Search

Through the lens of ambivalent sexism theory, this study explores the relationship between leisure constraints, gender bias, and leisure participation among urban women. We confirmed a pronounced negative correlation between leisure constraints and participation. Our findings further validate the pronounced influence of intrapersonal and structural constraints on participation, underscoring the importance of developing safe and private leisure venues tailored for women. A key insight from our research is the moderating effect of gender bias, notably hostile sexism, on the relationship between leisure constraints and participation. This highlights the pressing need to challenge and counteract male-centric ideologies. Our study suggests that policymakers and urban planners should prioritise the creation of women-friendly leisure spaces that are both safe and accessible. Public awareness campaigns may also be beneficial in challenging prevailing sexist ideologies that contribute to leisure constraints for women. Collectively, our findings not only contribute to the theoretical discourse in leisure studies but also provide pragmatic insights to champion gender equity in leisure participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the gendered division of paid, unpaid, and total work in contemporary India. We explore this division of work through an analysis of India's first large-scale time use survey, conducted in 2019. Our findings reveal that the distribution of paid, unpaid, and total work is highly gender-biased. We also found that rural women bear relatively more burden of total work than urban women; whereas, urban men bear relatively more burden of total work than rural men. We observed striking gender differences in the paid, unpaid, and total work burden across the key household and individual-level characteristics of age, marital status, presence of children, income status and employment status. Compared to all other categories, married employed women belonging to the working age cohort (15–59) bear the highest burden of total work in India, and hence are left with the least available free time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study sought to compare the prevalence of underweight and overweight among ever-married, non-pregnant women of reproductive age in Bangladesh by urban or rural residency status. Methods: This study used Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 2017 data. Cross-sectional study design with two-stage stratified sampling method was employed. A sample of ever-married non-pregnant women of reproductive age was selected and multinomial logistic regression was utilised in analysis. Results: It was found that around half of rural women (45.0%, N = 4,934) and more than half of urban women (60.3%, n = 3,913) were overweight. Nearly one in seven rural women (14.0%, n = 1,537) and 1 in 12 urban women (9.0%, n = 564) were reported as underweight. Our analyses revealed that being overweight was substantially connected with age, husband's occupation, economic status, television access, and division for both urban and rural areas. Women from poor households were significantly more likely to be underweight than women from middle- income households for both urban (P < 0.05; OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.94) and rural (P < 0.05; OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.46) areas. Interestingly, women without television access both in urban (P < 0.001; OR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.91) and rural (P < 0.001; OR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.84) areas had an inverse association with overweight/obesity compared to women with television access. In both areas, women in Sylhet and Mymensingh had higher likelihood of being underweight than Barisal division. Additionally, in both residential zones, women in Sylhet had lower likelihood of being overweight than Barisal division. Conclusion: This study reveals that multiple characteristics are linked to both overweight and underweight among ever-married, non-pregnant women of reproductive age in Bangladesh. Addressing these variables should be a priority in public health efforts to combat the dual challenge of malnutrition in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic that broke out in 2019 was one of the largest epidemics in human history after the Spanish flu of 1918-1919 (Trilla, Trilla and Daer, 2008). Its spread across Africa, and Zimbabwe in particular, shook economies and disrupted social structures, severely affecting the mental health of the populace. However, calamities like Covid-19 are hardly gender-neutral. While Covid-19 had negative psychosocial and economic impacts on all gender groups, women suffered disproportionately from the socio-economic and psychological toll of the epidemic. Using qualitative research methods based on interviews and observations in Harare Zimbabwe, this article explores the experiences of urban Zimbabwean women during the Covid-19 pandemic. The outbreak of covid-19 and the consequential lockdowns had a marked disruptive effect on urban formal and informal sources of livelihoods than it had on the largely subsistence rural economy. We, therefore, analyse the urban socio-cultural and economic contexts that shaped women's daily experiences in the context of Covid-19 and how this affected their economic and psychological situation. We aver that while Covid-19 made women 'beasts of burden' who had to provide for the household and family, it also served as a means of social reconstruction and provided opportunities for women's social and economic advancement and long-term psychological well-being. Covid-19 broke down and weakened the manipulative patriarchal socio-cultural norms that excluded women from economic and social advancement. Using the neo-dependency analytical framework, this article contends that while crises worsen conditions for vulnerable groups, there should also be space to celebrate the breaking of exploitative social structures that have kept women in subservient positions for centuries. By exposing the weaknesses of patriarchy, Covid-19 signalled the development of a new social order that recognises and celebrates women's courage, strengths, and resilience in times of crisis.

Copyright of Journal of Physical Education / Tiyu Xuekan is the property of Journal of Physical Education Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To identify circulating HPV types among urban Indonesian women and their specific co-infection patterns in bid to curb HPV infection in the general population and minimize its complications. Methods: Urban Indonesian women from general population were selected as sample framework. Sample size and distribution across regions were determined by the Indonesian Bureau of Statistics (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS), which represented the national level. Up to 35 408 cervical swab specimens were collected from August to September 2016 in 34 Indonesian provinces, categorized into six regions based on the development criteria set by the Ministry of National Development Planning (Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional, BAPPENAS). From all 1 874 samples identified as HPV-positive, hybrid capture was implemented to evaluate type-specific HPV. This study analyzed descriptive data to determine the corecluster of HPV combination. Co-occurrence HPV network was assessed using ‘qgraph’ package version 1.6.3 and computed in R version 3.6.3. Two-HPV association was analyzed in logistic regression using bias-reduction generalized linear model (brglm2) package version 0.5.1 adjusted by age and six main Indonesian regions. Results: The logistic regression analysis demonstrated that HPV type 52 had rare relationship despite its common co-occurrence, cementing its role in single HPV infection. HPV type 16 and 18 tended to form infection cluster and were strongly associated with other types. Conclusions: HPV type 52 was the most frequent HPV type among urban Indonesian women and accounted for most single infection cases. Concurrently, HPV 16 and HPV 18 accounted for most multiple infection cases and had strong tendency to attract other types, which may add further complications. However, due to lack of cytology and histological examination and information for other potential determinants, further in-depth studies are necessary to confirm whether these infection patterns truly connect to certain clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising worldwide, but it is more common among women in India. To put a stop to this epidemic, we need to pinpoint the causes of obesity in young women. Methods: A case-control study of this magnitude has been conducted at Tertiary Care Centre, from period of October 2021 to September 2022. Cases and controls were selected at random from the pool of people who participated in a cross-sectional study on cardiovascular disease risk factors. Results: There were 110 cases and 50 controls in the research. Women from the elite and upper middle classes had an odds ratio of 2.74 times greater of being obese or overweight than women from other lower socioeconomic classes, when comparing the two groups on an unadjusted basis. Several risk factors for being overweight were identified after controlling for age and socioeconomic status: having a history of hyperlipidemia; having a parity of =2 and consuming more protein than is recommended. Conclusions: Obesity is a public health crisis that can lead to a variety of avoidable metabolic complications, as highlighted by this study. Housewives are a vital part of many families and communities; as such, they need to be included in efforts to detect, educate about and treat obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lisa R Roberts,1 Vathsala Sadan,2 Rajeswari Siva,2 Manoranjitham Sathiyaseelan,2 Sara Emma Rosalind,2 Prema Suresh,2 Susanne B Montgomery3 1Loma Linda University School of Nursing, Loma Linda, CA, USA; 2Christian Medical College-Vellore, College of Nursing, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India; 3Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda, CA, USACorrespondence: Lisa R Roberts, Loma Linda University School of Nursing, 11262 Campus Street, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA, Tel +1 909 558 1000, Fax +1 909 558 0719, Email lroberts@llu.eduPurpose: To explore women’s mental health in India’s rapidly changing society.Participants and Methods: A convenience sample of low-income women (N = 286) in a medium-sized city in South-India participated in a mixed-methods, exploratory study in 2022. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was received from Loma Linda University in the US, and Christian Medical College-Vellore in India, in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki, prior to data collection. All study materials were forward and back translated for Tamil, the local language. Phase 1(n = 25) involved audio recorded key-informant interviews and focus groups. Verbatim transcripts were inductively coded, and emerging themes identified. Phase 2 (n = 261) entailed a quantitative survey including demographics, health history, and validated scales measuring mental health symptoms, coping strategies, social support, living situation, and life satisfaction. Data collectors were gender and language matched, research trained, community health nurses.Results: Qualitative themes included: 1) benefits of living in the city, 2) double duty for women doing household work and paid work, 3) challenges of living in the urban environment, 4) advantages of living in the village, 5) struggles associated with village life. Quantitative results: the average Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL) score of 1.82 (SD = 0.70) exceeded the 1.65 cut-off score for anxiety and depression symptomology. Among participants with elevated HSCL scores (n = 129) the average was markedly elevated (M = 2.39, SD = 0.56). These women were more likely to rely on wishful thinking, religious coping, and reported more post-migration living difficulties, less social support, and less satisfaction with life. Regression analysis further explored variables associated with participant HSCL scores.Conclusion: In this sample of low-income urban-dwelling women depression and anxiety symptomology was elevated. Given the limited mental health workforce and cultural stigmatization of mental health issues, further attention is required.Keywords: India, urban women, post-migration, social support, coping

Objective: To identify circulating HPV types among urban Indonesian women and their specific co-infection patterns in bid to curb HPV infection in the general population and minimize its complications. Methods: Urban Indonesian women from general population were selected as sample framework. Sample size and distribution across regions were determined by the Indonesian Bureau of Statistics (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS), which represented the national level. Up to 35 408 cervical swab specimens were collected from August to September 2016 in 34 Indonesian provinces, categorized into six regions based on the development criteria set by the Ministry of National Development Planning (Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional, BAPPENAS). From all 1874 samples identified as HPV-positive, hybrid capture was implemented to evaluate type-specific HPV. This study analyzed descriptive data to determine the core-cluster of HPV combination. Co-occurrence HPV network was assessed using ‘qgraph’ package version 1.6.3 and computed in R version 3.6.3. Two-HPV association was analyzed in logistic regression using bias-reduction generalized linear model (brglm2) package version 0.5.1 adjusted by age and six main Indonesian regions. Results: The logistic regression analysis demonstrated that HPV type 52 had rare relationship despite its common co-occurrence, cementing its role in single HPV infection. HPV type 16 and 18 tended to form infection cluster and were strongly associated with other types. Conclusions: HPV type 52 was the most frequent HPV type among urban Indonesian women and accounted for most single infection cases. Concurrently, HPV 16 and HPV 18 accounted for most multiple infection cases and had strong tendency to attract other types, which may add further complications. However, due to lack of cytology and histological examination and information for other potential determinants, further in-depth studies are necessary to confirm whether these infection patterns truly connect to certain clinical outcomes.

The post-pandemic era witnessed an upsurge in digital wallet usage. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to empirically examine the factors influencing the post-adoption intention of e-wallet users among Indian women and the digital divide across age groups. Validated questionnaires were used to collect data from female respondents across India. Path analysis using structural equation modelling was used to examine the driver of continuous intention for e-wallets, and the study demonstrates that user satisfaction and the perceived security and usefulness of e-wallets had a significant impact on post-adoption behaviour among women. Perceived confirmation, usefulness, and trust influence user satisfaction among women. However, contrary to expectations, the study found no significant difference in the continuous adoption behaviour of different age groups of urban women, indicating a lack of digital divide among urban women across age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Overweight /obesity is a global public health concern. It is higher among women than men in most continents of the world. This study aimed to determine the spatiotemporal distribution and determinants of changes in overweight/obesity over time among urban women in Ethiopia. Methods We used data from three consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys in Ethiopia (2005, 2011, and 2016). The total weighted sample of 1112 in 2005, 3569 in 2011, and 3071 in 2016 urban women were included in the analysis. The primary outcome measure of this study was the spatiotemporal distribution and trends over time in overweight/obesity. Factors contributing to change in overweight/obesity were examined using a logit-based multivariate decomposition analysis. Results Overweight/obesity increased from 14.2% in 2005 to 21% in 2016. Approximately 61.3% of the overall increase in overweight/obesity among urban women was due to the difference in coefficient (difference in the effect of characteristics) across the surveys. Changes in the composition of women aged 25–49 years (β = 0.012, 95% CI 0.008, 0.015), married women (β = 0.010, 95% CI 0.006, 0.014), women with formal education (primary: β = 0.007, 95% CI 0.003, 0.011, higher education: β = 0.014, 95% CI 0.006, 0.022), women with formal employment (β = 0.006, 95% CI 0.001, 0.011), and women with informal employment (β = − 0.002, 95% CI − 0.003, − 0.0004) were factors contributing to the change in overweight/obesity from 2005 to 2016. The risk difference (RD) in women’s overweight/obesity significantly varied across regions in urban Ethiopia. Furthermore, a high proportion of overweight/obesity was found mainly in Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, and Addis Ababa. Conclusions The rate of overweight/obesity among women in urban Ethiopia has shown a significant increase over the last 11 years. This rate change was due to changes in the composition of women’s age, educational status, marital status, and employment status. Therefore, program interventions should be targeted at older (> 25 years), educated, married, Addis Ababa residents, and formally employed women.

This present paper is one of the rare attempts to empirically investigate social cultural factors connected with hijab in urban society of Pakistan. These factors include family dress, religious sect, geographical identity, and socioeconomic status of the hijab-wearing women. The present study is based on comparisons involving various forms of dress. Four hundred and sixty women from various parts of the country and representing other demographics participated in the study. They were required to report the information regarding the social cultural factors under investigation. The analyses included chisquare and log-linear tests. There was a significant relationship between the dress and aforementioned factors. However, among these variables, family dress was found to be the strongest correlate of the dress of the participants. These results maintain that the practices in the immediate environment of hijab wearers (such as family) tend to have a major effect on their dress code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of OHM: Obradoiro de Historia Moderna is the property of Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Servicio de Publicaciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background Menstrual hygiene is essential for women to live with dignity. However, a large proportion of Indian women still suffer from unhygienic menstrual practices leading to reproductive tract infections. To understand the socioeconomic and bio-demographic determinants of menstrual hygiene practices, various national or local level studies have been conducted in India and around the world, however, no previous study has tried to understand the spatial heterogeneity across Indian districts in the use of hygienic materials among young urban women. Methods This study used data from 54,561 urban women aged 15–24 from the National Family Health Survey-5. Global Moran’s I was applied to assess the degree of spatial autocorrelation and cluster and outlier analyses to locate hot-spots and clod-spots in the exclusive use of hygienic materials across the districts. Ordinary least square, spatial lag, and error models were used to identify determinants of exclusive use of hygienic materials. Results Approximately 66.8% of urban women exclusively use of hygienic materials which varied across districts. Global Moran’s I of 0.46 indicated positive spatial autocorrelation in the outcome. Cluster and outlier analysis revealed cold-spots in central Indian districts and hotspots in south Indian districts. Results of spatial error model identified women’s years of schooling, marital status, social group, and household wealth were major determinants of the exclusive use of hygienic materials among urban women across Indian districts. Conclusion Substantial spatial heterogeneity in the outcome among urban women in India suggests the need to design targeted and context-specific behavioural interventions and programs for women in urban India.

Background: Overweight /obesity is a global public health concern. It is higher among women than men in most continents of the world. This study aimed to determine the spatiotemporal distribution and determinants of changes in overweight/obesity over time among urban women in Ethiopia.Methods: We used data from three consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys in Ethiopia (2005, 2011, and 2016). The total weighted sample of 1112 in 2005, 3569 in 2011, and 3071 in 2016 urban women were included in the analysis. The primary outcome measure of this study was the spatiotemporal distribution and trends over time in overweight/obesity. Factors contributing to change in overweight/obesity were examined using a logit-based multivariate decomposition analysis.Results: Overweight/obesity increased from 14.2% in 2005 to 21% in 2016. Approximately 61.3% of the overall increase in overweight/obesity among urban women was due to the difference in coefficient (difference in the effect of characteristics) across the surveys. Changes in the composition of women aged 25-49 years (β = 0.012, 95% CI 0.008, 0.015), married women (β = 0.010, 95% CI 0.006, 0.014), women with formal education (primary: β = 0.007, 95% CI 0.003, 0.011, higher education: β = 0.014, 95% CI 0.006, 0.022), women with formal employment (β = 0.006, 95% CI 0.001, 0.011), and women with informal employment (β = - 0.002, 95% CI - 0.003, - 0.0004) were factors contributing to the change in overweight/obesity from 2005 to 2016. The risk difference (RD) in women's overweight/obesity significantly varied across regions in urban Ethiopia. Furthermore, a high proportion of overweight/obesity was found mainly in Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, and Addis Ababa.Conclusions: The rate of overweight/obesity among women in urban Ethiopia has shown a significant increase over the last 11 years. This rate change was due to changes in the composition of women's age, educational status, marital status, and employment status. Therefore, program interventions should be targeted at older (> 25 years), educated, married, Addis Ababa residents, and formally employed women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) pose serious risks to health security especially to women, therefore, knowledge of their complications and attitude toward sexual health is important in planning preventive and treatment strategies among women in Nigeria. This study aims to assess the knowledge of HIV and other STIs and its association with the choice of place of delivery among urban women in south west Nigeria. Methods: Data for urban women in south-west Nigeria was collected from National Demographic Survey (DHS) 2018. It evaluated their knowledge of HIV and other STIs in relation to the location of most recent childbirth. Chi-square (χ2) test and binary logistic regression analysis were conducted to establish association between variables using SPSS. Results: 4604 women were surveyed. Some (21.9%) of the respondents had poor knowledge of HIV and other STIs. Women who had secondary school education were 1.7 times and 2.6 times more likely to have knowledge of HIV and other STIs respectively (OR=1.737; p

An Interview with Dinara Auyelbekova, Founder of Girls Power Fund is presented. Topics include the progress of Girls Power Fund in training the next generation of software engineers, transformative impact of technology in bridging the gap between rural and urban women, and the challenges of funding a new organization in the face of societal challenges. She also discusses her motivation for starting the Girls Power Fund and why she chose to focus on STEM education.

With the acceleration of social transformation and “mediatization,” urban women’s parenting practices have become an important factor affecting the demographic structure and national development. The global COVID19 pandemic has further contributed to the networking of social life and the creation of “Internet moms” who rely on the Internet for parenting interactions. Using a mixed-methods design, this paper conducted participant observation and in-depth interviews with 90 mothers from various industries born after 1980/1990 across multiple geographies in China to examine the impact of urban women’s Internet practices on the psychology and practice of parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how they were empowered by media technologies to practice motherhood and complete their role socialization through the sharing of parenting information, experiences, and actions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the changing impact of Internet-based parenting practices on Chinese urban women’s daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the analysis of these influences, it was found that the whole society, including urban parenting groups, paid attention to self-expression and selfworth and further hoped to arouse society’s recognition, face up to the identity of “mother” and “female,” and give more attention and support to women. The study also found that, as interpersonal communication channels were hindered during the COVID-19 pandemic, the power of the Internet, represented by social media, has created a new platform for information empowerment, action mutual, and ideation of motherhood for urban women formerly bound to family and parenting matters. From individual, family, and individual parenting experiences to group, social, and shared scenarios, urban women are engaged in emotional and memory interactions, including motherhood-related expression, experiences, and collaboration. This shift from virtual to physical has reshaped their parenting view, helping them break through the confines of family experience and traditional customs in addition to providing psychological motivation to express their gender concepts, shape their self-image, construct gender power, and interpret intimate relationships, pushing them to become more reflective of the times, as well as more capable and authoritative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the utmost active practices is to adopt an inclusive growth policy to achieve economic growth. An inclusive growth means include the excluded population into all benefits. Financial inclusion is a financial upliftment process, to help poor, slum, backward and women to come out from the poverty trap. Financial inclusion means inclusion of excluded population to access formal financial services like savings, borrowings, insurance and pension from formal financial institutions. For constructing strong financial system, it is very necessary to know first that whether sources of financial services are actually reaching to the unreached people; the awareness among people for the formal financial services i.e., financial literacy and inclusion of the excluded population by providing banking services. Among socio-economic problems in India, gender inequality is one of the major affecting problems. A noteworthy access gap has taken place between male and female regardless of significant development in broadening access to formal financial products in the country. The main objectives of this research are to examine nature and extent of accessing major financial inclusion services including Government financial inclusion programs by urban women and to analyze the determinants of financial inclusion for urban women of Ahmedabad district (having highest urban female population in Gujarat). Primary data collection method is used through semi-structured questionnaire. Probit model is constructed to analyze the financial inclusion determinants of urban women of Ahmedabad district. Considered major financial inclusion services are opening bank account, savings, borrowings and insurance. Major finding of this study is that poor urban women are being considered as less benefitted from financial inclusion services, where in-migration, financial literacy and borrowings were found to significantly influence the participation of urban women in financial inclusion programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that urban women grapple with spatial disequilibrium to claim their right over the city and experience its repercussions through dispossession and displacement. To develop this argument I have selected Mohsin Hamid's How to get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013) to explore the relationship of gender with space under the aegis of cultural and economic marginalization of women. In the light of feminist scholarship, I have investigated how women strive to settle in urban space by challenging the resurrections of invisible oppression of gender inequalities. The paper also investigates how urban women develop critical spatial consciousness and resist the structures of exclusion and segregation. The paper concludes that the uneven socio-economic intrusions are making the developing Asian urban-space serendipitously violent and hostile for women, thus remaining disconnected in deconstructing the invisible inequalities of spatial exclusion and displacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postpartum family planning (PPFP) helps women space childbirths, increase exclusive breastfeeding and prevent unintended pregnancies, leading to reduction in maternal, infant and child morbidities and mortality. Unmet need of family planning is highest among women in the postpartum period due to lack of knowledge, cultural and religious barriers, access barriers and low antenatal care service utilization. However, in spite of low prevalence of postpartum family planning practices, birth-to-birth interval is reportedly high in Delhi, India. This study explores the postpartum contraception practices and the relationship between use of postpartum contraception and subsequent child linear growth.Methods: This is a mixed method cohort study on PPFP and is nested within an ongoing "Women and Infants Integrated Interventions for Growth Study" (WINGS). Married women aged 18-30 years who have delivered a live baby are recruited for quantitative interviews at 6 weeks, 6, 12, and 24 months postpartum. In-depth interviews are conducted with a randomly selected sub-sample of women at each of the four time points, 35 husbands and 20 local service providers to understand their perspectives on PPFP practices.Discussion: The findings from the study will provide useful insights into couples' contraception preferences and choice of contraception, modern and traditional, initiation time and the effect of birth spacing and contraception use on subsequent linear growth of the child. This knowledge will be of significant public health relevance and will help in designing appropriate interventions for appropriate postpartum contraception use and delivery strategies. The study aims to work address the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights goal of promoting reproductive health, voluntary and safe sexual and reproductive choices for women.Trial Registration: Trial registration number: CTRI/2020/03/023954 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Nutritional, epidemiological and demographic transitions have been associated with the emergence of the double burden of malnutrition globally. In Ethiopia, there has been no nationally representative investigation of trends and determinants of both underweight and overweight/obesity among urban women. This study examined the trends and determinants of underweight and overweight/obesity in urban Ethiopian women from 2000 to 2016. Methods Trends in the prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity were investigated based on a series of the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data for the years 2000 (n = 2559), 2005 (n = 1112), 2011 (n = 3569), and 2016 (n = 3106). Multivariable multinomial logistic regression was used to investigate the association between socioeconomic, demographic, behavioural, and community-level factors with underweight and overweight/obesity. Results The prevalence of underweight in urban Ethiopian women reduced significantly from 23.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20.3, 26.3%) in 2000 to 14.8% (95% CI: 13.1, 16.7%) in 2016, while overweight/obesity increased significantly from 10.9% (95% CI: 9.1, 13.0%) in 2000 to 21.4% (95% CI: 18.2, 25.1%) in 2016. Urban women from rich households and those who had never married were less likely to be underweight. Urban women who were from wealthy households and those who attained at least secondary education were more likely to be overweight/obese. Women who were informally employed and listened to the radio were less likely to be overweight/obese compared to those who were unemployed and did not listen to the radio, respectively. Conclusion The prevalence of overweight/obesity increased from 2000 to 2016, with a concurrent reduction in the prevalence of underweight. Interventions aiming to reduce overweight and obesity should target urban women with higher education, those who resided in wealthier households and those who watched the television.

Abstract Background The escalating prevalence of overweight and obesity globally is reflected amongst urban women in many low-to-middle income countries. Evidence also shows that overweight and obesity is an increasing trend in Bangladesh. The present study assessed the prevalence and socioeconomic determinants of overweight and obesity among urban women in Bangladesh. Methods Data were extracted from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2014. A two-stage stratified sampling technique has been used for data collection in this cross-sectional survey. A sample of 1701 ever-married non-pregnant urban women aged 15–49 years was selected for statistical analysis. Descriptive analysis, multiple binomial logistic regression analysis were executed in this study. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 34% (95% CI, 0.30–0.38) among urban Bangladeshi women. The probability of being overweight and obese increased with increasing age and wealth index. The likelihood of being overweight and obese among the oldest women surveyed (40–49 years) was 4.3 times (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.1–8.8) higher relative to the youngest women (15–19 years). The wealthiest women had 4.1 times (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 2.5–6.7) higher likelihood of being overweight and obese compared to the reference group of poorest women. Women having higher education (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0–2.6) were more likely to be overweight and obese. However, women who were no longer living with their husband or separated from their husband were (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2–0.8) less likely to be overweight and obese. Conclusion This study provides evidence that a large number of urban women were overweight and obese in Bangladesh. Women having higher levels of education, being older and belonging in both poorer and richest wealth quintile were at risk of being overweight and obese. Appropriate health promoting interventions based on these factors should be envisaged to reduce this problem.

Background: Common mental disorders (CMDs) such as somatization and anxiety are prevalent in general practice. These are twice more common in women. Objectives: The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence and determinants of somatization and anxiety among adult women in an urban population of Kochi. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1210 adult women of Kochi in 2016–2017. The Patient Health Questionnaire-15; the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire; the Hurt, Insult, Threaten, and Scream tool; and a semi-structured questionnaire were used to estimate the prevalence of somatization and anxiety. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate analysis were done for factors associated with CMDs. Results: Most of the respondents were married (77.7%), with a mean age of 45.24 ± 15.59. In the current study, 40.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] =38.09–43.62) had somatization and 23.9% (95% CI = 21.57–26.37) had anxiety disorders. In the final logistic regression model, hypertension, perception of illness, positive family history of mental illness, and arthritis were the four determinants common to somatization and anxiety. Menstrual problems (odds ratio [OR] =3.19; 95% CI = 1.12–5.9), cardiac illness (OR = 2.31; 95% CI = 1.08–4.9), and history of major surgeries (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.14–2.41) were independent determinants of somatization. The status of being single (OR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.25–2.32), adverse life circumstances (OR = 5.85; 95% CI = 3.98–8.6), diabetes (OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.25–3.34), sleep problems (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.77–2.91), and history of drug use (OR = 4.89; 95% CI = 1.92–12.46) were independent determinants of anxiety. Conclusion: Mental health services for urban women deserve immediate attention as the prevalence of somatization and anxiety is high. Hence, it is important to screen for somatization and anxiety among women with noncommunicable diseases.

A quarter of 400 million urban Indian residents are poor. Urban poor women are as undernourished as or worse than rural women but urban averages mask this disparity. We present the spectrum of malnutrition and their determinants for more than 26,000 urban women who gave birth within 5 years from the last two rounds of Demographic Health Survey 2006 and 2016. Among urban mothers in the lowest quartile by wealth index (urban poor), 12.8% (95% CI [11.3%, 14.5%]) were short or with height < 145 cm; 20.6% (95% CI [19%, 22.3%]) were thin or with body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2; 57.4% (95% CI [55.5%, 59.3%]) had any anaemia (haemoglobin < 12 g/dL), whereas 32.4% (95% CI [30.5%, 34.3%]) had moderate to severe anaemia; and 21.1% (95% CI [19.3%, 23%]) were obese (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2). Decadal gains were significant for thinness reduction (17p.p.) but obesity increased by 12 p.p. Belonging to a tribal household increased odds of thinness by 1.5 (95% CI [1.06, 2.18]) times among urban poor mothers compared with other socially vulnerable groups. Secondary education reduced odds of thinness (0.61; 95% CI [0.48, 0.77]) and higher education of short stature (0.41; 95% CI [0.18, 0.940]). Consuming milk/milk products, pulses/beans/eggs/meats, and dark green leafy vegetables daily reduced the odds of short stature (0.52; 95% CI [0.35, 0.78]) and thinness (0.72; 95% CI [0.54, 0.98]). Urban poor mothers should be screened for nutritional risks due to the high prevalence of all forms of malnutrition and counselled or treated as per risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study attempts to understand and anlayse the skill and capacity of women through social mobilisation. It is proved that the Self Help Groups (SHGs) played a key role in mobilizing the poor towards developing the habit of saving and avail credit from financial institutions. Social Mobilisation has been adopted as an appropriate approach to mobilise the local communities which is essential to carry out any intervention. The main objective of the study is envisioned to identify the enhancement of skill and capacity of the women through social mobilization. The methodology for the study is Survey research and describes the skills and capacities of the women of Urban SHGs. Multi stage sampling was employed to collect data from 14 SHGs comprising of 156 SHG members. The results revealed that participation of group members in SHGs increase their literacy skills, communication skills, banking skills and vocational skills. Also it is evident that a vast majority of the women (77.6%) do not have any vocational skills which indicates there is huge need of training women in vocational as well as entrepreneurship skills to generate income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientalist and liberal-modernist underpinnings of postconflict gender programming in Afghanistan narrowly construct Afghan women's rights and freedoms, moving them away from the traditional domestic sphere (reliance on religious and cultural worldviews, local institutions, and informal markets) and toward a distinct path of Western liberal (colonial) modernity, focusing on women's public roles, formal political participation, state-centric legal rights, and neoliberal market participation. This liberal-modernist bias has meant that the women's rights agenda is bound to the few contested, hypermilitarized, and politically fragile pockets of liberal publics that are unevenly dispersed across the country and that have limited accessibility for most women. The pull to the masculine-militarized liberal publics is juxtaposed against an Orientalist framing of a stiflingly traditional society from which Afghan women are expected to flee simply because emancipatory possibilities are deemed impossible within it. This article argues that countless rural and urban women are, for many reasons, unable to or lack the desire to enter the liberal public and may not even have the choice or desire to retreat from the interpenetrating spaces of customs, values, traditions, culture, and religion. In failing to account for the complexities of women's lives, gender programming has failed to offer a broad-based, inclusive, or flexible approach to women's rights and gender relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria is among the highest in the world with an estimated 160 women dying every day of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition to appropriate management of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, preventing unwanted pregnancies is an effective way to reduce maternal deaths. Identifying potentially modifiable factors associated with the achievement of fertility intentions is critical for developing behavior change interventions that will contribute to reducing maternal mortality. Methods The data analyzed came from a longitudinal design with data collected in 2010/2011 and 2014 from the same group of women of reproductive age in six Nigerian cities. The data were collected as part of efforts to evaluate the effects of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI). A total of 10,672 women were interviewed at the two points in time but the analyses in this manuscript were limited to 1921 in-union women who reported that they desired no more children at baseline in 2010/2011. The principal analytic method was multivariable regression adjusted for clustering at the enumeration area level. The analysis controlled for socio-demographic and household variables, ideational characteristics, and contraceptive use at baseline. Results About two thirds of the women who desired no more children at baseline have neither had any children nor were pregnant at endline. The strongest predictors of the achievement of fertility intentions include parity, age, religion, residence, spousal communication about family size, perceived severity of another pregnancy, and spousal agreement about family size. Conclusion A comprehensive strategy to help women avoid unwanted pregnancies should include efforts to increase women’s understanding about effective ways to prevent unplanned pregnancies and strengthen self-efficacy for contraceptive use. Promoting spousal communication about reproductive issues, engaging men, promoting smaller family sizes and changing pronatalist attitudes should also be part of such a strategy.

This study examines the participation of urban women in agricultural production activities in the Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria. Both primary data and secondary information were used in the study. The primary data were obtained using a structured questionnaire, administered to 72 respondents selected using the snowball sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the primary data generated. These include frequency and percentage, and Pearson product moment correlation, respectively. The results show that most of the urban women (38.9 %) were in the active age range and had a family size of 1-5 persons (73.6 %). The majority attained tertiary education (62.5 %) and have relatively low income (61.1 %), with monthly earnings of 5,000-99,000 Naira. The majority of the women were involved in agricultural production activities all year round (52.8 %) with the highest participation seen in poultry farming (43.1 %). Although most of the women were motivated to participate for several reasons, it was mostly for the increased income (33.3 %). It was also found that the major constraint faced was inadequate capital (43.1 %). Age, marital status, educational attainment, household size and farm size were negatively and not significantly (p

Background: Common mental disorders (CMDs) such as somatization and anxiety are prevalent in general practice. These are twice more common in women. Objectives: The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence and determinants of somatization and anxiety among adult women in an urban population of Kochi. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1210 adult women of Kochi in 2016–2017. The Patient Health Questionnaire-15; the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire; the Hurt, Insult, Threaten, and Scream tool; and a semi-structured questionnaire were used to estimate the prevalence of somatization and anxiety. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate analysis were done for factors associated with CMDs. Results: Most of the respondents were married (77.7%), with a mean age of 45.24 ± 15.59. In the current study, 40.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] =38.09–43.62) had somatization and 23.9% (95% CI = 21.57–26.37) had anxiety disorders. In the final logistic regression model, hypertension, perception of illness, positive family history of mental illness, and arthritis were the four determinants common to somatization and anxiety. Menstrual problems (odds ratio [OR] =3.19; 95% CI = 1.12–5.9), cardiac illness (OR = 2.31; 95% CI = 1.08–4.9), and history of major surgeries (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.14–2.41) were independent determinants of somatization. The status of being single (OR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.25–2.32), adverse life circumstances (OR = 5.85; 95% CI = 3.98–8.6), diabetes (OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.25–3.34), sleep problems (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.77–2.91), and history of drug use (OR = 4.89; 95% CI = 1.92–12.46) were independent determinants of anxiety. Conclusion: Mental health services for urban women deserve immediate attention as the prevalence of somatization and anxiety is high. Hence, it is important to screen for somatization and anxiety among women with noncommunicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores within-gender differences in domestic labor by studying housework variations across five different groups of women in contemporary China. We defined five groups of women according to their urbanization status in general and hukou (i.e., household registration) in particular. (a) Rural natives are women with rural hukou who have stayed in rural areas, (b) rural migrants are women with rural hukou who have migrated to an urban area but have not obtained an urban hukou, (c) policy-based converters are women with rural origins who have converted to being urban residents due to policy privileges, (d) merit-based converters are women with rural origins who have converted to urban residents because of their merit (i.e., education), and (e) urban natives are those who are born urban hukou holders. Multivariate results on a national dataset with 2186 partnered women (aged 18–60) revealed that among women with rural origins, converters spent the least time on housework, rural natives the most, and rural migrants fell in between. Successful converters, particularly merit-based converters, expressed the strongest desire to pursue gender equality and deliberately devoted less time to domestic work. Additional Propensity Score Matching (PSM) analysis that compared women who have migrated to cities with women who have stayed in rural areas provides evidence that moving to urban areas has a negative association with women's housework time, irrespective of their official household registration status, no matter whether they are migrant women who are not officially recognized or are successfully converted urban women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the role of grandparental childcare in China's extraordinarily high female labor-market participation rate. Indeed, the high female labor-market participation and low laborincome penalty for childbirth is all the more remarkable given the lack of public subsidies for childcare. Using a novel and high-quality dataset, we find that childcare provided by retired grandparents significantly reduces the duration of career breaks for young women and helps women remain in the labor force. We further show that well-educated urban women benefit most from grandparental childcare, especially in the first three years of the child's life before there is a possibility to enter kindergarten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menopause is a part of every woman's life. It is a transition from reproductive to non- reproductive stage. Many women experience menopausal symptoms during menopausal transition and postmenopausal years. A study was conducted on 50 menopausal women belonging to urban community from Chandigarh to determine the age at menopause and prevalence of menopausal problems. Information was collected through predesigned and pretested questionnaire cum interview schedule. Menopausal symptoms were assessed by menopause rating scale (MRS) which included vasomotor, psychosomatic, psychological, urinary complaints and others. Anthropometric measurements were also taken to assess the nutritional status. In the present study, the mean age at menopause was 48.0 years ± 3.44. The present study revealed that physical exhaustion (96%) was the most common menopausal symptom experienced by the respondents. Psychological symptoms like depressive mood (92%), irritability (86%) and anxiety (80%) were also prevalent among majority of the respondents. Three- fourth of the respondents experienced hot flushes (76%) and joint and muscular discomfort (72%). More than half of the respondents experienced heart discomfort (56%) and bladder problems (52%). About 44 per cent were having sexual problems while 32 per cent complained of vaginal dryness. So as the menopausal symptoms were quite common, there is a need to educate and generate awareness among menopausal women about the menopause phase and its associated symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The escalating prevalence of overweight and obesity globally is reflected amongst urban women in many low-to-middle income countries. Evidence also shows that overweight and obesity is an increasing trend in Bangladesh. The present study assessed the prevalence and socioeconomic determinants of overweight and obesity among urban women in Bangladesh.Methods: Data were extracted from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2014. A two-stage stratified sampling technique has been used for data collection in this cross-sectional survey. A sample of 1701 ever-married non-pregnant urban women aged 15-49 years was selected for statistical analysis. Descriptive analysis, multiple binomial logistic regression analysis were executed in this study.Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 34% (95% CI, 0.30-0.38) among urban Bangladeshi women. The probability of being overweight and obese increased with increasing age and wealth index. The likelihood of being overweight and obese among the oldest women surveyed (40-49 years) was 4.3 times (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.1-8.8) higher relative to the youngest women (15-19 years). The wealthiest women had 4.1 times (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 2.5-6.7) higher likelihood of being overweight and obese compared to the reference group of poorest women. Women having higher education (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0-2.6) were more likely to be overweight and obese. However, women who were no longer living with their husband or separated from their husband were (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.8) less likely to be overweight and obese.Conclusion: This study provides evidence that a large number of urban women were overweight and obese in Bangladesh. Women having higher levels of education, being older and belonging in both poorer and richest wealth quintile were at risk of being overweight and obese. Appropriate health promoting interventions based on these factors should be envisaged to reduce this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of research study was to examine the participation of women in community development programs in urban area in Balochistan. This research study tried to know the influencing motives women to participate in community development programs. From a past viewpoint, women have experienced and survived many hard conditions. These have included deprivation, poverty and injustice, all of which have led to their poor socio-economic status. The study used quantitative methods. The purposive sampling method was used. Data were collected using the interview schedule for quantitative data. The total number of respondents were 100 from various Non- Governmental Organizations (BRSP, IDO, Mercy Corps). According to the study findings the participation of women in community development programs had a very positive and result oriented effect because though these various programs they ensure livelihood for their families and women resources were also developed. The study recommended that women participation should be ensured towards sustainable development in Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]