Eastern Women Research Articles

Daily Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Continuation Among Women from Durban, South Africa, Who Initiated PrEP as Standard of Care for HIV Prevention in a Clinical Trial

HIV incidence among women in Eastern and Southern Africa remains unacceptably high, highlighting the need for effective HIV prevention options, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The Evidence for Contraceptive Options and HIV Outcomes trial offered daily oral PrEP to participants during the latter part of the clinical trial as an additional HIV prevention choice. We explored daily oral PrEP continuation at trial exit among women enrolled from Durban, South Africa who initiated oral PrEP at the trial site. Of the 132 women initiating oral PrEP, 87% reported continuation of oral PrEP at month 1, 80% at month 3, and 75% continued using oral PrEP at their final trial visit and were referred to off-site facilities for ongoing oral PrEP access. The median duration of oral PrEP use in trial participants who used oral PrEP was 91 days (IQR 87 to 142 days). Women who disclosed their oral PrEP use to someone had increased odds of continuing oral PrEP at trial exit. Women who reported > 1 sex partner and those who felt they would probably or definitely get infected with HIV had reduced odds of continuing oral PrEP at trial exit. Of those discontinuing oral PrEP (n = 32), > 50% discontinued within the first month, and the most common reason for discontinuation was reporting side effects. The high rates of oral PrEP continuation in our study are encouraging and our findings can be utilized by other clinical trials providing oral PrEP as standard of care for HIV prevention and by oral PrEP implementation programmes.

Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening Practises Amongst Migrant Women Living in Sydney

Cervical cancer is the 4^th most prevalent cancer among women worldwide. The incidence rate of cervical cancer is low in Australia. Despite the use of vaccinations and cervical screening programs in Australia, migrant women living in Sydney still face significant health disparities when accessing cervical cancer screening services. Overall, there are limited studies that explore the barriers and facilitators that migrant women are exposed to when accessing cervical screening tests. The aim of this study is to describe the attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer screening and screening practices amongst migrant women aged 25 and above living in Sydney, Australia for more than one year with no history of cervical cancer. Fifty-two women (30 South-East Asian, 12 Middle Eastern & 10 African) were recruited using two non-probabilistic sampling methods, convenience and snowball sampling. Data was collected through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). In total, 5 FGDs were conducted in homogenous groups of 8-12 participants. Each FGD was audio-recorded and verbatim transcribed. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results show that average age of the participants were 38 years, majority were from South East Asia (58%), married (87%), unemployed (65%), had tertiary education (67%), were in low income categories (84%), and a third (35%) living in Australia for < 5 years. Results further show that migrant women living in Sydney displayed a lack of awareness and knowledge about cervical cancer and screening practices. Individual and system-level barriers and facilitators that influenced screening attendance were identified. Factors such as lack of knowledge, emotional barriers, cultural and religious barriers, psychological barriers, and organisational factors influence screening practices. Furthermore, results also revealed that African migrants were less likely to be aware of cervical cancer and screening compared to South-East Asian and Middle Eastern women. Our study also reported that short-term migrants had an overall lack of awareness about cervical screening and therefore, differences in migration status must be considered when administering health education programs. Understanding migrant women’s experiences, facilitators, and barriers to accessing cervical screening is essential in assisting health care professionals and policy makers to provide culturally appropriate services. Provision of training or programs to increase culturally appropriate health services amongst health care providers is also recommended. To increase cervical cancer screening uptake of migrant women living in Sydney, culturally appropriate education programs and health promotion strategies targeted towards different ethnic groups need to be administered.

APA/APAGS Award for Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology: Sarah Alsaidi.

The APA/APAGS Award for Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology is awarded annually by the APA Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) to a graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding practice and application of psychology. A 2021 award winner is Sarah Alsaidi. Alsaidi "was instrumental in developing and facilitating the Audacious Young Women of Action (AYWA) program for the Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (AMEMSA) girls and young women at the Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC) in New York City. The majority of AYWA participants are first-generation or second-generation female immigrants or refugees, with many identifying as Yemeni-American. In their daily lives, AYWA participants navigate bicultural identities, family and community expectations, and religious and cultural norms. Dr. Alsaidi developed a unique curriculum and program to meet the needs of AYWA participants, support their development as young people, and create a safe space for participants to connect with one another. Dr. Alsaidi was adept at navigating challenging conversations and empowering AAFSC's young women through the programming that she developed and facilitated. Dr. Alsaidi's work has been instrumental in uplifting and supporting Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) young women through her practice and application of psychology." (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Women with atrial fibrillation in the Middle East: utilization of oral anticoagulant agents in a population with bad baseline clinical profiles and risk scores

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia in women and men worldwide and in the Middle East. Several studies have shown that women with AF are undertreated despite worse baseline clinical and risk profiles compared with men. It is largely unknown if this also applies to Middle Eastern AF patients. Purpose To evaluate baseline clinical features and utilization of guideline-recommended oral anticoagulant medications (OACs) in Middle Eastern women with AF. Methods The Jordan AF prospective multicenter study enrolled 2160 patients with AF, including 1164 (53.9%) women, in 20 hospital and outpatient clinics (May 2019 through January 2021). Results Nonvalvular AF was present in 1038 (91.0%) of women and 935 (94.6%) of men. Compared with men, women were older (mean age 69.2±11.5 years vs. 66.1±14.9 years, p&amp;lt;0.001), and had higher prevalence of hypertension (79.1% vs. 69.5%, p&amp;lt;0.001), diabetes (46.1% vs. 41.7%, p=0.04) and obesity (60.5% vs. 34.6%, p&amp;lt;0.001). Women, however, had lower prevalence of two comorbidities; heart failure (21.5% vs. 28.6, p=0.001) and coronary artery disease (7.7% vs. 15.4%, p&amp;lt;0.001) compared with men. Rate of utilization of oral anticoagulant agents (OACs) was higher in women than men with high and intermediate CHA2DS2 VASc scores (Table). Direct OACs were used in 64.0% of women and 63.3% of men with high risk score (p=NS). Multivariate analysis did not show sex to be an independent predictor of use of OACs. Conclusions Middle Eastern women with AF have worse baseline clinical and risk score profiles compared with men. In disagreement with other regional studies, the majority of these women received guideline-recommended OACs. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Pandemic stress and SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with pathological changes at the maternal-fetal interface.

IntroductionThe reported effects of SARS-CoV-2 on pregnancy outcomes are conflicting; studies frequently overlook the placenta, which is critical for the health of the mother and infant(s). This study aimed to determine the effect of pandemic stress ± SARS CoV-2 infection on placental histopathology.MethodsWomen were recruited in Canada (n = 69); France (n = 21) or in the UK (n = 25), between March and October 2020. Historic controls (N = 20) were also included. Placenta and fetal membrane samples were collected rapidly after delivery and were fixed and stained for histopathological analysis. Maternal demographical data and obstetric outcomes were recorded.ResultsOver 80% of the placentas from SARS-CoV-2+ pregnancies had histopathological abnormalities: predominantly structural (71–86%) or inflammatory (9–22%), depending on geographical location. Excessive fibrin was seen in all sites, whereas deciduitis (Canada), calcifications (UK), agglutinations and chorangiosis (France) predominated in different locations. The frequency of abnormalities was significantly higher than in SARS-CoV-2 negative women (50%, p < 0.05). Demographic and obstetric data were similar in the SARS-CoV-2+ women across all sites - characterised by predominantly Black/Middle Eastern women, and women with elevated body mass index.DiscussionOverall, the frequency of placental abnormalities is increased in SARS-CoV-2+ women, but the incidence of placental abnormalities is also higher in SARS-CoV-2- women that gave birth during the pandemic, which highlights the importance of appropriate control groups to ascertain the roles of pandemic stress and SARS-CoV-2 infection on the placenta and pregnancy outcomes.

The Women’s Struggle in Jasmine`S Character in The Aladdin Movie (2019)

Aladdin (2019) is a movie produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The issues that emerged in this movie are how a woman struggles to become a sultan (leader of the kingdom). Princess Jasmine's strong character is a central figure depicted in a critique of the role of women who are still considered marginal. The purpose of this study was to explain the struggle of Middle Eastern women to fight the shackles of patriarchal leadership. The research used a qualitative method which was analyzed through critical discourse. The results of this study were obtained through a series of dialogues and analyzed scenes to bring up Princess Jasmine's struggle to become a sultan and change the patriarchal system of power in the kingdom, which Princess Jasmine ultimately led. While in the reader's position, the character of Putri Jasmine was placed as a woman trapped in a patriarchal system and struggled using her consciousness as a feminist to get equality in the patriarchal domination monarchy.

Menggali Jejak Psikologi Lokal Perempuan Jawa dalam Sastra Indonesia: Evidensi pada Novel Kita Masih Punya Bulan Karya Nurinwa KSH

This article is part of a research on Indonesian literature in East Java which is studied from the perspective of local psychology. This study aims to explore local Javanese women in Indonesian literature. The research method used in this research is qualitative which leads to literature. The data collection technique was carried out in a documentative manner. The data analysis technique was carried out through the stages of identification, sorting, and exposure. The results showed that local Javanese women appeared in two segmentations, namely (1) Javanese local women as mother figures, having empathetic and patient behavior and (2) Javanese local women as child figures who had filial and patient behavior. This research shows that the local psychology of Javanese women that appears in literature leads to the psychology of eastern women which tends to strengthen intuition and ethical psychology.

Global Actors’ Effort towards Gender Equality in Women's Health in East and Southern Africa

According to 2020 UNAIDS data, there are approximately 20,700,000 people infected with HIV, with 12,900,000 infected are women in Eastern &amp; Southern Africa. This condition is caused by the lack of health rights for women which is also based on the limited rights of women to matters such as education, employment and finance. This study aims to examine the role of global government in accommodating global actors to address issues of gender equality in women's health in Eastern and Southern Africa. This research is built on the concept of global governance theory and feminism. The research method used is qualitative research methods using case studies. This paper concludes that global actors (governmental and non-governmental) make important contributions through international cooperation and produce various programmes for women's empowerment and health assistance. These programmes and assistance are producing slow but steady changes to gender equality and the well-being of women in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. Because through these various health programmes and assistance, women in the Eastern and Southern Africa region can optimise their rights as women as well as human beings.

Postfeminism à la Turca

Abstract This essay analyzes how postfeminism is constructed on a visual level in the Turkish context. It uses theories of postfeminism to discuss new popular romantic comedies of Turkish cinema by comparing the new female protagonists with the women portrayed in Yeşilçam melodramas. Three films—Kocan Kadar Konuş (dir. Kıvanç Baruönü, 2014), Hadi İnşallah (dir. Ali Taner Baltacı, 2014), and Aşk Nerede? (dir. Semra Dündar, 2015)—are analyzed from a postfeminist perspective, opening up a new scholarly discussion about the place of postfeminism in the Turkish cinema. These films represent what may be termed “Turkified” postfeminism, which has been commonly discussed for the Western world but not sufficiently taken into account for Middle Eastern women.

“The Greatest Empresse of the East”: Hurrem Sultan in English Restoration Drama

The interest in Ottoman court, history, and harem was on the rise in the aftermath of the Restoration of English monarchy. The Ottoman harem, especially, provided a fertile ground for the English playwrights. Thus, this study aims to analyze the representation of Hurrem Sultan who is regarded as one of the most prominent Sultanate women in Ottoman history in William Davenant’s The Siege of Rhodes (1663), Roger Boyle’s The Tragedy of Mustapha (1668), and Elkanah Settle’s Ibrahim, the Illustrious Bassa (1676). In those plays which deal with Sultan Suleyman’s reign, English playwrights rewrite the siege of Rhodes, the death of Sehzade Mustapha, and the relationship between Sultan Suleyman and Ibrahim Pasha in a new dramatical context with a special emphasis on powerful Hurrem Sultan image. By taking a critical look at the representations of Eastern women in Orientalist discourse, this article covers arguments ranging from the Western representations of the harem to Ottoman women sovereignty in the sixteenth century. The common ground which the selected plays share is that there appears a powerful woman of Sultanate image as this study intends to explore. In this context, the present study indicates that the representation of Hurrem Sultan in selected Restoration period plays which depict her both as a powerful Eastern Empress and as an important political actor challenges the particular image of passive, sexually permissive and decadent Eastern woman embedded in other Western representations of the harem.

WOMEN AS A SYMBOL IN CONTEMPORARY ILLUSTRATIONS INSPIRED BY THE WORKS OF ORIENTALISTS, THROUGH (AN ARTIST BOOK)

The East was and still carries with it many sources of inspiration for the West, which was embodied in the works of European artists, and they came with different intentions and visions, and the trend of “Orientalism” became a historical reality that shows the extent of the influence of the magic of the East on Western and Arab art, past and modern. There is no doubt that “Women”, with their features and life, occupied the first place in the subjects of “Orientalist” works, until they became a symbol of life in the East. And the image of the eastern woman was formed in the minds of Western society through the artistic spread of that movement, and it sparked controversy and views differed. The research deals with an artistic experiment based on re-presenting the image of women as a symbol through a group of works in the field of illustrations as a creation parallel to the idea presented, namely: re-inspiring the image of oriental women drawn by “Orientalists” in the past, and changing some aspects of this image in line with the variables of thought in the modern era, The change of women's ideas in a world characterized by freedom, and the possibility of benefiting from these drawings in a work of art and a contemporary visual vision through an (Artist Book).

Levetiracetam Treatment Causing False Negative Screening Test in a Woman With Aldosterone Producing Adenoma

Background: Endocrine hypertension accounts for 5–10% of hypertensive population, with primary hyperaldosteronism being the most frequently encountered diagnosis. Biochemical tests are subject to interference with many drugs that may lead to false positive or negative results.We present a case of aldosterone producing adenoma associated with false negative screening test due to Levetiracetam use. Clinical Case: A 30 year-old Middle Eastern woman was referred to endocrinology clinic for evaluation of secondary hypertension and persistent hypokalemia. Six years ago, she presented to emergency room during the 3rd trimester of her second pregnancy with severe preeclampsia and seizure. Postpartum, she was discharged on Levetiracetam (Keppra) 500 mg orally BID. Upon follow up visits, she continued to have persistent elevation of blood pressure readings with spontaneous hypokalemia ranging 2.5–3.2 mEq/L. She was started on Perindopril 10 mg daily and potassium supplement. Amlodipine 5 mg daily was added shortly later on. Clinically, she had regular menstrual cycle. She did not have plethora, central obesity, easy bruising, or proximal muscle weakness. Her review of systems including thyroid-related symptoms were normal. There was no family history of hypertension or adrenal tumors. On examination, BP 180/110, pulse rate 78, weight 58 kg and BMI 25. Her physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. After holding Perindopril for 4 weeks, biochemical tests showed creatinine 0.52 mg/dL (0.49–1.1), urea 16.8 mg/dL, potassium 2.9 mEq/L (3.5–5.2), direct renin concentration (DRC) 100.6 pg/mL, aldosterone 54.25 ng/dL. Plasma fractionated metanephrines were normal and morning cortisol level after 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test was 0.72 mcg/dL. Renal arterial doppler showed normal renal blood flow without any significant stenosis. Despite increasing potassium supplement she continued to have hypokalemia. As levetiracetam was reported by literature review to cause severe hypokalemia, it was stopped after discussion with neurology. Four weeks later, repeated DRC was suppressed 4.0 pg/mL with elevated aldosterone 62.73 ng/dL. Furthermore, primary hyperaldosternism was confirmed after normal saline suppression test revealed unsuppressed aldosterone 15 ng/dL. An Adrenal CT scan showed a small hypodense right adrenal lesion measuring 11x9 mm with a pre-contrast density of 7 HU and post contrast absolute washout more than 60%. Patient elected to undergo right adrenalectomy. 24 hours post surgery, aldosterone level dropped to 4.0 ng/dL and potassium increased to 5 mEq/L. Fortunately, hypertension and hypokalemia have both resolved after surgery. Conclusion: We are first to report that Levetiracetam can cause unsuppressed direct plasma rennin concentration (DRC) and potentially could result in a false negative screening test for primary hyperaldosteronism.

Digital Epidemiologic Research on Multilevel Risks for HIV Acquisition and Other Health Outcomes Among Transgender Women in Eastern and Southern United States: Protocol for an Online Cohort.

BackgroundThe HIV epidemic disproportionately impacts transgender women in the United States. Cohort studies identify unique risks for affected populations, but use of facility-based methods may bias findings towards individuals living in research catchment areas, more engaged in health services, or, in the case of transgender populations, those who are open about their transgender identity. Digital clinical trials and other online research methods are increasingly common, providing opportunity to reach those not commonly engaged in research. Simultaneously, there is a need to understand potential biases associated with digital research, how these methods perform, and whether they are accepted across populations.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the feasibility of developing and implementing an online cohort of transgender women to assess risks for HIV acquisition and other health experiences. Further, this study aims to evaluate how an online cohort compares to a site-based, technology-enhanced cohort for epidemiologic research. The overarching goal is to estimate incidence of HIV and other health outcomes among transgender women in eastern and southern United States.MethodsThis substudy is part of a larger multisite prospective cohort (LITE) conducted among transgender women, which also includes a site-based, technology-enhanced cohort in 6 eastern and southern US cities. The online cohort was launched to enroll and follow participants across 72 cities in the same region and with similar demographic characteristics as the site-based cohort. Participants are followed for 24 months. Adult transgender women are recruited via convenience sampling (eg, peer referrals, social media, and dating apps). Participants reporting negative or unknown HIV status are enrolled in a baseline study visit, complete a sociobehavioral survey, and provide oral fluid specimens to test for HIV. Participants not living with HIV (lab-confirmed) at baseline are offered enrollment into the cohort; follow-up assessments occur every 6 months.ResultsEnrollment into the online cohort launched in January 2019. Active recruitment stopped in May 2019, and enrollment officially closed in August 2020. A total of 580 participants enrolled into and are followed in the cohort. A recruitment-enrollment cascade was observed across screening, consent, and completion of study activities. Implementation experiences with HIV test kits highlight the need for heavy staff engagement to support participant engagement, visit completion, and retention, even with automated digital procedures.ConclusionsThis study is responsive to increasing research interest in digital observational and intervention research, particularly for populations who are most affected by the HIV epidemic and for those who may otherwise not participate in person. The progression across stages of the recruitment-enrollment cascade provides useful insight for implementation of cohort studies in the online environment.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/29152

Crystallization of the Islamic Feminist Fatema Mernissi in Maruf Al Rusafi's Poetry

Islamic feminism tackles Eastern women who are often viewed as shackled by social oppression, religious manacles, and domestic confinement in various literary works. They often suffer exclusion from the public life in an age afflicted by extremity and heretical exercises. The notion that women are shame and a likely reason of dishonor seems to appeal to some Muslim communities; a notion that was bitterly widespread in communities before Islam whereas baby girls were buried alive so that their fathers could dispense with their shame. The paper reveals a clear affinity between the theoretical views of the Moroccan feminist, Fatema Mernissi and some enthusiastic feminist poems of the Iraqi poet Marruf Al Rusafi. It highlights the woman's position and rights in Islamic communities and how a woman practices a life within these norms. Mernissi, on the one hand, is one of the precursors of Islamic feminists who published many books and articles trying to unveil and uplift at the same time the Muslim woman's status. Her publications got wide responses, sometimes abhorring and other times hailing. Marruf Al Rusafi, on the other hand, is an Iraqi nation bard whose ideas align with Fatema’s in fighting dogmatic ills and to arouse social conscience. For him, the absence of the woman's role in life causes absence of tolerance, mercy, and advancement.

From Invisible to Actualized: Imagery and Identity in Photos of Women in the Gulf

Abstract After reviewing how Middle Eastern women have been photographed historically, the paper explores how contemporary Gulf women represent themselves, both behind and in front of the camera. Initially, women were invisible, then eroticized or exoticized in Orientalist photography, only to appear in early twentieth-century family portraits as both the repository of cultural values and as the new, modern woman. The reaction of contemporary Gulf female photographers to perceptions of themselves as jobless, nameless, faceless, and voiceless is presented in examples of art photography-cum-political commentary. The media coverage of Qatar’s Shaykha Mūza is analyzed in terms of her use of clothing as nonverbal communication and as a form of soft-power politics. It is followed by a discussion of the rules – formal and informal – for publishing photos of females. The paper concludes with a survey of Gulf females’ use of selfies. Thus, three aspects of photography – as art, as photojournalism, and as private communication – demonstrate how Gulf women visually represent their identities.

Psychological distress in middle eastern immigrants to the United States: A challenge to the healthy migrant model?

Research has documented a robust mental health advantage among Asian and Latino immigrants to the United States relative to the native-born. The current investigation extended this line of research, asking whether Middle Eastern immigrants to the United States enjoy a similar mental health advantage. Drawing on pooled cross-sections from the 2007-2018 National Health Interview Surveys, we used OLS regression to examine psychological distress in Middle Eastern immigrants relative to both native-born Whites and immigrants from other global regions. We used statistical interactions to assess whether gender and period differences are contingent on region of birth. Findings reveal that the average level of psychological distress is higher among Middle Eastern immigrants than among both U.S.-born Whites and immigrants from other regions. Despite changing circumstances of migration for Middle Easterners and implementation in the United States of anti-immigrant policies, we see no evidence that distress increased more among immigrants compared to native-born Whites. Results point to greater psychological distress among Middle Eastern women than their native-born White counterparts and women from other immigrant groups, as well as Middle Eastern men. In contrast, psychological distress levels for Middle Eastern and native-born White men were indistinguishable, suggesting that the Middle Eastern mental health disadvantage in the United States is borne solely by women. Results show that the mental health advantage enjoyed by some immigrant groups does not extend to Middle Eastern women, contradicting the healthy migrant model and challenging the assumption of a uniform mental health advantage across immigrant groups.

Queer representation in Arab and Middle Eastern Films

Queer representations have been present since the 1930s in Arab and Middle Eastern cinema, albeit always in coded forms. However, the idea of homosexuality or queerness in the Middle East is still not tolerated due to religious, political, social and cultural reasons. Middle Eastern filmmakers who represent homosexual relations in their films could face consequences ranging from censorship to punishment by the State or religious extremists. This article explores the representation of lesbians in three transnational Middle Eastern women’s films: Caramel (Sukkar banat, 2007) by Nadine Labaki, set in Lebanon, Circumstance (2011) by Maryam Keshavarz, set in Iran, and In Between (Bar Bahar, 2016) by Maysaloun Hamoud, set in Israel/Palestine. It analyses the position the female lesbian protagonists occupy in the narrative structure and their treatment within the cinematic discourse. The article will examine mise-en-scène elements and compare each director’s stylistic and directorial approach in representing homosexuality within different social and cultural contexts. It will also prompt discussions related to queer identity, queer feminism, women’s cinema, audience reception and spectatorship within the Middle East.

Middle Eastern women's attitudes and expectations towards vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES): a survey-based observational study.

Trans-vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) is a recently popularised minimally invasive surgical procedure, aimed at minimising abdominal wall scars and improving pain and patient recovery times. Although vNOTES has been studied in the context of post-operative pain and cosmesis, women's acceptance of the technique has only been cursorily examined. In this survey-based observational study, we assessed the acceptability of this technique among a cohort of Middle Eastern women. A cohort of 175 Middle Eastern women were surveyed using a 13-item questionnaire at a single gynaecology centre. The survey used was a translated version of a questionnaire from a previous study (1) and comprised open-response, five-point Likert Scale and agree-disagree items. Among 175 Middle Eastern women participated in this study most of them holding neutral view on abdominal and gynaecological procedures via vagina. 47% of participants were unsure regarding the effect of surgery via vagina on their sexual function. Although 61% of the participants showed no preference towards vNOTES over laparoscopic cholecystectomy, more than half of them indicated preference if vNOTES shown to be as effective and safe as laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The gender of the surgeon was shown to have no influence on the perspectives of the majority of participants to undergo vNOTES. vNOTES may hold value for women who have conservative upbringing and/or value cosmesis. This study provides information regarding Middle Eastern women's perspectives on vNOTES, which may be of considerable clinical use as the popularity of this surgical technique continues to increase.

Theater in the Middle East: between Performance and Politics ed. by Babak Rahimi

Reviewed by: Theater in the Middle East: between Performance and Politics ed. by Babak Rahimi Hala Baki THEATER IN THE MIDDLE EAST: BETWEEN PERFORMANCE AND POLITICS. Edited by Babak Rahimi. London and New York: Anthem Press, 2020. 184 pp. E-book $40. Given the dearth of English-language scholarship on theatre of the Middle East, Rahimi’s Theater in the Middle East presents a much- needed scholarly yet accessible survey on the subject. The collected essays in this text explore a sample of Middle Eastern theatrical works from multiple perspectives, all while foregrounding the complex interculturality of this transcontinental region. In addition, each of the chapters in this volume stands alone as informed snapshots of the diversity of Afro-Eurasian theatre. They introduce new readers to modern and contemporary Middle Eastern performances as well as nuanced existing views on the subject by rethinking and reimagining this genre of theatre in relation to academia, politics, and transnationalism. Theater in the Middle East offers valuable resources for teaching the subject to an unfamiliar public, the need for which is highlighted in the very first chapter by Michael Malek Najjar. In it, he outlines the challenges of teaching Middle Eastern theatre in US universities and offers recommendations for navigating the complexities of the task. Najjar stresses the need to define and engage the region outside the limited frame of Mideast-US relations, which is shaped by the War on [End Page 601] Terror, the Iraq War(s), and the Arab-Israeli conflict, among others. Educators and scholars will find this chapter indispensable because it models ways of rethinking global pedagogy and collaborating with international specialists or artists in the field. It also lists numerous English-language resources for use in teaching and research, such as anthologies and critical writings, while underscoring the need to produce additional publications on the subject. The remaining chapters in this volume seem to heed Najjar’s call. The next three chapters round out the first part of the book titled “Pedagogy and Tradition” with snapshots of Iranian, Egyptian, and Moroccan performance. Rana Salimi’s chapter on late nineteenth century Qajar performances by harem women explores how Middle Eastern identities were reimagined during an era of modernization and social change. Not only does this chapter offer a concise introduction to indigenous performances like ta’zieh and bāzi, but it also rereads harem women’s performances through an agential lens and disrupts the perception of Middle Eastern women as disempowered subjects. Marvin Carlson’s following chapter on Nehad Selaiha, one of the leading theatre critics in late twentieth century Egypt, achieves a similar effect. It centers the often unacknowledged role of women as leaders in theatrical experimentation and advocates for freedom of expression in the region. Khalid Amine’s chapter also strongly features women’s voices by looking at ways in which the indigenous halqa tradition is reimagined and deployed in contemporary performance to challenge socio-political worldviews, particularly taboo subjects like sexuality and gender inequality. Most importantly, he asserts that performative hybridity in Morocco is a first step of coming to terms with postcolonial and neocolonial modernity. This critical view, echoed silently across the volume, can be applied across the transcontinental Middle East and encourages readers to view performance from this region as an innovative agential tool for countering subalternity and exploring paths toward alternative futures. Part two of the volume, titled “Politics and (Trans)Nation,” complicates this idea of agential performance by exploring its impact on Middle Eastern identity in relation to conflict, occupation, and migration. Gary English opens this section with his chapter on The Freedom Theatre in Jenin, a company in occupied Palestine. Analyzing several of their productions, he argues that the practice of theatre under both military and “mental occupation” acts as cultural resistance, allowing subaltern Palestinian actors to grapple with oppressions inflicted by both Israeli and Palestinian constraints. Continuing the focus on Israel-Palestine, Shelley Salamensky’s chapter looks at how transnational artists Sigalit Landau and Emily Jacir use [End Page 602] performance and installation art as a tool for exploring loss and displacement. She argues that their work foregrounds social construction and impermanence in its unsettling treatments of identity and homeland. Edward...

Migrant Middle Eastern women with gestational diabetes seven years after delivery - positive long-term development of beliefs about health and illness shown in follow-up interviews.

No previous studies have been found focusing on the long-term development of beliefs about health, illness and healthcare in migrant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The aim of this study was to explore this and the influence on health-related behaviour (i.e. self-care and care seeking) in migrant women from the Middle East living in Sweden seven years after delivery. GDM is increasing, particularly in migrant women. The risk of adverse outcomes of GDM for health can be improved by interventions reducing blood glucose and lifestyle modifications which medicalise the woman's pregnancy due to intensive follow-up and demanding self-care. The reactions might have an enduring impact on the women's long-term psychological and physical health and adoption of preventive health behaviours. Qualitative exploratory study. Semi-structured follow-up interviews 7 years after delivery with women previously interviewed in gestational weeks 34-38 and 3 and 14 months after delivery. Data analysed with qualitative content analysis. Health meant freedom from illness, feeling well and living long to be able to care for the children. The present situation was described either positively, changing to a healthier lifestyle, or negatively, with worries about being affected by type 2 diabetes. Beliefs changed among the majority of women, leading to a healthier lifestyle, and they looked positively back at the time when diagnosed and their reactions to it. With few exceptions, they were confident of being aware of future health risks and felt responsible for their own and their children's health/lifestyle. None except those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes had been in contact with healthcare since the last follow-up a year after delivery. Yet, they still would like and need a healthcare model delivering more information, particularly on developing a healthy lifestyle for children, and with regular check-ups also after the first year after delivery.