Gender-specific Experiences Research Articles

Spousal Loss- Older Adults' Gender-specific Experiences With Resilience in Pakistan's Sindh Province.

Spousal loss among older persons is an emerging public health concern. Older adults from Pakistan's Sindh province may be particularly vulnerable when encountering the tragedy of spousal loss due to their age. Although resilience in older persons who live in social isolation has been researched extensively, less is known about older Sindhi adults' experience of how they achieve resilience after late-life spousal loss, and what different ways of achieving resilience are used by male and female older persons. This study aims to explore how older persons achieve resilience and how ways of achieving resilience differ across gender lines. The criterion-based selection of participants was undertaken before doing interviews. Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with twenty six bereaved older adults, ranging in age from sixty two to seventy four, all living in Pakistan's Sindh province. Follow-up discussions with the participants improved the credibility of findings and contributed to the depth and breadth of the study. Employing the concept of resilience as our analytical lens, we identified social engagement, cultural activities and leisurely activities that contributed to the post spousal loss resilience in older persons.

Making sense of peace in exile? Displaced people’s intersectional perceptions of peace

ABSTRACT This article enquires into how people with lived experiences of conflict and displacement make sense of peace in exile. For the analysis, the article focuses on displaced individuals in Kenya and Germany and theoretically complements the varieties of peace framework, situated knowledge and an intersectional approach. Findings reveal multifaceted perceptions revolving around the three dimensions of structural, collective and individual peace, outlooks shaped by gender-specific experiences, religious beliefs and familial relations. Interlocutors associate structural peace with experiences of sociopolitical, economic and legal conditions in exile, collective peace with support systems and harmonious interactions in communities, and individual or inner peace with desires for and feelings of happiness, hope and healing. Although analytically distinguishable, these three dimensions are inherently intertwined in interlocutors’ daily lives due to their lived experiences prior to and once in exile.

A qualitative analysis of derogatory labels used against persons with disabilities in Kashmir

ABSTRACT Approximately 15 per cent of the global population has disabilities, including 26 million people in India and 367,000 in Jammu and Kashmir. Persons with disabilities (PWD) face stigma worldwide, and derogatory labels in the Kashmiri language compound this problem. We applied stigma and labelling theories to analyse the effects of societal labels on PWD in Kashmir. Focusing on women participants, we explored the unique, gender-specific experiences of stigma they faced. We uncovered PWD’s experiences in the region through qualitative research and narrative analysis. We highlighted culturally specific labels deeply embedded in Kashmiri society, illustrating how these labels contribute to marginalisation. This approach offers a nuanced understanding of the social and emotional impacts of labelling on both men and women.

Advancing Black Men’s Type 2 Diabetes Healthcare Through Addressing Gender-centered Social Norms, Cognitive Scripts, and Manhood: An Integrated Public Health Approach for Reducing T2D Disparities

ABSTRACT In the United States, the burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D) health complications and outcomes is higher in Black men, and the diabetes disparities are escalating. Previous evidence-based research underscored the need to explore gender-specific experiences of chronic illness in social-cultural, historical, and clinical contexts. Our community-engaged qualitative study focused on learning from the live experiences of Black men (n = 15) in the Arkansas Delta area. Applying a narrative approach, we explored and learned from the participants about their perception of the consequences of T2D on manhood and the usefulness of T2D management instructions. Findings indicate that an integrated public health approach contextualizes social-cultural norms, cognitive scripts, and gender-centered expressions of manhood, a promising direction in T2D healthcare; social support is essential for emotional and physical help in continued T2D management; and connecting with Black men and their insights are vital to develop relevant and appropriate guidelines for T2D management care.

Work Conflict Map: A Bibliometric Review of Key Elements and Their Development

Work conflict is a pervasive phenomenon within organizational dynamics, garnering significant scholarly attention due to its multifaceted nature and profound impact on organizational performance and individual well-being. This bibliometric review scrutinizes the evolving landscape of work conflict literature, aiming to identify key trends, thematic clusters, and future research directions. By systematically analyzing a corpus of publications retrieved from reputable academic databases, including Scopus and Web of Science, this study provides a comprehensive overview of prevailing research themes and their development over time. Through methods such as overlay visualization, influential author analysis, clustering analysis, and density visualization, this study illuminates the intricate interplay between various constructs associated with work conflict, such as stress, job satisfaction, burnout, and leadership. Key findings underscore the evolving nature of work conflict research, highlighting emergent themes such as the impact of the pandemic, health-related concerns, and gender-specific experiences. Moreover, the study emphasizes the importance of proactive conflict management strategies and organizational support mechanisms in mitigating the negative consequences of work conflict. The findings of this study have significant implications for both researchers and practitioners, providing valuable insights into the current state of knowledge regarding work conflict and guiding future research endeavors aimed at fostering collaborative and innovative organizational cultures. Keywords: Work conflict, Bibliometric review, Research trends, Conflict management, Organizational dynamics.

Burnout among Medical Professionals: Analyzing Factors, Effects, and Coping Strategies

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence and contributing factors of burnout among medical professionals. It aims to identify the effects of burnout on their physical and mental health and to explore the coping strategies employed to manage this condition. Methodology: A structured questionnaire was distributed to medical professionals across various specialities to gather data on demographics, factors contributing to burnout, its effects, and coping strategies. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and visualized with bar charts to identify patterns and differences between male and female respondents. Findings: The study surveyed 65 medical professionals, with a gender distribution of 55.4% female and 44.6% male. Key findings revealed that the predominant factors contributing to burnout were long working hours (38.5%) and high workload (29.2%). The primary effects of burnout included physical health issues (32.3%) and mental health issues (30.8%). In terms of coping strategies, engaging in self-care activities (40%) and social activities such as having fun and going out with friends (29.2%) were most commonly employed. Gender-based analysis indicated that for males, the top burnout factors were high workload (40%) and long working hours (32%), with significant effects being reduced job satisfaction (28%) and mental health issues (28%). For females, long working hours (76.9%) were the predominant factor, with physical health issues (53.8%) being the most common effect. Coping strategies varied, with males favouring self-care activities (36%) and social activities (32%), while females equally favoured social activities, self-care activities, and setting boundaries at work (30.8% each). Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on burnout among medical professionals by highlighting gender-specific differences in burnout factors, effects, and coping strategies. It provides empirical evidence that long working hours and high workload are significant contributors to burnout, but their impact varies between males and females. The findings underscore the importance of considering gender when studying burnout, as the effects and coping mechanisms differ. This nuanced understanding can inform theoretical models of occupational stress and burnout, leading to more comprehensive frameworks that account for gender-specific experiences.

Adopting or Dodging the Heroic Model: Professional Trajectories of Estonian Women Architects

The article focuses on gender-specific experiences of Estonian women architects in the late Soviet and post-Soviet Estonia. Architecture has been, and to a great extent still remains, a rather masculinist field, adhering to an image of heroic individualist creative genius and supporting a very demanding and uncompromising work culture. These preconceptions often make it complicated to forge different career paths or to appreciate alternative or more cooperational modes of practice. The article asks if and to what extent the unwritten rules and prejudices have affected Estonian women architects’ experiences in studying architecture, establishing their careers, combining the responsibilities of professional and private lives, and building up their image as (women) designers in a general sense. Based on in-depth interviews with 16 professional architects aged 33–92, the article also highlights the differences and similarities of practising architecture as a woman in the Soviet and post-Soviet social and economic contexts, mapping them onto findings of international feminist research in the context of both Western Europe and the former Eastern Bloc. Additionally, the article refers to the productive possibilities of oral history as a method to complement and challenge the conventional architecture historical writing as well as the intersubjective character of the narratives thus constructed.

Evidence of Differences in Gender-Affirming School Experiences in a Sample of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth

Past and current research has often utilized a binary (ie, man/woman) category to measure gender and/or has combined multiple transgender identities into singular groups (eg, transgender girls and nonbinary youth as one category). However, transgender communities are heterogeneous and encompass much more than commonly recognized labels such as only transgender boys/girls and nonbinary youth. Furthermore, the small body of research that has investigated differences within transgender communities based on gender identity has found important health and behavioral differences. Using a large, national sample of transgender youth (N = 3,570), we investigated differences in health-relevant gender-affirming school experiences (ie, being referred to by the correct pronouns or name, authentic gender expression through clothing, and access to restrooms/locker rooms) among diverse transgender youth. Adjusted models (for outness, sexual identity, age, and caregiver education) indicated that transgender boys and transgender girls reported significantly worse gender-specific experiences in schools related to pronoun and chosen name use as well as access to restrooms/locker rooms compared with youth with nonbinary gender-diverse identities (eg, demigender and nonbinary), with some exceptions. Furthermore, transgender boys reported greater authentic gender expression through clothing relative to most other youth with nonbinary gender-diverse identities (eg, gender nonconforming and multiother). These findings have implications for how we might develop targeted interventions given that we pinpoint several disparities in health-relevant gender-affirming school experiences among transgender youth based on their specific gender identity. Finally, this provides stakeholders with a greater understanding of the extent of heterogeneity within transgender communities.

Exploring Body Image Dissatisfaction and Psychiatric Co-morbidities in Rural India: A Comprehensive Review.

This comprehensive review examines the intricate landscape of body image dissatisfaction (BID) in rural India, shedding light on the multifaceted factors influencing individual perceptions and societal expectations. Delving into cultural nuances, economic disparities, and gender-specific experiences, the study highlights the pervasive nature of BID across diverse age groups. Unveiling the complex interplay between BID and psychiatric co-morbidities, such as depression and anxiety, underscores the urgency of integrated mental health interventions. The review concludes with a resounding call to action for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and communities. It advocates for culturally sensitive mental health policies, targeted healthcare training, and community-driven initiatives to foster environments conducive to positive body image and mental well-being. By acknowledging these challenges and committing to collaborative solutions, this review aims to contribute to developing comprehensive strategies that address BID in rural India and pave the way for healthier and more resilient communities.

The Uniform of Women’s Gymnasium Employees in the Vision of the Heads of Institutions in Kyiv Educational District (late 19th — early 20th century)

Modern-day clothing is an all-encompassing marker of social identities. We deepen the usual political economic and socio-demographic analysis of Ukrainian society with a cultural one, which acquires a significant mobilizing resource. The source base of the study is the materials of clerical correspondence of the trustee of Kyiv educational district with the heads of women’s educational institutions and the Heads of the Pedagogical Councils of the female gymnasiums and pro-gymnasiums of the Ministry of National Education regarding the introduction of uniforms for women who worked in women’s secondary education institutions. The hermeneutic method and the constructivist tradition of discourse analysis, as well as the latest approaches of Western feminist theory, were identified as research methods for the implementation of research tasks. Gender-specific experience should become an integral part of historical knowledge. The opinions of heads of women’s educational institutions of the Kyiv educational district regarding the introduction of uniforms for their female employees were studied. It was established that the absolute majority (95.65 %) of managers supported the proposal, as well as the fact of wearing uniforms by staff in some female gymnasiums without sanction from above. Self-affirmation of female teachers in the service took place through fashionable clothes, which contrasted with their small salary. Self-affirmation of female teachers in the service took place through fashionable clothes, which contrasted with their small salary. The latent dissatisfaction of the bosses with the fashion of female educators in institutions was revealed. It is substantiated that the “highly desirable / useful” introduction of uniforms to female educators was caused by individual and group level factors. The socio-economic and corporate-ethical motives of the chiefs prove the difficult gender relations in the teaching teams, which the uniform of female employees of gymnasiums and pro-gymnasiums had to correct. The recommended uniforms of female educators provided for the functional parameters of its cut, the minimization of decorative details and, most importantly, the dark blue color of the fabric.

Women and Parapsychology 2022 – An Online Survey

In 1991, the Parapsychology Foundation organized an international conference on the topic "Women and Parapsychology," held in Dublin, Ireland. The survey aimed for an assessment of the situation in parapsychology 30 years after this conference. Our team asked women active in the research field of parapsychology and related areas about their scientific careers, authoring articles, contributions to the field and gender-specific experiences. We distributed the link to the extensive online questionnaire on several e-mail lists and websites and also sent the link specifically to individuals. 30 women completed the questionnaire. We got a selective, non-representative sample, with a high average age and level of education. Due to these limitations, the survey did not provide complete clarity as to whether parapsychology differed from other disciplines with regard to the status and situation of women. Several aspects are comparable to the situation of women in other research fields. As is generally the case in academia, women tend to be paid less. They have to make greater efforts to be taken seriously by male colleagues, which can slow down their careers, in addition to career interruptions due to raising children, greater difficulties balancing work and family life, and the like. We found a relatively low proportion (10 women who reported sexual intimidation or harassment in the field of parapsychology. General funding problems in parapsychology are even greater for women because of the additional childrearing responsibilities and less institutionalized research. Some findings lead us to the thesis that it is not necessarily the gender aspect that is responsible for rude and inappropriate behavior on the part of male colleagues, but rather a tendentially greater openness on the part of female researchers for worldviews and heterodox research subjects outside of the scientific mainstream. This thesis must be validated in further studies.

Ending seclusion and restraint use in Victoria’s mental health services: The implications for women of the Royal Commission’s recommendations

This article discusses the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System relating to the reduction and elimination of the use of seclusion and restraint. The author focuses on the implications of these recommendations for women. She argues that the Royal Commission’s proposals stand to benefit all mental health consumers but did not address the full range of gender-specific experiences and needs of women. The Andrews government has committed to implementing the Royal Commission’s recommendations, and the author identifies a range of issues that must be attended to in order to ensure these matters are dealt with.

Women and digital government in rural India: Extending TAM with user assisted service

Public service delivery is an essential component of e-governance initiatives but the digital divide limits citizens’ access to e-government services, especially in rural communities. The Digital India initiative launched Common Service Centers (CSCs) to mitigate the physical-digital divide issue. The privately operated local kiosks are meant to ensure easy access to digital government services in India’s remote pockets. Although the literature indicates that females generally have lower perceptions and adoption rates of digital government, existing studies commonly assume women directly interact with government websites. We know little about gender-specific experiences of digital government through the user assisted and privately operated local kiosks. This survey study utilizes the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explore the gender-specific acceptance of public service through local kiosks in rural India. This paper argues that user-assisted kiosks help mitigate the gender digital divide by increasing the usefulness and ease of use of e-government, which improves rural women’s acceptance and use of digital government services. This field research brings insights from the developing world while recording women’s voices from underserved communities.

PSYCHOSOCIAL STUDY OF EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF ONLINE LEARNING ON STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

The sudden wave of COVID-19 has disturbed the growth and development globally. The present pandemic has withdrawn the learners to acquire physical knowledge which is an international concern. A blended model of teaching-learning was adopted globally by educational institutions to benefit both teachers and students. In India, educational institutions which mainly follow the long- established setup of confronting the teaching-learning process shifted into a virtual model. This study will focus on the teaching-learning practices during this pandemic situation. It will attempt to understand whether this new mode of teaching-learning is easy or difficult in comparison to an earlier model of education. It will also attempt to evaluate how the socio-economic status factor plays a great role in acquiring education in online mode. Through this study, various gender-specific perspectives have also been discussed and evaluated. Data was collected through a qualitative research method under which interview and thematic analysis were used with a sample of 20 teachers and students in total. Face-to-face conversation and the telephonic conversation was conducted for a duration of approx. 1 hour with each participant. Data analysis reveal various perspectives, differences, and problem faced by both teachers and students. It also reveals the gender-specific experiences and the impact of online teaching-learning practices on students' and teachers' psychological state. Moreover, it has appeared that both students and teachers desire to continue the offline mode of education if possible as it provides quality education as compared to the online mode of education.

Experiences of Disclosure and Reactions of Close Ones from the Perspective of Child Sexual Abuse Survivors: A Qualitative Analysis of Gender Specificities

ABSTRACT The disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex process that remains partially understood, despite its crucial role in survivors’ recovery. Gender specific experiences of disclosure have been little investigated while this information is crucial to better tailor interventions for survivors. This qualitative study aims to 1) explore survivors’ experiences in disclosing to close ones, and 2) contrast experiences of male and female survivors. Fifty-one CSA survivors (25 women and 26 men) aged 18 years or older were recruited via community services for survivors. Two main categories emerged from thematic content analysis: 1) experiences of disclosure hindering CSA recovery or 2) ones fostering CSA recovery. Men felt ignored when their close ones were focused on their own emotions of indifference, helplessness and guilt toward CSA. Men felt guilty when confronted with reactions of blame for their own inaction or disempowered when pressured to remain silent or to forgive. Women felt ignored when their close ones showed anger toward their perpetrator. Women felt guilty when they were held accountable for CSA events or disempowered when pressured to take legal actions. Women, but not men, reported feeling considered through caring and heart-to-heart discussions. Recommendations for awareness messages and practitioners are discussed.

Facilitated arts engagement with women veterans for health and well-being

To demonstrate the health and well-being benefits of facilitated arts engagement with women veterans, we draw on a key practice-based example from the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum (ANVAM), an organization with expertise in collaborative art-making with veterans. We outline ANVAM’s framework and the processes art therapists use to create facilitated art exhibitions. We discuss how veterans’ involvement with art-making has therapeutic benefits, can contribute new knowledge on health and well-being, and convey nuances of gender-specific experiences. We briefly outline the trend in evidence from academic literature on arts-health research with veterans and the sparse creative research with women veterans to highlight the potential of art-based methods in veteran health and well-being research, given growing numbers and the expanding roles of women in defence. Arts-health research using diverse methods has yielded promising results in this field. As such, interdisciplinary, co-designed, and strength-based art-based research with women veterans can add to knowledge co-creation on this topic.

Usability and Emotions of Mental Health Assessment Tools: Comparing Mobile App and Paper-and-Pencil Modalities

Users’ experiences in mental health assessment are multifaceted, including their emotional experiences. Yet, studies of mobile apps for psychiatric assessment have centered on diagnostic accuracy and perceived usability, with little consideration of the impact of user emotional experiences. In this study, we focused on users’ perceived usability and emotions and compared the user experience of a paper-and-pencil and an app-based collection of mental health screening questionnaires: EarlyDetect. The System Usability Scale (SUS) and modality-directed emotion questionnaires were administered using paper-and-pencil or iPad. Modality was assigned pseudo-randomly on patients’ first visit at a referral-based mental health clinic. We found that patients assigned to the iPad app reported a significantly higher SUS score than patients assigned to paper-and-pencil, qualified by a modality-by-gender interaction where modality effects were significant for men but not for women. Moreover, enjoyment was positively linked to perceived usability, whereas boredom, frustration, and anxiety were negatively linked to usability. Our findings illustrate the added value of studying user experience applied to psychiatric assessments, where both emotions and gender-specific user experience should be taken into consideration. We further discuss the implications for psychiatric assessments via app versus traditional data collection.

OVERTHROWING THE MATRIARCH: „ STRIBOR'S FOREST“ AND „BRIDESMAN SUN AND BRIDE BRIDEKINS“

If we understand „Croatian Tales of Long Ago“ not only as a collection of fairy tales, but also as an authentic piece of women's writing, i.e. as a text that records, embodies and articulates gender specific experience, new venues open for the analysis of this literary masterpiece..The two tales discussed, „ Stribor's Forest“ and „Bridesman Sun and Bride Bridekins“, I understand as the two sides of a coin, the two solutions of the same problem. On the surface, the two stories seem to have different plots and different characters, but if we look beyond the manifest content we find the same conflict latent to both tales: the conflict of the two generations of women, the old mother and the daughter in law. Talestalk about subverting and re-establishing female hierarchies, about subjecting to or rebelling against the rule of the matriarch. In both tales, the masculine is marginal, a mere object, while feminine is active; the subject. The female position, differentiated into the heroine and the villain(esse), is in each of the stories studied from the different perspective, i.e. the different character is the subject. „Stribor's forest“ demonizes the daughter in law and proclaims her power over the male illegal andher sexuality monstrous, while the old mother is raised to the pedestal of the defender of the righteous order of the maternal rule. In contrast, „Bridesman Sun and Bride Bridekins“ casts the rebel in the role of the heroine. Rejecting the maternal choice of a husband, she opposes oppressive maternal rule, described as monstrous, and successfully takes over.

"I Have Guys Call Me and Say 'I Can't Be the Victim of Domestic Abuse'": Exploring the Experiences of Telephone Support Providers for Male Victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse.

While previous studies have begun to provide evidence on the experiences of male victims of domestic violence and abuse (DVA), current understanding in this area is still limited, and subject to narrow methods of inquiry. Moreover, little is known regarding the challenges of providing support to men in abusive relationships, and how barriers to effective service engagement are experienced by both men and service practitioners. This is an important area for exploration, as the gender-specific experiences and needs of men have been historically overlooked within academic research and service provision. The present study therefore had two principal aims: first, to provide more detailed information regarding the nature and context of abuse toward, and help-seeking experiences of, male victims, and second, to explore the experiences of those supporting abused men. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four call handlers at a U.K. domestic abuse charity supporting male victims. Transcribed interviews were subjected to thematic analysis, revealing a superordinate theme of stereotypes and expectations of men which affected all the other three overarching and eight subthemes, including those detailing the range and severity of abuse suffered, the role of family and friends, barriers to reporting for abused men, and challenges in supporting them. Implications for services working with male victims of DVA are discussed: centered around the need for recognition, increased awareness, increased resourcing, and the provision of gender-inclusive services catering for the gender-specific needs of men.

A Qualitative Research on Access to Healthcare Services about Immigrant Women, who comes from different countries to Turkey

Türkiye’de yaşayan kadın göçmenlerin sağlık hizmetlerine erişimlerini, insan hakları, sağlık hakkı ve kadın hakları temelinde inceleyen bu araştırmanın temel amacı, Türkiye’ye çeşitli ülkelerden, değişik sebeplerle göç etmiş, farklı göçmenlik statüleri bulunan ve farklı sektörlerde istihdam edilen veya edilmeyen kadınların, sağlık durumları ve mevcut sağlık hizmetlerine erişim düzeylerinin tespit edilmesidir. Bu amaç çerçevesinde konunun öznesi olan göçmen kadınlarla yüz-yüze, yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. 18 farklı ülkeden toplam 41 kadın göçmenle görüşülmüş; verilere NVivo nitel analiz programı vasıtasıyla tematik analiz uygulanmıştır. Araştırma bulgularında, kadınların özellikle dil engeli, haklarını veya kullanma yollarını yeterince bilmeme, sağlık kuruluşlarında karşılaşılan, din, ırk ve cinsiyet temelli olumsuz tutumlar ve sigorta ile ilgili tutarsız uygulamalar gibi sebeplerle sağlık sorunlarını çözmekte sorunlar yaşadığı görülmüştür. Kadın göçmenlerin, kadın olmalarından ötürü yaşadıkları özgül deneyimleri, özellikle kendilerinin yanı sıra çocuk, eş ve ebeveyn gibi aile bireylerinin sağlığı için de çözüm yolları arayan aktörler konumunda olmalarıyla ve cinsel sağlık ve üreme sağlığı hakları bakımından karşılaşılan sorunlarla ilişkilendirilerek ele alınmıştır. Bu noktada göçün toplumsal cinsiyetlendirilmiş boyutu, sağlık hakkı odağında ortaya konmuştur. Bulunan çözüm yolları içerisinde ulus-ötesi ağlar ile sivil toplum desteği tartışılmıştır.