Rhythm Method Research Articles

المشكلات التدريسية المتعلقة بنظام البلاك بورد في تدريس المقررات العملية في كليات العلوم بجامعة طيبة

هدف البحث الحالي إلى محاولة التعرّف على المشكلات التدريسية المتعلقة بنظام البلاك بورد في تدريس المقررات العملية في كلية العلوم بجامعة طيبة من وجهة نظر أعضاء هيئة التدريس، استخدمت الباحثة المنهج الوصفي (المسحي)، ولتحقيق أهداف البحث أعدت أداة الاستبانة مكونة من (7) محاور، وطبقت على (160) عضواً من أعضاء هيئة التدريس في كليات العلوم من الأقسام (فيزياء، كيمياء، أحياء، جيولوجيا)، استخدم معامل ارتباط بيرسون لحساب الصدق الداخلي ومعامل ألفا كرونباخ (Cronbach’s alpha) لحساب معامل الثبات للاستبانة كما تم استخدام التكرارات والنسب المئوية والمتوسطات الحسابية واختبار (ت) واختبار التباين الأحادي للإجابة على أسئلة البحث، وتوصلت نتائج البحث إلى وجود مشكلات تدريسية تواجه أعضاء هيئة التدريس عند تدريسهم المقررات العملية عبر النظام بدرجة عالية، وجاءت المشكلات التدريسية المتعلقة بالطلبة في المرتبة الأولى من درجة وجودها بينما جاءت المشكلات التدريسية المتعلقة بالمحتوى في المرتبة الأخيرة، كما أشارت النتائج إلى وجود فروق ذات دلالة احصائية عند بعض المحاور لصالح الإناث حسب متغير الجنس ولصالح الذين يملكون مهارة متوسطة في استخدام الحاسوب حسب متغير المهارة الحاسوبية، وعدم وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية حسب متغير (القسم – الرتبة العلمية – الخبرة – الفرع- عدد الدورات التدريبية المتعلقة بالحاسوب) لجميع المحاور، وخرجت الباحثة بعدة توصيات أهمها: التلمس المستمر لحاجات أعضاء هيئة التدريس لسد احتياجاتهم وتكثيف الدورات التدريبية لهم لاستخدام استراتيجيات التدريس وأساليب التقويم المناسبة للنظام.

Upotreba kontracepcije i reproduktivne namere studentkinja Univerziteta u Novom Sadu

Family planning is the ability of individuals and couples to have the desired number of children at a time when they want to. This is achieved using contraceptive methods and the treatment of unintentional infertility. Family planning is crucial for women's empowerment, and gender equality and is an essential factor in reducing world poverty. The research was conducted on an electronic survey questionnaire on the final sample size of 660 female students from the University of Novi Sad (Serbia). Survey results were analyzed using SPSS 23 software for Windows (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). The aim of the study is the analysis of the reproductive intensions regarding the structure of contraceptive use, from which comes the secondary objective, which is identification of the need for the sexual and reproductive education of young people. More than half of female students use modern contraceptives, but a significant proportion of female students rely on traditional methods such as withdrawal (coitus interruptus) (26.0%) and calendar methods (10.7%).

Preferences and Motivations of Women Who Use Traditional Contraceptive Methods to Avoid Pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Introduction: When it comes to family planning, requirements and preferences vary among couples. Because of their mixed effectiveness, traditional contraceptive methods are often associated and accounted as unmet needs. However, interest in these methods is growing significantly. Nevertheless, knowledge of the reasons for the decision and using traditional contraceptive methods remains limited. The purpose of this study was to identify the preferences and motivations of women who use traditional contraceptive methods to avoid pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Method: A literature search was conducted in three electronic databases (PubMed/Biomed Central/Medline, Embase, CINAHL). Two independent individuals selected the eligible quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies published between 2011 and 2020. We conducted a narrative synthesis to organize and group preferences and motivations that facilitate traditional contraceptive methods use. Results: Abstinence, withdrawal, breastfeeding, rhythm method were the main preferences to contraceptive planning methods identified. Factors influencing the use of traditional contraceptive methods were the lack of knowledge, the side effects, the bad experience with the modern contraceptive methods, spousal communication around family planning, the husband’s opposition to modern methods, availability, accessibility, and the absence of side effects as well as the character of the traditional methods, the fact of living in an urban environment as well as the age beyond 30 years. Conclusion: This review identified preferences and motivations for using traditional contraceptive methods. These findings could be considered in different family planning programs to understand their role and help to estimate the contraceptive prevalence better.

Research on the Differences of Classroom Inspection of Primary School Teachers: Based on Optimization Strategy

Classroom inspection is a detail of the teaching process and an indispensable part of effective teaching. Through classroom inspection, teachers can adjust teaching objectives, teaching rhythm and teaching methods in combination with the actual situation to make up for the deficiencies in teaching, so as to continuously enrich the experience of teaching activities and improve the teaching effect. It not only helps to deepen the emotional communication between teachers and students, and harmonize the relationship between teachers and students, but also enables teachers to be informed of the students’ feedback information in all directions, and realize the regulation of teaching content and methods. Classroom inspection should run through the whole process of classroom teaching and play an indispensable role in achieving teaching objectives and the interaction between teachers and students. Taking a primary school as a case, this article investigated the actual classroom teaching situation of front-line teachers from grade 2 to grade 6, analyzes the differences in the use of classroom inspection by teachers of different disciplines and styles, and investigated the discipline nature, discipline status, teacher-student relationship, teachers’ teaching style and students’ classroom evaluation of inspection teachers. Based on the perspective of the current situation, the study put forward relevant suggestions from the perspectives of schools and teachers, in order to truly implement the classroom inspection and effectively improve the effect of classroom teaching.

Co-Occurrence of Violence on the Severity of Abuse in Intimate Relationships.

Several empirical studies have shown that women who experience violence in intimate personal relationships (IPV) commonly experience more than one form of violence. While it is recognized that individual trajectories of IPV vary over time, little is known about the temporal dynamics of this co-occurrence or its consequences. This study describes the different forms of violence experienced by women and looks at whether it is possible to predict when severe violence (physical and sexual) is most likely to occur. Data in the study comes from interviews with 70 women who had been victims of intimate partner violence. The life history calendar method was used to facilitate identifying kinds and levels of violence and the month in which violence took place. Individual victimization trajectories were found to be heterogenous and likely to change in the short term. The women in our sample experienced more than one form of intimate partner violence and co-occurrence of different forms of violence was common in individual trajectories. The characteristics of the kind of violence experienced were important in understanding the temporal aspects of acts of severe violence. The increased knowledge about patterns of violence provided by these results should help to develop better ways to intervene to prevent such events.

Willingness to intervene to protect the group from consequences of substance use

ABSTRACT Objective We tested relationships between three substances – alcohol, marijuana, and club drugs (hallucinogens, LSD, and MDMA) – and willingness to intervene as bystanders in potentially high-risk situations. Self-reported substance use was assessed during a typical week and during a week with multiple electronic music events. Method Two hundred undergraduate students were asked about substance use during specific days with a calendar method to promote recall. Willingness to intervene within peer group was measured with a 5-item scale. Results Willingness to intervene was relatively high (M= 4.27, SD = 0.74, range 1–5). Multiple linear regression showed heavy drinkers or club drug users had lower group willingness to intervene than non-users of either substance (β = −.16, −.21, respectively). Gender and event attendance were not related to willingness to intervene and did not moderate links with heavy drinking or club drug use. Conclusions Although overall undergraduates reported being willing to intervene to protect group members, heavy drinkers or club drug users had lower willingness to intervene. Future research should assess actual behavior. Programs addressing high-risk situations and bystander interventions might benefit from adding strategies that focus on heavy drinkers or club drug users.

Islamic component in calendar rituals and folk medicine of the peoples of Dagestan: traditions and modernity

The article examines the types and forms of manifestation of the Islamic component in the calendar rituals and folk medicine of the peoples of Dagestan that have survived to our time. On the basis of field material and literary sources, the author cites the calendar holidays of the first furrow, the beginning of spring, the collection of edible herbs, medicine. The Islamic component in these holidays and rituals is manifested by the participation of a Muslim clergyman in them, the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of verses from the Koran, the conduct of the mawlid and the ritual of zikr, and the distribution of alms sadaqa. This component has been woven into agrarian holidays; meteorological ceremonies with «binding the rain», the use of a horse’s skull, wooden and stone boards, «overturned stones»; «sacred» trees, springs and stones in the rituals of traditional medicine. Collected in a special sacred period of time (pre-dawn hours before morning prayer) on the day of Eid al-Adha or the holiday of spring, spring water became similar to zamzam water and acquired healing properties. There are no analogues adapted to Muslim holidays, calendar and household rituals, built on the tops of mountains and passes, special religious buildings of Tabasarans – «Prayer houses». According to the author, the cited calendar rituals and methods of traditional medicine belong to the category of syncretic so-called “everyday” or “folk Islam” and can serve as an argument in countering religious extremism. The reasons for the preservation and functioning of traditional rituals and beliefs at the beginning of the XXIst century should be sought in the stability of ancient beliefs and rituals adapted to the requirements of the Sufi form of Islam, the peculiarities of the mentality and ethnic psychology of the Dagestanis adherent to conservatism and traditional way of life.

Beekeeping as an element of the intangible cultural heritage of Ukraine: custom «wathching the bees»

The formation of the National List of Elements of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ukraine requires a detailed study and popularization of ethnocultural features of the objects included in it, in particular Polissia beekeeping, the traditions of which date back to the times of Kyiv Rus. Beekeeping has accumulated a rich production experience, worldview, folk knowledge, specific tools and devices that play an important role in the system of monuments of Ukraine, in the construction of museum exhibitions. The purpose of the article is to highlight the production experience of beekeepers based on field expedition materials collected in different areas of the Right Bank of Ukrainian Polissia, in particular to clarify the calendar markers of «watching the bees», which is the result of annual work of beekeepers. The realization of the formulated goal involves solving the following tasks: highlighting the essence of the concept of «watching the bees»; disclosure of terms of selection of honey from boards and log beehives and their change in modern conditions; identification of the main markers of bee sighting, related to the holiday-ritual and agricultural calendar, the development of honeybees and the stages of life of bees. The object of research is beekeeping – as a form of forest and domestic beekeeping. The subject of the research is the calendar regulation and methods of selecting honey from the sides and log hives. The methodological basis of the study were the principles of historicity, objectivity, system, complexity; monument, museum and historical research methods (analysis and synthesis, typological, comparative-historical). The ethnological method of research is used – collection of field materials according to the author's program-questionnaire; information was collected using the cluster method of research. Field materials are given, which illustrate the main provisions of the article. The scientific novelty of the article is that for the first time in the Ukrainian monumental, museum and ethnological literature the ethnocultural features of the beekeeping custom of «watching the bees» and its calendar regulation are covered. Used field materials collected by the author in different villages of the Right Bank Ukrainian Polissia are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The scientific novelty of the article is that for the first time in the Ukrainian monumental, museum and ethnological literature the ethnocultural features of the beekeeping custom of «watching the bees» and its calendar regulation are covered. Used field materials collected by the author in different villages of the Right Bank Ukrainian Polissia are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. In conclusion, the article notes that the «watching the bees» is based on customary ritual norms, folk knowledge and worldviews associated with the final stage of the annual work of the beekeeper – collecting honey. It is noted that the calendar terms of this production process determined the following markers: calendar holidays (Savior, Assumption, Immaculate Conception, and Intercession), agricultural calendar (harvest, digging potatoes), honeydew development (heather flowering) and stages of biological development of bees (completion of redness), preparation for winter). It is noted that the spread of domestic beekeeping and socio-economic processes of recent decades, which have led to a decrease in honeybees, external influences on bees (poisoning), the spread of diseases and as a result of a significant reduction in honey yields, have a significant impact on terms of «watching the bees».

How can the public health impact of vaccination be estimated?

BackgroundDeaths due to vaccine preventable diseases cause a notable proportion of mortality worldwide. To quantify the importance of vaccination, it is necessary to estimate the burden averted through vaccination. The Vaccine Impact Modelling Consortium (VIMC) was established to estimate the health impact of vaccination.MethodsWe describe the methods implemented by the VIMC to estimate impact by calendar year, birth year and year of vaccination (YoV). The calendar and birth year methods estimate impact in a particular year and over the lifetime of a particular birth cohort, respectively. The YoV method estimates the impact of a particular year’s vaccination activities through the use of impact ratios which have no stratification and stratification by activity type and/or birth cohort. Furthermore, we detail an impact extrapolation (IE) method for use between coverage scenarios. We compare the methods, focusing on YoV for hepatitis B, measles and yellow fever.ResultsWe find that the YoV methods estimate similar impact with routine vaccinations but have greater yearly variation when campaigns occur with the birth cohort stratification. The IE performs well for the YoV methods, providing a time-efficient mechanism for updates to impact estimates.ConclusionsThese methods provide a robust set of approaches to quantify vaccination impact; however it is vital that the area of impact estimation continues to develop in order to capture the full effect of immunisation.

Sex and Birth Control in West Germany

Abstract Pius XII’s Addresses to the Catholic Union of Midwives on October 29, 1951 and the National Congress of the Family Front and the Association of Large Families on November 27, 1951 were a pivotal moment in the history of sexuality in the Catholic Church because the pope permitted the use of the rhythm method for the purposes of family planning. They occurred at a moment of transition between Pius XI’s condemnation of contraception and abortion in 1930 and Paul VI’s denunciation of the birth control pill in 1968. This essay argues that these two speeches require greater scholarly attention and that West Germany represents a compelling case study for their reception. Other scholars document well the importance of Germany to the life and papacy of Pius XII, but little light has been shed on how Central European Catholics responded to his views about sex. In a fresh reading of the papal intervention, this essay suggests that the speeches only endorsed practices that had been common since the 1930s. In the midst of changing norms about sex and increased access to birth control as well as anxiety about rapid social change, Pius XII’s attempt at conciliation was significant but ultimately failed.

An Investigation of Traditional Family Planning methods used by women in the Bamenda Municipality, Cameroon

Introduction: Women in most sub-Saharan countries bear children at younger ages, have larger families, and make much less use of family planning. Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest rate of contraceptive use in the world. There are both modern and traditional methods of Family planning. Throughout history, the traditional family planning practices used to space children have been rich and varied.
 Purpose: This work sets out to investigate the diverse traditional family planning methods used by women in the Bamenda Municipality and the determinants of their choices.
 Methods: A mix of descriptive and exploratory research designs were used. The purposive sampling technique was used to identify 100, participants residing in Bamenda Municipality who were married/cohabiting, aged 21-49 years, and whose last child was ≤ 5 years old. The multinomial logit model, chi-square, frequencies, percentages, and charts were used for the analysis. An interview administered questionnaire was administered to women of childbearing age who were not on any modern contraceptive method.
 Findings: Results showed that the local family planning methods used by women in the Bamenda Municipality were; withdrawal, lactational, calendar, cervical mucus, and douches methods. Other locally used products presumed by these women to help prevent conception were; bicarbonate, honey, thyme, parsley, herbs, lemon, cola drink, alakata pepper, alcohol, hot water, salt, vinegar, and whisky. Results further showed that age, age at first marriage, number of children, and the fear of side effects all significantly influenced women’s choice of withdrawal and calendar method over other methods of family planning.
 Conclusion: It can be concluded that, the most frequently used traditional contraceptive method by women in the Bamenda Municipality are; calendar (70%), withdrawal (58%), and lactational method(45%) whose choices over other methods especially over modern methods was mostly due to the fear of side effects of the modern method. It is recommended further research be carried out to investigate and establish the efficacy of the common products used by these women.

Modern view on the etiopathogenesis of heart rhythm disorders and methods of their correction in pregnant women

Introduction. Issues of etiopathogenesis for various cardiovascular disorders in the structure of extragenital diseases during pregnancy pose an urgent problem and represent a global topic for further scientific research. Due to the high frequency of heart rhythm disorders in pregnant women, it is necessary to improve their management.Aim: to analyze data from the current literature on the etiopathogenesis of arrhythmias during gestation and effective methods of their correction.Materials and Methods. Literature sources of electronic databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Medscape, Google Scholar, Embase, Ovid Healthstar, Cochrane, eLibrary, CyberLeninka and scientific articles in peer-reviewed open access journals published across the last 25 years, including basic research on this pathology have been analyzed. The search in databases used keywords and their combinations in Russian and English: "arrhythmias", "arrhythmias in pregnancy", "pathogenesis of gestational arrhythmias".Results. There have been analyzed major aspects of the etiology and pathogenesis of gestational arrhythmias as well as potential causes for developing first-time rhythm disorders in pregnant women and features of the gestational period as a predictor of emerging arrhythmias in patients with pre-existing pathology of the cardiovascular system are determined. The article describes the most common rhythm disorders and acceptable ways to correct them, taking into account the latest recommendations and research in this area.Conclusion. The authors concluded that the etiopathogenesis of rhythm disorders during pregnancy and their treatment methods require further examination.

Relationship between circadian rhythm characteristics and chronotypes with multiple sclerosis: literature review

Circadian rhythm disorder is described as discrepancy between person’s sleep habits and usual, generally accepted sleep model during 24-hour period. Circadian rhythm disorders affect not only person’s working capacity during the day but also may reduce quality of life. The term chronotype refers to a specific circadian rhythm manifestation – person’s preference to sleep and to be awake at some point of 24-hour period. Both circadian rhythm disorders and increased serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines are considered as factors negatively affecting sleep homeostasis among patients with multiple sclerosis. It is important to recognize and manage circadian rhythm variations and associated sleep disorders among patients with multiple sclerosis in order to reduce fatigue, improve cognitive functions and mood, and general quality of life. In this review article, we describe mechanism of action of circadian rhythm, its imbalances, objective and subjective evaluation methods of circadian rhythm and chronotypes, as well as relationship between circadian rhythm characteristics, chronotypes, melatonin concentration, oxidative stress, and multiple sclerosis.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual and reproductive health among women with induced abortion

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has already been declared a global pandemic. To our knowledge, there is very little information regarding the effects of COVID-19 on women seeking reproductive health services, specifically abortion. This study was aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reproductive and sexual health among women seeking abortion services. We conducted a series of preliminary analyses using data collected from ten maternal and child health hospitals of seven provinces in China before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. The present study showed that a significant decrease was observed in the frequency of sexual intercourse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, a significant increase in contraceptive use including condom, rhythm method and coitus interruptus whereas a decrease in choosing oral contraceptives were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the pandemic was associated with increased intention of seeking induced abortion due to social factors. Future research should look into the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual and reproductive health.

Contraceptive Use Dropout-adjusted Unmet Need for Family Planning

Background: In the last two decades, unmet need for family planning in Indonesia remains stagnant, and contraceptive discontinuation has increased. These two indicators describe the risk of unwanted pregnancy in a population. Therefore, this study aims to develop an accurate calculation of the unmet need for family planning in Indonesia. Method: The study uses 2017 IDHS data to compare unmet need at survey-time and five years preceding the survey, measured by contraceptive calendar data that measured history of contraceptive use within five years preceding the survey. Unmet need at five years preceding the survey is measured by calculating the proportion of months not using contraceptive to the duration of months exposed to pregnancy in a period of 69 months. The study population is married women in Indonesia, with a sample size of 35,681. Results: Unmet need with contraceptive calendar calculation is higher than unmet need at survey-time. A difference of 3% concerns an additional of nearly 1.6 million unwanted pregnancies. This study proves that the high number of contraceptive discontinuations is directly proportional to higher unmet need with contraceptive calendar calculation. Conclusion: In Indonesia, with a relatively high contraceptive discontinuation rate, the calculation of unmet need using the calendar method is more precise than at survey-time method. The study results suggest the use of unmet need calendar for countries with high contraceptive discontinuation rate and provision of primary health care that is responsive to a potential unwanted pregnancy.

Climate-Smart Agriculture in Cascade Minor Irrigation System: Status, Scope and Challenges in Sri Lanka: A Case from Puttlam District

This paper discloses the status, scope, and challenges in familiarizing the climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices to the cascades or terraced tank clusters in the Puttalam district in the Dry Zone (DZ) of Sri Lanka. As a tropical country, Sri Lanka faces many challenges reducing the gap of trade balance in the economy. Reducing food imports can be considered as one of the solutions. Consequently, Sri Lanka is paying high attention to introduce the CSA practices for the DZ while identifying the most productive interventions. Karuwalagaswewa DSD of Puttalam district is one of the driest DSDs in the DZ of Sri Lanka and it has been recognized as a hotspot area to improve the agricultural livelihoods of the farming community residing in the highly vulnerable areas of the DZ. The secondary data of the study have been abstracted from the district and DSD level reports while selected PRA tools, FGDs, participatory map, seasonal calendar, Metrix rankings, and survey methods have been applied for collecting the primary data from Neliwewa, Ihala Ralapanawa, and Rambawewa Terraced Tanks Clusters in the DSD. The study discloses that current agricultural practices of Puttalam district are mostly traditional and there is a high probability to introduce the CSA practices. The major challenge of introducing the modern CSA is intragenerational and intergenerational attitudinal conflict and lack of scientific understandings of modern technologies in CSA. A systematic participatory approach is essential to sustain the CSA practices.

KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTION ABOUT CONTRACEPTIVES IN FEMALES: A QUANTITATIVE INSIGHT

Introduction: In India, the risk of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions remains high due to relatively low contraceptive use. There is deficiency of data on knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices towards modern contraceptives, sexual and reproductive health especially among the young female students.
 Methods and Materials: A survey was conducted onfemales of Meerut region, Uttar Pradesh during February 2019-May 2019. Questionnaire was prepared including knowledge, attitude and perception-based questions and data was collected from females who provided data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, perceptions, attitudes and use of contraceptives, as well as other sexual and reproductive health practices.
 Results and Discussion: A total of 83 females responded to the survey; median (IQR) age was 20-25 years, 51.8% in firstyear of study, and nearly three quarters (79.5%) were of Hindu’s faith. Knowledge of any contraceptives was almost universal (99.6 %) but only 22.8 % knew about tubal ligation. In terms of natural methods of contraception known, only (43.3%) were aware about the withdrawal and calendar method of contraception while (33.7%) has knowledge of Lactational amenorrhea method. 68.6%reported lack of knowledge for not using contraception.Overall, 20.4 % reported current contraceptive use, with male condoms being the commonest methods. Overall, 61.4% reported pressure by partner was the reason for the unwanted pregnancy18% ever being pregnant. About 9.63 % of ever pregnant respondents reported ever trying to terminate the pregnancy.

"Antibiotics Can Work as a Contraceptive:" Contraceptive Knowledge and Use Among University Students in Calabar, Nigeria.

Introduction: Many sexually active youths who wish to delay pregnancy are not using any form of modern contraceptives. In sub-Saharan Africa, less than 1 in 5 sexually active youth do not use contraceptives. In Nigeria, 48.4% of all sexually active unmarried women have an unmet need for contraception. Although the literature is replete with information on structural barriers to modern contraceptives, there is limited scholarship on contextual factors that may inhibit modern contraceptive use among Nigerian youth. This study uses a qualitative research approach to assess knowledge and use of natural, modern, and folkloric contraceptive methods among a sample of university students in Calabar, Nigeria.Methods: This study used data from focus group discussions among women and men in university halls of residence, all of whom were unmarried. Also, three male pharmacists and three female community health workers were interviewed. All focus group discussions and interviews took place in August 2017 and were conducted in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria. The audio recordings were transcribed into detailed summaries of the interviews and focus group discussions. All data analysis was completed using Atlas.Ti (version 8).Results: University men and women have limited knowledge of and application of natural and modern contraception. Participants listed folkloric methods of contraceptives, including repurposing pharmaceuticals (e.g., antibiotics, quinine, and Andrews Livers Salt-a laxative) as contraceptive agents. Respondents also discussed the use of non-pharmaceuticals such as water, salt solution, and squatting after intercourse as contraceptives. Generally, university students defaulted to withdrawal, calendar method, and emergency contraceptives as preferred methods of contraception. Lastly, condoms were used among participants in causal sexual encounters. In dating relationships, however, both male and female students cited their partners' hesitancy to condom use as such act could indicate distrust.Conclusion: Awareness and use of modern contraceptives are limited among university students in Calabar, Nigeria. The use of folkloric contraceptives could lead to bodily harm and unintended pregnancy. Further research is needed to elucidate factors that promote use of folkloric methods of contraceptives. Integration of contraceptive awareness into health promotion services for young people may help to dispel myths about folkloric methods of contraceptives while promoting awareness and use of safe and effective contraception.

Use of Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Pregnancy Prevention Among Ghanaian Women: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey.

Few studies in low- and middle-income countries have examined the use of fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) for pregnancy prevention. Understanding the prevalence of FABM use among Ghanaian contraceptors and the characteristics and practices of users is essential. Our 2018 nationally representative survey of Ghanaian women included detailed questions on the use of rhythm and Standard Days Method/Cycle Beads (SDM). After considering multimethod use patterns, we estimated likely FABM prevalence among contraceptors, identified characteristics associated with current use of an FABM (vs. current use of a hormonal method/intrauterine device [IUD]), and described how women report using FABMs. At least 18% of contracepting Ghanaian women likely use an FABM, though this may be underreported. Among FABM users, 57% reported current use of an FABM alone; the remainder reported concurrent use of other methods. Women who were older, richer, more educated, and had fewer children had higher odds of current FABM use versus IUD/hormonal method. Although FABM users were more likely than other contraceptors to correctly identify the approximate fertile time, only 50% of FABM users did so correctly. Most (92%) rhythm users were interested in making their method use more effective. While 72% had heard of SDM, less than 25% had heard of various other ways to make the rhythm method more effective. Only 17% of rhythm users had ever discussed the method with a health professional. Rhythm users indicated substantial willingness to track additional biomarkers (e.g., daily temperature or cervical mucus) or to use a phone to enhance the effectiveness of their method, and most indicated no substantial difficulty getting partners to abstain or withdraw on fertile days. A nontrivial proportion of reproductive age Ghanaian women are using an FABM, nearly all of whom are interested in learning how to improve its effectiveness. The family planning field should better address these women's contraceptive needs in commitment to reproductive autonomy and choice.

Quantifying the role of rhythm in infants' language discrimination abilities: A meta-analysis

More than 30 years have passed since Mehler et al. (1988) proposed that newborns can discriminate between languages that belong to different rhythm classes: stress-, syllable- or mora-timed. Thereupon they developed the hypothesis that infants are sensitive to differences in vowel and consonant interval durations as acoustic correlates of rhythm classes. It remains unknown exactly which durational computations infants use when perceiving speech for the purposes of distinguishing languages. Here, a meta-analysis of studies on infants' language discrimination skills over the first year of life was conducted, aiming to quantify how language discrimination skills change with age and are modulated by rhythm classes or durational metrics. A systematic literature search identified 42 studies that tested infants' (birth to 12 months) discrimination or preference of two language varieties, by presenting infants with auditory or audio-visual continuous speech. Quantitative data synthesis was conducted using multivariate random effects meta-analytic models with the factors rhythm class difference, age, stimulus manipulation, method, and metrics operationalising proportions of and variability in vowel and consonant interval durations, to explore which factors best account for language discrimination or preference. Results revealed that smaller differences in vowel interval variability (△V) and larger differences in successive consonantal interval variability (rPVI-C) were associated with more successful language discrimination, and better accounted for discrimination results than the factor rhythm class. There were no effects of age for discrimination but results on preference studies were affected by age: the older infants get, the more they prefer non-native languages that are rhythmically similar to their native language, but not non-native languages that are rhythmically distinct. These findings can inform theories on language discrimination that have previously focussed on rhythm class, by providing a novel way to operationalise rhythm in language in the extent to which it accounts for infants' language discrimination abilities.