Social Representations and Experiences of Sexual Transactions Among Swiss Youth.

This article relies on quantitative data collected in Switzerland as part of a research study on sexual transactions among youth. Building on an analytical framework that defines sexual transactions in terms of negotiated exchanges rooted in social representations, we explored how they were perceived by the Swiss young people included in our sample at a cognitive, ethical, and political level. We found that research participants who reported having experienced sexual transactions viewed them much more positively than those who reported never having engaged in such exchanges. While this was especially true among young women, we also found that the tendency of respondents to perceive sexual transactions negatively increased with age. When analyzed in light of the qualitative results of our study, these quantitative findings suggest that negative representations of sexual transactions are less likely to be based on lived experience than on an ideal-type of sexual behavior. In other words, our research highlights how young people interpret sexuality according to norms developed within a heteronormative matrix.

Navigating Love in a Post-Pandemic World: Understanding Young Adults' Views on Short- and Long-Term Romantic Relationships.

The uncertain future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the technological advancements may have altered young adults' experiences of romantic relationships. It is unclear whether individuals will continue to prefer traditional long-term romantic relationships (LTRR) or opt for short-term ones (STRR). This research describes how young adults in Malaysia perceive LTRR and STRR. Using the structured approach of the theory of social representations, data were collected from 512 participants; 238 (46.48%) male; Mage 21.75; majority were heterosexual and students, and analyzed using prototypical analysis to reveal high consensus elements. Five observations were made: (1) females prioritize "love" in both STRR and LTRR, while males prioritize "love" only in LTRR; (2) females prioritize "marriage" in LTRR, while males prioritize "trust," "comfort," and "stability." Males do not consider "marriage" as part of a LTRR; (3) both males and females view STRR positively, while LTRR are viewed more practically; (4) "sex" is a core element in STRR but is absent in LTRR; (5) males differentiate between STRR and LTRR with no overlapping elements. These findings provide insight into the social representations of romantic relationships among young adults in Malaysia and suggest future directions for research in the field.

Cultivating change in food consumption practices: The reception of the social representation of alternative proteins by consumers.

This article is concerned with the dynamics of change in protein consumption practices from the perspective of the consumer. It is based on a model, informed by social representation theory, that aims to understand the role played by various types of representation of alternative proteins in the process of changing food consumption practices. It discusses the reception, by consumers, of the representations associated with alternative proteins on Instagram. Methodologically, three focus groups were organized with different consumer segments (omnivorous, flexitarian and vegetarian and vegan consumers), as well as seven individual interviews. Participants were submitted to the social representations of alternative proteins, and visual stimuli from social media were mobilized for this purpose. Results show that the publications which boast the environmental, animal welfare or health attributes of alternative proteins generally contribute to the cultivation of new elements of practices. While this kind of publications is essential to help consumers question their established practices linked to meat and dairy consumption, they can also generate a critical reception that is not conducive to change, making them a double-edge sword. Publications that relate to the representations involved in daily food consumption proteins (e.g. that alternative proteins are versatile and crowd-pleasing) emerge as being safer in terms of reception, although as standalone they may not be able to achieve a deep level of change in food consumption practices. The results of this study show the importance of deploying a diverse communication strategy about alternative proteins that appeal to a variety of consumer segments.

Patients' Representations of Perceived Distance and Proximity to Telehealth in France: Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: In the last 2 decades, new technologies have emerged in health care. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the adoption of technology by both health care professionals and patients. These technologies create remote care practices that bring several benefits to the health care system: easier access to care, improved communication with physicians, and greater continuity of care. However, disparities in the acceptance and use of telehealth tools still exist among patients. These tools also disrupt conventional medical practices and prompt a new reassessment of the perceptions of distance and proximity as physical (ie, time and space dimensions) and nonphysical (ie, behavioral dimensions) concepts. The reasons why patients do or do not adopt telehealth tools for their care and therefore their perspectives on telehealth remain unanswered questions. OBJECTIVE: We explored the barriers as well as the motivations for patients to adopt telehealth tools. We specifically focused on the social representations of telehealth to establish a comprehensive conceptual framework to get a better understanding of how telehealth is perceived by patients. METHODS: This study uses a qualitative design through in-depth individual interviews. Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method with balanced consideration of gender, age, location (urban/rural), and socioeconomic background. After collecting informed consent, interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis methodology. RESULTS: We conducted 14 interviews, with which data saturation was reached. The 2 main opposed dimensions, perceived proximity and distance, emerged as an essential structure for understanding the social representations of telehealth. A logic of engagement versus hostility emerged as the main tension in adopting telehealth, almost ideological. Interestingly, practical issues emerged regarding the adoption of telehealth: A logic of integration was opposed to a logic of constraints. Altogether, those dimensions enabled us to conceptualize a semiotic square, providing 4 categories with a coherent body of social representations. Due to the dynamic nature of these representations, we proposed 2 "paths" through which adherence to telehealth may improve. CONCLUSIONS: Our semiotic square illustrating patients' adherence to telehealth differentiates socially beneficial versus socially dangerous considerations and pragmatic from ideological postures. It shows how crucial it is to consider perceived distance and proximity to better understand barriers and motivations to adopting telehealth. These representations can also be considered as leverage that could be modified to encourage the step-by-step adhesion process. Even if reducing the perceived temporal distance to in-person meeting and enhancing the perceived proximity of access to care may be seen as efficient ways to adopt telehealth tools, telehealth can also be perceived as a care practice that threatens the patient-physician relationship. The patient-oriented perceived value turns out to be critical in the future development of and adherence to telehealth tools.

Beliefs and practices of the nursing team related to pressure injury preventive measures: A analysis of social representations.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To analyse the process of elaborating social representations about pressure injury preventive measures by the nursing team (nurses and nurse technicians) and how this process relates to preventive practices for hospitalized patients. DESIGN: Qualitative study, with the application of the theory of social representations in its procedural methodological approach. METHODS: The study was carried out in an inpatient clinic of a public hospital in the state of Rondônia, Brazil. Totally, 28 nursing professionals in the medical clinic sectors who had worked directly with patient care for more than 6 months participated. The data were collected between July and September 2021 via in-depth interviews with the application of a semi-structured instrument. Analysis was carried out with the help of ALCESTE software, which performed a lexicographic analysis, and also via thematic analysis. The COREQ guided the presentation of the research report. RESULTS: The social representations were developed based on the professionals' symbolic beliefs about the visibility/invisibility of the results of applying preventive care. These symbolic constructions mobilized positive and negative feelings among the nursing team, which guided the classification of prevention practices as being of greater or lesser priority among other care activities. There were favourable attitudes among professionals, which included applying prevention measures in their daily routines, and unfavourable attitudes of non-adherence to the institution's protocol for preventing pressure injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The nursing team's perception of pressure injury prevention is influenced by symbolic, affective, values, and social dimensions. Non-adherence behaviours are attributed to the belief in the invisibility of prevention outcomes, resulting in a reluctance to implement preventive measures. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Understanding the subjective logic that explains the thinking and actions of the nursing team suggests the need to incorporate discussions on beliefs, values, sentiments, and attitudes of nursing professionals into educational programs on pressure injury prevention. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No public contribution.

Discrimination and Social Exclusion of People Experiencing Mental Disorders in Burkina Faso: A Socio-anthropological Study.

Stigma has been pointed out as a barrier to mental healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. Among the manifestations of stigma, the use of physical restraints is condemned as a form of violation of basic human rights. Research on this phenomenon is limited in West Africa and more particularly in Burkina Faso. This study explores the phenomenon of stigma of individuals experiencing mental disorders in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). As part of 8 months of socio-anthropological fieldwork, we interviewed 94 informants (7 focus groups and 25 individual interviews) to document exclusionary practices, their perceptions, and justifications. Exclusionary practices can be divided in five subgroups: ignoring, physically and sexually abusing, abandoning, banning, and restraining. Some practices were linked to a lack of financial and material resources, while others were justified by an inferior moral status. We observed differences in the type of exclusion experienced between men and women. Restrictive, abusive, and exclusionary measures are common in Bobo-Dioulasso. These practices can either be understood as part of families' adaptative strategies when dealing with chronic conditions, as part of security measures in the case of patients with aggressive behaviors, or as part of punitive measures when transgressions are committed. We conclude the article by addressing the tensions between local and global meanings of stigma.

Women's body representations across the life course: A comparative study in Southern Brazil.

The aim of this study is to observe how women of different ages represent their bodies and the changes they undergo across their life course. The research is based on the theory of social representations, idealized by Serge Moscovici. A total of 201 women between 25 and 88 years old from southern Brazil participated in the research. The methodological instrument consists of a questionnaire containing free associations, sentence completion and selection of images. The processing and classification of the data were done by the software Evoc (2000) and content analysis. The results showed differences between the age groups. Younger women represented the body according to aesthetic references and manifested the desire to monitor the body. Older women related the body more frequently with notions of health, social relationships, and leisure. The memories of a younger body and anticipations of an older one reflected the conventions about ageing. The study also shows that concerns about bodily limitations and age-related diseases were frequent in all age groups and may guide behaviour and attitudes towards the body. The study can inform policymakers on the needs and expectations of a growing ageing sector of the population in Brazil and worldwide.

Insufficient responses to rape in Ouagadougou: Reflections on the experiences of young female survivors / Insuffisances des réponses aux viols à Ouagadougou : réflexions à partir du vécu de jeunes survivantes.

The rape of girls and women raises questions about both prevention and the response in Burkina Faso. This article looks at the inadequacy of the response to rape in Ouagadougou. It is based on an analysis of cases of rape experienced by young women in the city and documented between 2005 and 2009. The study highlights the gap between the attitude of the victims, whether or not they are inclined to report the act and seek support, and the existing response in this area, whether in their entourage, at the community level, or at the institutional level. The study concludes that there is a need for more in-depth research into the representations and experiences of rape survivors in Ouagadougou and, more broadly, in Burkina Faso. Such research will enable us to identify gaps and appropriate strategies so that survivors are offered a holistic response that is more conducive to respect for their sexual and reproductive rights. Appropriate responses should involve improving the response system, so as to minimize obstacles and make institutional support more accessible to survivors.

Les viols sur des filles et femmes interpellent autant au sujet de leur prévention que par rapport aux réponses qui y sont apportées au Burkina Faso. L'article fournit une réflexion sur les insuffisances de réponses à ces viols à Ouagadougou. La réflexion s'appuie sur l'analyse de cas de viols vécus par des jeunes femmes dans cette ville et documentés entre 2005 et 2009. La réflexion met en exergue le fossé entre la posture des victimes, leur propension ou non à dénoncer l'acte et à rechercher un soutien et la réponse existante en la matière, que cela soit dans leur entourage, au niveau communautaire ou au niveau institutionnel. L'article démontre la nécessité de mener des investigations plus approfondies sur les représentations et le vécu des survivantes de viols à Ouagadougou et, plus largement, au Burkina Faso. Cela permettra d'identifier les gaps à combler ainsi que les stratégies adéquates pour offrir aux survivantes une réponse holistique et plus propice au respect de leurs droits sexuels et reproductifs. Les réponses appropriées devraient passer par l'amélioration du dispositif de réponse, de façon à minimiser ces entraves et à rendre le soutien institutionnel plus accessible aux survivantes.

A topic models analysis of the news coverage of the Omicron variant in the United Kingdom press.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused numerous casualties, overloaded hospitals, reduced the wellbeing of many and had a substantial negative economic impact globally. As the population of the United Kingdom was preparing for recovery, the uncertainty relating to the discovery of the new Omicron variant on November 24 2021 threatened those plans. There was thus an important need for sensemaking, which could be provided, partly, through diffusion of information in the press, which we here examine. METHOD: We used topic modeling, to extract 50 topics from close to 1,500 UK press articles published during a period of approximately one month from the appearance of Omicron. We performed ANOVAs in order to compare topics between full weeks, starting on week 48 of 2021. RESULTS: The three topics documenting the new variant (Omicron origins, Virus mutations, News of a new variant) as well as mentions of vaccination excluding booster, Scotlands First minister statement (Communications) travel bans and mask wearing (Restrictions) and the impact of market and investing (Domains and events) decreased through time (all ps < .01). Some topics featured lower representation at week two or three with higher values before and after: Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies recommendations (Communications), Situation in the US, Situation in Europe (Other countries and regions), all ps < .01. Several topics referring to symptoms and cases-e.g., rises of infections, hospitalisations, the pandemic the holidays, mild symptoms and care; restrictions and measures-e.g., financial help, Christmas and Plan B, restrictions and New Year; and domains of consequences and events-e.g., such as politics, NHS and patients, retail sales and airlines, featured increasing representation, (all ps < .01). Other topics featured less regular or non-significant patterns. CONCLUSION: Changes in sensemaking in the press closely matched the changes in the official discourse relating to Omicron and reflects the trajectory of the infection and its local consequences.

Social Representation of Pain and Suffering in Cancer Patients: A Mixed Methods Study.

Most patients report physical pain and psychosocial problems (suffering, depression, anxiety) during and after cancer treatment. This mixed methods study, based on the Theory of Social Representations, examines if pain and suffering are taboo subjects for oncologists and patients, and if they share the same representations. The data collected included 33 in-depth interviews with patients in chemotherapy/radiotherapy treatment (n = 20) and their oncologists (n = 13). We measured the number of spontaneous mentions of the words "pain" and "suffering" and their synonyms. We then examined semantic networks related to these two terms. The results show that for patients, suffering refers to bodily degradation and vulnerability while pain confirms the presence of the disease. In the interviews conducted with oncologists, suffering is absent. Pain is perceived as a sign of disease progression and an indicator of tolerance to treatment. These results may help in increasing the mutual understanding between oncologists and patients and facilitating the detection of depression and anxiety.

"I think I might be a bit wobbly in my corona moral" - young people's moral functioning during the COVID-19 lockdown: A social representations approach.

In this paper, we use social representations theory to examine how young people made sense of COVID-19 and the emergent behavioral guidelines during the lockdown in Denmark in Spring 2020. Further, we discuss how this informed their moral functioning. This research is explored through triangulation, investigating how COVID-19 was represented in central speeches by Danish leaders (N = 4) and by young people in focus groups (n = 5, N = 25) and individual interviews (N = 10). Results suggest that young people's moral functioning during COVID-19 depended on multiple, often polemic, representations. Consequently, their moral functioning was found to be an ambivalent practice, resulting in coping strategies of adaptation to their surroundings and othering fellow citizens deviating from the guidelines. In this context, coherent communication by authorities and community values are identified as key to promoting behavior change. As the social impact of COVID-19 is unprecedented in many societies, including the Danish, this study contributes to the field of emerging infectious diseases providing insights that are essential for the continued management of this and future pandemics.

Social representations of malaria in a southern malian community: an ethnographic qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Malaria is one of the prime reasons for medical consultation and the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Mali. To assess and understand the dynamics of social representations of malaria, the anthropological research was conducted in the Wayerema II neighbourhood of the health district of Sikasso, southern Mali. METHODS: This was an ethnographic study conducted qualitatively in 2011 and 2016 through informal conversations, 70 semi-structured interviews, and participant observations with key actors. The observations, conversations, and interviews investigated local people's perceptions and knowledge about malaria, and how and to what extent the cultural and popular representations of the disease can have an impact on therapeutic routes. RESULTS: Mosquitoes are the principal agent of the transmission of malaria. However, the ubiquitous yet casually-claimed aetiological agents, causative, nosographic entities differ from-although sometimes integrated into-the biomedical dimension. For example, some communities perceive Kono, a complicated and pernicious form of malaria that often occurs among children, to originate from a supernatural force. "Bird disease" is another term used for Kono in Mali and other West African countries. Thus, overall, Kono is defined through the entanglements with cultural factors, namely the idiosyncratic habits, customs, and beliefs of the population of Wayerema II neighbourhood in the health district of Sikasso, Southern Mali. Wayerema II residents particularly tend to link therapeutic recourse amongst the afflicted not only to biomedical models but to sociocultural and popular perceptions and representations of malaria. CONCLUSION: In the findings, self-medication through both traditional and modern medical techniques was the most frequent therapeutic modality. Hence, the integration of local popular knowledge with the biomedical register can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of social representations and perceptions of malaria, and qualitative improvements in the malaria control programme.

"If You Do Not Fit in With the Stereotype, They Eat You Alive": Discourses of Masculinities and Their Reflections in Young Spanish Men's Health.

Hegemonic masculinity has been especially linked, among other aspects, to unhealthy behaviors and heterosexuality. This study aimed to explore the discourses of masculinities with young Spanish men with different sexual orientations (heterosexuals, bisexuals, and homosexuals), comparing them with the social representations that are put into practice on Instagram. Three qualitative approaches were triangulated to seek a richer comprehension and interpretational level: discussion groups, semi-structured interviews, and an online non-participant observation on Instagram with a total of 26 young men aged between 18 and 24. Results indicate that hegemonic masculinity discourse is still significant when understanding and experiencing young men's masculinities, promoting behaviors that put their health at risk and generating psychological discomfort, especially among non-heterosexual men. Our findings provide knowledge of the social framework that legitimizes and reproduces male domination in younger generations both online and offline and how this is reflected in men's health.

"You get to understand we are all human beings": Community solidarity initiatives as spaces of recognition, resistance, and change.

In Ireland the Direct Provision system segregates and excludes displaced people from the host community, and informal community solidarity initiatives (CSIs) were established nationwide to address this issue. We examined experiences of intergroup contact in CSIs and related contexts to identify how solidarity is produced, and for whom, through photovoice workshops (Study 1: n = 13) with displaced participants of two CSIs, and interviews (Study 2: n = 5) with resident/national stakeholders of four CSIs. In Study 1, we identified three themes: "Orienting to future and collective identities in Direct Provision," "Negotiating intersectional identities in public settings," and "Recognition of valued collective identities in the CSI." In Study 2, we identified two themes: "Negotiating privileged identities and power asymmetries," and "Facilitating change through social connections." CSIs offered temporary respite from the oppression and discrimination displaced people experienced in other contexts and enabled them to resist dehumanizing representations through expression and recognition of valued identities. Connections within and across groups fostered relational solidarity, shifted intergroup norms, and opened opportunities for displaced people to access resources. Accordingly, our findings have implications for public policy, community research, and action to create just and equitable conditions for displaced people in receiving countries.

Social representations, media, and iconography: A semiodiscursive analysis of Facebook posts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim of this study was to explore the COVID-19 pandemic social representation in the early stages of its development. Following a free association task and a categorical analysis, a corpus of COVID-19-related editorial illustrations from articles posted by leading French newspapers was collected. Iconographic analysis of editorial illustrations revealed 12 iconic patterns that seemed typical of the pandemic iconography. Findings suggest that articles eliciting the greatest engagement (i.e. reactions, comments, and shares) are those that use a stable iconography so that the topic can easily be identified by most Facebook users. Therefore, these images could play an important role in the objectification process development of the COVID-19 social representation. Future studies should therefore explore the impact of the relationship between the news media and their audiences on the visual representation of highly topical issues, in the light of the objectification process of social representation theory.

Frames and counter-frames giving meaning to palliative care and euthanasia in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: Based on the case of palliative care and euthanasia in the Netherlands, this paper presents an analysis of frames and counter-frames used in the ongoing public debate about these two intertwined topics. Each (counter)frame presents a cultural theme that can act as a prism to give meaning to palliative care and/or euthanasia. Each frame comprehends a different problem definition, consequences and policy options. Typical word choices and metaphors are identified that can evoke these frames and the underlying reasoning. The frames do not belong to a specific stakeholder but a pattern can be seen in their use that is related to interests and ideology. METHODS: An inductive framing analysis was conducted of 2,700 text fragments taken from various Dutch newspapers, websites of stakeholders and policy documents in the period 2016-2018. After an extensive process of thematic coding, axial coding, selective coding and peer review seven frames and seven counter-frames about palliative care and euthanasia were constructed. Fifteen experts in the field of palliative and/or end-of-life care commented on the overview during a member check. RESULTS: Two frames about palliative care were constructed: the Fear of death frame, which stresses the hopeless 'terminality' of palliative care and the Heavy burden frame, in which palliative care is too big a responsibility for the relatives of the patient. In addition, two counter-frames were constructed: palliative care as a contributor to Quality of life and Completion. With regard to euthanasia, five frames were identified that lead to a problematising definition: Thou shalt not kill, Slippery slope, Lack of willpower, I am not God, and Medical progress. Five counter-frames offer a non-problematising definition of euthanasia in the debate: Mercy, Prevention, Triumph of reason, Absolute autonomy, and Economic utility thinking. CONCLUSIONS: The debate in the Netherlands on euthanasia and palliative care is characterized by a plurality of angles that goes beyond the bipolar distinction between the pros and cons of euthanasia and palliative care. Only with an overview of all potential frames in mind can an audience truly make informed decisions. The frame matrix is not only useful for policy makers to know all perspectives when joining public debate, but also to health care workers to get into meaningful conversations with their patients and families.

Social Representations of Immigrant Patients: Physicians' Discourse.

With the global increase of migration and the effects of the economic crisis, health systems around the world are facing new challenges. In this context, we investigated the social representations of health provision to immigrant patients, held by physicians. We conducted 40 interviews with Greek physicians working in the public health system, the private health system, the health system in jails, and nongovernmental organizations. Using principles from thematic analysis, results show a social representation of immigrant patients as a burden to the health system. This social representation is constructed by themes focusing on immigrant patients as a group with mental health issues and on the construction of the health system as unable to provide health to noncitizens. Results are discussed in relation to current issues of social exclusion and the need to protect the human right of health.

Green colonialism in the Nordic context: Exploring Southern Saami representations of wind energy development.

This paper explores social representations of wind energy development within reindeer herding lands among the Indigenous Southern Saami living within Norwegian borders. For this matter, the paper combines Social Representations Theory (SRT) with the analytical framework of "circuits of dispossession and privilege" and decolonial approaches within community psychology. Data consisted of seven individual semi-structured open-ended interviews, three collective interviews, and observation in three lawsuits, public meetings, protest actions, and reindeer herding activities. The findings suggest that for the subjects in this study, the onset of wind power represents the renewal of historical processes of dispossession through accumulation and colonialism, enabled by harmful knowledge gaps in Norwegian society and institutions, contrasting Southern Saami's values of responsibility and ecological practices. The implication of these findings suggests an urgent need of rethinking renewable energy and including indigenous knowledge in climate change agendas.

Aging-simulation experience: impact on health professionals' social representations.

BACKGROUND: Health professionals working with older persons are not sufficiently aware of the sensory and functional difficulties experienced by older patients. Innovative educational activities, such as the aging-simulation experience, can facilitate this awareness. This study describes the effects of an aging-simulation experience on health professionals' representations towards age-related limitations. METHODS: 306 health professionals, enrolled in university training in geriatrics/gerontology in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 academic years, experienced an aging-simulation session wearing a special suit according to a predefined scenario. Before and after the aging-simulation experience, participants completed free association tests, with the inductive words vision, hearing, movement, fine dexterity and balance. Semantic categories were created from participants' free evocations using a correspondence table manually produced in Excel 2013 for Windows (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington). Moreover, participants' opinions on difficulties experienced by older people in relation to age-related limitations were studied using Likert scale questions. RESULTS: In total, 3060 free evocations were collected, and ten semantic categories were created. These categories were composed of participants' geriatric knowledge, about age-related limitations, and participants' feelings, about the experience of these limitations. These two aspects were impacted by the aging-simulation experience. Moreover, changes observed resulted in a better consideration of difficulties associated with age-related limitations. CONCLUSIONS: The aging-simulation experience is an effective educational tool to raise awareness among health professionals of age-related difficulties. This sensory activity allows health professionals to put themselves in the shoes of older patients and to feel age-related difficulties.

Exploring social and health care representations about home birth: An Integrative Literature Review.

AIMS: Exploring social and health care representations of home birth by conducting an integrative review of the literature. DESIGN: Integrative Literature Review. DATA SOURCES: The search was based on the following keywords: "birth, home," "home birth," "childbirth, home." And the terms: "planned home birth," and "empowerment women homebirth" (in English). "partos en casa," and "partos domiciliarios" (in Spanish) in the following databases: Biomedical Central, Cochrane Library, Dialnet, DOAJ, Lilacs, PubMed, Scopus, Scielo, and Web of Science. REVIEW METHODS: A total of 156 publications dated between 2004 and 2017 were initially obtained and a total of 41 articles were finally selected according to the criteria of inclusion, methodological rigor, and researchers' triangulation. RESULTS: Four dimensions of the issue emerged out of the 41 articles analyzed: (a) the Dimension of "Empowerment in Childbirth;" (b) the Dimension of "Comparative Socio-Medical Childbirth Studies;" (c) the "Institutional Dimension of Childbirth;" (d) the "Cultural Dimension of Childbirth." CONCLUSION: From the health management perspective, home birth is not widely accepted today as a valid and safe alternative. However, women's social representations indicate an interest in returning to birth at home as a response to the excessive medicalization and institutionalization of childbirth, and value highly its autonomy and comfort.