Albanian Women Research Articles

Breast Cancer Screening in Albania During 2007-2008

Aim:Our aim was to assess the prevalence of breast cancer among women who showed up and participated in the breast cancer screening program during October 2007-October 2008 in Tirana, the Albanian capital city.Methods:A breast cancer prevention and treatment campaign was undertaken in Tirana, Albania, in 2007 which included also mammography examination for the early detection of breast cancer. All women residing in Tirana municipality were invited to undergo a mammography examination free of charge.Results:A total number of 5224 women underwent mammography examination during October 2007 – October 2008 time period in Tirana. The highest number of mammography tests were performed in October 2008 (1284 tests), followed by June 2008 with 746 mammography examinations realized. In general, the prevalence of breast cancer positive mammography readings where higher among women older than 60 years, followed by the 51-60 and 41-50 years age-groups.Conclusion:Our findings indicate that, among 5224 examined women during a one-year period, 1.9% had a positive reading in mammography. This is one of the few reports large-scale breast cancer screening in Albania. The increasing of breast cancer rates necessitates implementation of multi-directional programs to prevent, early diagnose and control this condition in Albanian women.

Population-based case-control study of breast cancer in Albania

In Albania, breast cancer is an important cause of death among women, with increasing incidence from 65 cases in 1970, to 400 cases in 2007. This is the first study concerning breast cancer risk factors in Albania. We used a population-based case-control study of 948 women with breast cancer compared with 1019 controls recruited from other hospitals through random selection. Early age at menarche was found to be a significantly strong risk factor during the pre- and postmenopausal groups with OR 10.04 and 12.1, respectively. In addition, nulliparity is associated with higher risk while abortion did not indicate any influence in the multivariate model. The findings from this study have shown that reproductive and menstrual variables are significant predictors of breast cancer risk in Albanian women, as seen in studies of other western countries.

Prevalence of Mycoplasma Hominis and Ureaplazma Urealyticum Among Women of Reproductive Age in Albania

The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of Mycoplasma Hominis (MH) and Ureaplasma Urealyticum (UU) among infertile women and women who had abortion in the first trimester in Albania. Our study included 150 women of reproductive age hospitalized at the Obstetric-Gynecologic University Hospital "Mother Geraldine" in Tirana during the period 2011-2012. All women were tested for the presence of MH and UU. In addition, data on the age of women, age of the first intercourse, number and type of abortion, number of births, and number of sexual partners were collected. The overall prevalence of MH was 30.4%, whereas the prevalence of UU was 54.3%. The prevalence of MH and/or UU was the highest among women who had experienced spontaneous abortions (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively), women who reported more than one abortion (P = 0.02 for both), women with more than one sexual partner (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively), and women who reported early first (before the age of 18 years) sexual intercourse (P = 0.03 and P = 0.05, respectively). Our findings indicate a high prevalence of both MH and UU in Albanian women seeking specialized Obstetric-Gynecologic care in Tirana. We conclude that for each case of spontaneous abortion it should be carried out the analysis of MH and UU. Conversely, among infertile women, the testing for MH and UU is recommended in the absence of another confirmed etiologic factor.

Gender and Migration in Greece: The Position and Status of Albanian Women in Patras

Greece has experienced major changes in its migration patterns.After a century or so of emigration, it has now become a country of immigration. Much academic research has concentrated on the impact this change has on Greek society. However, there is a tendency to ignore the role that gender plays in the migration process. This article addresses the issue of Albanian immigration to Greece, focusing on the aspect of gender. It presents the living and working conditions of Albanian women who migrate to Greece, especially to one of its cities, Patras. It examines the new migration process through the eyes of women migrants. It is centred on their narration about their journey to Greece, their decision to migrate, the problems that they face, their experiences and plans for the future: in short, their life stories. Finally, the article draws attention to the need for further research on issues concerning migrant women in Greece.

Women and Migration in Albania: A View from the Village

AbstractSince the fall of communism in the early 1990s, Albania has experienced migrations of epic proportions: 17 years later almost one in four Albanians has emigrated and lives abroad, primarily in Greece and Italy. Albanian emigration has by and large represented a typically male‐dominated model, whereby men have “led the way” and women have followed as family members. Despite the considerable participation of Albanian women in this migration, their roles and experiences remain under‐researched. Based on in‐depth interviews with rural migrant women and their families, as well as additional ethnographic material collected from 2004 to 2006 in Albania and Greece, this paper aims to fill this knowledge gap. The findings demonstrate the various ways in which Albanian rural women participate in the migratory process. They are often the most important pillar for supporting the family migration strategy through their productive and reproductive labour when remaining behind. They are also closely involved in decision‐making about the migration of other family members. Furthermore, they have been among the pioneers of the early 1990s migration themselves, including taking the long and risky journeys across the mountains to Greece. Overall, their contribution to the migrant household is beyond their presumed reproductive role and includes a strong economic component.While some “traditional” norms and values persist and are reinforced during migration, change does take place, albeit at a slow and gradual pace. However, for the emancipatory benefits women could accrue through migration to be enhanced, immigration policies need adjusting to address their position as fully autonomous economic and social actors, thus reducing their dependency on male “bread‐winners.”Albanian women’s particular migratory experiences, combined with their increasing numbers as migrants, make a compelling case for further attention from researchers and policymakers.

Higher rates of chronic hepatitis B infection and low vaccination-induced protection rates among parturients escaping HBsAg prenatal testing in Greece

Universal screening for the identification of hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg(+)] mothers is essential to prevent perinatal hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In Greece, although adherence to HBV prenatal testing has improved significantly, there are still pregnant women who do not receive testing, and there is concern that this group may include women with a higher disease burden. The seroprevalence of HBV markers among parturient women escaping HBsAg prenatal testing was assessed prospectively. Seropositivity rates were compared with those from a control group of women [n=1304, Greek: 1156 (88.7%), Albanian: 148 (11.3%)], with appropriate prenatal HBsAg documentation, who delivered in the same public hospital. Between January 2007 and March 2009, 9546 women delivered at the Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece, and 1000 (10.6%, mean age: 26.6±6.2 years) were unable to document their HBsAg status. Among women tested for the first time in the delivery room, 70.4% were immigrants (Albanians: 41.7%, Eastern European: 14.7%, African: 7.2%, Asian: 6.9%), 15.2% were of Roma origin, and 14.4% were Greek. Overall, 53/1000 (5.3%, 95% confidence interval: 4.1-6.9%) HBsAg(+) cases were found (Albanians: 7.4%, Roma: 5.3%, Asians: 4.3%, Eastern European: 3.4%, Greeks: 2.8%, African: 2.8%, P<0.05 between Greek and Albanian women) versus 15/1304 (1.2%, 95% confidence interval: 0.7-1.9%) in the control group (P<0.0001). Greek women nonadherent to HBV maternal testing were more likely to be chronically infected with HBV (0.6 vs. 2.8%, P<0.05), whereas a similar trend was observed in Albanian women (5.4 vs. 7.4%, P=0.45). Disappointingly low vaccination-induced protection rates (mean 21.4%) were observed among women escaping HBV maternal testing. Higher HBV disease burden and low vaccination-induced protection are characteristic in pregnant women nonadherent to HBsAg prenatal testing. More intense surveillance and implementation of immunization programs should be applied in these populations.

The Social Life of Psychiatric Practice: Trauma in Postwar Kosova

This article traces the social life of psychiatric practice in the context of war and postwar societies. It is argued that although psychiatric knowledge and practice is situated and grounded in particular cultural, social, and political contexts, it is important to examine how transnational networks situate local systems of meaning in much larger settings. I illustrate this claim by examining discourses and observations concerning health-seeking behaviors of Kosovar Albanian women and ways in which Kosovar health practitioners help them by employing, adapting, and changing the psychiatric tools and lessons learned during (trauma) training provided by international health professionals during the Yugoslav war and postwar eras. Thereby, I hope to contribute to a better understanding of how local health beliefs and practices are nested in the processes involved in international health policymaking and, thereby, relate to higher level structures such as international political economy, regional history, and development ideology.

Number of children among generations: The case of Kosova

Fertility is one of the most sensitive demographic components: it presents the number of children in the population and it is one of the main components of the rate of natural increase. The level of fertility changes continually under the influence of broad number of factors, specially the socio-economic factors. These changes are very slow and might appear just after a certain period of time, only between generations. The Topic of this paper is talking about the changes in fertility among Albanian population in Kosova. Furthermore, it explains the attitudes toward number of children among Albanian women with different demographic and socio-economic background. The proposed theoretical framework is based on the behavior outcome in individual level theory. Herewith, we analyze the relation between number of children as behavior outcome and determinants that have influenced them. The data used for this paper derived from an empirical research conducted in the University Hospital Centre in Prishtina, Kosova. The results showed that number of the children delivered from women today has changed comparing with number of children delivered by their mothers. The results conclude that the number of children vary from demographic and socio-economic background of women

Gender and migration from Albania

This article examines the dynamics and causes of the shift in the gender composition of migration, and more particularly, in women's access to migration opportunities and decision-making. Our analysis focuses on Albania, a natural laboratory for studying international migration where out-migration was essentially nonexistent from the end of World War II to the end of the 1980s. Interest in the Albanian case is heightened because of the complex layers of inequality existing at the time when migration began: relatively low levels of inequality within the labor market and educational system-a product of the Communist era-while household relations remained heavily steeped in tradition and patriarchy. We use micro-level data from the Albania 2005 Living Standards Measurement Study, including migration histories for family members since migration began. Based on discrete-time hazard models, the analysis shows a dramatic increase in male migration and a gradual and uneven expansion of the female proportion of this international migration. Female migration, which is shown to be strongly associated with education, wealth, and social capital, appears responsive to economic incentives and constraints. Using information on the dependency of female migration to the household demographic structure as well as the sensitivity of female migration to household-level shocks, we show how household-level constraints and incentives affect male and female migration differently. Throughout this period, however, women's migration behavior appears more directly aligned with household-level factors, and there is little evidence to suggest that increased female migration signals rising behavioral independence among Albanian women.

P.4.c.005 Anxiety treatment and health related quality of life improvement with sertraline of outpatients with chronic heart failure

Fertility is one of the most sensitive demographic components: it presents the number of children in the population and it is one of the main components of the rate of natural increase. The level of fertility changes continually under the influence of broad number of factors, specially the socio-economic factors. These changes are very slow and might appear just after a certain period of time, only between generations. The Topic of this paper is talking about the changes in fertility among Albanian population in Kosova. Furthermore, it explains the attitudes toward number of children among Albanian women with different demographic and socio-economic background. The proposed theoretical framework is based on the behavior outcome in individual level theory. Herewith, we analyze the relation between number of children as behavior outcome and determinants that have influenced them. The data used for this paper derived from an empirical research conducted in the University Hospital Centre in Prishtina, Kosova. The results showed that number of the children delivered from women today has changed comparing with number of children delivered by their mothers. The results conclude that the number of children vary from demographic and socio-economic background of women

Forced Migrants, Active Mothers or Desired Wives: Migratory Motivation and Self-Representation in Kosovo Albanian and Russian Women's Biographies

All forms of migration have fundamental repercussions in terms of family networks and obligations. This article investigates how women of refugee and migrant background view their deliberative capacities in making choices and how this combines with their self-representation as mothers, daughters and wives. What are the fundamental motivations immigrant women represent as legitimate explanations for their migrancy, in their own eyes and in the eyes of the receiving society? The material consists of biographic interviews carried out in 2006 with Kosovo Albanian and Russian women who have settled in Finland. Kosovo Albanian refugee women prefer to explain their migratory motivation as a result of their role as dedicated mothers rather than as people forced to flee. In turn, many female immigrants of Russian background have adopted a tendency to represent themselves as ‘passive migrants’ pushed by others' actions to leave Russia. This study shows that the ways in which immigrant women understand their womanhood and initiative in the migratory process not only reflect the socio-cultural characteristics of the sending society they have been socialised in, but also the available migratory channels and attitudes towards them in the receiving society.

Genital human papillomavirus infection and genotype prevalence among albanian women: A cross‐sectional study

"High risk" HPV types have different geographical distribution and evidence suggests their respective prevalence may vary in different areas and regions. An accurate description of high-risk HPV circulation is a key feature for the rational design of prevention and screening campaigns. A cross-sectional, virological study was conducted on adult Albanian women living either in the Tirana area or in the Duress prefecture. Clinical and gynecological evaluations were performed according to current standard criteria. HPV detection and typing were carried out by a combined MY09/MY11 and GP5+/GP6+ PCR followed by direct sequencing of generated amplicons. Virological data were obtained from 402 out of 452 patients enrolled between January 2004 and December 2007. Sixty-one patients (15.1% of the cohort) were found to be infected with a genital HPV. As expected, viral prevalence was higher among women younger than 30 years of age (25.2%) in comparison to those aged 30 or older (13.6%). HPV 16 was found to be the most frequent type (41% of cases), followed by HPV 53 (7.2%), HPV 31 (5.8%), and HPV 18 (4.3%). HPV 81 and HPV 84 were the most prevalent low-risk types detected with prevalences of 11.6% and 5.8%, respectively. No differences were noted in any type-specific prevalence between young and mature women. The circulation of HPV types is far more complex than assumed generally. Detailed knowledge of HPV type circulating patterns in specific local geographical areas is essential for appropriate implementation of screening, prevention, and surveillance campaigns.

‘Gap‐fillers’ or ‘clan‐destroyers’: transnational female solidarity towards kin in the region of Fier

Given the patrilineal and patriarchal structure of traditional Albanian society, solidarity networks between married Albanian women and their family of origin have until recently been limited. This paper presents data from a multi‐sited study of rural Albanian migrants and non‐migrants. It shows how the experience of migration has led in some cases to a loosening or renegotiation of male solidarity behaviour towards ageing parents and patrilineal kin (although the expectations of non‐migrant patrilineal kin do not seem to be changing with the same rapidity), and also to a widening of transnational and local female solidary behaviour towards their own kin (not always patrilateral). The paper discusses in what cases this solidarity is most commonly produced or expected, what form it takes, and how it is interpreted by actors of local and diaspora society. When the expectations of non‐migrant kin are not fulfilled by male migrant/non‐migrant kin solidary behaviour, can female kin solidarity ‘fill the gap’, or is it interpreted as being of another nature?

Fron `Settlement' to `Integration'

In recent European literature on migration, two main trends characterize the ways in which migrants are increasingly portrayed. The first tends to define migrants in terms of their belonging to `communities' while, in the second trend, migrants and refugees epitomize ideas of diaspora and hybridity, as resistance to constructions of place-bound `communities'. In the context of these trends, women migrants hold ambivalent positions as particular `others'. In our article, we attempt to problematize the `purity' of these approaches. Based on research with Albanian migrant women in Athens, we examine the ways in which they construct very local, but also transnational and imagined communities while they seek to settle and find ways of integrating in the new setting. Using material from focus groups and biographical interviews with women migrants, as well as with women employers, we discuss: (a) the importance of informal practices of support and assistance at the neighbourhood level; and (b) the role of social services (health and child care), as they affect migrant women's efforts to negotiate a place for themselves and their dependents, to forge a sense of belonging and redefine communities and gender relations.

Feminine Jobs/Masculine Becomings

Although there has been significant academic interest in the complex relationship between gender and migration, the relevant literature often focuses on women as victims of trafficking, sexism and racism in the host and sending societies. This article discusses instead the question of gender and migration as an open field of contestation within which transitory and incomplete identities are performed. Based on a series of focus group discussions with Albanian women working in the domestic sector in Athens, the article documents the emergence of a discourse of `becoming masculine' while performing typically `feminine tasks'. Drawing from Judith Butler's theoretical challenge to subject formation, the analysis traces the development of gender relations within discourse. While Albanian women are doubly disadvantaged in the mind—body relationship (first, because as migrants they are associated with manual, unskilled tasks, and second, because as women they are limited to the confines of private, domestic activities), they gradually come to perform roles that redefine the space of domesticity where the limits between men/women, private/public and migrants/nationals lie.

Serological and virological profile of chronic HBV infected women at reproductive age in Greece: A two-year single center study

Objective Seroprevalence of HBsAg in 26,746 women at reproductive age in Greece and evaluation of HBeAg/anti-HBe serological status as well as serum HBV–DNA levels in a subgroup of HBsAg(+) women at labor. Study design Serological markers were detected using enzyme immunoassays. Serum HBV–DNA was calculated using a sensitive quantitative PCR assay, with a lower limit of quantification of 200 copies/ml. Results Overall, 1.53% of women were HBsAg(+) and the majority of them (64.96%) were Albanian. Among Albanian women the mean prevalence of HBsAg was 4.9%, 5.57% among Asian women, and 1.29% among women from Eastern European countries. The prevalence of HBsAg among African (0.29%) and Greek women (0.57%) was very low and significantly lower in comparison with the mean value of the studied population. Only 2.67% of HBsAg(+) women were HBeAg(+). Of a subgroup of women in labor with available serum samples 28.6% had undetectable levels of viremia (<200 copies/ml) and 15.9% had extremely low levels of viral replication (<400 copies/ml). Only 12.7% of pregnant women evaluated at labor exhibited extremely high serum HBV–DNA levels (>10,000,000 copies/ml) whereas 42.8% of them exhibited HBV–DNA levels between 1500 and 40,000 copies/ml. Conclusions The overall prevalence of HBsAg is relatively low among women at reproductive age in Greece but is higher among specific ethnic populations (Asian, Albanian). The HBeAg(−)/antiHBe(+) serological status is a finding observed in the vast majority of HBsAg(+) women of our study population, and a significant percentage of them (approximately 44.5%) exhibit extremely low or even undetectable levels of viral replication at labor, suggesting possibly that only a proportion of HBsAg(+) women in Greece exhibit an extremely high risk of vertical transmission of the infection.

Intimate partner violence in the Balkans: the example of Albania

Our aim was to describe the prevalence and associated factors of intimate partner violence in postcommunist countries of South East Europe (SEE). Review of recent reports regarding intimate partner violence in SEE countries as documented in the official Web sites of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Centers for Disease Control, and Medline. In Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, the prevalence of physical violence against women has been reported as 69.8%. In a reproductive health survey conducted in 1997 in Moldova, 22% of the women interviewed reported they had been abused by a partner or former partner at some time in their lives. More than 31% of female university students in Macedonia have reported that they had been victims of physical or psychological violence. Data from Albania indicate that spousal physical violence is one of the highest reported internationally. In Tirana, the Albanian capital city, the prevalence of past-year physical intimate partner violence was reported by 37% of women interviewed. The most empowered Albanian women were most likely to experience physical abuse and the least powerful men and those of rural origin were most likely to perpetrate spousal violence. Notwithstanding the lack of well-documented data and the questionability of extent to which the reported results are comparable among different SEE countries, the evidence suggests that intimate partner violence is an important public health problem in transitional countries of SEE. Information on intimate partner abuse can provide valuable clues to primary care and community care practitioners about the health status of female populations.

HBeAg negative serological status and low viral replication levels characterize chronic hepatitis B virus-infected women at reproductive age in Greece: A one-year prospective single center study

To evaluate the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in 13 581 women at reproductive age and the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)/anti-HBe status as well as serum hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA levels in a subgroup of HBsAg(+) pregnant women at labor in Greece. Serological markers were detected using enzyme immunoassays. Serum HBV-DNA was determined by a sensitive quantitative PCR assay. Statistical analysis of data was based on parametric methodology. Overall, 1.156% of women were HBsAg(+) and the majority of them (71.3%) were Albanian. The prevalence of HBsAg was 5.1% in Albanian women, 4.2% in Asian women and 1.14% in women from Eastern European countries. The prevalence of HBsAg in African (0.36%) and Greek women (0.29%) was very low. Only 4.45% of HBsAg(+) women were also HBeAg(+) whereas the vast majority of them were HBeAg(-)/anti-HBe(+). Undetectable levels of viremia (<200 copies/mL) were observed in 32.26% of pregnant women at labor and 29.03% exhibited extremely low levels of viral replication (<400 copies/mL). Only two pregnant women exhibited extremely high serum HBV-DNA levels (>10 000 000 copies/mL), whereas 32.26% exhibited HBV-DNA levels between 1 500 and 40 000 copies/mL. The overall prevalence of HBsAg is relatively low among women at reproductive age in Greece but is higher enough among specific populations. The HBeAg(-)/anti-HBe(+) serological status and the extremely low or even undetectable viral replicative status in the majority of HBsAg(+) women of our study population, suggest that only a small proportion of HBsAg(+) women in Greece exhibit a high risk for vertical transmission of the infection.

Maternal – neonatal serum selenium and copper levels in Greeks and Albanians

To evaluate selenium (Se) and copper (Cu) concentrations in Greek and Albanian immigrant mothers and in the cord blood of their newborns. From 1118 Greek and 820 Albanian mothers and from the cord blood of their neonates blood was obtained for Se and Cu measurement. Se and Cu concentrations were determined in sera with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAAS) and atomic absorption spectrometry, respectively. In all, 30 days' nutrient intakes were evaluated in both groups. Animal protein, Se and Cu intakes were poor in the Albanians vs the Greeks (P < 0.001). Se concentrations in the Greek mothers (68.3 +/- 8.5 microg/l) and in their newborns (37.02 +/- 8.9 microg/l) were found higher as compared with those in Albanian mothers (37.4 +/- 9.9 microg/l) and in their newborns (34.3 +/- 9.1 microg/l) (P < 0.001). Cu levels were also found higher (P < 0.001) in the Greek mothers (1687 +/- 353 microg/l) and in their neonates (449 +/- 87 microg/l) compared with those in the Albanian mothers (959 +/- 318 microg/l) and in their newborns (229 +/- 67 microg/l). Additionally, 31.5% of neonates born to Albanian women with Se concentrations less than 28 microg/l had higher Se levels (P < 0.01) than their mothers. The low Se and Cu levels evaluated in the Albanian mothers and their newborns could be related to their poor animal protein intake which could be the consequence of their low socioeconomic status. As an effective preventive measure, accurate dietetic strategies to assess the requirements of pregnant immigrant women for trace elements may be planned in Greece.

In the Interstices of the City: Albanian Women in Athens

In the aftermath of 1989, Southern European countries including Greece, former places of out-migration, have become the destination of massive waves of migrants. By now numerous estimates, reports and studies point to the high presence of women in these migratory movements - which challenges established stereotyped images of the migrant as a young male single person. The "discovery" of women migrants, with different presence in various migrant communities, has opened new areas of feminist research - and new tensions in feminist debates, particularly in Southern Europe where the experience of multicultural societies is very new. This is the case in urban geography/studies, to which this paper seeks to contribute, based on on-going research in Athens. Athens, like all Greek cities, has a development history in which what has been called "the informal" plays a key role: in the production of space, in the labour market, in the functioning of institutions. This has legitimated, among other things, the limited and sometimes controversial involvement of the state in several potential fields of intervention, including welfare, housing and planning, thus reducing direct state control on everyday life. The workings of the informal have contributed to urban problems for which Athens is notorious, but have left "gaps" where mechanisms of social integration could and have developed. Such gaps have made it possible, until recently, for women (and men) migrants to find a job and home, to establish themselves in their place of destination. Based on the premise that women migrants are not passive agents, but that they develop strategies of survival and actively seek to determine the terms of their settlement in the new environment, the paper argues that their numerous presence in many central neighbourhoods of Athens has contributed to the revitalisation of the inner city, by introducing new uses of its facilities, services, infrastructures and public spaces. Through interviews with Albanian women in Athens, the paper looks into three spatial levels, neighbourhood, city, trajectory, and seeks to understand the links between gender and experiences of/in space.