Family, Life Course, and Society 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 …

Maternal Healthcare Access And Obstetric Complications: A Cause And Effect Relationship?, Lena Sharara

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Poverty-stricken migrant women, named ‘Kayayei or Kayayo’ because of the nature of their job in the informal sector, have high birth rates and are said to have many barriers affecting their access to maternal health resources. In this study, Kayayei in Madina Market were interviewed and both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered to determine whether a relationship exists between access to maternal health and the obstetric complications and outcomes experienced by Kayayei. A Chi-Squared Test of Independence and a Qualitative Content Analysis were both used to analyze the data. Due to a non-significant p-value, it was found that the …

El Empoderamiento De Personas Embarazadas Y Posparto En Arica, Chile: Perspectivas Indígenas Y Biomédicas, Abby Perce

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El parto, sin importar las tradiciones o los procedimientos utilizados, es un proceso transformador tanto para quien da a luz como para el bebé. Si bien los procesos de embarazo, parto y posparto son experiencias individualizadas, el apoyo de la comunidad y la atención médica cuidadosa pueden marcar una gran diferencia en los sentimientos de empoderamiento y satisfacción en la vida de los pacientes. Este estudio exploratorio cualitativo tiene como objetivo comprender los contextos culturales que influyen en el apoyo disponible para las personas embarazadas y puérperas en Arica, Chile, así como investigar las formas en que este apoyo conduce …

Medical Ethics: How Resource Distribution Affects The Decision Making Of Doctors In Rural India: An Explorative And Comparative Study In Jamkhed, Maharashtra, Jared Yee

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Using rural Mahrasthra as a case study, I was able to explore the medical ethics and common dilemmas that occur in Rural India. Through a collection of interviews and articles, I was able to piece together my understanding of some common ethical challenges that India faces, emphasizing ones that were unique to the location and circumstance. Using observations I made through my work in the hospital, I learned that limited resources effects all sides of ethics in the medical field, with a significant effect on economics, hospital structure, and clinical protocol. In an attempt to source the aspects of Indian …

Shinetagantsi: Un Caso De La Alimentación Materna E Infantil Y Medicina Intercultural Durante Lactancia En La Comunidad Nativa De Palotoa Teparo, Layne Scopano

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Con un enfoque antropológico, esta investigación analiza las percepciones del cuidado desde los sistemas médicos occidentales y la medicina tradicional de las madres de la comunidad nativa de Palotoa Teparo en la Amazonía peruana en lo que respecta a la nutrición durante la lactancia. Los resultados de este estudio, obtenidos a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas y observación directa e indirecta, permiten describir el estado nutricional de las madres de Palotoa Teparo durante la lactancia y su relación con la nutrición infantil, señalar las prácticas de salud, tanto occidental como tradicional, relevantes para el estado nutricional de las madres y los …

Draagmoederschap: Surrogacy In The Netherlands, Olivia Murray

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, I investigated surrogacy in the Netherlands by interviewing four surrogates and one intended parent about their experiences. I found that the participants shared several common experiences and opinions, especially related to why they chose to be surrogates, how surrogates and intended parents negotiate their relationship during and after pregnancy, the tensions of passing on parenthood and merging families, the (non-binding) contracts that surrogates and parents create, Dutch law, and commercial surrogacy. I argue that much of the discourse around surrogacy relitigates many of the arguments made in favor and against sex work, in that it sets surrogacy …

Los Efectos Psicosociales Que Produce El Embarazo En Las Vidas De Madres Adolescentes En Quito, Ecuador, Kaylee Howell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research Question: What are the psychological and social effects of teen pregnancy facing teen mothers in 2021 and how do they impact their lives? Objective: The general objective is to describe the psychosocial implications produced by teen pregnancy. Background: Teen pregnancy rates of Latin America and the Caribbean are second in the world, second only to the region of Subsaharan-Africa. Within Latin America, Ecuador has the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy, surpassed only by Venezuela. Recently, the taboo surrounding reproductive health has been challenged, with the matter of abortion being brought to the supreme court. In conjunction with the matter …

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 …

¿Es Suficiente La Ley De Parto Respetado? Una Investigación Sobre El Parto Respetado Y La Intervención Médica, A Partir De Las Opiniones De Los Profesionales De La Salud Y Una Organizacion De La Sociedad Civil En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires, Argentina / Is The Respected Birth Law Enough? An Investigation On The Respected Birth And Medical Interventions Through The Opinions Of Health Professionals And A Civil Society Organization In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jennifer Rufino

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A través de los años, la medicalización y los avances en el campo de medicina ha garantizado un nivel de seguridad para el proceso del embarazo y el parto. Sin embargo, la intervención médica también ha producido una discusión sobre el aumento de cesáreas, el significado del parto respetado, y los derechos de la mujer. Esta investigación exploró las opiniones de los profesionales de salud y una organización de la sociedad civil sobre la ejecución del parto respetado y el aumentado de la tasa de cesáreas en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dada la situación de aislamiento social …

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. …

Intersections Between Health And Disability: A Case Study At Disha Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan, Finnian Brokaw

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study investigated intersections between health and disability by asking the question: how do community perceptions of disability at Disha: A Resource Centre for the Disabled in Jaipur, India relate to health and quality of life for a person with multiple disabilities? This study utilized a case study methodology. The researcher took qualitative interviews from six respondents in the immediate educational and familial support network of a 27-year-old man with multiple disabilities. An interview based, qualitative methodology was important for investigating the complexity of perceptions of multiple disabilities and health as intersecting identities. The responses were analyzed and reflected upon …

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 …

La Pertinencia Cultural De Los Proyectos Relacionados A La Planificación Familiar De Las Ongs En El Distrito De Acomayo, Sadie Traylor

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación identifica y analiza la pertinencia cultural de los esfuerzos de ayuda ambos de una ONG local (Kallpa) y de una ONG internacional (Plan International), examinando específicamente el proyecto de cada ONG vinculado al aumento del acceso y uso de la planificación familiar en el Distrito de Acomayo en la región de Cusco para evaluar cómo opera (o no opera) cada ONG con una pertinencia cultural. Además, esta investigación explora la forma en que las estrategias de cada ONG mantienen un enfoque intercultural, y también analiza las percepciones de los beneficiarios del proyecto como testimonios de cómo este método …

When Crayons Meet Tibetan Living Room Walls: Early Childhood In Exile, Emma Hart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study aims to understand early childhood caregiving among Tibetan refugees living in Nepal. Due to the brain’s enormous developmental plasticity from ages zero to three, children’s experiences during this period are extremely important to explaining their future learnings in school, interactions with people, and engagements with their surroundings. Through interviews and observations, Tibetan parents shared their conceptions of early childhood, parent-child interaction norms, dreams for their children, and how their status as refugees in Nepal affects these. Research was conducted in two Pokhara district Tibetan settlements and one settlement in Mustang. Connected by the flow of children and adults …

My Body, Their Choice: Childbearing Attitudes And Practices In Jamkhed, Maharashtra, Sienna Sewell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Understanding the beliefs and practices of women and their families during pregnancy and childbirth is fundamental to the creation of successful public health interventions that target maternal and infant mortality. This study explores the childbearing practices of women in rural Jamkhed, as well as the social and economic factors that influence family planning, reproductive health-seeking, and delivery. Interviews and quantitative surveys were conducted with women in villages that have partnered with the Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP) to examine how and why women access prenatal care during pregnancy. The influence of CRHP’s “Jamkhed Model” on healthcare access is considered in …

Voices Unheard: Women And Their Children In Nepal’S Incarceration System, Aune Nuyttens, Mikayla Rose

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project focused on women in Nepal’s incarceration system. Our goal was to hear and share their stories with the hopes of humanize and de-stigmatize perceptions of female prisoners in and outside of Nepal. A central component to these stories, as we learned, was also the story of prisoner’s children and the NGOs who provide assistance to this vulnerable group of women and their children. The researchers travelled to the east and west of Kathmandu to visit rural and urban prisons in Nepal, and visited various children homes, however the research was based out of Kathmandu, where many of …

Health On The Move: Health-Seeking Behavior Of Changpa Nomads In Ladakh, India, Maya Lubeck-Schricker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The goal of this study is to understand the health-seeking behavior of Changpa nomads in the Changthang region of Ladakh, India including what health issues these communities face, what they do when they fall sick, any preventative health behavior they implement, as well as the health infrastructure available to them. Very little literature exists on the health seeking-behavior of people in South Asia in general, much less among nondominant lifestyles such as that of nomadic or semi-nomadic people. As such, this research hopes to move towards closing that knowledge gap by conducting and analyzing 26 in depth semi-structured interviews and …

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 …

Boys’ Sex Education In Rural Maharashtra: Context, Community, And Trust, Sierra Bradshaw-Kreimer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The primary research question of this study is: do alumni of CRHP’s Adolescent Boy’s Program (ABP) and parents of alumni of the ABP report that the boys have changed after completing the program, and if yes, in what ways? Beyond that, the study is also concerned with examining potential reasons behind the results of the primary research question. The researcher conducted interviews with 3 ABP alumni and 3 parents of ABP alumni, in addition to attending information sessions and observing the workings of CRHP. The primary findings were that yes, the respondents reported a change. The change was described as …

Trust, Access, And Adaptation To Needs: The Role Of Community-Based Promoters In Health Insurance Delivery In Gujarat, India, Lauryn Stafford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The research question this study addresses is: How do community-based promoters contribute to the delivery and utilization of health insurance among marginalized populations in India? To address this question, the successes and difficulties experienced by VimoSEWA community-based insurance promoters, called aagewans, were investigated through field visits and personal interviews in Ahmedabad and nearby rural districts in Gujarat. VimoSEWA’s insurance delivery model is an appropriate topic of investigation for this study because its beneficiaries are self-employed women with limited prior access to financial protection. Both aagewans and insurance members were interviewed during this study to develop a comprehensive understanding of the …

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 …

The Contributing Factors To Adolescent Depression, Josie H. Lee

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Objective: This paper reviews individual, familial, peer, and societal factors influencing adolescent depression in developed countries. Background: Depression usually onsets at adolescence and contributes to high DALYs. Since depression is treatable, efforts should be made to reduce its prevalence and effect. Methods: The research consisted of looking at literature relevant to the topic and age group and conducting interviews with experts who know about and have worked with adolescent depression. Discussion: Adolescents begins at the onset of puberty, allowing different biological factors such as genetics, stress of puberty, and cognitive changes to increase vulnerability to depression. Adolescents who had substance …

“Arica Tiene Vih, ¿Y Tú?” El Rol Del Test Rápido De Vih En El Diagnóstico Oportuno Para Jóvenes De La Comuna De Arica, Chile / "Arica Has Hiv, And You?" The Role Of The Rapid Hiv Test In The Timely Diagnosis For Young People In The District Of Arica, Chile, Julia Zigman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research question: How is the rapid HIV test useful in assuring access to timely diagnosis of HIV for young adults in the city of Arica, Chile?

Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the rapid HIV test as a means of increasing access to timely diagnosis of HIV among those aged 18 – 29 in the community of Arica, which participated in a pilot of the rapid test in early 2018. The study sets out to evaluate the installation of this pilot to situate the role of the rapid test in Chile’s HIV landscape. Further objectives …

Partidarios De La Vida: Resiliencia En Los Afectados Directos De La Dictadura En Arica, Chile / Supporters Of Life: Resilience In The Direct Victims Of The Dictatorship In Arica, Chile, Danielle Levinson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The present study is a qualitative analysis of resilience mechanisms in inhabitants of the city of Arica, Chile who participated actively in the resistance against the Pinochet dictatorship. Through one-on-one interviews with members of this population and the coordinator/social assistant of the Arican branch of the Chilean government’s reparation program (PRAIS), this project was able to corroborate the existence of the following four categories of resilience mechanisms, which are identified in a technical standard published by the Chilean Under-Secretariat of Health: individual, family, social network, and values and ideology. However, it was revealed that this model should be adapted 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, …

“Religion Is Religion; My Life Is My Life”: Religious Influences On Family Planning Decisions In Kapchorwa District, Uganda, Sarah Mathys

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This report seeks to understand the influence that religion has on family planning decisions in Kapchorwa District, in eastern Uganda. Increased uptake of family planning has significant impliations for sustainability and development in Uganda as a whole. As a district with a high unmet need for faily planning, Kapchorwa serves as an important case study. Because over 99% of Uganda’s population reports a religious affiliation, and because literature on family planning claims conservative spirituality as a major cause of low uptake, religion is a natural lens through which to study family planning perceptions and utilization.

Through focus groups and key …

Caring For Caregivers: Challenges Facing Informal Palliative Caregivers In Western Kenya, Hartlee Johnston

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Chronic illnesses like cancer, HIV, and other non-communicable disease are increasing globally, especially in developing countries, necessitating development of palliative care and symptom management systems. In Kenya, the burden of care for chronically ill patients often falls to unpaid, informal caregivers like family members or friends. Thirty-five current or past informal caregivers from Kisumu, Kenya were interviewed about their experience, challenges they faced, and interventions they felt would be helpful. Major challenges identified included lack of finances for treatment and other living expenses; inadequate, unaffordable, or interrupted medical care; emotional stress exacerbated by juggling many responsibilities, pressure to emotionally support …

When The Health System Fails You: Maternal Care Under Kenya’S 2017 Nurses' Strike, Tessa Coughtrey-Davenport

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study focuses on the 2017 nurses’ strike and how the crippling of the public health system impacted maternal care in Kisumu, Kenya. Kenya has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, and there have been many efforts to reduce this, such as delivery with a Skilled Birth Attendant and attending antenatal care visits, all of which are centered around a functioning health system. The research team used a combination of interviews with key populations and analysis of service delivery data at local health centers to evaluate the effects of the strike on maternal care. The study …

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, …

Las Condiciones De Vida De Los Usuarios Adultos Mayores Del Hospital Makewe / The Living Conditions Of Elderly Users Of Makewe Hospital, Taylor Selembo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Life conditions are a fundamental aspect of the health of senior citizens, as these are the factors that determine their quality of life and capacity to satisfy their needs. Life conditions are dependent on the particular social, political, economic, and geographic context of the region. This study intends to answer the following question: How are the life conditions of senior citizens belonging to Hospital Makewe, located in the IX region of Chile? This quali-quantitative study utilized observation, surveys (n = 40) and interviews (n = 15) in order to accomplish the main objective. The main objective was to describe senior …