GROW: a model for mentorship to advance women's leadership in global health.

In this essay, we discuss the under-representation of women in leadership positions in global health (GH) and the importance of mentorship to advance women's standing in the field. We then describe the mentorship model of GROW, Global Research for Women. We describe the theoretical origins of the model and an adapted theory of change explaining how the GROW model for mentorship advances women's careers in GH. We present testimonials from a range of mentees who participated in a pilot of the GROW model since 2015. These mentees describe the capability-enhancing benefits of their mentorship experience with GROW. Thus, preliminary findings suggest that the GROW mentorship model is a promising strategy to build women's leadership in GH. We discuss supplemental strategies under consideration and next steps to assess the impact of GROW, providing the evidence to inform best practices for curricula elsewhere to build women's leadership in GH.

Intimate partner violence screening and the comparative effects of screening mode on disclosure of sensitive health behaviours and exposures in clinical settings.

OBJECTIVE: Detecting sensitive health information in clinical settings is of scientific and practical importance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether mode of screening influenced disclosure of intimate partner violence (IPV) in patterns similar to other forms of sensitive information. STUDY DESIGN: This cross sectional study was designed to compare effects of face-to-face vs computer self-assessment for sensitive health information on disclosure rates. Multivariate logistic regression was used for the analysis. METHODS: Data were collected in 2012 from 639 eligible African American consenting women receiving services in women, infants and children (WIC) clinics. Women were randomized to complete assessments of sensitive exposures via computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) or face-to-face interview (FTFI). Those with complete information were included in the analysis (n = 616). RESULTS: Of 39 sensitive health exposures, reporting was higher for FTFI than CASI for exposure to IPV (7 of 7 outcomes), tobacco use (2 of 3 outcomes) and reproductive health care (2 of 3 outcomes). For example, face-to-face improved disclosure of IPV in the last year (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.60-3.21) and any drug, tobacco or alcohol in the last week (aOR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.00-1.93). CONCLUSION: Trained personnel may enhance disclosure above computer-based assessments for IPV for African American women receiving public assistance through The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Propensities to disclose sexual health behaviour and drug use by CASI may not apply to IPV in this population. The context and personal motivations influence women's decision to disclose IPV.

Validation of the General Self-Efficacy Scale among Qatari young women.

The General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) is a measure of people's beliefs about their capacity to cope with life's demands. Self-efficacy may be particularly relevant in transitional stages such as in late adolescence, when young people make decisions that will impact their adult lives. In the present study, we aimed to validate an Arabic version of GSES among 355 Qatari young women aged 18+ years and finishing their final year of high school. We conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the scale dimensionality. The final model fit was adequate (root mean square error of approximation = 0.07, comparative fit index = 1.00, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.99), confirming a unidimensional self-efficacy measure. The Qatari Standard Arabic GSES is a reliable tool for measuring general self-efficacy among young Qatari women.

Excess mortality of girls in the Middle East in the 1970s and 1980s: patterns, correlates and gaps in research.

Comparative research on girls' excess mortality in the Middle East is rare. Estimates from the United Nations suggest that absolute excess mortality of girls was not universal in the 1970s and was uncommon by the 1980s. Compared with historical Northwest Europe at similar levels of boys' under-five mortality, however, girls' under-five mortality was high in both periods. Studies of the allocation of food and health care suggest that parents invested less and provided less curative care to girls than boys where girls' excess mortality was greatest. Urbanization and women's relative economic opportunity account for much of the variation in relative mortality. Unexplained excess mortality of girls in the Middle East compared with historical Northwest Europe may be attributable to differences in socio-cultural, political, and economic systems that influence the forms of discrimination exercised against girls; however, inadequate measurement of these variables limits their consideration in comparative research.

The effect of gender preference on contraceptive use and fertility in rural Egypt.

Data are used from two surveys of currently married women aged 15-44 conducted in 1979-80 and 1990-91 to explore the changing impact of gender preference on modern contraceptive use and on fertility in rural Menoufia, Egypt. The significantly positive effects on contraceptive use of having one or more sons in 1979 remained constant in 1990. Families without living sons had higher odds of having a birth than did families with two or more sons during 1979-80, and these relative odds were even higher in 1990-91 among families with three or more living children. The implications of these findings for subsequent declines in aggregate fertility are discussed.