Justification of Wife Beating and Utilization of Antenatal and Delivery Care in Bangladesh.

We examined the association between women's justification of wife beating and their utilization of professional antenatal and delivery care in Bangladesh. We used data which describes a nationally representative sample of currently married women aged 15 to 49 years (n = 3,449). Services from medically trained providers were considered professional antenatal care (ANC) and delivery services. Women's attitudes toward wife beating in five circumstances (if a woman goes out without telling her husband, neglects children, argues with her husband, refuses to have sexual intercourse with her husband, and burns food) were used to describe the justification of wife beating. Chi-square tests and multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed; 74% of the women would not justify wife beating, 65% attended ≥1 ANC visits, 25% attended ≥4 ANC visits, and 44% utilized professional delivery care. Women who would not justify wife beating were more likely to utilize ≥1 ANC visits (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.26, 2.81]), ≥4 ANC visits (AOR: 1.14; 95% CI: [0.76, 1.71]), and professional delivery care (AOR: 1.93; 95% CI: [1.31, 2.85]). Older age, women's and husband's higher education, lower parity, urban residence (except for ≥1 ANC visits), and higher socioeconomic statuses including divisional differences were significant confounders for increased utilization of both professional ANC and delivery care. In addition, older age at marriage and current unemployment were also associated with increased utilization of delivery care services. This association between women's justification of wife beating and their utilization of professional antenatal and delivery care services has potential implications for maternal and child health policy in Bangladesh where intimate partner violence is commonplace, and societal norms teach women to obey their husbands and accept submissive roles. Public policy should aim to create awareness among women about the negative impact of justifying wife beating, and accepting intimate partner violence on their own and children's health.

Determinants of cigarette/bidi smoking among youth male in rural Mymensingh of Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Smoking cigarette/bidi, is a serious health threat, causes preventable premature morbidity and mortality. Higher prevalence of smoking among the youth hampers a country's development, as the youth are the main drivers of socio-economic development. An effective understanding of factors associated with youth smoking is precious to prevent youth smoking. This study aims to identify the determinants of smoking cigarette/bidi among the youth male of the rural areas of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. METHODS: The primary data from the project "Knowledge, awareness and practices among youth smokers in Trishal Upazila under Mymensingh district: A micro-survey study", funded by the Research and Extension Center, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Bangladesh was utilized in the current study. The data consists of 385 youth males aged 15-24 years who were interviewed face-to-face from the rural areas of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Univariate distribution, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression model were employed to identify the factors associated with smoking cigarette/bidi among the youth male. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking cigarette/bidi among the youth male is 40.3% [95% CI: 35.0%-45.0%]. Age, occupation, monthly income, family's monthly income, cigarette/bidi smoking status of father, brother and close friends, and knowledge about harmfulness of smoking are revealed as the determinants of cigarette/bidi smoking. For instance, the odds of being smoker increases with the increase in age (Odds ratio [OR]: 1.33 [1.17-1.51]). Business owner is less likely (OR: 0.15 [0.03-0.68]) to smoke than the day labourer. Having smoker fathers (OR: 2.51 [1.39-4.53]), smoker brothers (OR: 2.88 [1.39-5.96]), smoker friends (OR: 9.85 [5.85-1.27]) are significantly associated with smoking cigarette/bidi. CONCLUSION: As the first study, it provides the determinants of cigarette/bidi smoking among youth male of the rural areas of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Relevant authorities are suggested to consider the study's findings and recommendations to revise the existing smoking policies so that smoking among youth can be prevented for future development of the country.