"My wife made me": motivations for body and beauty work among older Korean and Chinese migrant adults in Australia.

This article examines how older Korean and Chinese migrants living in Perth, Australia, engage in various beauty, grooming and fitness practices to negotiate "successful ageing" in transnational contexts. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 30 men and women aged between 60 and 89, we examine what social meanings are attached to these practices, and how the transnational context of living in Australia has influenced the participants' perceptions of ageing and presentation of self in later life. Migration in later life is often considered in relation to the 'host' countries values and social practices, which can make it difficult for individuals to settle and feel a sense of belonging especially in later life. In this article, we will illustrate how gender, class, and cultural dispositions intersect and link with possibilities for defining and redefining successful ageing in migrant contexts. This study illustrates how successful ageing emerges as a malleable concept that draws on ideas of an ideal ageing body from the cultural values of the 'home' country, rather than the 'host' country. The findings illustrate how in everyday lived experience, the transnational habitus does not always necessarily result in a 'divided habitus' where the values of the 'home' country and that of the 'host' country are in conflict - even when the migration experience is relatively recent. Quite the contrary, the way the participants utilise everyday beauty, fitness and grooming practices to maintain a future-focused self in the context of 'home' country's age-appropriate body ideals to perform signifiers of 'successful migrant living' point to the positive aspects that appearance management can have on an individual in later life, particularly in migrant contexts.

Health Behavior Patterns and Associated Risk of Memory-Related Disorders Among Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Couples.

Objectives: Studies on the interdependence of couples' health behaviors and subsequent cognitive outcomes remain limited. Methods: Longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2018) were used (N = 1869 heterosexual couples). Latent class analysis identified the dyadic pattern of health behaviors in 2011 (i.e., alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical inactivity). Stratified Cox models examined the association of latent classes with risk of developing memory-related disorders in 2013-2018. Results: Three classes were identified: class 1 (21.25%, only husband smoke, and both active), class 2 (47.55%, both inactive, neither drink nor smoke), and class 3 (31.20%, both drink and smoke, and both active). Couples' sedentary lifestyle was associated with an increased risk of memory-related disorders among both husbands and wives. Conclusion: Couples were moderately concordant in their physical activity but weakly in smoking and drinking. Couple-based interventions, especially promoting physical activity, may reduce cognitive aging among middle-aged and older Chinese couples.

Household decision-making and the mental well-being of marriage-based immigrant women in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the association between household decision-making and mental well-being among Asian immigrant women residing in Korea. We also investigated if the impact varies by the regional origin and examined potential factors for joint decision-making. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Korean National Survey of Multicultural Families 2015 and logistic regression. We analyzed data from 11,188 married immigrant women ages 20 to 59 who were originally from East Asia or Southeast/South Asia and co-living with their spouses. We defined households as joint-decision, wife-decision, or husband-decision based on who decides how living expenses are spent. Mental well-being encompassed a depressive mood for two consecutive weeks, and life and marital satisfaction. RESULTS: After controlling for covariates, we showed that immigrant women in husband-decision households were more likely to have depressive mood (odds ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14-1.38), poorer life satisfaction (OR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.24-1.78), and poorer marital satisfaction (OR 1.81, 95% CI: 1.47-2.22) than women in joint-decision households. Immigrant women in wife-decision households had a similar but slightly lower odds of poor mental well-being. This association was less prominent for Southeast/South Asian origin than East Asian origin, while the age-adjusted prevalence rates of poor mental well-being among them were higher than their East Asian counterparts. Factors that restricted the odds of husband-decision did not necessarily guarantee wife-decision. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests one-sided decision-making can be a risk factor for immigrant women's poor mental well-being, while joint decision-making is protective. Differences across regional origins suggest domestic decision-making might be a less important predictor for mental well-being in immigrants more occupied with adapting to the host society. Factors for joint decision-making should be addressed to improve the mental well-being of immigrant women.

Hepatitis B infection and risk factors among pregnant women and their male partners in the Baby Shower Programme in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the population prevalence and determinants of hepatitis B (Hep B) status, and status discordance, among pregnant women and their male partners in Nigeria. METHODS: Cross-sectional study assessing the seroprevalence of Hep B virus in a cohort of 16 920 pregnant women and their male partners in northcentral Nigeria. Rapid HBsAg antibody test was used for Hep B diagnosis. Demographic, socio-economic and behavioural information was collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires and evaluated as determinants of Hep B status and couple status discordance using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 16 920 participants who had a Hep B test result, 6750 couples and 1316 discordant couples were identified. The prevalence of Hep B among all participants was 10.9%, with lower prevalence among pregnant women (10.2%) than their male partners (11.9%), P < 0.001. The prevalence of Hep B sero-discordance among couples was 19.5% (1316/6750). Younger age, prior Hep B testing and a prior positive Hep B test increased the odds of Hep B infection while being a woman decreased the odds of Hep B among all participants, and among couples. Furthermore, polygamy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-1.87), prior Hep B testing (AOR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.14-4.97) and a prior positive Hep B test result were significant determinants of status discordance among the participating couples. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Hep B among pregnant women and their male partners in northcentral Nigeria is high. A large-scale intervention is required to reduce Hep B prevalence in this setting.

OBJECTIFS: Déterminer la prévalence dans la population et les déterminants du statut de l'hépatite B (Hep B) et de la discordance de statut chez les femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins au Nigéria. MÉTHODES: Etude transversale évaluant la séroprévalence du virus Hep B dans une cohorte de 16.920 femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins dans le centre-nord du Nigéria. Un test rapide des anticorps anti-HBsAg a été utilisé pour le diagnostic de l'Hep B. Des informations démographiques, socio-économiques et comportementales ont été recueillies au moyen de questionnaires administrés par les intervieweurs et évaluées en tant que déterminants du statut Hep B et de la discordance du statut de couple à l'aide de la régression logistique. RÉSULTATS: Sur 16.920 participants qui avaient un résultat de dépistage de l'Hep B, 6.750 couples et 1.316 couples discordants ont été identifiés. La prévalence de l'Hep B chez tous les participants était de 10,9%, avec une prévalence plus faible chez les femmes enceintes (10,2%) que chez leurs partenaires masculins (11,9%), p <0,001. La prévalence de la séro-discordance de l'Hep B chez les couples était de 19,5% (1.316/6.750). Un âge plus jeune, un dépistage antérieur de l'Hep B et un test Hep B positif antérieur augmentaient les risques d'infection à l'Hep B alors que le sexe féminin diminuait les risques d'Hep B chez tous les participants et parmi les couples. De plus, la polygamie (rapport de cotes ajusté [AOR]: 1,49, intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95%: 1,19-1,87), un dépistage antérieur de l'Hep B (AOR: 2,38 ; IC95%: 1,14-4,97) et un test hépatique B positif antérieur résultat étaient des déterminants significatifs de la discordance de statut parmi les couples participants. CONCLUSION: La prévalence de l'Hep B chez les femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins dans le centre-nord du Nigéria est élevée. Une intervention à grande échelle est nécessaire pour réduire la prévalence de l'Hep B dans cette région.

Beliefs related to sexual intimacy, pregnancy and breastfeeding in the public during COVID-19 era: a web-based survey from India.

AIM: To evaluate the beliefs held by the public regarding sexual health, pregnancy, and breastfeeding during COVID-19 era. METHODS: It was an online cross-sectional survey conducted through the Survey Monkey® platform and after proper ethical approval a self-designed questionnaire was circulated by the snowballing sampling technique through the Whatsapp platform. RESULTS: 1636 people respondent to the survey questionnaire. 63% of the participants mentioned that kissing could spread nCoV-SARS. Unprotected sexual intercourse with the spouse can cause infection spread, was reported by about one-third (35.9%). Nearly one-fifth (22%) thought that unprotected sexual intercourse with unknown partners/persons could not spread the infection. About half (49.7%) of the participants reported COVID-19 infection can be transmitted from mother to the child/fetus during the process of birth or during pregnancy and one-fifth (21.3%) of the participants reported going ahead with the Cesarean section if the mother is suspected of having or is confirmed to have COVID-19 infection. About one-fifth feared for risk of birth defects and abortion in case the mother is infected with COVID-19. 28% of the participants reported COVID-19 infection can be transmitted to newborn by breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that a significant proportion of people have misinformation about sexual intimacy, pregnancy, and breastfeeding in the ongoing pandemic which needs to be addressed.

"It is what I tell her that she will do": a mixed methods study of married men's knowledge and attitude towards supporting their wives' cervical cancer screening in rural South-East Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: cervical cancer is a leading cause of death among Nigerian women. Women often require spousal support before attending cervical cancer screening services. This study assessed married men´s knowledge and attitude towards male involvement in cervical cancer screening of their wives. METHODS: a cross-sectional study using a mixed methods approach was conducted among 245 married men in Izzi, Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, South-East Nigeria. Quantitative data collected using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires and qualitative data from focus group discussions were triangulated. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 20. Qualitative findings were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: the mean knowledge of cervical cancer was 2.06±0.55. Only 2.9% of the respondents had adequate knowledge of risk factors for cervical cancer. Up to 89.8% were willing to approve screening for their spouses. Majority (76.3%) considered screening important in cervical cancer prevention, while 91.4% were willing to pay for the screening test. Most of them exhibited patriarchal tendencies and insisted that their wives must obtain their consent before screening as depicted by the statement "It is what I tell her that she will do". Previous spousal screening was a predictor of good knowledge (OR = 10.94, 95% CI = 2.44-48.93; P=0.002). CONCLUSION: married men in this study had poor knowledge of cervical cancer. However, they were willing to support cervical cancer screening conditional on their pre-information and consent. Awareness creation activities on cervical cancer screening should incorporate active engagement of husbands in order to promote screening uptake by their wives.

Modern contraceptive utilization and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia: evidence from 2016 Ethiopia demographic and health survey.

BACKGROUND: Modern contraceptive methods enable couples to enjoy sexual intercourse without fear of the risk of pregnancy at any desired time. The evidence from different studies done in Ethiopia on modern contraceptive method utilization was highly varied and not conclusive. Therefore, the current study aims to study the magnitude of modern contraceptive utilization and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia based on 2016 EDHS data. METHOD: A nationally representative 2016 EDHS data collected between January 18/ 2016 to June 27/2016 were used. Descriptive studies and logistic regression models were used to summarize descriptive data and measure statistical association respectively. Adjusted odds ratio and confidence interval were respectively used to measure association and its statistical significance. Finally, statistical significance was declared using a confidence interval. RESULT: In the current study, the overall modern contraceptive utilization among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia was 3203 (20.42%). The injectable contraceptive method was the most commonly used modern contraceptive method, 1886(58.88%) followed by implant/Norplant, 779 (24.32%). The results of multivariable logistic regression showed that age, residence, region, woman's occupation, number of living children, husband's education, age at first sexual intercourse, husband's desire for more children, wealth index and watching TV were independently associated to modern contraceptive utilization among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia. CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of modern contraceptive utilization among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia in the current study is unexpectedly low. Age, residence, region, woman's occupation, number of living children, husband's education, age at first sexual intercourse, husband's desire for more children, wealth index and watching TV were independent predictors of modern contraceptive use among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia. Any intervention strategy that promotes modern contraceptive method utilization should consider these factors for its better success.

Factors influencing adoption of facility-assisted delivery - a qualitative study of women and other stakeholders in a Maasai community in Ngorongoro District, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Tanzania's One Plan II health sector program aims to increase facility deliveries from 50 to 80% from 2015 to 2020. Success is uneven among certain Maasai pastoralist women in Northern Tanzania who robustly prefer home births to facility births even after completing 4+ ANC visits. Ebiotishu Oondomonok Ongera (EbOO) is a program in Nainokanoka ward to promote facility births through a care-group model using trained traditional birth attendants (TBAs) as facilitators. Results to date are promising but show a consistent gap between women completing ANC and those going to a facility for delivery. A qualitative study was conducted to understand psychosocial preferences, agency for decision-making, and access barriers that influence where a woman in the ward will deliver. METHODS: In-depth interviews, focus group discussions and key-informant interviews were conducted with 24 pregnant and/or parous women, 24 TBAs, 3 nurse midwives at 3 health facilities, and 24 married men, living in Nainokanoka ward. Interviews and discussions were transcribed, translated, and analyzed thematically using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: Most women interviewed expressed preference for a home birth with a TBA and even those who expressed agency and preference for a facility birth usually had their last delivery at home attributed to unexpected labor. TBAs are engaged by husbands and play a significant influential role in deciding place of delivery. TBAs report support for facility deliveries but in practice use them as a last resort, and a significant trust gap was documented based on a bad experience at a facility where women in labor were turned away. CONCLUSIONS: EbOO project data and study results show a slow but steady change in norms around delivery preference in Nainokanoka ward. Gaps between expressed intention and practice, especially around 'unexpected labor' present opportunities to accelerate this process by promoting birth plans and perhaps constructing a maternity waiting house in the ward. Rebuilding trust between facility midwives, TBAs, and the community on the availability of health facility services, and increased sensitivity to women's cultural preferences, could also close the gap between the number of women who are currently using facilities for ANC and those returning for delivery.

Exploring the influence of family level and socio-demographic factors on women's decision-making ability over access to reproductive health care services in Balkh province, Afghanistan.

In this paper, we analyze the family level and socio-demographic factors affecting women's decision-making ability over access to reproductive health care services in rural communities of Balkh province, Afghanistan. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a total of 176 married women. Using logistic regression analysis, we found that four out of seven variables significantly influenced women's decision-making ability over access to Reproductive Health Care Services (RHCS): extended family structure (OR = 14.31, p < 0.01), husbands accompanying their wives to RHCS (OR = 4.12, p < 0.05), discussing issues related to reproductive health with partner (OR = 3.57, p < 0.05), and distance from home to a health facility (OR =0.86, p < 0.01). Therefore, some policies or programs designed to improve husband-wife communication, in particular fostering discussions related to reproductive health and encouraging husbands to accompany their wives to health centers, are recommended to improve women's decision-making ability over access to RHCS.

Combined Effect of Marriage and Education on Mortality: A Cross-national Study of Older Japanese and Finnish Men and Women.

BACKGROUND: While marriage and education help maintain older adults' health, their joint association with mortality remains unclear. This cross-national study examined the combined effect of marriage and education on the mortality of older Japanese and Finnish adults. METHODS: Data on 22,415 Japanese and 11,993 Finnish adults, aged 65-74 years, were obtained from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study of 2010-2012 and the Finnish Public Sector Study of 2008-2009 and 2012-2013. We followed up on respondents' survival status for 5 years using public records. Marital status, educational level, and other variables in both datasets were harmonized. RESULTS: The Cox proportional hazards model showed that unmarried men had a higher mortality risk than married men in both countries (hazard ratio [HR] 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.79 for Japanese and HR 1.94; 95% CI, 1.29-2.91 for Finnish); no such difference was observed in women. The highest mortality risk was observed in unmarried men with tertiary education in both Japan (HR 1.85; 95% CI, 1.21-2.83) and Finland (HR 2.21; 95% CI, 1.26-3.89), when adjusted for baseline age, health-related behaviors, and illnesses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed similarity in the combined effect of marriage and education between Japan and Finland, differing from observations in countries with more apparent socioeconomic health disparities. Further studies should examine the reasons for the excessive mortality risk in highly educated, unmarried men in both countries and consider whether selection bias led to underestimation of the true risk in unmarried older adults with lower education.

Exploration of a Marital Typology: Implications for Marital Functioning in a Multi-Ethnic Sample.

Marital conflict is associated with multiple negative outcomes for couples, including marital dissatisfaction and divorce. Little research, however, has examined conflict in Hispanic/Latino couples or its association with marital satisfaction, which creates an unfortunate knowledge gap for clinicians working with diverse client groups. The present study sought to examine both marital conflict and satisfaction using a sample of 231 European American (EA; n = 108) and Hispanic/Latino (H/L; n = 123) couples. Through observational coding, couples were placed into four groups based on their type of conflict management strategies: Harmonious, Withdrawn, Conflictual-Expressive, or Conflictual-Hostile. For both ethnic groups, couples in the Harmonious group were nondistressed and couples in the Conflictual-Hostile group were in the distressed range of marital satisfaction. Cross-ethnic differences emerged. EA couples experienced distress when both hostile (Conflictual-Hostile) and nonhostile conflict (Conflictual-Expressive) communication types were observed, while only hostile conflict was associated with distress for the H/L group. H/L couples reported similar levels of satisfaction in both the Harmonious and Conflictual-Expressive groups. H/L couples also fell within the distressed range when withdrawn communication patterns were observed; however, this was not the case for EA couples. These differences suggest that both types of conflict are associated with marital distress for EA couples, whereas hostile conflict and withdrawn behavior appear to be more negatively associated with marital satisfaction in H/L couples. Results provide support for the use of an observational coding system with H/L and EA couples and also suggest the importance of understanding how differences in expressions of conflict across ethnicities may relate to marital satisfaction.

El conflicto conyugal está asociado con numerosos resultados negativos para las parejas, incluida la insatisfacción conyugal y el divorcio. Sin embargo, pocas investigaciones han analizado el conflicto en las parejas hispanas/latinas o su asociación con la satisfacción conyugal, lo cual crea una desafortunada laguna de conocimiento para los profesionales que trabajan con grupos de pacientes diversos. El presente estudio tuvo como finalidad analizar tanto el conflicto como la satisfacción conyugal utilizando una muestra de 231 parejas euroamericanas (EA; n = 108) e hispanas/latinas (H/L; n = 123). Mediante la codificación observacional, se colocó a las parejas en cuatro grupos según su tipo de estrategias de gestión de conflictos: armonioso, retraído, conflictivo-expresivo o conflictivo-hostil. En ambos grupos étnicos, las parejas del grupo armonioso eran parejas sin distrés y las parejas del grupo conflictivo-hostil estaban en el rango de distrés en la satisfacción conyugal. Surgieron diferencias interétnicas. Las parejas EA sufrieron distrés cuando se observaron los tipos de comunicación ante el conflicto hostil (conflictivo-hostil) y no hostil (conflictivo-expresivo), mientras que solo el conflicto hostil estuvo asociado con el distrés para el grupo H/L. Las parejas H/L informaron niveles similares de satisfacción tanto en el grupo armonioso como en el conflictivo-expresivo. Las parejas H/L también quedaron dentro del rango con distrés cuando se observaron patrones de comunicación retraídos; sin embargo, esto no fue así para las parejas EA. Estas diferencias sugieren que ambos tipos de conflicto están asociados con el distrés conyugal para las parejas EA, mientras que el conflicto hostil y el comportamiento retraído parecen estar más negativamente asociados con la satisfacción conyugal en las parejas H/L. Los resultados respaldan el uso de un sistema de codificación observacional con parejas H/L y EA, y también sugieren la importancia de comprender cómo las diferencias en las expresiones de conflicto entre las etnias pueden relacionarse con la satisfacción conyugal.

Sense of coherence among Bedouin women in polygamous marriages compared to women in monogamous marriages.

We compared sense of coherence (SOC) among Bedouin women in polygamous with those in monogamous marriages. SOC is a global orientation toward life as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful, and is derived from generalized resistance resources that promote effective coping in stressful life situations. Strong SOC may be a resource for strengthening resilience and promoting health. We administered questionnaires to 464 Indigenous Arab Bedouin women (ages 18-49 years) in 2008-2009 using the 13-item SOC questionnaire. Contrary to our hypothesis, SOC was higher among women in polygamous compared to monogamous marriages. Husband's education, husband's abandonment of the household, living in unrecognized villages, and low mastery (perception of one's ability to control life situations) were associated with higher SOC. These results might suggest that polygamy may provoke new coping mechanisms among women as they reappraise life amidst low mastery, accept cultural norms, and marshal new resources, thereby increasing key elements of SOC, including comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. Interventions and services seeking to empower women in polygamous marriages should build on their resilience.

"Man in the driving seat": A grounded theory study of the psychosocial experiences of Black African and Black Caribbean men treated for prostate cancer and their partners.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence suggests that treatment side-effects of prostate cancer (CaP) substantially affect the psychosocial well-being of affected men and their partners. However, this phenomenon is poorly understood among high risk (1 in 4) Black African (BA)/Black Caribbean (BC) men and their partners, as they are currently under-represented in global research on CaP survivorship. This study explored the psychosocial experiences of BA/BC men with CaP and their partners in the United Kingdom as they lived through the side effects of CaP treatment within their own sociocultural and marital contexts. METHODS: Using constructivist grounded theory methodology, interviews and focus groups were conducted with eligible men (n = 25), partners (n = 11), and health care professionals (HCPs) (n = 11) recruited in England. Data were iteratively analysed using constant comparison following the key stages of initial, focused, and theoretical coding until saturation was achieved. RESULTS: Data analysis culminated in the development of a substantive theory "man in the driving seat," which describes the experiences of BA/BC men with CaP and their partners within their context. Culturally informed gender roles and identities influenced how men and partners responded and coped with the side effects of CaP treatment. There was a hierarchy of power within the BA/BC relationship, in which men were dominantly positioned as leaders, whilst partners mostly operated from a supportive but "accepting" position. CONCLUSION: Inclusive and culturally sensitive individual and couple-focused psychosocial support, which is devoid of stereotyping and recognises the experiences of both BA/BC men and their partners is recommended.

Having a Happy Spouse Is Associated With Lowered Risk of Mortality.

Studies have shown that individuals' choice of a life partner predicts their life outcomes, from their relationship satisfaction to their career success. The present study examined whether the reach of one's spouse extends even further, to the ultimate life outcome: mortality. A dyadic survival analysis using a representative sample of elderly couples ( N = 4,374) followed for up to 8 years showed that a 1-standard-deviation-higher level of spousal life satisfaction was associated with a 13% lower mortality risk. This effect was robust to controlling for couples' socioeconomic situation (e.g., household income), both partners' sociodemographic characteristics, and baseline health. Exploratory mediation analyses pointed toward partner and actor physical activity as sequential mediators. These findings suggest that life satisfaction has not only intrapersonal but also interpersonal associations with longevity and contribute to the fields of epidemiology, positive psychology, and relationship research.

Within-couple configuration of gender-related attitudes and its association with marital satisfaction in Chinese marriage: A dyadic, pattern-analytic approach.

OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to understand the ways in which spouses' gender-related attitudes are configured within couples and how such configurations are linked to marital satisfaction in Chinese marriage. METHOD: Latent profile analysis was conducted using dyadic data from a nationwide large sample of Chinese couples from the China Family Panel Studies (N = 7,257 couples; Myears of marriage = 28.36, SD = 12.84; Mage for wives = 52.38, SD = 12.63; Mage for husbands = 50.51, SD = 12.37). RESULTS: Four profile groups were identified: the "modern female and traditional male" group (MFTM); the "traditional female and modern male" group; the "child-oriented" group; and the "traditional female and traditional male" group. Husbands' and wives' marital satisfaction varied across groups in different patterns (yet all relevant effect sizes were modest). In general, husbands in the congruent group reported higher satisfaction than did those in the incongruent groups, whereas wives in the "MFTM" group reported lower satisfaction than did those in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Such findings shed light on the understudied heterogeneity that inherently exists in the within-couple patterning of gender-related attitudes and its implications for marital well-being in a Chinese cultural context.

The role of women's empowerment and male engagement in pregnancy healthcare seeking behaviors in western Kenya.

We sought to understand whether women's empowerment and male partner engagement were associated with use of antenatal care (ANC). Women presenting for ANC in Nyanza province of Kenya between June 2015 and May 2016, were approached for participation. A total of 137 pregnant women and 96 male partners completed baseline assessments. Women's empowerment was measured using the modified Sexual Relationship Power Scale. ANC use measures included timing of the first ANC visit and number of visits. Male engagement was based on whether a husband reported accompanying his wife to one or more antenatal visits during the pregnancy. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors independently related to use and timing of ANC. Women with higher mean empowerment scores were likely to have more than one ANC visit in the index pregnancy [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.8, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.1-7.3], but empowerment was not associated with early ANC use. Women who were more empowered were less likely to have a husband who reported attending an ANC visit with his wife (AOR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.03-0.8). Women's empowerment is important and may be related to ANC use and engagement of male partners in complex ways.

Bride price payment and women's autonomy: Findings from qualitative interviews from Nigeria.

Marriage involving a man and a woman is a universal social institution, but its practices vary among cultures. In Nigeria, a marriage is recognized after gifts are given, and a bride price is paid by the groom's family to the bride's family. Understanding the bride price will reduce the challenges women face in their marital homes. Women's autonomy is important for them to address matters affecting their health. We examined married Ikwerre women's perspectives on bride price and its impact on their autonomy using qualitative methods. From December 2014 to March 2015, 34 in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions were conducted with married Ikwerre women. Participants reported that patriarchy and a culture of absolute respect for men, not the bride price, was the reason for women's diminished autonomy. Participants noted that payment of the bride price was critical for validating marriage to give women respectable status in society as wives. Patriarchal rule and the demand for absolute respect for men need to be addressed in the Ikwerre culture. A woman's capability to address her health needs and use health care is largely dependent on her ability to act autonomously. Thus, educational interventions to enable women's decision-making are critical.

Reproductive choices: a qualitative study of Dutch Moroccan and Turkish consanguineously married women's perspectives on preconception carrier screening.

BACKGROUND: Cousin marriages, in the Netherlands most frequently between Turkish or Moroccan couples, are at higher risk of having offspring with recessive disorders. Often, these couples not perceive or accept this risk, and it is hardly considered a reason to refrain from family marriages. Preconception carrier screening (PCS) is offered to Jewish groups, and more recently in the Netherlands, to genetically isolated communities. In this study, Dutch Moroccan and Turkish women's perspectives on preconception carrier screening (PCS) and reproductive choices were explored. METHODS: Individual interviews were held with Dutch Turkish and Moroccan consanguineously married women (n = 10) and seven group discussions with Turkish and Moroccan women (n = 86). Transcripts and notes were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: All women welcomed PCS particularly for premarital genetic screening; regardless of possible reproductive choices, they prefer information about their future child's health. Their perspectives on reproductive choices on the basis of screening results are diverse: refraining from having children is not an option, in vitro fertilization (IVF) combined with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was welcomed, while prenatal genetic diagnosis (PND), termination of pregnancy (TOP), in vitro fertilization with a donor egg cell, artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID), and adoption, were generally found to be unacceptable. Besides, not taking any special measures and preparing for the possibility of having a disabled child are also becoming optional now rather than being the default option. CONCLUSIONS: The women's preference for PCS for premarital screening as well as their outspokenness about not marrying or even divorcing when both partners appear to be carriers is striking. Raising awareness (of consanguinity, PCS and the choice for reproductive options), and providing information, screening and counseling sensitive to this target group and their preferences are essential in the provision of effective health care.

The Effects of a Couples-Based Health Behavior Intervention During Pregnancy on Latino Couples' Dyadic Satisfaction Postpartum.

Many couples tend to report steadily decreasing relationship quality following the birth of a child. However, little is known about the postpartum period for Latino couples, a rapidly growing ethnic group who are notably underserved by mental and physical health caregivers in the United States. Thus, this study investigated whether a brief couples' intervention focused on helping couples support each other while increasing healthy behaviors might improve dyadic functioning postpartum. This study presents secondary analyses of data regarding couple functioning from a larger randomized controlled trial with 348 Latino couples to promote smoking cessation. Portions of the intervention taught the couple communication and problem-solving skills to increase healthy behavior. Couples participated in four face-to-face assessments across 1 year starting at the end of the first trimester. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that the treatment group reported an increase in relationship satisfaction and constructive communication after the intervention, which diminished by 1-year follow-up, returning couples to their baseline levels of satisfaction. Results suggest that incorporating a brief couple intervention as part of a larger health intervention for Latinos may prevent postpartum decreases in relationship satisfaction.

Constructions of Battered Asian Indian Marriage Migrants: The Narratives of Domestic Violence Advocates.

How are the images of abused South Asian marriage migrants shaped by domestic violence advocates? We explore the social constructions of battered Asian Indian marriage migrants in the victim advocates' narratives. First, we find the narratives both reproduce and challenge the dominant stereotypes, utilizing some individualistic typifications while constructing these images with an understanding of the broader context of battered South Asian women's experiences. Second, depending on the issue (e.g., economic dependence or religion), the advocates paint either a multidimensional or a one-dimensional picture of their clients. We emphasize the need for further intersectional studies of the images of abused immigrants constructed by victim advocates.