Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

No Woman Left Behind: Women’S Lived Experiences, Purposes, And Perceptions On Female Genital Mutilation (Fgm) Of Maasai And Datoga Communities In Arusha, Tanzania, Audrey Tirrill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Female genital mutilation (FGM) has been practiced for centuries around the world, currently FGM occurs in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Even though many counties like Tanzania has outlawed FGM and stating it is a violation of human rights, many people continue the procedure without adequate education on FGM. While believing the decline in number of FGM incidences and there is still a lack of local women perspectives and their respective lived experiences on the matter. This is particularly true in some Tanzanian rural and male dominated tribes where most women are educated with limited freedom of speech such …

El Programa Ampliado De Inmunización (Pai) Y La Confianza En La Vacunación De La Población En Argentina: Estudio De Caso En La Vacunación Contra El Virus Del Papiloma Humano (Vph). The Expanded Program On Immunization (Epi) And Vaccine Confidence In Argentina’S Population: A Case Study On The Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Vaccine., Ana Tiscareño

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En este estudio, se realizó una exploración del Programa Ampliado de Inmunización (PAI) en Argentina y como sus estrategias afectan los motivos a vacunarse o no en el país. Con un sistema de salud universal y gratuito, la gente en Argentina tiene el derecho a la salud que incluye la vacunación gratuita y obligatoria. Pero en el campo de la inmunización, no hay estudios sobre los otros factores que llevaban a las personas a adherir o no a la vacunación. Para cumplir los objetivos de la investigación, se utilizó un abordaje descriptivo cualitativo con un análisis de fuentes secundarias y …

Conflicting Socio-Cultural Attitudes And Community Factors Resulting In Backstreet Abortion In Cato Manor, Kwazulu Natal, Chloe Sachs

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Abortion in South Africa is a complex topic, rife with augmenting and limiting political, social, religious, and cultural factors. In South Africa, abortion has been legal since 1996; however, abortions have been performed for centuries in the region. Although abortion is legal, many factors influence a woman’s choice and ability to terminate a pregnancy. Religious and cultural norms within morally conservative societies contribute to negative abortion sentiments and hesitation to seek formal medical abortions. This study explored multiple age groups within Cato Manor and whether the attitudes towards abortion and factors impacting the choice of where and whether to receive …

Las Perspectivas Y Experiencias De Los Profesionales Del Campo De La Reproducción Asistida En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires Y Bahía Blanca En El Año 2020. / The Perspectives And Experiences Of The Professionals In The Field Of Assisted Reproduction In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires And Bahía Blanca In 2020., Calder Hollond

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En este informe se realiza una exploración del campo de la reproducción asistida en Argentina en 2020 a través de entrevistas personales con seis profesionales en el campo. Estos profesionales vienen de Capital Federal y Bahía Blanca y ofrecen perspectivas diversas en el estado del campo en este momento, los cambios que han pasado en los últimos años, y una mirada hacia el futuro. Este informe utiliza una metodología cualitativa y exploratoria, y un diseño observacional transversal. Además, emplea una muestra no probabilística y un diseño descriptivo para introducir el tema de reproducción asistida en Argentina y después analizarlo a …

Encuentros Intergeneracionales: Continuidades Y Reformulaciones En Las Prácticas Militantes De Las Jóvenes Integrantes De Espacios De Acompañamiento De Aborto En La Amba / Intergenerational Encounters: Continuities And Reformulations In The Activist Practices Of The Young Members Of Abortion Accompaniment Spaces In The Amba, Hannah Robinson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Debido al acceso restrictivo de los abortos legales, en los últimos diez años los espacios de acompañamiento de personas que quieren interrumpir la gestación se han convertido en un sitio importante de la militancia feminista en Argentina. Estos espacios o colectivos brindan información sobre el uso del medicamento misoprostol para abortar, conectan las personas gestantes con profesionales de salud “amigables” que garantizan el acceso al Interrupción Legal del Embarazo, y proveen apoyo durante el proceso de interrupción. Al mismo tiempo, en los últimos cinco años una marea de jóvenes ha entrado masivamente a la militancia feminista.

A través de la …

Encuadrar El Aborto: Un Estudio De Caso De Dos Medios Impresos Porteños Durante El Debate En El Congreso Nacional De Argentina En 2018 / Framing Abortion: A Case Study Of Two Buenos Aires Print Media During The Debate In The Argentina National Congress In 2018, Emma Lohman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En 2018 el Proyecto de Ley de la Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo fue presentado al Congreso Nacional de Argentina por la Campaña Nacional por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito, desatando un debate en todo el país sobre el tema. Dado que los medios impresos desempeñaban un rol importante en la conversación, me interesa investigar cómo dos medios impresos de Buenos Aires, el diario La Nación y la publicación comunitaria mensual Revista Cítrica encuadraron el aborto en sus artículos publicados entre junio y agosto de 2018. Utilizando una metodología cualitativa y teniendo en cuenta que los marcos realizan …

The Social Dimensions Of Reproductive Health: Analyzing Disparities In Morocco Through Health Indicators And Social Determinants, Mila Sicorsky

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores the social dimensions of reproductive health in Morocco through a look at its health indicators and social determinants. Existing literature discusses reproductive health differences that run on economic, social, and cultural lines. In this paper, I shed light on how best to measure and understand these disparities. The research shows that reproductive health in Morocco is most accurately indicated by maternal mortality rates (MMR), access to prenatal and postnatal visits, and access to adequate family planning. It also finds that location of residence, economic status, and women’s status are key social determinants of reproductive health in Morocco. …

“Las Mamás No Son Putas”: Percepciones Y Experiencias De Embarazo Y Maternidad En Trabajadoras Sexuales En Buenos Aires / Mothers Are Not Prostitutes: Perceptions And Experiences Of Pregnancy And Motherhood Among Sex Workers In Buenos Aires, Fiona Kennedy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En Buenos Aires, la gran mayoría de las trabajadoras sexuales también son madres. Sin embargo, ha habido pocos estudios en Argentina sobre los vínculos entre el trabajo sexual y la maternidad y las experiencias de embarazo para las trabajadoras sexuales. Las trabajadoras sexuales en Buenos Aires experimentan estigmatización y violencia institucional en múltiples entornos, lo que afecta tanto el acceso a la salud como el bienestar general. Este estudio tiene como objetivo examinar cómo estas vías afectan a las trabajadoras sexuales en la maternidad y el embarazo, con el fin de encontrar áreas de intervención. La mayoría de esta investigación …

Syrian Refugee Mothers In Jordan: Perceived Social Support And Postpartum Depression, Marya Rana

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Many women suffer from postpartum depression; migrant women experience postpartum depression at rates almost triple that of the general population. This study investigated the associations between perceived social support and postpartum depression among Syrian refugee mothers living in Amman, Jordan. Eleven mothers completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) - Shortened Version. Four of those mothers also participated in individual interviews, and four others were included in a focus group. Multiple recurring themes were identified from the interviews and focus group, including: perceived differences in child and social support in …

Mining’S Impact On Environmental And Human Health: A Case Study Of Ramba County’S Gold Mine, Vivika Fernes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project aims to gain a greater understanding of the health implications that Ramba County’s goldmine has on miners, their families, and the environment. While this study observes the community-at-large, inclusive of visiting miners and extended family members of workers, it will focus on women who engage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Millions of people in the developing word depend on ASGM for their livelihood, evident in this case study in Ramba County. However, while gold is associated with wealth, there is great irony in the fact that those working within the mining industry are being exploited …

“Un Sistema Abandonado”: Una Investigación Sobre El Acceso A Servicios De Salud Sexual Integral Para Mujeres Privadas De La Libertad En Argentina. / “An Abandoned System”: An Investigation Into The Access Of Comprehensive Sexual Health Services For Incarcerated Women In Argentina., Erica Harp

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En esta investigación, exploramos algunas percepciones del acceso a servicios de salud sexual integral para mujeres privadas de su libertad en Argentina. Las mujeres tienen necesidades de salud muy específicas, y aunque cada una tiene el derecho humano a una atención de salud adecuada, esto no se cumple en muchos casos. Con respecto a la salud en contextos de encierro, Argentina sigue las reglas de Bangkok, leyes federales y provinciales, que requieren atención médica adecuada para mujeres. Investigaciones anteriores han mostrado que hay una gran falta de atención médica en los sistemas penitenciarios del país, específicamente de servicios complementarios como …

“Para Nunca Más Vivirlo, Nunca Más Negarlo”: El Legado De Violencia Sexual Durante La Dictadura, Isabel De La Torre

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research Question: What are the mental health effects of sexual political violence against women during the dictatorship and during the current socio-political movement?

Objectives: The general objective of this study is to identify how sexual political violence has been used in Chile against women and to analyze its consequences on the mental health of survivors. More specifically, this study attempts to investigate the mechanisms sexual political torture during the dictatorship and now, visibilize the unique damages to mental health caused by this type of violence, and analyze the dictatorial legacy in regards to sexual violence and the current socio-political climate. …

Socio-Cultural Norms And Perceptions Of Menstruation: An Intergenerational Analysis Of Rural Jamkhed, Maharashtra, Addison Scales

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study analyzes the socio-cultural norms and perceptions of menstruation between two generations of women in rural Jamkhed, Maharashtra. Interview questions were prepared for women between the ages of 18-26 and 35 or older to determine the level of dilution of the menstrual taboo and stigmas between age groups. All women resided in two villages in the rural area surrounding Jamkhed, Maharashtra. A variety of socio-cultural perceptions and practices were explored to determine their correlation with external influences on the shifting menstruation narrative. The socio-cultural factors of focus are family structure, media exposure, choice of material use, disposal and sustainability, …

Perceptions Of Rural Birthing Practices: A Glimpse Into Maternal And Child Health For Women In Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh, Mackenzie Burke

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over the past two decades birthing practices within India have drastically changed. This change is most visible in the shift from homebirths to hospital births following the implementation of the National Rural Health Mission. This study aims to understand and give voice to women’s perceptions of birthing practices in the rural villages of Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh. A total of ten interviews were conducted with both mothers and healthcare practitioners in the surrounding villages of Kangra District in order to gain a thorough, qualitative understanding of birthing practices in the local communities. The healthcare practitioners’ responses were divided according …

Finding A Common Ground Between Theology And Women’S Reproductive Rights: Assessing The Societal Levels Of Influence Of Religion On The Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Women, Natalie Montufar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The principle aim of this study is to explicate and elucidate the intersection between religious beliefs and practices and Sexual and Reproductive Health throughout distinct levels of society in the developing world. A literature review identified relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature on religious beliefs held on sexuality and procreation, the landscape of influence of religion on laws and policies at a national and international level, the effects of religion on individual sexual behavior, and modern interventions aiming to be culturally and religiously sensitive. The intricacies and nuances of three Abrahamic faiths were assessed to highlight the dogma of sacred texts …

Where Do We Go From Here?: Two Key Informants' Perspectives On How To Address Conscientious Objection In Top Provision In South Africa, Talia Parker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This perspectives research endeavor examines the barriers to TOP access that arise from conscientious objection through the conflicting network of rights and legislation in South Africa. While previous research has evidenced the demonstrable barriers to accessing TOP care in South Africa, this project aims to push the existing literature and the field as a whole one step further to interrogate how to move forward within the realities of conscientious objection.

To do so, I conducted interviews with key informants in the field of reproductive healthcare provision, research, and activism in Cape Town on their perspectives about the practice of conscientious …

Cancer Management In Kenya - Awareness And The Struggles Patients Face To Access Treatment, Care & Support, Ashley Nmoh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The amount of cancer cases in Africa, and Kenya specifically, are rising at an alarming rate. This study was conducted to determine the challenges that patients with cancer in Kenya face to access treatment, care and support. Thirty-nine cancer patients were interviewed and thirty cancer patients filled out a questionnaire about their experiences of having cancer in Kenya. In addition, twenty key informants were interviewed including doctors, caregivers, cancer NGO executives, a researcher, a psychologist, a National Health Insurance Fund official and a director from the Ministry of Health. A breast cancer awareness survey was also administered to fifty-nine women …

Understanding Sexual Pleasure And Health: A Study Of Urban Middle-Class Women’S Narratives In New Delhi, India, Solana Chertow

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The following study seeks to explore how urban-middle class women in Delhi understand, value, and access sexual pleasure. Simultaneously, it looks to understand the relationship between ideas of agency, power, and pleasure. This project was prompted by the lack of colloquial conversation happening on these subjects both globally, and in the communities familiar to the researcher. Although sex and pleasure, in both theory and practice, are extremely prominent in the lives of people around the world, discussion remains stigmatized. With these constraints in mind, this study investigates how a certain population of women became knowledgeable, and are still learning about …

Discutiendo Desde El Interior: La Marginación De Los Hombres Trans Dentro Del Movimiento Por El Aborto Legal En Argentina / Arguing From Within: The Marginalization Of Trans Men Within The Movement For Legal Abortion In Argentina, Olivia Nichols

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En la actualidad, el color verde lleva con ello una asociación casi indudable al movimiento por el aborto legal en Argentina. A pesar de este alto perfil del movimiento conocido como la marea verde, una recorrida por la historia del movimiento revela una gran brecha en el diálogo en relación con la inclusión de personas que no son mujeres cis, como los hombres trans que también abortan.

Informada por entrevistas con activistas trans argentinos y la observación de un encuentro de la Campaña Nacional por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito, esta investigación considera la inclusión (o falta …

The Challenges Of India’S Rising Breast Cancer Epidemic, Brigette Stickney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

India is currently undergoing rapid urbanization, which is greatly impacting Indian citizens’ health. One of the rising concerns due to the drastic lifestyle and environmental changes that are results of urbanization is the issue of breast cancer. Breast cancer diagnosis rates are rising exponentially, and breast cancer has moved its way up to be the most common cancer in India. Breast cancer mortality rates in India are also some of the worst in the world. This paper analyses the social, mental, economic, geographic, and physical challenges that are present for women diagnosed with cancer in India. It assesses how they …

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome In India: A Socio-Cultural Perspective, Hannah Wickham

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the ways in which cultural determinants affect the health-seeking, diagnosis and treatment process of women with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) as well as the underlying socio-cultural causes of the illness. Often coined as a “lifestyle disease”, PCOS is becoming a growing concern of physicians and women alike as its prevalence is on the rise with no signs of slowing down. Lifestyle, stigmas/taboos, PCOS’s effect on identity, and quality of life are all areas that are examined throughout this paper. A mixture of patients’ and doctors’ perspectives on PCOS were gathered throughout a three-week time period in …

Violencia Obstétrica: Los Derechos De Autonomía Reproductiva, Tratamiento Justo Y Accesibilidad En El Ámbito De La Salud Maternal En San Carlos, Salta / Obstetric Violence: The Rights To Reproductive Autonomy, Fair Treatment, And Accessibility Of Maternal Health Services In San Carlos, Salta, Emily Gleason

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Argentina, there exists a national legislature (Ley N° 25.929 and 26.485) that is intended to ensure women’s rights to maternal and reproductive healthcare services free from obstetric violence; that is, the right to autonomy, fair treatment, and accessibility of maternal healthcare services. Women have the inherent right to receive fair and equitable maternal healthcare and receive humanized births, or partos humanizados. Despite the existence of these laws, however, there is still a rampant amount of obstetric violence that women in Argentina experience. Their rights to autonomous, accessible, and just maternal health services are often ignored or outright denied. …

Participatory Development And Menstrual Health Management In South Africa: A Case Study Of Project Dignity, Natalie Geismar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Menstrual health management (MHM) poses a significant public health concern in many South African communities. Though the national government is beginning to devote attention and resources to MHM, civil society organizations play a critical role in providing menstrual health products and education to female-bodied individuals who may otherwise lack access. This study examines the praxis and impact of Project Dignity, a nongovernmental organization which distributes washable, reusable sanitary pads and panties to students in public schools. The researcher collected qualitative data through participant observation as well as interviews and focus group discussions with Project Dignity’s staff and intended beneficiaries. Using …

Sans-Papiers, Sans-Santé: A Study Of Undocumented Migrant Women’S Access To Reproductive And Obstetric Health Care In Switzerland, Sarah Kinch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In recent years, Switzerland has seen increasing numbers of foreign-born residents, making it one of the many countries affected by the European Migrant Crisis. Of these newly-settled migrants, many live in the country illegally, otherwise known as undocumented migrants or “Sans-Papiers.” While Switzerland grants its Sans-Papiers population a right to health, thus making medical insurance and care legal for the undocumented community, many still see increased adverse health outcomes among the population. As more than half of the Sans-Papiers living in Switzerland are female, women are therefore increasingly at risk for worse reproductive and obstetric health. This study sought to …

What To Expect When You’Re Expecting: The Impacts China’S Maternal And Child Health Care Law Has Had On Tibetan Birthing Practices In The Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Hannah Mishriky

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

While childbirth is universal, it is undeniable that class, culture, ethnicity, and the scientific and political state of medicine all influence how women experienced it. The Tibetan ethnic minority of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is a culture that exemplifies the uniqueness of each birth. Due to both their distinctive childbirth beliefs and practices, as well as the swift changes China has undergone, Tibetan birthing experiences are asking to be explored.

This study will focus on two major factors influencing Tibetan women's birthing experiences. To begin, research will be done to understand the Buddhist influences surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, …

Essential Newborn Care During Humanitarian Crises: Integration Of Low-Cost Interventions, Athena Wong

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Newborn healthcare has long been neglected on the international agenda despite neonatal death making up 44% of all under-five deaths. Neonates are newborns under 28 days of age and are the most vulnerable population with the highest risk of mortality during humanitarian emergencies. The common misconception that neonatal healthcare is very expensive and requires delivery from highly skilled healthcare professionals must be dismissed. There are many low-cost interventions that are highly effective at saving lives, the most notable ones being kangaroo mother care, bag and mask resuscitation, and basic immunizations. The leading causes of neonatal death are prematurity, intrapartum complications, …

Women Of Leh Town, Ladakh: An Overview Of Perceptions Of Health, Health-Seeking Behaviors, And Access To Health Care, Sophia Marion

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The following study seeks to investigate access to health care services and perceptions of health care among women residing in traditional farming communities around the Ladakh region, and to analyze perspectives on health, health-seeking behavior, and access to health care. This project was prompted by the fact that health care in this region is understudied. This study also focuses on marginalized communities including local women and immigrant women. Methods used for the collection of data were qualitative interviews conducted with 24 women, as well as an amchi worker, doctors, and informal and formal conversations with people from different nongovernmental Organizations …

Sex Work And Compromised Health: Health Conditions And The Barriers To Accessing Treatment Services In Pelourinho, Salvador, Amelia Fox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sex workers remain one of the most marginalized populations in Brazilian society, both coming from and living within realities defined by poverty and poor health. Through partnership with Força Feminina – an organization located in Salvador, dedicated to aiding local sex workers– I explored the day-to-day health complications sex workers encounter and the impact these problems have on quality of life. I then questioned how discrimination and stigma impact a woman’s willingness to prioritize her health and seek out healthcare services. To pursue these questions, I utilized participant observation, interviews with 4 staff members – a pastoral educator, financial coordinator, …

Una Investigación Sobre La Prevalencia De La Lactancia Materna / 62/5000 An Investigation On The Prevalence Of Breastfeeding, Madeline Ferone

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El propósito de la investigación es estudiar la realidad de las prácticas y la prevalencia de la lactancia materna en Chile, y cómo las características demográficas distintas de las mujeres influyen en la alimentación de sus bebés. La lactancia materna es crucial para el crecimiento y desarrollo saludable de un bebé, y también tiene beneficios para la salud de la madre. Sin embargo, las madres a menudo no siguen las pautas de la Organización Mundial de Salud y UNICEF. Los métodos de recolección de datos son una revisión de una Encuesta del Ministerio de Salud de 2013 de 9604 madres …

The Shifting Roles Of Dai Maas: An Intersection Of Healthcare And Female Empowerment In Rural Udaipur, Julie Morel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), known as dais in an Indian context, have historically served as women’s primary caregivers throughout their pregnancies and during childbirth in rural regions where access to formal healthcare institutions is nearly impossible. With a heavy reliance on traditional knowledge passed down through generations, dais have aided with home deliveries for millennia. Approximately 15 years ago, however, groups such as WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, and the UN began addressing India’s high maternal mortality rate (MMR), thereby instigating the discouragement of home deliveries in favor of the encouragement of institutional deliveries. Infrastructural changes were established to improve accessibility …