Investigating Pathways Linking of Women's Education Status and Empowerment to Intimate Partner Violence Among Married Women in Sri Lanka: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

In Sri Lanka, intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a major concern, particularly for married women. Women's education and empowerment are significant contributors to IPV. Despite this, there have been no recent studies exploring the complex relationship between education and multidimensions of empowerment in relation to IPV in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this research addresses this gap by exploring the complex pathways connecting married women's education and multidimensional empowerment to IPV. Using data from the 2019 Sri Lankan Women's Wellbeing Survey, this study included 1,165 married women. A path analysis based on structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the complex interplay between distinct empowerment domains and IPV. The SEM results revealed both direct and indirect effects of women's education and empowerment on IPV experiences. Education is positively linked to age at marriage, employment status, and husbands' educational level, while inversely associated with accepting attitudes toward violence. Age at marriage plays a major role as a mediator, mediating the relationship between women's education and their involvement in decision-making, and the relationship between husbands' education and women's IPV experience. Moreover, the relationship between women's age at marriage and their IPV experiences was fully mediated by their decision-making ability, highlighting the importance of empowerment in decision-making. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions that address the interconnected factors affecting IPV risk among married women in Sri Lanka, particularly focusing on education, empowerment, and marriage timing.

Contraceptive use, unmet need and its determinants among tribal married reproductive women: A community based observational study in a district of West Bengal.

Context: Reported literatures revealed the problems of access and misconceptions, low contraceptive usage and high unmet need for family planning among the tribes. Aims: Our aim was to find out the prevalence of contraceptive usage, unmet need and their determinants among tribal married reproductive women. Settings and Design: A community-based, observational, analytical research using cross-sectional design was conducted among 290 tribal women of the Nadia district of West Bengal. Subjects and Methods: After obtaining ethical clearance, an interviewer-administered pre-designed, structured proforma was used to collect information on socio-demographic attributes, marital history, contraceptives and fertility status, unmet needs and the reasons for not using contraceptives. Statistical Analysis Used: Bi-variate analysis was used to know the differences and a two-tailed significance test with a P value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant. Results: The present study revealed a high prevalence of teenage marriage (60.7%) and pregnancy (27.6%). Every one in six tribal women was illiterate. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 43.8%. Tubectomy (38.6%) was the most common method (38.6%) and unfelt need (19.6%) was the most common reason for non-use. Age, occupation of women, social class, living status, marital duration, number of living children and desire to have a future child were found to be associated with the current contraceptive use. Social class, number of living children, contraceptive awareness, source and place of availability, abortion history, opposition from family and husband, and husband participation all were significantly associated with the unmet need for family planning. Conclusion: In-depth counselling focusing on achieving a satisfactory level of awareness and acceptance of family planning methods may help to achieve reproductive health by reducing unmet needs.

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.

More than money: Core self-evaluations, job characteristics and work-family conflict among women.

Integrating work and family life is a relevant concern, especially for women in the banking industry. While the impact of job characteristics on work-family conflict is well-documented, the moderating role of core self-evaluations (CSE) remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the role of CSE in moderating the relationship between job characteristics and work-family conflict among married female bank employees in Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 245 married female bank employees in Enugu state. Participants were assessed using the Core Self-Evaluation, Job Characteristics, and Work-Family Conflict Scales. Pearson correlation analysis and path coefficient evaluation were utilised to test the study's hypotheses. Job characteristics, notably autonomy, feedback, skill variety, task identity, and task significance, influence work-family conflict across three dimensions: behaviour-based, strain-based, and time-based. Notably, CSE emerged as a significant moderator, with its influence varying depending on the job characteristics. The findings highlight the importance of considering both job characteristics and individual psychological attributes in addressing work-family conflicts. Organisations should adopt a multidimensional, individual-centred approach, recognising the intertwined roles of job factors and personal evaluations in shaping employees' work-life balance experiences.

Stress-related experiences and intentions to quit studies among female married postgraduate distance education students in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Although postgraduate studies have been shown to be associated with stressful experiences, students reading programmes through the distance and e-learning mode experience greater levels of stress due to several reasons. These stressful encounters might be heightened in female married postgraduates on distance education programmes due to other family-work-related engagements. This study investigated the stress-related experiences and intentions to quit studies among female married students on a distance education programme in Ghana. METHODS: Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, 164 married postgraduate distance education students were sampled to participate by responding to a questionnaire. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 10 participants to offer insight into the quantitative findings. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentages, while the qualitative data were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Stress was prevalent among the female married distance education students, with the majority having intentions of quitting their studies. The stressors identified ranged from personal (i.e., work and family demands) to institutional ones (i.e., academic load, unresolved complaints and high financial demands from the programme). CONCLUSIONS: Key findings suggest that female married postgraduate distance education students perform multiple roles as full-time employees with family and academic demands that can negatively impact their health and academic work. Implications and recommendations of the findings are discussed.

Long-Acting Contraceptive Switching and Its Associated Factors among Married Women in Southwest Ethiopia.

Introduction: Contraceptive switching from a more effective to a less effective method is a concern, especially in developing countries with high unmet needs for family planning. Indeed, the lack of understanding regarding the reasons behind contraceptive switching behavior in the study area poses a significant challenge in effectively addressing this issue. Objective: This study aimed to assess the magnitude and factors associated with long-acting contraceptive switching in Mizan-Aman town, southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 345 women randomly selected from the population of married women in their reproductive age group. Data collection was conducted through interviewer-administered questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to ascertain factors linked with contraceptive method switching status. Statistical significance was determined at a P-value of less than .05. Results: Out of the 345 participants interviewed, the prevalence of switching from long-acting to short-acting contraceptives was 28.4%, 95% CI (13.6%, 33.2%). Upon adjusting for confounding variables, factors significantly associated with contraceptive switching included women aged 31-35 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.58; 95% CI (0.36, 0.74)] and aged 41-49 [AOR = 0.54; 95% CI (0.48, 0.82)], those with formal education [AOR = 0.79; 95% CI (0.52, 0.87)], those desiring future pregnancy [AOR = 2.12; 95% CI (1.98, 3.38)], experiencing complications from previous method use [AOR = 3.67; 95% CI (2.57, 7.40)], and encountering stockouts of their preferred contraceptive choice [AOR = 2.01; 95% CI (1.39, 3.24)]. Conclusion and recommendation: The study area exhibited a notable prevalence of switching from long-acting contraceptives. Complications arising from prior method use and the unavailability of preferred contraceptive options emerged as significant factors influencing this switching behavior. Thus, it underscores the importance of providing counseling and ongoing support to women, ensuring access to safer and more effective modern contraceptive methods.

Attitudes towards wife-beating justification and its association with female genital mutilation - analysis of ever-married Somali women in the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey.

BACKGROUND: In Somalia, despite its prohibition, female circumcision persists alongside significant intimate partner violence. This study examines the prevalence of wife-beating justification among Somali women and its link to the perception that female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a religious obligation. METHODS: We studied 7726 married Somali women 15-49 y of age from the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey. Using χ2 tests and logistic regression, we examined wife-beating justification by covariates and its connection to the perception that FGM/C is a religious obligation. RESULTS: The prevalence of women justifying wife-beating for any of six reasons was 56.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 55.3 to 57.6). A higher prevalence of wife-beating justification was found among women 35-49 y of age (59.9% [95% CI 57.8 to 61.9]), without education (57.7% [95% CI 56.5 to 59.0]), rural residents (57.8% [95% CI 56.3 to 59.2]), with lower socio-economic status (60.4% [95% CI 58.7 to 62.1]) and married before age 18 y (58.4% [95% CI 56.7 to 60.1]). Adjusted for covariates, logistic regression analyses indicated a significant association between wife-beating justification and the belief that FGM/C is mandated by religion (adjusted odds ratio 1.40 [95% CI 1.17 to 1.68], p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Wife-beating justification is alarmingly common among Somali women and significantly associated with the belief that FGM/C is mandated by religion. Further research is necessary to investigate the drivers behind the acceptance of domestic violence, its impact on women's mental health and well-being and its association with FGM/C acceptance.

The effect of counseling based on health promotion awareness on self-care needs and reproductive and sexual health literacy of newly married women: a randomized controlled clinical trial study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of health literacy and the self-care skills in improving individual and social health and health costs reduction, scientific evidence indicates women's poor awareness of self-care needs and low health literacy concerning reproductive and sexual health in most societies. The present study was conducted to specify the effect of health awareness promotion on self-care needs and reproductive and sexual health literacy of newly married women. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 64 newly married women aged 15-45 in Tehran, Iran from August 2021 to the end of December 2021. The participants were randomly assigned into the intervention (n = 32) and control (n = 32) groups. The intervention group received four individual health awareness-promotion education sessions. The reproductive and sexual self-care needs, and sexual health literacy questionnaires, were completed before and 4-week after the intervention through interview. The data were analyzed using SPSS26 software. The independent t-tests and ANCOVA were used to comparison the mean scores and a significance level of P < 0.05 was considered. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated that after counseling, the average overall score of perceived reproductive and sexual self-care needs significantly decreased in the intervention group [Mean (standard deviation(SD)): 125.70 (24.70)] compared to the control group [Mean (SD): 87.1 (23.42)][P = 0.001]. Also, the mean score of sexual and reproductive health literacy significantly increased in the intervention group [Mean (SD): 125.50 (14.09)] compared to the control group [Mean (SD): 97.15 (14.90)] after intervention [P = 0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated the positive effect of health promotion awareness educations on reproductive and sexual self-care needs and health literacy among newly married women. Therefore, health promotion interventions should be incorporated in health services provision programs for newly married women in comprehensive health centers to improve the health of women and families. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20171007036615N7 Date of registration: 2021-09-21. URL: https://fa.irct.ir/trial/58597 .

Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on mental health among married women in Sri Lanka: a study based on Women's Wellbeing Survey-2019.

BACKGROUND: Sri Lankan married women have been reported to experience higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV). However, research on its impact on mental health and how socio-demographic factors contribute to this association is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the impact of IPV on the mental health of married women in Sri Lanka. METHODS: In this study, data from 1611 married women who participated in the 2019 Sri Lankan Women's Wellbeing Survey were analyzed. Two binary outcomes were considered: married women's mental health and their suicidal ideation. Binary logistic regression models were used to assess the association between mental health and suicidal thoughts in relation to IPV while controlling for socio-demographic factors. RESULTS: The results revealed that married women who experienced any form of violence by their spouse had a higher risk of having poor mental health conditions [AOR = 2.88 (2.20, 3.78)] and suicidal thoughts [AOR = 5.84 (4.10, 8.32)] compared to those who did not experience IPV. CONCLUSIONS: IPV is a substantial contributor to poor mental health and suicidal thoughts among Sri Lankan married women. There is an urgent need for policy interventions, such as community awareness programs, counseling services and enhanced legal protections for victims.

Association between women's empowerment and fertility preferences in Ghana.

As Ghana has embraced the concept of women's empowerment as a vital tool for sustainable development, it has become crucial to evaluate the role that women's empowerment plays in the fertility preferences of married and cohabiting women in the country. The study's objective was to examine the association between women's empowerment, the ideal number of children and women's ability to have their desired number of children. This cross-sectional study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Both Poisson and binary logistic regression analyses were carried out. Women who had justification for wife-beating (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.98 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.96 to 0.99]) and those who were autonomous (IRR 0.94 [95% CI 0.93 to 0.95]) had lower rates of having the ideal number of children. Moreover, women who had justification for wife-beating (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.25 [95% CI 1.13 to 1.39]) and those who were involved in decision-making (aOR 1.31 [95% CI 1.19 to 1.44]) had higher odds of having the ability to have the desired number of children. However, autonomous women (aOR 0.78 [95% CI 0.71 to 0.86]) had lower odds of having the ability to have the desired number of children. Significant associations were found between women's empowerment (women's attitude towards justification for wife-beating, autonomy), an ideal number of children and the ability to have the desired number of children. These findings present target areas for policies and interventions aimed at determining Ghanaian women's fertility preferences and empowering them.

Contraceptive Utilization and Its Associated Factors Among Married Women in West African Countries: A Population-Based Survey Using Multinomial Logistic Regression.

Background: The international development agenda emphasizes universal access to family planning, as seen in Sustainable Development Goal 3.7. However, the use of modern contraceptive methods remains low in developing countries, specifically in West Africa. This study aimed to assess the current status of contraceptive use in the region, focusing on different methods. Methods: We analyzed Demographic and Health Survey data from 13 West African nations (2012-2022) involving 117,165 married women. Using binary and multiple multinomial logistic regression, we identified key factors associated with contraceptive use. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were utilized, and significance was determined at p ≤ 0.2 for binary regression and p < 0.05 for multiple multinomial regression. Results: About 80.86% of women did not use any method, while 16.56% of women used modern methods. Maternal age of 35-49 years (RRR=0.77, 95% CI, 0.72,0.82), had given first birth after 20 years (RRR=0.80,95% CI, 0.77,0.83), cohabitation after 20 years old (RRR=1.24,95% CI, 1.18,1.29), being employed (RRR=1.38,95% CI, 1.33,1.43), women who have from 3-5, and more than five living children (RRR=2.06,95% CI,1.97,2.16, and (RRR=2.57, 95% CI, 2.42,2.74), primary(RRR=1.59, 95% CI, 1.52,1.66), secondary/higher education (RRR=2.08, 95% CI, 1.99,2.18), antenatal visit (RRR= 1.38, 95% CI 1.28,1.49), institutional delivery(AOR=1.42, 95% CI, 1.35,1.49), husband working status (RRR=1.39, 95% CI, 1.28,1.51), media exposure(RRR=1.23, 95% CI, 1.19,1.28), visited health facility more than once (RRR=1.09, 95% CI, 1.05,1.13), rural women (RRR=0.89,95% CI,0.85,0.93), female households (RRR=0.79, 95% CI,0.76,0.83), richer (RRR=1.42, 95% CI,1.33,1.51), and richest wealth indexes (RRR=1.69,95% CI,1.58,1.82) were associated. Conclusion: This study revealed a low level of contraceptive use among women in West Africa. Strengthening maternal reproductive health services, such as antenatal care, institutional delivery, and health visits, while also targeting mass media and disadvantaged women, has the potential to significantly increase the adoption of modern contraception techniques.

Determinants of household decision making autonomy among rural married women based on Ethiopian demography health survey: a multilevel analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Decisions made at the household level have great impact on the welfare of the individual, the local community, as well as the welfare of the nation. Women's independent decision on reproductive health increases women's access to health information and utilization of reproductive services. This has great impact on maternal and child health outcomes. However, women in developing or low-income countries often have limited autonomy and control over their household decisions. Therefore the main purpose of this research project is to investigate the potential determinants of rural women's household decision making autonomy. METHODS: A multi level analysis was performed using the fourth Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016 data set. A weighted sample of 8,565 married rural women was included in the final analysis. Women were considered to be autonomous if they made decisions alone or jointly with their husband in all three household decision components. It was dichotomized as yes = 1 and no = 0. Multico linearity and chi-square tests were checked and variables which did not fulfill the assumptions were excluded from the analysis. Four models were fitted. Variables with p-value ≤ 0.25 in the bi-variable multilevel logistic regression were included in the multivariable multilevel logistic regression. The Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was computed. Variables with a P-value of less than 0.05 in the multi-variable multilevel logistic regression were declared as statistically significant predictors. RESULT: A total of 8,565 weighted participants involved. From the total respondents, 68.55% (CI: 67.5%, 69.5%) of women had decision making autonomy. wealth index (poor: AOR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.97 and middle: AOR: 0.85; 95% CI 0.73, 0.98), literacy (illiterate: AOR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.86), respondents working status (Not working; AOR 0.68; 95% CI; 0.60, 0.76) ,who decides on marriage (parents: AOR 0.76; 95% CI; 0.67, 0.87), and proportion of early marriage in the community (high proportion of early marriage AOR: 1.35; 95% CI; 1.10, 1.72). CONCLUSION: Women decision making autonomy was significantly determined by women economic participation (their wealth and their working status), women's literacy, proportion of early marriage in the community and women's involvement in decision of their marriage. Improving women's economic participation and enhancing women's participation to decide on their marriage will enhance women's decision making autonomy.

Daughters rewarding mothers' piteous lives: Eldest daughters caring for aging mothers.

This study is an analysis of the personal and social meanings of married women's experiences caring for their aging mothers as the eldest daughter in Korean society. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants for this study. The interviews were conducted in Korean, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive phenomenological analysis in four categories: "being the eldest daughter and daughter-in-law in a patriarchal society with nothing but duties"; "the pain of taking care of my mother that invades my daily life"; "The compassion of an eldest daughter who can't turn a blind eye to her mother's miserable life."; and "Support from society to overcome the psychological difficulties of caregivers and help older adults in their daily lives". The study participants felt emotional pain in caring for their mothers, and it was difficult for them to simultaneously play the roles of daughter-in-law, wife, and mother. However, they felt compassion for their mothers' lives in a patriarchal society and believed they could compensate for their mothers' hardships by caring for them. The participants emphasized the need for specialized in-home services that address the specific health needs of the older adult, along with counseling services for their caregivers. In Korean society, when daughters care for their mothers, it strengthens the shared history and emotions between mothers and daughters, affirming female solidarity. Based on the above findings, policy and practical measures are recommended to ensure that daughters who provide care for their mothers can deliver stable care.

Women alone modern contraceptive use decision making and its correlates, evidence from PMA CS 2021 survey.

BACKGROUND: Women alone contraceptive decisions making has become one of the top burring public health agenda. Despite Contraceptive method options are available and accessible, contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in Ethiopia is not far beyond 41%. Evidences showed that the freedom of women to choose the contraceptive method they desired to use is one of the potential determinants for the sluggish pace of increase in contraceptive usage. In this era of sustainable development, determining the level of women own contraceptive use decision making and identifying its correlates is very critical for the ministries and relevant partners' effort in tracking the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.2 by providing actionable evidence through informed decision-making with the aim of improving contraceptive uptake; reducing maternal mortality and improve newborn health. METHODS: Nationally representative cross-sectional data from Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) 2021 was used in this study. The sample was restricted among2446 married women who have been using or most recently used modern contraceptive method. Cell sample size adequacy was checked using a chi-square test. Frequency was computed to characterize the study participants. Multilevel binary logistics regression was used to identify factors associated with women own contraceptive use decision making. The findings were presented in a form of frequencies, percentage and as an odds ratio using 95% confidence interval. A p-value of 0.05 was used to declare significance. RESULTS: This study revealed that higher than one in two women (59.49%; 95% CI: 57.7-61.38%) decide their contraceptive use by themselves. What is more interesting is that 1 in 16 women (6.06%) reported that they did not participated in their contraceptive use decision-making.-. Women aged 20 to 24 years; (AOR: 2.51 (1.04, 4.45)), women who stayed10 and above years in marriage; (AOR: 1.73 (1.08, 2.77)), whose husband and/or partner age is 41 and above years; (AOR: 2.14 (1.06, 4.31)) and those who obtained contraceptive method they desired; (AOR: 2.49 (1.36, 4.57)) had higher odds of deciding their current and/or recent contraceptive use by their own. On the other hand, women mixed feeling if they became pregnant at the time of the survey; (AOR: 0.6 (0.44, 0.91)), women who started using contraceptive at younger age, 19 to 24; (AOR: 0.6 (0.44, 0.81)), those who use long acting and/or permanent method; (AOR: 0.54 (0.41, 0.71)) and those married at younger age, 10 to 19 years; (AOR: 0.28 (0.09, 0.86)) had lower odds of independently deciding their current and/or most recent contraceptive use. CONCLUSION: 59% of women independently decide their contraceptive use which calls up on further improvement to enable each woman to decide by their own, with directing special focus for the 6.06% of women who reported no say in their contraceptive use decision. Activities targeting on enabling women to use the method they preferred, spacing their pregnancy, encouraging women to discuss with their husband on the time and type of contraceptive method they used, advocating and promoting marriage at least to be at the minimum age as indicate by the law and maintain the marriage duration as much as longer are hoped to improve women alone contraceptive use decision making to the fullest.

Women's access to sexual and reproductive health services and information in Ismailia, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a right that should be guaranteed to every woman worldwide in order to have a healthy and safe sex life. In most Arab countries, including Egypt, there are different cultural, political, and religious factors that have contributed significantly to how society views and treats women's bodies and sexuality. As a result, it is difficult to provide solid data and information to guide policymakers, policies, and to implement awareness and preventive programmes. This study sought to address this gap by looking at the intersectionality of women's access to SRH services and information in Ismailia, Egypt. METHODS: The study utilised qualitative research methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve married women and two key informant interviews with health professionals (a gynecologist and a pharmacist) in the study area. RESULTS: The study revealed that married women suffer from scarcity of understanding and knowledge of their SRH and lack of access to adequate SRH services and information. Married women's experiences of accessing SRH services and information were influenced by intersecting factors located at the micro and macro levels. These intersected factors (e.g., power dynamics, socioeconomic factors, cultural norms, and religious misconception) shaped oppression and privilege structures which created unequal access to SRH information and services. CONCLUSION: There is a need for building quality parental relationships for women before and after marriage in order to promote positive SRH attitudes and behavior. There is an urgent need to empower women before and after marriage with accurate, safe, and affordable SRH services and information that could have life-long benefits to protect them. There is a need to conduct educational programmes, and initiate media awareness campaigns, to equip women with information and knowledge about their SRH services and information.

Prevalence and Correlates of Economic Abuse Among Married Women in a Nigerian Population.

Economic abuse (EA) is a form of intimate partner violence (IPV) whereby abusers employ various tactics to control their partners' ability to acquire, access, and maintain economic resources thus threatening their economic security and potential for self-sufficiency. It poses a global public health challenge as economic concern is a significant reason for the observed persistent high prevalence of IPV given that even when women want to leave abusive relationships, they are less likely to if they lack the means to cater for themselves and their children upon doing so. However, very few studies in Nigeria have focused on EA. The current study assessed the prevalence and correlates of EA among a Nigerian population of married women. Survey responses of 480 randomly selected married women were used for analysis. The prevalence of EA among respondents was found to be 64.2% while that for emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and physical abuse were 40.2%, 17.3%, and 16.7%, respectively. EA was also found to be significantly associated with other forms of IPV such as physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. The study findings add to the literature by highlighting the high prevalence of EA among Nigerian women. It also underscores the importance of empowering women to minimize victimization. Study limitations are discussed and directions for future research are presented.

Individual and community level factors associated with modern contraceptive utilization among married women in the emerging region of Ethiopia: a multilevel mixed effects analysis of the 2019 Ethiopia Mini-Demographic and health survey.

BACKGROUND: A demonstrated technique to enhance reproductive health and economic progress is through ensuring that family planning services are accessible universally. Those studies that used Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data did not assess individual and community-level factors in contraceptive utilization. Thus, the study employs a multilevel mixed effects analysis approach, which allows for the examination of individual and community-level factors that influence contraceptive utilization. METHODS: This study analyzed the 2019 Ethiopia Min Demographic and Health Survey datasets. A total of 1916 married women in the 2019 surveys were included in the analysis. The data were analyzed using Stata version 17.0. The data were analyzed using Multi-level mixed-effect logistic regression to identify the individual and community-level factors associated with modern contraceptive utilization. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to. Show the strength and direction of the association and statistical significance was declared at a P value less than 0.05. RESULTS: Factors significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilization were; Muslim and protestant followers [AOR = 0.31, 95% CI: (0.134, 0.714)] and [AOR = 0.35, 95% CI: (0.173, 0.691)] respectively, women with no education (OR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.293, 0.710), those women who belong to the poor and middle wealth of household [AOR = 0.35, 95% CI: (0.237, 0.527)] and [AOR = 0.56, 95% CI: (0.347, 0.919)] respectively, women who had one to five and greater than or equal to six living children [AOR = 11.36, 95% CI:(2.119, 60.918)] and [AOR = 7.44, 95% CI:(1.437, 38.547)]respectively, Women in clusters poor wealth status [AOR = 0.40, 95% CI: (0.183, 0.875)] and women who belong to the Somali region [AOR = 0.20, 95% CI: (0.0.070, 0.506)]. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that both individual and community-level factors determined modern contraceptive utilization. At the individual level, the religion of women, educational status, the wealth of the household, and the total number of living children were significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilization. At community-level factors, community wealth status and belonging to the Somali region were significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilization. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at increasing modern contraceptive utilization should target women with lower levels of education, those living in households with lower wealth, and those with larger families. Additionally, efforts should be made to improve access to modern contraceptives in communities with lower wealth status and in regions where traditional beliefs may hinder their use.

The relationship between anxiety caused by coronavirus disease and marital satisfaction mediated by empathy and conflict resolution styles in married women.

BACKGROUND: Crises such as the coronavirus outbreak is associated with a lot of fear and anxiety. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between anxiety caused by coronavirus disease (COVID) and marital satisfaction mediated by empathy and conflict resolution styles in married women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 326 married women referring to a marriage counseling center in Tehran. Data were collected using the questionnaires of marital satisfaction, marital empathy, conflict resolution styles, and the coronavirus disease anxiety scale (CDAS). Data analysis was performed by Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling (SEM). RESULTS: The psychological symptoms of coronavirus disease anxiety (CDA) had a positive and significant effect on empathy and conflict resolution styles (P < 0.05) while the physical symptoms of CDA had a negative and significant effect on empathy, conflict resolution styles, and marital satisfaction (P < 0.05). The indirect effect of psychological symptoms of CDA on marital satisfaction due to empathy and conflict resolution styles was positive and significant (P < 0.05). The explained variance of marital satisfaction in terms of psychological and physical symptoms of CDA, empathy, and conflict resolution styles was equal to R2 = 0.42. CONCLUSION: Psychological symptoms of CDA increased marital satisfaction by affecting problem-solving styles and marital empathy. Therefore, empathy skills and conflict resolution styles can be used to reduce coronary anxiety and increase satisfaction levels.

Influence of sex composition of surviving children on childbearing intention among high fertility married women in stable union in Northwestern, Nigeria.

Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially goals one (end all forms of poverty), three (ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages), four (ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all) and five (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) might be a mirage without conscious efforts on the part of many developing countries to reduce population growth. Rapid population growth due to a high fertility rate and fertility desire may engender strife, poverty, unemployment, competition for scarce resources.The study explored the influence of sex composition of living children on childbearing intention among high fertility married women in stable union. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study and the study population were married women with high fertility in stable union. Results showed that sex composition of surviving children were significantly associated with respondents' fertility intentions. The following were the predictors of fertility intentions; sex composition of surviving children, type of family, contraceptive use, child parity, women empowerment status and others. Sex composition of surviving children was significantly associated with the fert ility intentions of the high fertility married women in stable union.

Réalisation des objectifs de développement durable (ODD), en particulier les objectifs un (mettre fin à toutes les formes de pauvreté), trois (garantir une vie saine et promouvoir le bien-être de tous à tous les âges), quatre (garantir une éducation inclusive et équitable de qualité et promouvoir tout au long de la vie opportunités d'apprentissage pour tous) et cinq (atteindre l'égalité des sexes et autonomiser toutes les femmes et les filles) pourraient être un mirage sans des efforts conscients de la part de nombreux pays en développement pour réduire la croissance démographique. Une croissance démographique rapide due à un taux de fécondité élevé et à un désir de fécondité peut engendrer des conflits, la pauvreté, le chômage et la compétition pour des ressources rares. L'étude a exploré l'influence de la composition par sexe des enfants vivants sur l'intention de procréer parmi les femmes mariées à forte fécondité en union stable. Il s'agissait d'une étude descriptive transversale et la population étudiée était composée de femmes mariées à fécondité élevée et en union stable. Les résultats ont montré que la composition par sexe des enfants survivants était significativement associée aux intentions de fécondité des répondants. Les éléments suivants étaient les prédicteurs des intentions de fécondité : composition par sexe des enfants survivants, type de famille, utilisation de contraceptifs, parité des enfants, statut d'autonomisation des femmes et autres. La composition par sexe des enfants survivants était significativement associée aux intentions de fécondité des femmes mariées à forte fécondité vivant en union stable.

New Media Use and Mental Health of Married Women: Mediating Effects of Marital Quality.

While previous studies have investigated the influence of new media on mental health, little is known about its effects on the mental health of married women. This is a crucial research area, given that married women commonly encounter distinct mental health difficulties. Also, current research fails to provide comprehensive, population-based studies, with most relying on cross-sectional designs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between new media use and mental health among married women in China, utilizing a nationally representative longitudinal dataset. We utilized a balanced panel dataset from 2016 to 2020 to establish a causal connection between internet use and the mental health of these women. Our findings indicate that internet use has a positive impact on the mental health of married women in China. Additionally, a structural estimation model (SEM) with 2020 wave data was utilized to investigate various new media use effects and explore mediating pathways of marital satisfaction. Consistently, there were negative findings between new media use, marital satisfaction, and depression. Furthermore, it was determined that new media usage had a significant negative impact on married women's overall satisfaction with their spouses' housework contribution, which, in turn, negatively affected marital satisfaction as a whole. The pathways that mediate the effect of marital satisfaction on depression differ across general internet use, streaming media use, and WeChat use. Examining various theoretical perspectives, we interpreted the indirect impact of new media use on mental health through marital satisfaction as passive mediation.