Managing menstruation during natural disasters: menstruation hygiene management during "super floods" in Sindh province of Pakistan

Menstruation is part of women's normal life, which requires basic hygienic practices. Managing hygiene can be affected by several factors and situations such as natural disasters. Focusing on 'super flooding' in Pakistan's Sindh Province, we pay attention to how this 'natural disaster' has affected hygienic practices of menstrual cycle of women. The study meticulously examines the dynamics of menstrual hygiene management, encompassing the nuanced encounters with feelings of shame and embarrassment among girls and women situated in flood camps, schools, and community shelters. It also intends to highlight women's challenge and embarrassment to participate in the distribution process of essential resources such as pads. The insights garnered from this study hold potential relevance for various stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and researchers, offering a nuanced comprehension of the intersection of menstrual hygiene, climate change, and well-being of women.

Perceptions, Beliefs, and Experiences about the Menstrual Cycle and Menstruation among Young Women: A Qualitative Approach

The experience of menstruation is often associated with negative connotations and gender stereotypes, which results in making it invisible. This research aimed to explore the perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge of young Spanish women regarding the menstrual cycle and menstruation and their impact on their lives. The study delves into their understanding, menstrual management practices, the types of menstrual products employed, and their experiences related to menstrual health. Qualitative methodology was used with discussion groups as a data collection technique. The participants comprised 45 young Spanish women, aged between 18 and 23, hailing from both rural and urban areas. The majority were university students, with some engaged in part-time work, and one participant working full-time. While many experienced menstrual pain ranging from mild to debilitating, a normalization of this pain often led them to forego seeking specialist assistance. Disposable menstrual products (DMPs) are the most used by participants, despite limited awareness of their absorption capacity. Regarding reusable menstrual products (RMPs), menstrual cup users emphasized comfort but expressed a need for proper training. Negative menstruation experiences could evoke fear and difficulties, underscoring the importance of providing comprehensive menstrual health education encompassing both theoretical and practical components.

Relating Tabooness to Humor and Arousal Ratings in American English: What the F*** Is so Funny?

Emotion can have a profound effect on language processing, and taboo words have been increasingly used in research as highly emotional, negatively valenced stimuli. However, because taboo words as a lexical category are socially constructed and semantically idiosyncratic, they may also have complex emotional characteristics. This complexity may not be fully considered by researchers using taboo words as research stimuli. This study gathered tabooness, humor, and arousal ratings to provide a resource for researchers to better understand the sources and characteristics of the strong emotions generated by taboo words. A total of 411 participants aged 18-83 were recruited via online platforms, and all participants rated the same 264 words on tabooness, humor, and arousal. Analyses indicated that tabooness and humor ratings were positively related to each other, and both were predicted by arousal ratings. The set of ratings included here provides a tool for researchers using taboo stimuli, and our findings highlight methodological considerations while broadening our understanding of the cognitive and linguistic nature of highly emotional language.

Assessment of Reproductive Health Knowledge Among College Students in Northwestern India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Reproductive health knowledge is a critical aspect of overall well-being, particularly among college students who represent a demographic transitioning into adulthood. In northwestern India, where cultural nuances and societal perceptions play a significant role, understanding the factors influencing reproductive health knowledge becomes imperative. This cross-sectional study explores the interplay between demographic factors and awareness of reproductive health and infertility treatment among college students in northwestern India. Methods A diverse sample of 564 college students in northwestern India participated in the study, providing information on key demographic variables, including age, gender, marital status, degree, field of study, and college year. Statistical analysis, including the calculation of p-values, was employed to determine the significance of associations between these demographic factors and the participants' knowledge of reproductive health. Descriptive statistics, including percentages and numbers, were calculated to present a comprehensive overview of the data. To evaluate the significance of associations, chi-square tests were conducted for categorical variables such as age, gender, marital status, degree, field of study, and college year. The p-values were computed to determine the statistical significance of observed relationships, with a significance level set at 0.05. Results The study uncovered notable findings with implications for targeted interventions. Among age groups, participants aged 23-25 exhibited the highest knowledge percentage at 43.22% (51/564), and this association was statistically significant (p = 0.042). Gender disparities were evident, with females showing higher awareness (46.52% (127/564)) compared to males, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Marital status revealed significant differences (p = 0.0012), particularly in single individuals who demonstrated a knowledge percentage of 46.52% (127/564). Significant variations were observed based on the degree held, with doctorate holders having the highest awareness at 49.15% (58/564) (p = 0.01). Field of study significantly influenced knowledge (p = 0.0001), particularly in medical and engineering disciplines. College year also exhibited significance (p = 0.003), with the first-year students demonstrating a knowledge percentage of 42.20% (73/564). Conclusions These findings underscore the importance of tailored educational interventions and targeted awareness campaigns. Recognizing the influence of demographic factors on reproductive health knowledge is crucial for developing effective strategies that address the specific needs of college students in northwestern India, promoting a more informed approach to reproductive health and infertility treatment.

Cultural values influencing iTaukei women's discussion of family planning in the home

Pacific Sexual and reproductive health is influenced by cultural taboos and sensitivities. Although Pacific values are integral to family planning, open communication in the home is often difficult in the face of changing socio-cultural norms. This study explores the experiences of iTaukei Pacific women living in Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand, and their discussion of family planning within the family setting. The study utilises talanoa methodology to understand women's realities and their navigation through shifting sexual and reproductive norms in both countries. The study found that although family may be seen as a place of 'truth' in which appropriate, culturally sensitive family planning communication should be available, this was challenged by cultural taboos or tabu which were persistent in family planning discussions. The study calls for greater reliance on holistic approaches to Pacific family planning perspectives and a greater examination of vā or the spaces within which Pacific women's experiences are negotiated and informed.

Child Sexual Abuse Studies in Arab Societies: A Systematic Review and Directions for Future Research

Although child sexual abuse (CSA) is acknowledged as a worldwide social phenomenon, less is known about CSA within Arab societies. The current systematic literature review was designed to highlight the empirical knowledge on CSA in Arab societies. Guided by PRISMA principles, key databases were searched, with no time limit, for studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Fifty-seven studies were identified. The majority focused on the prevalence of CSA in various Arab societies around the world, with a wide range of rates reported. It is important to stress two main barriers addressed by the included studies. The first relates to the issue of taboo and the forbidden discussion of sexual content. The second is ethical, in which the researchers expressed their fear of creating emotional distress for their participants. A small group of studies examined parents' perceptions of CSA and the need for parents' involvement in the protection of their children. Another small group of studies focused on professionals' perceptions and experiences in contending with CSA, as well as their distress, conflict, and urgent need for support and guidance. The conclusions from the systematic literature review emphasized the enormous challenge of conducting studies on CSA in Arab societies and the urgent need to advance this research while also including children and adult survivors, whose perceptions and experiences are currently understudied. Moreover, the discussion stresses the need to adopt an intersectionality paradigm in future studies to advance the improvement of CSA policy and practice.

Intimate and sexual feelings in psychotherapy: educational topic or still taboo?

BACKGROUND

Intimate and sexual feelings are common within psychotherapy, with negative outcomes when not managed adequately.

AIMS

This study aims to investigate the understudied topic of these intimate and sexual feelings in basic education and psychotherapy training programs.

METHOD

In this convergent mixed method study, both a survey (N = 786) and 8 focus groups (N = 36) were conducted among psychotherapists in Flanders, Belgium (November 2016 - June 2018), using inferential and thematic analyses respectively.

RESULTS

The majority indicates that dealing with intimate and sexual feelings towards clients was hardly part of either their basic education or psychotherapy training. Talking about such feelings with peers or supervisors remained difficult because of concerns about being judged. Therapists indicating this topic was addressed in some way in their training indicated more often that they did not perceive it as a taboo topic. Therapists advocated a more open discussion and reflection on this topic. Education and training, as well as support from renowned key figures in their field, were regarded as important incentives to initiate change.

CONCLUSION

Psychotherapy training should focus on how to deal with intimate and sexual feelings, referring to introspection and exploration of these feelings in a more integrated way during training.

[The taboo of the impact of end of life and death on caregivers]

The impact of the end of life and death on caregivers is not well known by institutions and by the professionals themselves. However, they are all confronted at some point with the death of one of their patients, which can lead to psychological trauma. There are, of course, associated personal and professional factors that can lead to anxiety, depression, burnout and even post-traumatic stress. The psychosocial consequences are underestimated, both for the caregiver and for the functioning of the teams, departments and hospitals (or practices), as well as for the quality of patient care. It is time to break the taboo of the impact of the end of life and death on health professionals, to bring them to work together on this issue and to encourage institutions to get involved.

Experiences with Family Planning amongst Persons with Mental Health Problems: A Nationwide Patient Survey

High rates of unintended pregnancies in patients with mental health problems reflect the unmet need for tailored family planning. This study aims to explore aspects of family planning that are especially challenging for patients experiencing health problems by obtaining the perspective of (former) patients and those with close relationships with the (former) patients. In August 2021, members of a Dutch national mental health panel, consisting of (former) patients and close ones, were invited to respond to a 34-question online survey that included questions on four domains: reproductive history, decision making, parenting, and sexuality. This study has revealed the severe and adverse impact of mental health problems across all of the four domains of reproductive health and family planning, which the questions specifically targeted. Based on these results, we recommend discussing family planning with all patients experiencing or at risk for mental health problems and their partners. These discussions should address a desire to have children, (involuntary) childlessness, uncertainties about parenting and sexuality, while remaining considerate of experienced taboos.

Thoughts and experiences on leg amputation among patients with diabetic foot ulcers

BACKGROUND

Although leg amputation is common among patients with diabetic foot ulcers, only few studies have examined the thoughts regarding leg amputation from the perspective of patients.

AIM

This study aims to explore the thoughts of patients with diabetic foot ulcers regarding leg amputation.

METHOD

A qualitative design using semi-structured interviews were used and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). In all five patients participated and the interview questions were focused on thoughts in relation to a possible leg amputation.

FINDINGS

Four significant themes were revealed: 1) "Considered-not spoken"-reflections on being alone with one's thoughts, 2) "What people think about me"-concerns about consequences on social relations, 3) "The tough ones and the ones who whine"-considerations about expected self-efficacy and 4) "Limitations and opportunities"-thoughts about physical consequences.

CONCLUSION

Even if an amputation is not yet planned, having a diabetic foot ulcer can result in divergent thoughts regarding leg amputation. The findings indicate that amputation is considered a taboo which makes it difficult for the patient to talk about it within either the health care context or with relatives. Health care professionals should therefore be aware of how they communicate regarding leg amputation.

[The home care nurse, a resource to help combat intrafamily violence]

Every year in France, thousands of victims file a complaint for violence against their partner. These acts of violence are committed in the family environment, behind closed doors. Through her practice, the home care nurse can be a witness, support or a resource.

What Forms of Media Do We Need for Preventing Child Sexual Abuse? A Qualitative Study in Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia

Child sexual abuse (CSA) in Indonesia has reached an alarming degree. One of the prevention efforts that can be implemented is educating children and the people around them (parents, teachers, and other school staff). The educational process should be supported with adequate and appropriate media. This qualitative study aimed to identify forms of media needed to prevent CSA by applying a phenomenological approach involving 18 parents of 5-to-6-year-old children, 12 teachers, and seven administrative staff of kindergarten schools in Yogyakarta. Data were collected through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. At the end of data collection, transcriptions were analyzed through thematic content analysis. Results reveal four media categories needed in providing education against CSA: online platforms, attractive information materials, simple media, and taboo management.

Bioethics and the argumentative legacy of atrocities in medical history: Reflections on a complex relationship

Slippery slope-, taboo-breaking- or Nazi-analogy-arguments are common, but not uncontroversial examples of the complex relationship between bioethics and the various ways of using historical arguments in these debates. In our analysis we examine first the relationship between bioethics and medical history both as separate disciplines and as argumentative practices. Secondly, we then analyse six common types of historical arguments in bioethics (slippery slope-, analogy-, continuity-, knockout/taboo-, ethical progress- and accomplice-arguments), some as arguments within the academic debate of bioethics, others as arguments within political and public debates over bioethical issues. We conclude by suggesting to bioethicists to better understand historical arguments as socially and culturally embedded practices of critical reflection of power, medical and government paternalism and possible future scenarios. More interdisciplinarity between ethicists and medical historians is needed to appropriately rationalize and understand the different legacies.

Permeability of abortion care in the Netherlands: a qualitative analysis of women's experiences, health professional perspectives, and the internet resource of Women on Web

Despite a relatively permissive abortion law, women in the Netherlands encounter difficulties in accessing abortion care. Little is known about their experiences. This study explores women's experiences with (online) abortion services and relevant health professionals' experiences delivering care, with the goal of identifying key barriers encountered by abortion-seekers in the Netherlands. An exploratory qualitative research design with a constructivist approach and an abbreviated grounded theory method was used. Interviews with 20 women who had had an abortion and 14 health professionals who provide abortion care, and 200 emails of women seeking abortion care through the non-governmental organisation Women on Web, were coded inductively and deductively (using the Candidacy Framework) thereby generating themes. Abortion-seekers faced barriers including: (i) burden of taboo, (ii) vulnerability (emotional, financial, and social), (iii) health professional evaluation and (iv) disempowerment and distress. The overarching theme was women's lack of autonomy in access to abortion care. The key barriers to abortion access in the Netherlands are the institutionalisation of taboo in abortion law and care, complex candidacy regulations, lack of permeability for certain marginalised groups, and women's inability to speak openly about abortion. To increase the permeability of abortion care, and thereby women's autonomy, legislators and policy-makers must trust women to make their own reproductive decisions and avoid actions that stigmatise abortion and hinder access to care, while actively developing systemic support for vulnerable groups.

Sexual Feelings Toward Clients in the Psychotherapeutic Relationship: The Taboo Revealed

Talking about sexual feelings toward clients is still difficult for many mental health professionals. This is unfortunate, because exploring and talking about these feelings with peers (especially senior ones) or supervisors can help professionals to recognize, acknowledge, accept, and handle these feelings well. This focus group study explores the various factors that contribute to psychotherapists' hesitancy to talk about these feelings. The analysis revealed two important impeding factors: the psychotherapists felt discomfortable and a safe environment was lacking. Young, less experienced psychotherapists and psychiatrists seemed to be most vulnerable. Furthermore, more profound sexual feelings were "disguised" in some cases by using a more acceptable narrative, such as " intimate feelings," which possibly also impeded acknowledgment and discussion of these feelings. These insights might help to open up the way for psychotherapists to explore and come forward with their sexual feelings and experiences.

[Psychiatric care secure units and sexuality of patients.]

The desire for emotional and/or sexual relations, although universally felt, is not freely expressed because it's usually shaped by modesty, taboos, the norms and values of the surroundings and of the cultural environment of the people who feel such a desire. It is even constrained, or repressed, by certain laws. This complexity can be significantly increased by the existence of mental health disorders requiring psychiatric care in secure units. Certain notions must be taken into account, such as the relative freedom of patients, compliance with rules, discernment, informed consent, the vulnerability of potential partners, the impact of treatments, etc.

[The taboo of sex in a medical-social facility]

A specialised care home in the Essonne accommodates stabilised psychiatric patients. In order to respect their desires and their needs, the teams draw on the values of the Gineste-Marescotti care methodology which aims to ensure these needs are fulfilled, in particular fundamental sexual needs. The personalised care project, drawn up by the team and the resident, offers an adapted response to each case. This approach enables the taboo of sexuality, still present in institutions, to be overcome.

Why do religious leaders observe costly prohibitions? Examining taboos on Mentawai shamans

Religious leaders refrain from sex and food across human societies. Researchers argue that this avoidance influences people's perceptions of leaders' underlying traits, but few, if any, quantitative data exist testing these claims. Here we show that shamans in a small-scale society observe costly prohibitions and that observers infer cooperativeness, religious belief, difference from normal humans and supernatural power from shamans' adherence to special taboos. We investigated costly prohibitions on shamanic healers, known as sikerei, among the rainforest horticulturalist Mentawai people of Siberut Island. We found that shamans must observe permanent taboos on various animals, as well as prohibitions on sex and food during initiation and ceremonial healing. Using vignettes, we evaluated Mentawai participants' inferences about taboo adherence, testing three different but not mutually exclusive hypotheses: cooperative costly signalling, credibility-enhancing displays and supernatural otherness. We found support for all three: Mentawai participants infer self-denying shamans to be (a) cooperative, (b) sincere believers in the religious rules and (c) dissimilar from normal humans and with greater supernatural powers. People's inferences about religious self-denial are multidimensional and consistent with several functional accounts.

Is Death Taboo for Older Chinese Immigrants?

Much of the scholarly literature sees death as a taboo topic for Chinese. To test this assumption, this study held seven focus groups in the Greater Toronto Area in 2017. It found that the majority of the older Chinese immigrant participants talked about death freely using either the word death or a euphemism. They talked about various issues including medical treatment and end-of-life care, medical assistance in dying, death preparation, and so on. A small number did not talk about death, but it seemed their reluctance was related to anxiety or discomfort or simply reflected a choice of words. The study concludes death as taboo could be a myth, at least for older Chinese immigrants.

The mental representation and social aspect of expressives

Despite increased focus on emotional language, research lacks for the most emotional language: Swearing. We used event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate whether swear words have content distinct from function words, and if so, whether this content is emotional or social in nature. Stimuli included swear (e.g. shit, damn), negative but non-swear (e.g. kill, sick), open-class neutral (e.g. wood, lend), and closed-class neutral words (e.g. while, whom). Behaviourally, swears were recognised slower than valence- and arousal- matched negative words, meaning that there is more to the expressive dimension than merely a heightened emotional state. In ERPs, both swears and negative words elicited a larger positivity (250-550 ms) than open-class neutral words. Later, swears elicited a larger late positivity (550-750 ms) than negative words. We associate the earlier positivity effect with attention due to negative valence, and the later positivity effect with pragmatics due to social tabooness. Our findings suggest a view in which expressives are not merely function words or emotional words. Rather, expressives are emotionally and socially significant. Swears are more than what is indicated by valence ore arousal alone.

Blood and Guts in Living Color: A Study of the Internet Death Video Community

Journalism has taken on a new form in the age of new media, allowing anyone to not only report the news, but to provide visual proof of it, uncensored and freely available. When this visual proof began to allow people to see death in its entirety, various communities began to form to not just view these videos but to also ensure their availability and continuation. This essay is about those communities and how they operate.

Sexuality as taboo: using interpretative phenomenological analysis and a Foucauldian lens to explore fathers' practices in talking to their children about puberty, relationships and reproduction

Background

Fathers can play an important role in their children's learning about relationships and sexuality but we know very little about the father's lived experience in this regard.

Aim

To explore eight fathers' perceptions and experiences of discussing puberty, relationships and reproduction with their 10-year-old children.

Methods

The paper commences with a genealogical analysis of the history of sex education in England from the Public Health Act of 1848 to the present day. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used as both a methodology and a method. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with each father and results were analysed ideographically, followed by analysis across the group. Interpretations were developed using a Foucauldian lens of governmentality and biopower.

Findings

The paper explores how synthesis of IPA with a Foucauldian lens revealed significant tensions between the fathers' cognitions, accounts and behaviours, which were underpinned by an enduring perception of sexuality as taboo.

Conclusion

By providing a contextualised understanding of the fathers' practices, this study demonstrates that a more informed approach to health promotion strategy can be achieved and the implications for nursing are explored.

Discourse on Exposure to Pornography Content Online Between Arab Adolescents and Parents: Qualitative Study on its Impact on Sexual Education and Behavior

Background

The internet revolution of the 21st century has made sexual content available and accessible on a scale that has never existed before. Many studies have indicated that the use of pornography was associated with more permissive sexual attitudes and tended to be linked with stronger gender-stereotypical sexual beliefs. It also seemed to be associated with other risky behaviors and sexual promiscuity. Pornography exposure in conservative societies leads to conflicts with religious and cultural taboos.

Objective

The aim of this study was to characterize the barriers and difficulties that prevent sexual discourse in the Arab society and enable pornography viewing according to the perceptions of adolescents and mothers.

Methods

This study involved qualitative research methods and in-depth interviews with 40 participants. This study included 20 Arab adolescents, sampled by 2 age groups (14-16 years and 16-18 years), and 20 mothers of adolescents from both sexes.

Results

The findings indicate that mothers “turn a blind eye” to porn viewing and sexual activity by boys; however, they show a sweeping prohibition and denial of such behavior by girls. Boys reported viewing porn routinely, whereas girls denied doing so, but admitted that their female friends watched porn. The study also found that boys experienced guilt during and after viewing porn as a result of the clash between modernity and traditional values. The mothers and adolescents emphasized the need for an open sexual discourse to reduce violent behaviors such as Web-based sexual harassment, including sending videos and pictures of naked girls, often accompanied by threats and blackmail.

Conclusions

It is necessary to find a way to encourage a significant sexual discourse to prevent the violent consequences of its absence in the Arab society. A controlled, transparent, and critical sexual discourse could help youth make more informed decisions concerning the search for sexual content, porn viewing, and sexual behavior.

[The caregiver's relationship with the sick body]

The patient-caregiver relationship is also a 'body-to-body' relationship. It brings into play sensory perceptions generating a cognitive and emotional interpretation. Maintaining the proper distance enables caregivers to remain professional while controlling the risk of 'symbolic contamination' and emotional overflow.

The Place of Culture and Religion in Patterns of Disclosure and Reporting Sexual Abuse of Males: A Case Study of Ultra Orthodox Male Victims

This article deals with reporting patterns of sexual abuse in males in a religious-cultural context through a case study of ultra-Orthodox Jewish (Haredi) men who were young victims of sexual abuse. The study is based on in-depth interviews with 40 Haredi men. The results indicate that sexual abuse involving ultra-Orthodox boys was and is underreported. Moreover, the results indicate that even when such incidents were reported, the avenues for disclosure were parents, educational-religious figures, and friends. It was also found that silencing in matters related to sexuality, viewing sexual abuse in boys as a serious sin and taboo, and encouraging blind obedience-all of which characterize Haredi society-were factors in the underreporting. The results also show a strong tendency to cover up incidents of sexual abuse on an individual level, on a family level, and at the community level. The findings indicate a linkage between the religious and cultural background of male victims of sexual abuse and their reporting patterns.

Native American Death Taboo: Implications for Health Care Providers

This study was conducted to highlight Native American (NA) perspectives on death taboo in order to examine the cultural appropriateness of hospice services for NA patients, if any. Searching literature that addressed taboo and death from historical, psychological, sociological, and anthropological aspects, a comparison of death perspectives was made between NAs and European Americans. A culturally sensitive transition from palliative care to hospice care was suggested for NA patients and their family.

Just jokes! Icebreakers, innuendo, teasing and talking: The role of humour in HIV/AIDS peer education among university students

Peer conversation provides an important platform for people to explore and disseminate sexual health knowledge. Humour forms part of conversations held between peers including those where sexual health and sexual decisions are discussed. The central argument of this article links conversation, humour and peer education. Drawing on interviews and diaries kept by 12 student peer educators over a two-month period in a South African university, the article explores the forms and functions of humour in instigating and encouraging informal peer education between young people in a university setting. The evidence shows that humour can foster intimacy, familiarity and camaraderie in peer interactions; keeps conversation moving; and acts as a gateway to discussion of taboo, personal and private subjects that lie at the core of effective peer education. Components of humour (joking, teasing, innuendo, provocation) and the transformation of the serious (and boring) into the enjoyable (and accessible) are found in these peer interactions. However, humour can also limit communication by keeping conversations light and superficial or, in the case of inappropriate humour, close conversation altogether. Acknowledging the nuances of humour within conversation and peer education allows for a clearer understanding of the ways in which humour contributes to effective health promotion efforts and how it can be used within peer educator practice. The effect of the personality traits of peer educators on effective use of humour in conversation is an area that could benefit from further insight and research.

Latino men and familial risk communication about prostate cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To investigate how familial communication about prostate cancer (PCa) risk and screening affects sons of men with PCa.

RESEARCH APPROACH

Qualitative grounded theory.

SETTING

Southern California.

PARTICIPANTS

17 Latino sons of PCa survivors.

METHODOLOGIC APPROACH

The team conducted semistructured interviews and follow-up interviews. Therefore, the sample includes 25 transcripts. Data were analyzed with a mix of a priori topical codes and grounded theory techniques.

FINDINGS

Sons were in need of information about familial risk and screening options. They became sensitized to PCa, desired information, and held protective intentions. Hopeful intentions came up against cultural taboos around sex, reproductive health, and intimacy that limited discussions between fathers and sons. Fathers were a valued source of information but play various roles, which affect sons' screening intentions. Open communication between father and son promoted awareness of screening and familial risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Uncertainty about familial risk and screening options, especially early detection strategies, was exacerbated by cultural taboos around PCa. Fathers could have been primary and credible advocates for shared decision making, but sons had difficulty learning from their fathers' experience.

INTERPRETATION

FINDINGS from the study can help inform community-based interventions with Latino families, help to culturally tailor health messaging, and sensitize clinicians to a group that needs concerted counseling about PCa risk and screening.

Taboo and the different death? Perceptions of those bereaved by suicide or other traumatic death

Views differ on how far the subject of death has ever been taboo in Western Society. Walter (1991) criticised the way the 'taboo thesis' has been presented, arguing that it has often been 'grossly overdrawn and lacking in subtlety'. Research suggests that suicide and other traumatic death may be particularly difficult for people to talk about or even acknowledge. We interviewed 80 people bereaved due to suicide, or other traumatic death and used interpretative thematic analysis to consider whether the 'death taboo' is evident in these bereavement narratives. People referred to suicide as a different, even stigmatised, death but we also found that those bereaved through other traumatic death felt that their reactions had to be contained and relatively silent. The exception was those bereaved through terrorism or train crash, who were encouraged to grieve openly and angrily: reactions to deaths which are seen as 'private troubles' differ from reactions to deaths which are seen as 'public issues'. Using a symbolic interactionist approach we conclude that the shock and suddenness of the death is tied up both with the circumstances of the death (suicide, murder, accident, terrorism) and the attendant consequences for the social acceptance of public displays of mourning.

'I am reading the history of religion': a contribution to the knowledge of Freud's building of a theory

Could Reinach's Cultes, mythes et religions (1908) have served as a model for the theory of religion that Freud was later to put forward in Totem and Taboo (1913)? This hypothesis has been tested by examining Freud's marginalia in his personal copy of Cultes, mythes et religions. In this way it is possible to reconstitute the line of thinking that led Freud to declare, in late summer 1911, that he had found an answer to the question of the origins of tragic guilt and religious sentiment.

Implementing the CDC's Colorectal Cancer Screening Demonstration Program: wisdom from the field

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer, as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women in the United States, represents an important area for public health intervention. Although colorectal cancer screening can prevent cancer and detect disease early when treatment is most effective, few organized public health screening programs have been implemented and evaluated. From 2005 to 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded 5 sites to participate in the Colorectal Cancer Screening Demonstration Program (CRCSDP), which was designed to reach medically underserved populations.

METHODS

The authors conducted a longitudinal, multiple case study to analyze program implementation processes. Qualitative methods included interviews with 100 stakeholders, 125 observations, and review of 19 documents. Data were analyzed within and across cases.

RESULTS

Several themes related to CRCSDP implementation emerged from the cross-case analysis: the complexity of colorectal cancer screening, the need for teamwork and collaboration, integration of the program into existing systems, the ability of programs to use wisdom at the local level, and the influence of social norms. Although these themes were explored independently from 1 another, interaction across themes was evident.

CONCLUSIONS

Colorectal cancer screening is clinically complex, and its screening methods are not well accepted by the general public; both of these circumstances have implications for program implementation. Using patient navigation, engaging in transdisciplinary teamwork, assimilating new programs into existing clinical settings, and deferring to local-level wisdom together helped to address complexity and enhance program implementation. In addition, public health efforts must confront negative social norms around colorectal cancer screening.

Sacred populations of Cercopithecus sclateri: analysis of apparent population increases from census counts

The development of effective conservation and management actions for populations of wild species generally requires monitoring programs that provide reliable estimates of population size over time. Primate researchers have to date given more attention to evaluating techniques for monitoring primates in natural habitats compared to populations that occur in villages or urban areas. We conducted censuses to estimate the abundance and density of two sacred, village-dwelling populations (Lagwa and Akpugoeze) of Sclater's monkey (Cercopithecus sclateri), a threatened species endemic to southeastern Nigeria, and compared these data to previous census results. We recorded population increases in both sites: a 66% increase over 4½ years in Lagwa (from 124 to 206 individuals) at an annual rate of 10.2%, and a 29% increase over 4 years in Akpugoeze (from 193 to 249 individuals) at an annual rate of 5.7%. Mean group size also increased in both sites. Density in Lagwa was 24.2 individuals/km(2) , and density in a core survey area of Akpugoeze was 36-38 individuals/km(2) . Our results may have been affected by monkey ranging and grouping patterns and improved detectability due to our revised census technique, which included secondary observers. With further work on methodology for censusing populations that occur in human-settled environments, techniques can be refined and customized to individual sites for more accurate estimates. Our investigation of Sclater's monkey in Lagwa and Akpugoeze, two sites critical for conservation of the species, indicated that both of these populations have increased, and neither faces immediate risk of extirpation. Such population growth, while encouraging, will likely exacerbate human-monkey conflict and thus should be understood in terms of potential socioeconomic impacts.

Silence and Denial in Everyday Life-The Case of Animal Suffering

Simple Summary

This paper analyses issues implicit in the question: How is it that decent and compassionate people co-exist in silence about widespread animal suffering? The paper explores the complex process of denial which operates at both a personal and societal level to allow people to ‘not see’ and ‘not know’ about the realities of the lives of animals in our world. The paper argues that silence allows animal suffering to exist and flourish at a historically unprecedented level at this time. It goes on to examine the conditions under which silence can be punctured and acknowledgement and action for animals becomes possible.

Abstract

How can we make sense of the fact that we live in a world where good people co-exist in silence about widespread animal suffering. How is it that sites of suffering such as laboratories, factory farms, abattoirs and animal transportation are all around us and yet we ‘do not, in a certain sense, know about them’ [1]. This ‘not knowing’ is one of the most difficult barriers for animal activists who must constantly develop new strategies in an attempt to catch public attention and translate it into action. Recent contributions from the ‘sociology of denial’ have elucidated many of the mechanisms involved in ‘not knowing’ in relation to human atrocities and genocide. In this context, ‘denial’ refers to the maintenance of social worlds in which an undesirable situation is unrecognized, ignored or made to seem normal [2]. These include different types of denial: personal, official and cultural, as well as the process of normalization whereby suffering becomes invisible through routinization, tolerance, accommodation, collusion and cover up. Denial and normalization reflect both personal and collective states where suffering is not acknowledged [3]. In this paper, I will examine insights from the sociology of denial and apply them to human denial and normalization of animal suffering. This will include an examination of denial which is both individual and social and the implications of these insights for theory and practice in the human/animal relationship.