Health care for women and girls remains unequal, says SAMSHA administrator

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Women And Girls

scholarly journals Improving care for women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting: qualitative systematic reviews

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (31) ◽  
pp. 1-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catrin Evans ◽  
Ritah Tweheyo ◽  
Julie McGarry ◽  
Jeanette Eldridge ◽  
Juliet Albert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Experienced Female ◽  
Female Genital

Background In a context of high migration, there are growing numbers of women living in the UK who have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting. Evidence is needed to understand how best to meet their health-care needs and to shape culturally appropriate service delivery. Objectives To undertake two systematic reviews of qualitative evidence to illuminate the experiences, needs, barriers and facilitators around seeking and providing female genital mutilation-/cutting-related health care from the perspectives of (1) women and girls who have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (review 1) and (2) health professionals (review 2). Review methods The reviews were undertaken separately using a thematic synthesis approach and then combined into an overarching synthesis. Sixteen electronic databases (including grey literature sources) were searched from inception to 31 December 2017 and supplemented by reference list searching. Papers from any Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country with any date and in any language were included (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development membership was considered a proxy for comparable high-income migrant destination countries). Standardised tools were used for quality appraisal and data extraction. Findings were coded and thematically analysed using NVivo 11 (QSR International, Warrington, UK) software. Confidence in the review findings was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation – Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CERQual) approach. All review steps involved two or more reviewers and a team that included community-based and clinical experts. Results Seventy-eight papers (74 distinct studies) met the inclusion criteria for both reviews: 57 papers in review 1 (n = 18 from the UK), 30 papers in review 2 (n = 5 from the UK) and nine papers common to both. Review 1 comprised 17 descriptive themes synthesised into five analytical themes. Women’s health-care experiences related to female genital mutilation/cutting were shaped by silence and stigma, which hindered care-seeking and access to care, especially for non-pregnant women. Across all countries, women reported emotionally distressing and disempowering care experiences. There was limited awareness of specialist service provision. Good care depended on having a trusting relationship with a culturally sensitive and knowledgeable provider. Review 2 comprised 20 descriptive themes synthesised into six analytical themes. Providers from many settings reported feeling uncomfortable talking about female genital mutilation/cutting, lacking sufficient knowledge and struggling with language barriers. This led to missed opportunities for, and suboptimal management of, female genital mutilation-/cutting-related care. More positive experiences/practices were reported in contexts where there was input from specialists and where there were clear processes to address language barriers and to support timely identification, referral and follow-up. Limitations Most studies had an implicit focus on type III female genital mutilation/cutting and on maternity settings, but many studies combined groups or female genital mutilation/cutting types, making it hard to draw conclusions specific to different communities, conditions or contexts. There were no evaluations of service models, there was no research specifically on girls and there was limited evidence on psychological needs. Conclusions The evidence suggests that care and communication around female genital mutilation/cutting can pose significant challenges for women and health-care providers. Appropriate models of service delivery include language support, continuity models, clear care pathways (including for mental health and non-pregnant women), specialist provision and community engagement. Routinisation of female genital mutilation/cutting discussions within different health-care settings may be an important strategy to ensure timely entry into, and appropriate receipt of, female genital mutilation-/cutting-related care. Staff training is an ongoing need. Future work Future research should evaluate the most-effective models of training and of service delivery. Study registration This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD420150300012015 (review 1) and PROSPERO CRD420150300042015 (review 2). Funding The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

scholarly journals Opinion Review of Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-2019 on Women's Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victory U. Salami ◽  
Stanley I. R. Okoduwa ◽  
Aimee O. Chris ◽  
Susannah I. Ayilara ◽  
Ugochi J. Okoduwa
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Women’S Health ◽  
Women's Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Maternal Complications ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Clinical Procedures ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Gender Based

The global battle to survive the onslaughts of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) started in December 2019 and continues today. Women and girls have borne the brunt of the hardship resulting from the health crises. This paper examined the effects of COVID-19 on women. Socioeconomic factors resulting from the pandemic, especially in relation to women's health, were discussed after studying published articles. They include gender specificity and COVID-19, the economic toll of COVID-19 on women, pregnancy and COVID-19, gender-based violence due to COVID-19, and health-care impacts of COVID-19. Making up the majority in the healthcare workforce, women were at higher risk of infection with COVID-19 due to their exposure as caregivers to infected patients. The pandemic took its toll on them as part of the greater population in the informal sector of the economy due to the lockdown directive, as many experienced severe monetary shortages and job losses. Pregnant women infected with COVID-19 were prone to severe diseases, maternal complications, and death due to their weakened immunity and exposure during clinical procedures. Gender-based violence was observed to have increased across the globe for women. The results of this review strongly indicate that women are disproportionately affected by the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. This review will help health-care professionals and policymakers arrive at properly-thought-through decisions to better manage health crises. Governments and all key players should address the challenge by devising effective policies with a gendered view.

scholarly journals Diversity in Health Informatics: Mentoring and Leadership

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Moen ◽  
Catherine Chronaki ◽  
Elena Petelos ◽  
Despina Voulgaraki ◽  
Eva Turk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Health Care Informatics ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Adoption Of New Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Healthcare Innovation

Diversity, inclusion and interdisciplinary collaboration are drivers for healthcare innovation and adoption of new, technology-mediated services. The importance of diversity has been highlighted by the United Nations’ in SDG5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”, to drive adoption of social and digital innovation. Women play an instrumental role in health care and are in position to bring about significant changes to support ongoing digitalization and transformation. At the same time, women are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). To some extent, the same holds for health care informatics. This paper sums up input to strategies for peer mentoring to ensure diversity in health informatics, to target systemic inequalities and build sustainable, intergenerational communities, improve digital health literacy and build capacity in digital health without losing the human touch.

scholarly journals The Dark Side of Female HIV Patient Care: Sexual and Reproductive Health Risks in Pre- and Post-Clinical Treatments

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thu Khuat ◽  
Thu Do ◽  
Van Nguyen ◽  
Xuan Vu ◽  
Phuong Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
High Risk Population ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Women Living With Hiv ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Living With Hiv

This study examines the pre- and post-clinical issues in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care and treatment for women and girls of high-risk population groups—namely sex workers, injecting drug users, women living with HIV, primary sexual partners of people living with HIV, adolescent girls who are children of these groups, and migrant young girls and women—in five provinces and cities in Vietnam. Through a sample of 241 surveyed participants and 48 respondents for in-depth interviews and 32 respondents in the focus group discussions, the study identifies multiple barriers that keep these groups from receiving the proper health care that is well within their human rights. Most respondents rated HIV testing as easily accessible, yet only 18.9% of the surveyed women living with HIV disclosed their infection status, while 37.8% gave no information at the most recent prenatal care visit. The level of knowledge and proper practices of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care also remains limited. Meanwhile, modern birth control methods have yet to be widely adopted among these populations: only 30.7% of respondents reported using condoms when having sex with their husband. This increases the risks of unwanted pregnancy and abortion, as well as vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV transmission. On the other hand, HIV-related stigma and discrimination at health care settings are still pervasive, which create significant barriers for patients to access proper care services. Based on these results, six recommendations to improve SRH status of women and girls of populations at high risk are put forward.

scholarly journals INFLUENCE OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE ON ABSOLUTE POVERTY AMONG WOMEN IN MADOGO WARD, TANA RIVER COUNTY, KENYA

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Nderitu Kaguthi ◽  
Kennedy Mutundu
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Absolute Poverty ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Tana River ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
The Government ◽  
Gender Based

<p>Gender inequality oppresses development among women and girls and is worsened by absolute poverty among women in Kenya. Poverty denies people choices and opportunities to participate in economic, political, and social activities while gender inequality denies women and girls equal opportunities as men and boys. Despite numerous interventions by the government through policies and laws gender inequality is on the rise and a great hindrance to development. Many women-headed households are not able to meet their basic needs due to inadequate income, lack of education, gender-based violence, and inaccessibility of primary health care. The objectives of this research were to analyze the influence of gender-based violence on absolute poverty among women in Madogo Ward, Tana River County. A descriptive research design and a quantitative research approach were used for the investigation to assemble the necessary quantitative information in Madogo Ward. The units of observation for this study were women who live in the Madogo Ward. The research has found out that there is a high level of absolute poverty among women with 86% of respondents living below the absolute poverty line. The results also indicated that there is a high likelihood of women to face gender-based violence in the village and at home. The research found out that many women access medical facilities but lack of medication and being unable to afford private health care leaves women without primary health care when needed. This research recommends that the government works towards addressing the high levels of gender-based violence by developing community-based protection mechanism for women and girls and provision of primary healthcare for women in Madogo Ward which would reduce the high levels of absolute poverty. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0870/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

scholarly journals Assessing the Reliability and Validity of Attitudes and Confidence Scales for the Care of Women and Girls Affected by Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina X. Marea ◽  
Nicole Warren ◽  
Nancy Glass ◽  
Crista Johnson-Agbakwu ◽  
Nancy Perrin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Provider ◽  
Care Provider ◽  
Provider Attitudes ◽  
Factor Solution ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Female Genital

Abstract Background: Approximately 545,000 women and girls in the USA have undergone Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting (FGM/C) or have mothers from a country where FGM/C is practiced. Women and girls living with FGM/C in the USA may experience stigma and bias due to their FGM/C, immigration, racial, and language status. Health care provider attitudes toward FGM/C and confidence for related clinical care may affect the quality of care, yet there are no validated instruments. Methods: We developed the instruments via review of the FGM/C literature, the development of scale items, expert review, and pre-testing. We validated the instruments using a convenience sample of providers in Arizona and Maryland. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to confirm factor structures, and compared scores between known groups to assess validity.Results: The EFA revealed a two-factor solution for attitudes, including subscales for Negative Attitudes and Empathetic Attitudes toward FGM/C and those who practice with Cronbach’s alphas of 0.814 and 0.628 respectively. The EFA for confidence revealed a two-factor solution including Confidence in Clinical FGM/C Care and Confidence in Critical Communication Skills for FGM/C Care with Cronbach’s alphas of 0.857 and 0.694 respectively.Conclusions: Health care provider attitudes and confidence toward FGM/C care may affect quality of care and health outcomes for women and girls. Our study describes the rigorous psychometric analysis to create reliable and valid instruments to assess health care provider attitudes and confidence for the care of women and girls who have experienced FGM/C.Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.Gov ID # NCT03249649, Study ID# 5252. Public website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03249649

scholarly journals Experiences of Intersecting Inequalities for Poor Hindu Women in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seema Maheshwar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Religious Identity ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Access To Education ◽  
Forced Marriage ◽  
Marginalised Groups ◽  
Heavy Burden ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Hindu Women ◽  
High Threat

Through first-hand accounts of marginalisation and discrimination, the research paper in question explores the reality of life in Pakistan for poor Hindu women and girls who face intersecting and overlapping inequalities due to their religious identity, their gender and their caste. They carry a heavy burden among the marginalised groups in Pakistan, facing violence, discrimination and exclusion, lack of access to education, transportation and health care, along with occupational discrimination and a high threat of abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage.

scholarly journals Knowledge, attitudes and practices of female genital mutilation among health care workers in Somali region of Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 4191
Author(s):  
Olusola Oladeji ◽  
Abdifatah Elmi Farah ◽  
Bukhari Shikh Aden
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
Somali Region ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Female Genital

Background: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a global challenge with estimated over two hundred million girls and women worldwide having undergone the procedure and another three million girls are at risk of being cut yearly. The prevalence of FGM among women and girls aged 15-49 years in Somali region of Ethiopia is 99% compared to the national average of 65%. The study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practice of health care workers on FGM practices in the region.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey and used quantitative method.Results: 36 (17.8%) of the health workers believed FGM was a mandatory religious practice, while 158 (78.2%) regarded it as a cultural practice. All the respondents knew it caused health problems, 32 (15.8%) believed it was a good practice though 176 (87.1%) of the respondents believed it violated human rights of the girls/women and 99 (49%) wanted the practice to continue. 15 (40.5%) had conducted FGM on a girl before, 5 (13.5%) claimed medicalization made FGM practice safer and 5 (13.5%) of the respondents intended to circumcise their daughters in future.Conclusions: Health care workers still have attitudes and practices that positively promote and could encourage FGM practices in spite of their knowledge of the health consequences and their acceptance as a violation of the rights of women and girls. This attitude has high tendencies of depriving the community members of access to accurate information that will enable them to make informed decision about FGM and efforts to eradicate the practice.

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