Women's Perceptions Research Articles

Exploring women's bladder self-care practices: A qualitative secondary analysis.

To describe women's experiences with a range of bladder self-care practices. We conducted a secondary, directed content analysis of qualitative data from the Study of Habits, Attitudes, Realities and Experiences, a multisite focus group study designed to explore adolescent and adult women's experiences, perceptions, beliefs, knowledge and behaviours related to bladder health. This study was conducted by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases' Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Research Consortium. Study methods were informed by the Consortium's conceptual framework, based on a social ecological model adapted from Glass and McAtee's Society-Behavior-Biology Nexus. Participants were recruited at seven geographically diverse United States research centres between July 2017 and April 2018. Data for the current analysis were collected using a semi-structured discussion group with 36 focus groups involving 316 community-dwelling adult women aged 18-93 years. Coded text was re-examined according to eight self-care behavioural domains identified through literature review and expert opinion as potentially influencing bladder health. Participants described many self-care practices they had adopted to prevent bladder problems or manage existing symptoms and conditions. Eight themes were identified: 'Choosing fluids, foods and medications'; 'Dressing for bladder health'; 'Promoting bodily cleanliness'; 'Managing toileting environments'; 'Timing when to void'; 'Exercising pelvic floor muscles for bladder control'; 'Limiting physical activities that challenge the bladder' and 'Staying home and navigating when away'. Thirteen subthemes were derived from five of the eight themes. Women use a broad array of self-care practices related to their bladder health. Research is needed to examine the efficacy of self-care behaviours for preventing or managing bladder symptoms and conditions, and to discern potential risks. Results have important implications for development of bladder health promotion interventions and public health messaging around women's bladder health. This study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding women's bladder self-care practices, which can be used by clinicians and public health professionals in designing interventions to promote bladder health and function. Women with and without lower urinary tract symptoms use a broad range of self-care practices that may affect their bladder health, including some that may be harmful. Because of the high prevalence of bladder symptoms in women, this study may help patient assessment and counselling regarding self-care practices. This study was reported according to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). No patient or public contribution.

A Study of Floral Images in Chinese-Western Feminist Art Creation

Both in the West and the East, for a long time, the plant “flower” has always been favored by various artists and poets as a metaphor for women, but mostly in a male-dominated society, the relationship between women and flowers was interpreted with a male vision, until the late 1960s, when the rise of feminist art and the awakening of feminist artists brought more attention to the fact that women's perceptions, emotions, and representations of the world were vastly different from those of men. Feminist artists have a strong sense of self, and their individuality often leaves a deep mark on their works. This mark is given a special conceptual language through the imitation of nature and is projected in the formal expression of their works, which becomes the unique style of each artist. Through these floral images, we can discover the artist's style and thus the personality, as well as certain social phenomena, psychological perceptions, and value orientations that characterize the times under the personality level. This article will compare and analyze the different artistic expressions of flowers by feminist artists in the two places, as well as the artworks of the author's perception of flowers.

"I have to listen to them or they might harm me" and other narratives of why women endure obstetric violence in Bihar, India.

Evidence suggests that obstetric violence has been prevalent globally and is finally getting some attention through research. This human rights violation takes several forms and is best understood through the narratives of embodied experiences of disrespect and abuse from women and other people who give birth, which is of utmost importance to make efforts in implementing respectful maternity care for a positive birthing experience. This study focused on the drivers of obstetric violence during labor and birth in Bihar, India. Participatory qualitative visual arts-based method of data collection-body mapping-assisted interviews (adapted as birth mapping)-was conducted to understand women's perception of why they are denied respectful maternity care and what makes them vulnerable to obstetric violence during labor and childbirth. This study is embedded in feminist and critical theories that ensure women's narratives are at the center, which was further ensured by the feminist relational discourse analysis. Eight women participated from urban slums and rural villages in Bihar, for 2-4 interactions each, within a week. The data included transcripts, audio files, body maps, birthing stories, and body key, which were analyzed with the help of NVivo 12. Women's narratives suggested drivers that determine how they will be treated during labor and birth, or any form of sexual, reproductive, and maternal healthcare seeking presented through the four themes: (1) "I am admitted under your care, so, I will have to do what you say"-Influence of power on care during childbirth; (2) "I was blindfolded … because there were men"-Influence of gender on care during childbirth; (3) "The more money we give the more convenience we get"-Influence of structure on care during childbirth; and (4) "How could I ask him, how it will come out?"-Influence of culture on care during childbirth. How women will be treated in the society and in the obstetric environment is determined by their identity at the intersections of age, class, caste, marital status, religion, education, and many other sociodemographic factors. The issues related to each of these are intertwined and cross-cutting, which made it difficult to draw clear categorizations because the four themes influenced and overlapped with each other. Son preference, for example, is a gender-based issue that is part of certain cultures in a patriarchal structure as a result of power-based imbalance, which makes the women vulnerable to disrespect and abuse when their baby is assigned female at birth. Sensitive unique feminist methods are important to explore and understand women's embodied experiences of trauma and are essential to understand their perspectives of what drives obstetric violence during childbirth. Sensitive methods of research are crucial for the health systems to learn from and embed women's wants, to address this structural challenge with urgency, and to ensure a positive experience of care.

Assessing the Gap Between Women's Expectations and Perceptions of the Quality of Intrapartum Care in Jordan: A Two-Stage Study Using the SERVQUAL Model.

Although Jordan has made significant progress toward expanding the utilization of facility-based intrapartum care, prior research highlights that poor service quality is still persistent. This study aimed to identify quality gaps between women's expectations and perceptions of the actual intrapartum care received, while exploring the contributing factors. Utilizing a pre-post design, quality gaps in intrapartum care were assessed among 959 women pre- and postchildbirth at a prominent tertiary hospital in northern Jordan. Data were gathered using the SERVQUAL scale, measuring service quality across reliability, responsiveness, tangibles, assurance, and empathy dimensions. The overall mean gap score between women's expectations and perceptions of the quality of intrapartum care was -0.60 (±0.56). The lowest and highest mean gap scores were found to be related to tangibles and assurance dimensions, -0.24 (±0.39) and -0.88 (±0.35), respectively. Significant negative quality gaps were identified in the dimensions of assurance, empathy, and responsiveness, as well as overall service quality (p < 0.001). The MLR analyses highlighted education (β = 0.61), mode of birth (β = -0.60), admission timing (β = -0.41), continuity of midwifery care (β = -0.43), physician's gender (β = -0.62), active labour duration (β = 0.37), and pain management (β = -0.33) to be the key determinants of the overall quality gap in intrapartum care. Our findings underscore the importance of fostering a labour environment that prioritizes enhancing caregivers' empathetic, reassuring, and responsive skills to minimize service quality gaps and enhance the overall childbirth experience for women in Jordan. This paper is a collaborative effort involving women with lived experiences of childbirth, midwives, and obstetrics and gynaecologist physicians. The original idea, conceptualization, data generation, and coproduction, including manuscript editing, were shaped by the valuable contributions of stakeholders with unique perspectives on intrapartum care in Jordan.

성차별주의와 피해자 의식이 여성정책에 대한 인식에 미치는 영향: 경쟁적 피해자 의식의 매개효과를 중심으로*

성차별주의와 피해자 의식이 여성정책에 대한 인식에 미치는 영향: 경쟁적 피해자 의식의 매개효과를 중심으로*

US black women’s pregnancy communication networks: A qualitative network analysis

The ongoing Black maternal health crisis necessitates a closer examination of how Black women in the United States utilize communication to mitigate the dangers racism poses for pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of supportive networks to Black women's wellbeing during pregnancy. However, few studies utilize a qualitative network approach to explore communication about pregnancy and related risks within a social network. Twenty-eight Black women from 12 US states who self-identified as previously, currently or recently pregnant, were recruited to participate in this study. Following data collection, participants' networks and related commentary from the interview were qualitatively analyzed for composition and context of networks (who is in the network and why?) and the content of communication (what is discussed and how?). This study found that Black women's perceptions of pregnancy risk and enactment of agency in response to risk was influenced by communication with individuals within their communication networks. The findings of this study also demonstrate that emotional support and guidance for navigating the dangers of the healthcare system constituted an important component of communication with strong ties, including partners, family members and close friends. Additionally, Black women enacted agency in response to pregnancy risk by leaning on trusted experts (healthcare providers) within their networks. However, this study also found limitations to the role of pregnancy communication networks. First, negative ties (relations) with alters (individuals with whom Black women have communication ties) and unwanted advice or guidance was found to be a source of stress. Furthermore, although mothers were an essential source of support for many women, differences related to generation, culture and the circumstances of pregnancy limited the relevance of the advice Black women receive from their mothers. Finally, immigrant women faced an additional challenge, as their support networks were sometimes geographically distant from them.

Exploring the Experiential Journey of Women with PCOS Across the Lifespan: A Qualitative Inquiry.

Peri-postmenopausal women with the chronic condition polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remain at cardiometabolic risk and/or subsist with established comorbidity while continuing to manage persistent PCOS signs and symptoms, such as hirsutism. Thus, PCOS transcends the reproductive years, yet there is sparse scientific literature on the peri-postmenopausal years of women with PCOS. To explore how peri-postmenopausal women's perceptions about PCOS have changed over the lifespan since their PCOS diagnosis. A cross-sectional survey with one qualitative question was conducted via Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) among women with PCOS aged ≥43 years, who were all recruited from PCOS-specific Facebook pages. Of the 107 women completing the survey, 72 substantively answered the qualitative question. The qualitative responses were analyzed using the steps of reflexive thematic analysis. Themes were interpreted and discussed through the lens of the bioecological conceptual model. Respondents were 47.6 (±4.1) years of age, primarily White (87.5%), employed full time (65.3%), and married (75%) with children (68%). Four overall themes were identified: 1) dismissal 2) information desert, 3) PCOS experience over the lifespan, and 4) mindset. The study findings illustrated the unique healthcare needs among peri-postmenopausal women with PCOS. Further research is needed to further explore their healthcare concerns and psychosocial needs followed by studies that develop and assess interventions that promote symptom and adaptive coping strategies across their lifespan.

Women’s safety in Public Transportation: A case study of Jaipur city, India

Women's safety in public transportation is a major point of concern for transport planners worldwide, including India. Perceptions regarding safety can significantly influence commuters' mode choice decisions. This study aims to quantify the psychological factors that can impact women's perception of safety while traveling on public transportation in Jaipur, India. To conduct this study, we collected data from female commuters through a questionnaire, which included questions related to the respondents' socio-economic characteristics, safety perceptions while using buses, bus preferences among different types of buses, satisfaction with various attributes of public bus services, and Likert-scale responses regarding women's safety when using public buses. We obtained a total of 439 valid responses, which were used for analysis. The factor analysis technique was employed to analyze the responses, revealing that Infrastructure and operations of public buses, Safety concerns related to boarding/alighting, Information accessibility, and Positive sentiments towards bus stops are the major factors affecting safety. The results of this study will assist policymakers and transport planners in creating safe infrastructures for women to ensure their safety during public transportation commutes. Furthermore, it will contribute to an increased mode choice share of women in public transportation.

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on the Symptoms of Pain Perception in Older Women

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on the Symptoms of Pain Perception in Older Women

Empowering Women through Education: A Study on Reducing Violence against Women in Lahore

This study using MICS data with 2411 observations explores factors influencing violence against women (VAW) such as women's education (WEDU), safety perceptions (WS), polygamous marriage (PM), and age (WA) to inform targeted interventions. Utilizing data from 2,411 observations in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), a logistic regression model is employed to assess the effects of these variables on VAW. The key variables examined include women education (WEDU), women safety (WS), polygamous marriage (PM), and women's age (WA). The analysis reveals that women’s education (WEDU) and women safety (WS) significantly reduce the likelihood of experiencing violence, with coefficients of 0.516 and 0.441, respectively, both statistically significant at the 1% level. Polygamous marriage (PM) is associated with an increased risk of violence (coef. 0.939, p &lt; 0.05). Women’s age (WA) has a negative effect on VAW, although it is marginally significant (coef. -0.114, p = 0.051). This research provides a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing violence against women in Lahore, highlighting the importance of education and safety measures in mitigating violence. The cross-sectional nature of the MICS data limits the ability to infer causality. Future research should employ longitudinal data to better capture the dynamics over time. The findings suggest that enhancing women’s education and safety measures can significantly reduce violence against women. Policymakers should prioritize these areas to create safer and more empowering environments for women.

코로나19 사태가 미혼남녀의 결혼인식에 미친 영향에 대한 생태체계적 접근

코로나19 사태가 미혼남녀의 결혼인식에 미친 영향에 대한 생태체계적 접근

Digital Humanities and Women's Studies: Perception of Women in the Founding Years of the Republic

This article examines the place of women in society, their emergence as individuals, and their changes over the years from the Ottoman period to the early years of the Republic. This study was conducted with the help of the Ottoman Turkish Discovery Portal-Muteferriqa. Thanks to its collections of printed sources published from the Ottoman Empire to the mid-Republic and its search facilities, the concept of woman, the subject of the research, has been examined comprehensively. In this sense, after briefly mentioning the developments in the field of digital humanities, the article deals with how women have shaped their existence in the historical process, starting roughly from the Tanzimat Period. Three magazines with different perspectives were focused on, and thus, the approach of all segments of society towards women was analyzed. These magazines are Süs, Sebilü’r reşad, and Akbaba. The research’s focal period is 1923, when the Republic was proclaimed. The reason for focusing on this year is that even in this period, which is seen as an indicator of the transition to modernity, there were reactions about women that were not expected. Concrete examples of this can easily be found when these three magazines are analyzed.

Food and family care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A study of women's domestic workload during the first wave in Chile.

This study aimed to explore women's perceptions of domestic work related to food and family care during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile and its association with sociodemographic and health variables. We conducted a cross-sectional, analytical, non-probabilistic study. A sample of 2047 women answered an online self-report survey that included a Likert scale about the perception of domestic work associated with food. The survey also included an open comment section. The survey was available between May and June 2020, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and when most of the country had some degree of mobility restriction. 70.2% of participants perceived their domestic work as "regular"; being younger, having a higher educational level, caring for children or the elderly, and having worse self-perception of mental and general health status increased the chances of having a lower perception of the burden of these tasks. In comments, women declared how heavy the domestic work was, the challenges of being together with their families and of paid job requirements, and how family demands from them increased. Most women felt that their domestic work was heavier during this pandemic period: some groups of women could be at risk of being more affected by this extra workload at home. The importance of interventions and public policies with a gender perspective becomes relevant, considering the role of women in the home and the necessity to generate a social change regarding the domestic burden associated with gender.

Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Perceptions of Women in Yerevan, Armenia.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of female cancer mortality in Armenia. The government is considering covering breast cancer screening, but prevailing attitudes towards it are unknown. This cross-sectional study assessed Armenian women's awareness and perceptions of breast cancer screening. We administered a validated telephone survey to women ages 35-65 registered in Yerevan's polyclinic system between 2019-2021, assessing sociodemographic characteristics, breast cancer exposure and screening attitudes, using an adapted Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS). We analyzed the association, unadjusted and adjusted, between sociodemographic characteristics, screening exposure, and CHBMS scores. 170 women completed surveys. Most (82.9%) were aware of screening, 48.5% knew someone with breast cancer, but only 42.5% had undergone screening, predominantly without their physician's recommendation (63.2%). Despite elevated awareness, 76.2% had never discussed screening with their provider. Barriers included cost and mistreatment concerns. Education consistently predicted prior screening and most CHBMS scores. Armenian women are highly exposed to breast cancer, but knowledge and prior screening primarily emanate from non-physician sources. Results highlighted the influence of education, patient-provider relationships, and healthcare costs, underscoring the importance of multi-level interventions.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Advertisements on Women's Consumer Behaviour – A Special Reference to Tanishq Jewellery

This study investigates the effectiveness of Tanishq Jewellery advertisements in influencing female consumer behaviour. The research focuses on understanding the impact of advertisements on women's perceptions and purchasing decisions regarding Tanishq Jewellery. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection method. Primary data was gathered through structured questionnaires administered to a sample of female consumers who have purchased Tanishq Jewellery. Additionally, secondary data sources were utilized to supplement the analysis. Furthermore, the study reveals that while a significant proportion of respondents believe that Tanishq advertisements reflect the brand's values and ethos, there is an opportunity to enhance consumer connection by emphasizing these aspects further. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of Tanishq Jewellery advertisements in influencing female consumer behaviour and offers actionable recommendations for enhancing advertising strategies to drive brand growth and consumer engagement.

"Proud, brave, and tough": women in the Canadian combat arms.

Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, emphasizes the importance of leveraging Canada's diversity to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces. Currently, women in the Canadian military are underrepresented across most elements and occupations, especially in the combat arms occupations, including among officers and non-commissioned personnel in combat units such as infantry, armored corps, artillery, and combat engineering. Research suggests that the benefits associated with the inclusion of women in combat arms occupations include an increase in collective intelligence, operational effectiveness, task cohesion, and diversity. This article explores the gender gap in the Canadian combat arms by examining the findings from two recent qualitative research studies on the perceptions of women in the Regular Force and Primary Reserve. The authors analyze female military personnel's perceptions of women serving in the combat arms, and the ways to increase their inclusion in the military. The key findings reveal the following themes on women's perceptions of servicewomen in the combat arms: great job for those who want it; challenging environment (e.g., working within a masculinized culture, necessary toughness, tokenism and the "pink list," being treated differently, and family loyalty); unique challenges faced by women in combat roles; combat takes a toll on women's mental and physical health; and benefits of women's participation in multinational operations. The discussion highlights the need to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, promote a culture change that fosters greater inclusion of women in the combat arms, and increase operational effectiveness through training and policies.

When Will It Be Our Turn to Lead? An Evaluation of Women's Perceptions on Barriers to Access the Top Positions in Educational Institutions' Leadership in Kenya

This study evaluated women's perceptions of barriers to accessing the top positions in organisations' leadership in Kenya. The study had 3 specific objectives: to determine the women leaders' perceptions of the barriers to accessing top organisational leadership in Kenya; to establish how much support women leaders get in their attempt to access top organisational leadership in Kenya; to investigate the barriers women leaders face in their attempt to access top organisational leadership positions in Kenya. The research was a descriptive study preferred because it provides a comprehensive and accurate picture of the study subjects and to describe the inherent relationships, patterns, and trends demonstrated by the data analysed. The study findings were: women progression to top offices has not been easy, for example over 55% of the female Deputy Principals had stagnated for over 10 years in the same position without promotion. According to the study, about 22% of the respondents blamed patriarchy and gender stereotypes for their lack of promotion. Finally, the study found that family roles remains critical for the respondents. For example, 44% feared that promotion may result being sent far from home, while 39% did not apply for promotions due to family roles

Women's perspectives on mHealth behavior change interventions for the management of overweight, obesity, or gestational diabetes: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

mHealth interventions play an increasingly important role in health behavior change for gestational diabetes or peripartum obesity management. This qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis aims to explore women's perceptions of mHealth behavior change interventions for gestational diabetes and/or overweight/obesity management during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), and Psychological Information Database (PsycINFO) databases were searched using a Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation and Research type (SPIDER) concept framework through to February 2024. Included studies were quality assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. Study findings were evaluated using reflexive thematic analysis and GRADE-Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (CERQual) checklist. We identified 29 studies, representing 604 women's views from one upper middle-income and nine high-income countries. Two themes were generated: mHealth as a supportive tool; and mHealth as a personalizable tool. Women highlighted the importance of self-monitoring, information trustworthiness, peer support, motivational tools (goal setting, risk awareness, and problem solving) and convenience in achieving behavior change using mHealth technology. They suggest mHealth programs incorporate these elements to support user engagement and improved health outcomes. Understanding what women want as mHealth users is particularly important for effective interventions in gestational diabetes, weight management, and chronic disease prevention. Creating a better, more woman-centered experience by addressing central engagement issues should result in improved maternal health outcomes.

Men’s Perception of Women’s Passive Sexual Responses Impacts Their Decision-Making During Simulated Hookups

Men’s Perception of Women’s Passive Sexual Responses Impacts Their Decision-Making During Simulated Hookups

Exploring Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions of Young Women, Community Members and Health Care Providers on Legal Abortion in Lusaka District, Zambia

Background: In 1972, Zambia made abortion lawful on a broad basis. However, safe abortion services are still limited, and the necessary standards and requirements for executing an abortion remain stringent. Due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of abortion law, many women and girls continue to seek unsafe abortion methods outside of health facilities. Healthcare providers play a key role in the provision of safe abortion care to eligible girls and women, but little is known about how they handle it. The aim of this study was to Assess and Explore the Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of adolescent girls and young women, and healthcare providers on abortion in the Lusaka district. Data was collected from Chawama, Chilenje, Chipata Kanyama, and Matero Level 1 Hospitals in Lusaka District. Method: To answer the research topic, the study used Exploratory mixed approaches. Statistical Package for Social Science, Versioni20.0 (SPSS) was used. The matic analysis was used to examine qualitative data by extracting themes from the responses. To see if there were any differences or correlations between the variables' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes, cross-tabulations were used. This was demonstrated using Chi-square tests, which were all done at a 95ipercenticonfidenceiinterval with ai 0.05 significance level as the crucial level. For reporting, the SPSS frequencies were exported to Microsoft Word. Results: The study indicated that the knowledge levels on abortion among participants were high (93.25%). However, some participants on the other hand did not have sufficient information regarding the legality of abortion in Zambia. The theme analysis of reasons why they do not favor abortion revealed that one of them is religious, believing that abortion is comparable to murder. The findings also reveal that a person's religious affiliation influences their decision-making and thought process regarding abortion. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest.......