Women's Communication Research Articles

Sexual and Psychological Violence Among Pregnant Women in Tigray, Ethiopia

Background: Violence against women is a global concern and it is high in Africa particularly in Ethiopia. However, the attention given to this issue is less. This study aimed to assess sexual and psychological violence among pregnant women in Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional survey was done among 476 pregnants. Study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Pretested, structured, and interview was done using a standardized questioner. Logistic regression analyses (bivariable and multivariable) were done to identify associated factors. The odds ratio of 95% was used to show the strength and variables with p-value<0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results: About 30.3% women were experienced sexual and psychological violence. Sexual violence (15.5%), and psychological violence (22.7%). Having alcohol drinker husband [(AOR=3.15, 95% CI: (1.92, 5.18)], undesired pregnancy by husband [(AOR=3.68, 95% CI: (1.54, 8.78)], having another wife [(AOR=4.87, 95% CI: (2.07, 11.5)], unplanned pregnancy [(AOR=3.46, 95% CI: (1.51, 7.95)], low decision making capacity of women [(AOR=2.99, 95% CI: (1.85, 4.82)] and having medium economic status [AOR=0.53, 95% CI: (0.31, 0.92)] were significantly associated factors. Conclusion: Near to one –third of pregnant women experienced sexual and psychological violence during a recent pregnancy. Strengthening women's, empowerment and encouraging inter-spousal communication to enhance relationships, and to make join reproductive decisions are crucial to reducing violence during pregnancy.

A new tool to assess understanding of Down syndrome screening information presented by midwives

Aim To identify factors that could influence women's understanding of Down syndrome (DS) screening information presented by midwives. Methods Current literature was scrutinised. Components that could influence women's understanding were identified and a new framework was developed and refined. Measures were selected and developed to create a tool to assess the framework. Findings A new framework and assessment tool, measuring understanding of screening information and communication (MUSIC), was developed to assess women's understanding of DS screening information, their cognitive status and the midwives' communicative style. Conclusion This framework is the first of its kind, encompassing both women's cognitive status and midwife communication as an influence on women's understanding. Applying the framework and tool could inform midwifery practice by providing an insight into whether, to what extent and how, cognitive status influences understanding of DS screening information, the importance of tailoring information to each woman and highlighting areas of communication that are most effective.

The Political Role of Women in the City of Santri, Situbondo (Overview of Political Communication)

This study aims to show how the role of women's political communication in the city of santri (a student in Islamic boarding school) in facing political power that is dominated by men in Situbondo. It becomes a development in women's political communication in a practical and scientific manner. The reality of the political climate in Situbondo is inseparable from the influence of the kyai as religious and cultural figures, so each of his political perceptions and views certainly has its own perspective and far from gender justice. Consequently, this affects the political space for female santri in Situbondo. In this research, building theoretical interconnections from building theoretical frameworks used such as political communication, gender analysis and phenomenology, related to the focus of research. With a qualitative-explorative research approach, several steps in the procedure of collecting observational data, interviews and documentation are applied consistently and continuously. The results of the research are firstly Santri woman has a political outlook with the benefit of minimizing conflict; secondly cultural barriers as a medium of political communication are effectively overcome by female santri. Besides, female santri tend to override political choices by preferring the political choices of the figures they envision for benefit purposes.

The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Emotion Focused Therapy and Gottman's Relationship Enrichment on Woman's Communication Patterns

The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Emotion Focused Therapy and Gottman's Relationship Enrichment on Woman's Communication Patterns

Co-cultural Communicative Practices of African American Women Seeking Depression Care.

African Americans face unique communication challenges when interfacing with the health care system that has a history of discrimination and power differentials. In response to the trifecta of race, class, and gender oppression when seeking health care, African American women make critical decisions regarding how to communicate during the clinical encounter for depression care. The purpose of this study was to use focused ethnography to explore the co-cultural communicative practices that African American women use when seeking depression care. The concept of intersectionality was used to contextualize 5 domains that explained the depth and breadth of African American women's experiences and communication strategies when seeking care for depression.

Marital functioning and treatment outcome in couples undergoing assisted reproduction

To investigate the relationship between the quality of marital functioning and communication, individual psychological symptomatology, and pregnancy achievement in couples undergoing assisted reproduction. The results concerning marital functioning and the feasibility of pregnancy yield contradictory outcomes and the quality of the relationship of the couple undergoing assisted reproduction has not been analysed from systemic models. Our hypothesis is that when undergoing assisted reproduction treatment (ART), the couple's functioning and communication will be related to the pregnancy rate. This study employs a cross-sectional design with couples receiving ART. Spanish heterosexual couples (N=185) completed the self-report instruments. The data were collected from 2010 - 2015. All the couples completed at least one treatment process, or at least 1year had gone by since beginning the treatment. The association between couple relationship quality and the individual psychological symptomatology experienced during the assisted reproduction process was confirmed in men and women. Although both members of the couple experienced an increase of symptomatology, only men's symptomatology was statistically significantly linked to pregnancy achievement. It is necessary to support the couple from the assisted reproduction centres, promoting cohesion, flexibility, and communication in the relationship. The intervention process should also be understood from a systemic perspective; that is, considering dyadic transactions as a systemic unit. Two aspects seem to be especially relevant for clinical nurses in ART: (a) the man's role is crucial for treatment success; (b) the woman's communication is crucial to the process.

Understanding Sorority Women's Privacy Management About Condom Use.

Sorority women are at risk for engaging in unsafe sexual behavior. Fortunately, the positive influence of peer communication about condom use can mitigate the risk these women face. To better understand this communication, this article investigates sorority women's communication about condom use through focus groups, using the lens of the theory of Communication Privacy Management. The results revealed the criteria for privacy rules sorority women use to negotiate privacy and engage in comfortable communication with other women in the sorority. The analysis also revealed an external privacy boundary; the women sought to maintain a good reputation for their social group, and followed explicit and implicit privacy management rules to do so. The implications for this study include better understanding of the personal and collective boundaries of privacy management, and improvements in sorority and college student sexual health programs.

Encontros potenciais: a pesquisa em Comunicação e as abordagens feministas e sobre as mulheres, de 2005–2014

Este trabalho estuda as pesquisas em Comunicacao no Brasil e as abordagens feministas e sobre as mulheres nesse contexto de producao do conhecimento. Para isso, considera os artigos apresentados nos principais eventos cientificos da Comunicacao no Brasil, as dissertacoes e teses depositadas no Banco de Teses da Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior – CAPES entre os anos de 2005 e 2014. A partir do aporte teorico das Epistemologias Feminista e da Comunicacao, o objetivo geral do texto e mapear quais as preocupacoes centrais da pesquisa em Comunicacao quando seus temas sao articulados com aspectos do feminismo e sobre as mulheres. A perspectiva metodologica que orienta este estudo e a cartografia. A observacao dos 75 trabalhos, cujos resumos foram analisados, revela um potencial de visibilidade das mulheres na Comunicacao. Aspectos como a experiencias dos sujeitos, da politica e das representacoes apontam tambem as possibilidades da producao de conhecimentos para a transformacao social dessas duas areas. Palavras-chaves: comunicacao, feminismo, mulher, pesquisa, cartografia.

KOMUNIKASI POLITIK PEREMPUAN

This research has been aim for showing about how discourse analysis in media pilkada politic communication in situbondo, politic communication strategic was built by candidate of regency fatayat inhegemoni or power of priyayi politic in Situbondo. So became development in politic communication of candidate leader of area on practice and scholarship. Then many questions will be answered are: 1) how is Fatayat of women Situbondo preception of realty politic in Situbondo. 2) How do Fatayat women face the obstacles of political communication in Situbondo? 3) How do Fatayat women build political communication strategies in dealing with kyai political hegemony in Situbondo? By using qualitative-explorative research approach, some steps in observation data collection procedure, interview and documentation are done consistently and continuously so that the first research produce political climate in Situbondo is in the power of kyai (men) in gender analysis is patriarchy political culture so space women's politics are not as free as the political space of men. Both communication barriers and women's political participation are found in several factors, including cultural barriers, political capital constraints and human resource constraints. The three strategies of women's political communication are carried out in several ways: firstly lobbying, establishing cooperation with various parties and agencies, both communication processes ranging from message selection, media selection and proper selection of communication so that communication strategy becomes effective.

“Nobody Really Wants to be Called Bossy or Domineering”

This article examines talks given by 12 female media professionals at a Southern US university’s center on women in communication between 2013 and 2015 to identify the influence of hegemonic masculinity in industry speak about women and professionalism in the fields of journalism, advertising, and public relations. This paper applies a feminist critique of discussions about “work–life balance,” “leaning in,” “emotion,” and language about the role of technology and innovation in women’s careers, to argue that inherent in these discussions about media professionalism are traits that perpetuate binary notions of feminine–masculine traits of the workplace. As a whole, these messages fail to account for notions of intersectionality and perpetuate inequality and masculine power for future professionals.

Expanding Efficiency: Women's Communication in Engineering

ABSTRACTAs engineering fields strive to be more inclusive of women, focusing on perceptions of women's work is vital to understanding how women can succeed and the limitations they may face. One area in need of more attention is the connection between communication and women's experiences in engineering. This article examines the gendered nature of writing labor in engineering, focusing on case studies of three women who were able to use writing effectively, yet how communication emerged as a gendered form of labor subject to gendered perceptions. While these women's communication skills led to professional success, their association with writing echoes a historical division, where writing is viewed as less valuable than technical knowledge. This division has the potential to disadvantage women who are asked to take on more writing-related tasks. In addition, their writing and communication are subject to gendered perceptions of being ‘chatty’ or blunt rather than effective or efficient. Articulating these perceptions and attitudes can lead to a breakdown of the binary between writing and technical labor as well as appropriately valuing the contributions women make in engineering through writing.

Dual Protection and Contraceptive Method Use among Women in Heterosexual Relationships in Mahikeng, South Africa.

South African new reproductive health policies have given weight to dual protection as a public health intervention against unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. However, studies of dual protection have remained scanty and under researched in South Africa. This situation has left the reproductive health policy makers clueless about salient strategies to promote dual contraceptive method use. A survey of 568 women in steady relationships aged 15-49 was conducted in Mahikeng Municipality. Using multivariate logistic regression independent predictors of contraceptive method use were examined and presented as odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. Sixteen percent of the women were currently protecting against both unintended pregnancies and infectious diseases while 40% were protecting against unintended pregnancies only. Age, occupation, ever discussed condom use with partner; home language and religion were the independent predictors of dual method use. Non-barrier method use was associated with age, home language, religion, and duration of union. The study concludes that educative and enlightening programs that emphasize women's employment and communication about condom use may be specifically helpful in promoting dual method use.

ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА КОМУНІКАТИВНИХ ПРОЦЕСІВ В РОДИНАХ ЖІНОК ІЗ ПОРУШЕННЯМ ЗДОРОВ’Я СІМ’Ї ТА РІЗНИМ АДИКТИВНИМ СТАТУСОМ

Метою роботи було дослідження стану комунікативних процесів у родинах жінок із порушенням здоров’я сім’ї та різним адиктивним статусом, для виявлення мішеней подальшої психокорекційної роботи. З використанням клініко-психологічного та психодіагностичного методів обстежено 371 подружню пару (ПП), яка звернулася за допомогою з приводу порушення сімейних стосунків, серед яких у 321 родині мали місце прояви адиктивної поведінки (АП) у жінок (ДГ1), а в інших 50 сімей – нормативні показники АП у жінки (ДГ2). В якості групи порівняння (ГП) обстежено 50 умовно гармонійних ПП. Серед загальної кількості обстежених ПП встановлено два можливих варіанти стану комунікаційних родинних процесів: адекватно-адаптивний, що характеризувався адекватною зрілою згуртованою родинною комунікацією за усіма її параметрами, характерний для ПП ГП, і дезадаптивний, притаманний ПП дослідницьких груп. У свою чергу, серед родин із викривленням внутрішньосімейної взаємодії, виявлена спільність комунікативних порушень за змістом та структурою, але, відмінність за виразністю, що мала прямий кореляційний зв’язок із рівнем подружньої конфліктності (чим вище рівень конфліктності, тим виразніші порушення комунікації). Крім того, з’ясовано, що наявність соціально-прийнятних видів АП у жінки зменшує виразність подружніх та комунікаційних порушень, корелюючи з помірним рівнем подружньої конфліктності та менш вираженими порушеннями комунікативних процесів у родині. Враховуючи наявність у ПП ДГ2 високого рівня подружньої конфліктності та низького рівню родинної комунікації, можна говорити про наявність у них тяжкого ступеня порушення сімейної взаємодії. Для подружжів ДГ1 були характерними помірний рівень подружньої конфліктності та низько-середній рівень родинних комунікаційних процесів, що, в цілому, формувало середній ступінь порушення сімейної взаємодії. Показовим виявився факт “буферизації” тяжкості проявів порушень сімейної взаємодії за умови наявності АП у дружини, як патологічного способу псевдокомпенсації та каналізації негативних ефектів викривлення родинних стосунків. Отримані дані були покладені нами в основу при розробці системи психологічної корекції та психопрофілактичної підтримки здоров’я сім’ї за наявності АП у жінок.

Exploring the role of physician communication about adjuvant endocrine therapy among breast cancer patients on active treatment: a qualitative analysis

To better understand how physicians communicate with breast cancer patients about adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET), we explored, from the breast cancer patient's perspective, dimensions of the patient-provider communication among women who were on active AET treatment. Qualitative methods using semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with breast cancer patients (n=22) who filled a prescription for AET in the previous 12months. Interview questions aimed to elicit experiences with AET. We reviewed and coded interview transcripts using qualitative principles of inductive reasoning to identify concepts and themes from interview data. We grouped emergent themes into four major functions of physician-patient communication: (1) information exchange, (2) decision-making to take and continue AET, (3) enabling patient self-management and monitoring potential side effects, and (4) emotional support. Physicians exchanged information with patients in a way that they understood and enhanced patient's health literacy regarding the benefits and knowledge of AET. Physicians empowered patients to make decisions about their care. Patients expressed trust and confidence in their physician which helped them seek care when needed. Patients reported a high degree of self-efficacy to self-manage AET and were continuing treatment despite potential side effects. The results from our study suggest that women's interactions and communication with their physician may be an important factor that contributes to the continued use of AET. Physicians who can communicate information about AET treatment benefits, purpose, and expectations in a way that patients can understand is a critical aspect of care that needs to be further studied.

An Analysis of Women and Sustainable Development Goals

On 25 September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the agreed framework for international development. It is the successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, unlike the MDGs, the 2030 Agenda presents a much wider scope by deliberately and more fully incorporating economic and environmental sustainability, as well as the aspiration of many countries for peaceful and inclusive societies. The agenda also applies to all countries rather than just the developing countries. In this regard, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is more ambitious envisaging the eradication of poverty, the systematic tack-ling of climate change and building peaceful, resilient, equitable and inclusive societies. The Agenda, unlike the MDGs, has a stand-alone Goal on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. In addition, there are gender equality targets in other Goals, and a more consistent call for sex disaggregation of data across many indicators.UN Women Communications and Advocacy Section in New York conducted an analysis of what the 17 SDGs adopted mean to women in order to inform strategic interventions building on the efforts of localization at country and regional levels. This analysis has been collated in this publication and linked to UN Women Eastern and Southern Africa Regional and Country Office priorities. Concrete examples programming interventions by UN Women country offices in the region are pro led in relation to specific SDGs and how those streams of interventions could lead to localization efforts. This has been done through an analysis of all annual reports submitted by regional/ multi/country offices to identify work streams feeding into the localization of sustainable development goals. The team comprising UN Women’s consultant on SDGs, Knowledge Management and Research Specialist and UN Women’s Regional Communications Assistant, under the leadership of the Deputy Regional Director, linked to existing analysis provided by UN Women on Women and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The publication showcases how women are affected by each of the 17 proposed SDGs, as well as how women and girls can — and will — be key to achieving each of these goals. Data and stories of the impact of each SDG on women and girls is illustrated. UN Women Eastern and Southern Africa region’s efforts and interventions as they relate to SDGs are also discussed under each SDG, including our programmes, intergovernmental work and advocacy for policy change.This publication is intended to help countries in Eastern and Southern Africa understand and appreciate the linkages between SDGs and women and girls in their localization efforts and in establishing various partnerships and networks that feed into the vision of localizing SDGs at the country and regional levels.

Articulation and Concordance: A Dialogue on Civil–Military Relations in Fiji

Articulation and Concordance: A Dialogue on Civil–Military Relations in Fiji

Women Communication in Albanian Politics From 2005 and in Following Years

Communication is a process of relation. It is well-known that to communicate does not mean only to give a message but also to enter in a relationship, in which all perform their own roles and try even to create their own image. In this relationship, public (political) communication plays a special role, which in Albania is generally rude and aggressive. Political situation referring to communication is almost all the time in a kind of pressure especially during the local elections and parliamentary ones too. Very strong and harsh terms are used. In the last years, after 2005, political situation has shown the political language terms critters by telling which speaking manner has been related to both sides, the right and the left, on the conflict between both parts has been presentable all the time and who has identified most the lack of being clear. Political sides in Albania use special language instruments adding patriarchal and aggressive elements during their debates and discussions. Taking this role for a woman, it means to have a lot of courage. She has to take the risk that everything has the possibility to take place; she may be insulted and may be told offensive words. Unfortunately, verbal political culture of politicians (men) is not the one we all want and this shows their weakness in their discussions by using insults instead of arguments. Albania has been noticed a wild communication of women in politics after 2005 and in the following years, a characteristic which does not fit them, as women’s such behavior may justify that their presence in political activities may not feminize their role in such masculism politics as the Albanian one, in the battle for survival may have been unfeminine by themselves. The usage of a rude dictionary has been seen as an effective manner for creating authority with the people who around and interact with you. As a conclusion, women cannot “smooth” the nature of political behavior.

Postnatal gestational diabetes mellitus follow-up: Australian women's experiences.

Postnatal follow-up screening is recommended for all women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However follow-up rates are poor and highly variable in Australia and internationally. The reasons that mothers are not completing recommended postnatal screening after GDM diagnosis are not well understood or studied. The quality of communication may be an important influence on the completion of postnatal GDM follow-up. To explore and assess women's communication experiences of postnatal GDM follow-up. Theoretical, purposeful sampling was used to identify women diagnosed with GDM. Convergent interviews explored participants' communication experiences with GDM and postnatal follow-up. Transcripts were provided to and updated by participants. Data was analysed with Leximancer(®) (V4, 2011) automated content analysis software. This research was conducted at a major tertiary referral hospital in Queensland, Australia, between December 2012 and July 2013. Women participating in maternity shared care and diagnosed with GDM were interviewed (n=13). Five themes, all concerned with obtaining information, were identified: diagnosis of GDM; seeking GDM information; accessing specialist services; need for postnatal GDM follow-up; and completing GDM follow-up. Results were interpreted using Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) to explore whether and how the information needs of women were accommodated. Women's interpretations of communication events influenced their knowledge, perceptions and motivation to complete recommended postnatal follow-up. Accommodation of the communication and information needs of women with GDM may be an effective strategy for clinicians to encourage completion of recommended postnatal GDM follow-up.

Communication avoidance, coping and psychological distress of women with breast cancer.

This study examined the relationship between communication avoidance of cancer-related topics with psychological distress, and the mediating role of coping strategies, in women with breast cancer. Women diagnosed with breast cancer (N = 338) completed an online survey including measures of self- and perceived-partner communication avoidance, psychological distress (depression, anxiety and stress), and coping strategies. Linear regression analyses indicated that women's and perceived-partner's communication avoidance was associated with anxiety, depression, and stress in the cancer-affected women. Bootstrapping analyses showed significant mediation effects of self- and perceived-partner communication avoidance on all distress outcomes through greater disengagement coping, and on anxiety through lower engagement coping. Emotionally valenced topics (i.e., disease progression and sexuality) were most avoided and practical issues were least avoided. Enhancing couple communication about cancer and women's adaptive coping skills (i.e., discourage use of disengagement coping strategies and promote use of engagement coping strategies) may be important targets for psychosocial intervention.

Importance of Women's Relative Socioeconomic Status within Sexual Relationships in Communication about Safer Sex and HIV/STI Prevention.

The socioeconomic status (SES) of women is increasingly considered an important factor for HIV/STI risk. The HIV/STI literature has largely focused on women's absolute levels of SES, and therefore, the importance of their SES relative to their male sexual partners remains understudied. This paper examines the association between women's relative SES and frequency of safer sex communication among heterosexual couples. A convenience sample of 342 couples (N = 684) recruited in New York City was asked about frequency of discussions with their partner about the need to use male condoms, about HIV prevention, and about STI prevention in the previous 90 days. Differences between partners in education, income, employment, housing, and incarceration history were combined using principal component analysis to form an index of women's relative SES. Negative binomial regression models assessed associations between woman's relative SES and communication frequency controlling for age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, and relationship type using a generalized estimating equation framework. On average, participants had 2.5, 4.2, and 4.8 discussions regarding the need to use male condoms, about HIV prevention, and about STI prevention, respectively. A one standard deviation increase in a woman's relative SES score was associated with increased frequency of discussions about male condom use (adjusted rate ratio [aRR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.29), about HIV prevention (aRR, 1.25; CI, 1.14-1.37), and about STI prevention (aRR, 1.29; CI, 1.18-1.41). Women's relative SES may be an important factor for sexual communication, and further research on its role in HIV/STI risk may uncover avenues for intervention.