as participants in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married teachers. Conclusion: The researchers concluded that there are severe and serious physical and psychological health consequences associated with IPV among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria. Urgent interventions such as public enlightenment, campaigns, workshops, seminars, community health talk-shows should be organized by government stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, community leaders on the prevention of IPV and its dare consequences for marital stability.

Health beliefs of unmarried adult Saudi individuals toward safe marriage and the role of premarital screening in avoiding consanguinity: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Premarital screening (PMS) is an essential global measure that seeks to reduce the occurrence of specific genetic disorders and sexually transmitted diseases common in consanguineous marriages. Due to the lack of a nationwide study, this research was designed to comprehend how unmarried individuals perceive the risks and benefits of PMS. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed through different social media platforms, responses from the native adult population (18-49 years) Saudi Arabia was only included in the study. The questionnaire was based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) to assessing seven different constructs including susceptibility, seriousness, benefits-, barriers-, & cues- to action, self-efficacy, and social acceptance. Data frequency was represented by mean and standard deviation; chi-square and t-tests were conducted for the comparison of independent and dependent variables. A multinomial logistic regression was used to predict factors influencing decisions related to PMS. Results: 1,522 participants completed the survey, mostly 18-25 years old and most of them were women. The majority were single with 85 men and 1,370 women. Most participants (59.6%) believed their parents were related, while 40.5% did not. 122 respondents reported they had to marry within their tribe. Findings revealed significant correlations among all HBM themes, with varying strengths. Notably, a moderate positive relationship was found between the perception of benefits and cues to action, suggesting that enhancing the perceived benefits of PMS could facilitate safe marriage practices. Multinomial regression analysis revealed that demographic factors and health beliefs significantly influence individuals' intentions and behaviors toward PMS and safe marriage. Conclusion: The study concludes that by identifying and addressing barriers, and promoting positive social acceptance, PMS can significantly contribute to preventing genetic diseases and promoting safe marriage practices, although the cross-sectional design limits the establishment of causal relationships and further research is needed.

HIV Diagnosis in the Context of Stable Relationships: A Qualitative Study With Women Living in Portugal.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the acceptance of HIV diagnosis of women in stable relationships. Based on eight semistructured interviews with cisgender Portuguese women, thematic analysis identified four interrelated themes that illustrated the emotional and psychosocial dynamics involved in this journey. Following an HIV diagnosis, participants grappled with complex emotions, societal perceptions, and the internalization of stigma. Marital relationships underwent profound changes, with trust breakdown and emotional distancing. Coping mechanisms ranged from seeking support to living in secrecy, which impacted psychological well-being. Acceptance of HIV diagnosis is influenced by self-stigmatization, societal perceptions of HIV, and gender dynamics. The findings contribute to the development of tailored interventions, emphasizing the interconnected nature of physical and psychological well-being in the diagnosis acceptance process.