Search

Background: Over the past decades the number of young people using disability pensions (DP) has gradually increased in Europe but the reasons for this change are poorly understood. We hypothesize that teenage parenthood could be associated with an increased risk of receiving early DP. The aim of this study was to examine the association between having a first child at age 13-19 and receiving DP at age 20-42 (here called early DP). Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was undertaken based on national register data obtained from 410,172 individuals born in Sweden in 1968, 1969, and 1970. Teenage mothers and fathers were followed until age 42 and compared to non-teenage parent counterparts to examine their early receipt of DP. Descriptive analysis, Kaplan-Meier curves, and Cox regression analyses were performed. Results: The proportion of teenage parents was more than twice higher in the group that received early DP (16%) compared to the group that did not receive early DP (6%) during the study duration. A higher proportion of teenage mothers and fathers started to receive DP at 20-42 years old compared to non-teenage parents, and the difference between the two groups increased during the observation period. A strong association was observed between being a teenage parent and receiving early DP, significant both independently and after adjusting for the year of birth and the father's level of education. From the age of 30 to 42 years, teenage mothers used early DP more often than teenage fathers or non-teenage parents, and this difference also increased during the follow-up period. Conclusion: A strong association was found between teenage parenthood and the use of DP between 20 and 42 years of age. Teenage mothers used DP more than teenage fathers and non-teenage parents.

Background: Current data suggests a high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women withdisabilities (WWDs), yet there is still scanty research on the experiences of this population regarding access andutilization of IPV services. Methods: Using qualitative in-depth data obtained from WWDs, our current study sought to identify factors thathinder WWDs from accessing and utilizing IPV services. Results: This study showed that WWDs exposed to IPV encountered multilevel barriers nested at differentsocietal levels as they attempted to access violence-rated services. At the individual level, the identity category ofdisability, not knowing about certain forms of violence, and being better off silent were the main explanations fornot using IPV services. The role of personal connections was the main factor that influenced the utilization ofIPV services, at the interpersonal level while at the organizational level, a lack of effective communication, powerimbalances, inadequate resources, and failures to follow response standards were identified as the major barriers tousing IPV services. Societal incompetence, as exemplified by treating violence as a taboo and the lack ofregulations criminalizing psychological violence, was the main barrier at the societal level. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that regarding WWDs, improving their access and utilization of IPV servicesrequires interventions that address barriers at societal multiple levels including the individual, interpersonal,organizational, and societal levels. This should include early interventions and programs that not only targetWWDs but also include other key players such as service providers on violence recognition and improve thequality of services. There is a need to also review laws and regulations regarding psychological violence and thenature of interventions in place for this type of violence.

Additional file: Interview guide

Additional file 1.

Background: Over the past years, Mozambique has implemented several initiatives to ensure equitable coverage to health care services. While there have been some achievements in health care coverage at the population level, the effects of these initiatives on social inequalities have not been analysed. Objective: The present study aimed to assess changes in socioeconomic and geographical inequalities (education, wealth, region, place of residence) in health care coverage between 2015 and 2018 in Mozambique. Methods: The study was based on repeated cross-sectional surveys from nationally representative samples: the Survey of Indicators on Immunisation, Malaria and HIV/AIDS in Mozambique (IMASIDA) 2015 and the 2018 Malaria Indicator survey. Data from women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years) were analysed to evaluate health care coverage of three indicators: insecticide-treated net use, fever treatment of children, and use of Fansidar malaria prophylaxis for pregnant women. Absolute risk differences and the slope index of inequality (SII) were calculated for the 2015 survey period and the 2018 survey period, respectively. An interaction term between the socioeconomic and geographical variables and the period was included to assess inequality changes between 2015 and 2018. Results: The non-use of insecticide-treated nets dropped, whereas the proportion of women with children who were not treated for fever and the prevalence of women who did not take the full Fansidar dose during pregnancy decreased between 2015 and 2018. Significant reductions in the inequality related to insecticide-treated net use were observed for all socioeconomic variables. Concerning fever treatment, some reductions in socioeconomic inequalities were observed, though not statistically significant. For malaria prophylaxis, the SII was significant for education, wealth, and residence in both periods, but no significant inequality reductions were observed in any of these variables over time. Conclusions: We observed significant reductions of socioeconomic inequalities in insecticide-treated net use, but not in fever treatment of children and Fansidar prophylaxis for pregnant women. Decision-makers should target underserved populations, specifically the non-educated, poor, and rural women, to address inequalities in health care coverage.

Additional file 2.

Background The prevention of violence against children and youth in Rwanda has often been challenged by the lack of data. To solve that challenge, a national survey on violence was done in 2015-2016 among female and male children and youth aged 13-24. Data from that national survey were used to assess prevalence and predictors of physical violence(PV) against children and youth in Rwanda. Methods A nationally representative sample of 2,159 respodents from the Rwanda survey was analyzed. Descriptive statistics assessed the prevalence of PV against children and youth; and logistic regression models investigated predictors of physical violence in that population. Results Over two in ten children and youth (23.4%, 95% CI [21.2-25.8]) reported experiences of any form of PV in the last twelve months before the survey. Reported PV was two times higher (15.7, 95% CI [13.7-17.9]) in children and youth attending school than in those not attending school (7.7%, 95% CI [6.4-9.2]); and the likelihoods of reporting PV were higher (aOR: 2.0, 95% CI [1.5-2.6]) among children and youth attending school than in those not attending school. Conclusions There is a need to increase efforts in preventing violence against children and youth happening around school in Rwanda.

Evidence suggests that disability negatively affects people’s propensity to find a partner. Persons with disabilities that eventually find a partner do so later in life compared to the average population. There is a lack of studies on the differences in partnership opportunities for persons with disabilities compared to those without disabilities in Sweden. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of disability on partnership formation and to assess whether partnership formation varies as a function of individual demographic and socio-economic factors. We use nationwide data available in the Swedish Initiative for Research on Microdata in Social and Medical Sciences (Umeå SIMSAM Lab). We follow persons born from 1973 to 1977 when they were from 16 to 37 years of age and analyze their data using logistic regression. Our findings indicate that regardless of whether a person started to receive a disability pension at an early age or later, it was associated with lower odds for partnership formation. For persons who started receiving disability pension from 16 to 20 years of age, chances for partnership formation reduced with increase in age of partnership. Individuals that started to receive disability pension later were more likely to form partnership prior to receiving disability pension. Partnership formation was less likely among persons born outside Sweden, in persons with mothers born outside Sweden, in individuals born by unmarried mothers and in persons, whose mothers had a high level of education. Partnership was high among women and among persons who had many maternal siblings. In conclusion, receiving disability pension was associated with reduced chances for partnership formation. Receiving disability pension might imply financial constraints that negatively influence partnership formation supporting Oppenheimer’s theory on the economic cost of marriage and the uncertainty hypothesis. MAW Experiences of Disabilities in Life and Online: Life Course Perspectives on Disabled People from Past Society to Present

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of the service providers on the wayexisting intimate-partner violence (IPV) services are organised to address the needs of people with disabilitiesexposedto IPV. Methods: The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 17 IPV service providers working in: health care,social work, police, women’s shelters and at the Center against violence. A semi-structured, open-ended interviewwere conducted between March 2020 and December 2020 and transcribed verbatim. A constructivist groundedtheory approach that is based on the principles of symbolic interactionism was used with the purpose ofexplaining how IPV services are organised for people with disabilities in Sweden. Results: In the resulting theoretical framework service providers framed their experience and perceptions ofproviding IPV services to people with disabilities to require coordination and multisectoral collaboration betweendifferent sectors and actors was viewed as ideal for providing adequate services to women with disabilities,however this was not always the actual approach adoptedby all providers. The providers further illustrated thatservice provision for women with disabilities was organised around four overarching themes; pathways; screeningand identification; protection and care; empowerment and independence. Conclusion: This study indicates that providing adequate IPV services to people with disabilities requiremultisectoral collaboration. This approach was considered instrumental for women with disabilities that often facedisability-related challenges that created difficulties in navigating several services on their own.

BACKGROUND: Studies from across the world show that disability limits people’s health and social wellbeing in present-day populations. This disadvantage can lead to premature death, but there is dearth knowledge about the relationship between disability and mortality and changes over time. OBJECTIVES: Unique access to longitudinal micro data on comprehensive Swedish populations enabled us to examine how disability affects premature death in men and women from the 1800s until 2010. METHODS: Cox proportional regressions were used to estimate mortality hazards by disability status, gender and socio-economic indicators in three study populations from the 1800s, 1900s and 2000s. We followed all adults having disability from age 25 to compare their premature death risks (< age 43) relative to non-disabled groups. RESULTS: Irrespective of gender and century studied, the adjusted hazard ratios show that adults with disabilities had a significantly higher premature death risk relative to adults without disabilities, and it increased over time. In the 1800s, disability about doubled this risk (HR: 2.31, CI: 1.65–3.22) and it tripled from 1900–1959 (HR 3.01, CI 2.60– 3.48). At the turn of the 21th century, the mortality risk was almost ten-folded (HR 9.90, CI 8.03–10.5). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first comprehensive estimates on how disability increased mortality in Swedish populations from the 1800s until the 2000s. Across three centuries, disability was associated with a profoundly higher relative death risk in adults aged 25–42. This risk grew when the general survival in Sweden improved and it was the highest in the 1990–2010 period. Fundamental societal changes and extensive welfare provisions promoting equality in gender, health and social wellbeing of all citizens have not come to include younger generations with disabilities.

Introduction: injury from motorcycle is a considerable cause of disability and death in the world and especially in low and middle-income countries; it is one of the most serious public health problems. In Cameroon, motorcycle is commonly used for transportation particularly among students. The aim of this paper is to study the risk-factors of the motorcycle-related accidents and injuries among secondary school students’ in the Tiko municipality, Cameroon. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in January 2012 on 391 students age 16-24 from public and private schools in the Tiko Municipality. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between risk factors and injuries. A closed-ended and few open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data. Results: The study showed that over 70% of students used motorcycles always or often. Few had undergone any formal training for driving a motorcycle. The vast majority reported not wearing protective gear while driving or riding a motorcycle. Usage of protective gear was particularly low among girls. Over 16% reported using a motorbike always or occasionally under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Over 58% of respondents reported having an accident and over 35% were injured when driving or riding a motorcycle. Those who lived at the Tiko-Douala road have three times higher probability to sustain accidents and injuries than students residing elsewhere (OR 3.1 (1.20-8.46). Conclusion: it is deeply alarming that every second respondent in the study reported having been in an accident and every third motorcycle user was somehow injured. We therefore call for an immediate attention and a deeper investigation into the highlighted situation, particularly at Tiko-Douala road.Pan African Medical Journal 2016; 24

Background: Coeliac disease (CD) incidence has increased in recent decades, characterised by variations according to sex, age at diagnosis, year of birth, month of birth and region of birth. Genetic susceptibility and exposure to gluten are the necessary factors in CD aetiology, although several environmental factors are considered. Methods: A nationwide prospective cohort longitudinal study was conducted consisting of 1 912 204 children aged 0–14.9 years born in Sweden from 1991 to 2009. A total of 6569 children were diagnosed with biopsy-verified CD from 47 paediatric departments. Using Cox regression, we examined the association between CD diagnosis and season of birth, region of birth and year of birth. Results: Overall, CD risk was higher for children born during spring, summer and autumn as compared with children born during winter: adjusted HR for spring 1.08 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.16), summer 1.10 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.18) and autumn 1.10 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.18). Increased CD risk was highest if born in the south, followed by central Sweden when compared with children born in northern Sweden. Children diagnosed at