Women's autonomy - A cornerstone of reproductive rights

Exploring women's experiences during childbirth in health facilities during COVID-19 pandemic in occupied palestinian territory: a cross-sectional community survey

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to assess the prevalence of mistreatment during childbirth in the occupied Palestinian territory and to explore factors associated with mistreatment.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of women who gave birth in the West Bank and Gaza Strip health facilities. The survey was administered over the phone to women up to 8 weeks post-partum. Data collection took place between July 2020 and March 2021.

RESULTS

A total of 745 women participated in the study, 36·25% were from the Gaza Strip and 63·75% from the West Bank. The prevalence of mistreatment was 18·8% in which women reported any verbal abuse, physical abuse, or stigma or discrimination during childbirth, with verbal abuse as the most common form of mistreatment reported. Physical abuse was more likely to be reported by women with no labour companion with them (OR: 3·11, 95%CI: 1·24 - 7·99). Verbal abuse was more likely to be reported by women with less than three live births (OR: 1·71, 95%CI: 1·06 - 2·76, women with no birth companion (OR: 2·72, 95%CI: 1·36 - 3·80) and more likely to be reported if curtains wre not used (OR: 2·55, 95%CI: 1·33 - 4·88). Women with less education were more likely to report long waiting times or delays in receiving services compared to women with higher education (OR: 1·40, 95%CI: 1·06 - 2·10).

CONCLUSION

For the first time using the World Health Organisation (WHO) tool in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the study findings, show the occurrence of mistreatment and identify areas to be strengthened to ensure that all women have a respectful childbirth experience within health facilities.

Does Women's Autonomy Matter on Attitude Towards Condom Use in Reducing Risk for HIV Infection Among Married Women in Ethiopia?

Background

Condom utilization remains as the forefront guard to reduce the HIV/AIDS pandemic. However, evidence showed that the dynamics of gendered power, beliefs, and attitudes about condoms and sexuality retards condom use for a large proportion of Africa's people. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association between women's autonomy in health decision making and attitude to condom use in reducing risk for HIV in Ethiopia using a nationally representative, population-based household survey data.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out using 2016 nationally representative, population-based Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey. SPSS version 21 was used to analyze the data. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between women's autonomy in health decision making and attitude to condom use by controlling confounders. To declare statistically significant associations, adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used.

Results

The present study enrolled 6787 weighted samples of married women. The study showed that the odds of attitude toward condom use were 1.39 times (AOR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.04-1.85) higher among women who decide for their health care compared to its counterparts. Also, the odds of attitude toward condom use were positively associated among women who conquered higher education (AOR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.17-3.33), who had the richest wealth index quintile (AOR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.01-2.07), and who had ever been tested for HIV (AOR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.09-1.57). However, the odds of attitudes toward condom use were negatively associated among Muslims (AOR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.46-0.74) and Protestant religion (AOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.54-0.88) followers.

Conclusion

The study culminates that women's autonomy in health decision making improves attitudes toward condom use during sex for HIV prevention in Ethiopia. Besides, women's higher education gets better wealth index, and HIV testing perks up the attitudes toward condom use; but religious affiliation deters it. Therefore, efforts need to be done in promoting women's autonomy along with empowering women in education, economic as well as HIV detection. Furthermore, designing interventions that address primary prevention strategies like using condoms consistently along with addressing religious affiliation can have a significant effect on curtailing HIV/AIDS scourge.