Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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 …

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 …

The Latex Journey: A Narrative Approach To Exploring Condom Use, Stigma, And Education From The Perspective Of Women In Masxha, Kylie Yocum

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although the South African National Department of Health (NDOH) is spending increasing amounts of money on improving their HIV programs (including the rollout of new, scented condoms for their condom distribution program), the rates of condom use at last sexual encounter are declining. This inquiry focused on young women in the neighborhood of Masxha, Cato Manor, and their opinions surrounding how condoms are being used or misused, as well as the gender norms that perpetrate this (mis)use. This inquiry demonstrated the narratives of these young women on factors such as condom acquisition, gendered stigma, and condom education, including the Life …

Maternity Care: A Case Study At Centro De Parto Normal, Kemi Oladipo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

An overwhelming percentage of Brazil’s population has caesarean births (C-sections), and during pregnancies many women endure violations of their rights such as mental and physical abuse. The main objective of my community study project (CSP) is to learn more about normal childbirth through fieldwork at Centro de Parto Normal (CPN). The goal is to understand how CPN’s approach and principles create a better birthing experience with quality maternity care. My second objective is to learn how CPN mitigate issues with accessibility to health facilities, especially in Brown and Black locations. A general goal is to share my acquired knowledge and …

The Jagori Rural Charitable Trust Model: Menstrual Education Of Women And Adolescent Girls In The Villages Of Rural Dharamsala, Madelon Morford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Reproductive rights and education of women in rural communities is of lesser importance in India’s patriarchal society. Reproductive health is a conversation that is rarely discussed, and the health status of women is of little priority behind that of men and children’s health. Education about the health and hygiene of menstruation allows for women and adolescent girls to play a role in their own health maintenance, as well as normalizes the discussion of menstruation and reproductive health. Studying Jagori Rural Charitable Trust’s efforts to disseminate knowledge about reproductive health, with specific focus on menstruation, allows for an understanding of the …

Identificando Los Limites Del Acceso A La Salud Reproductiva: Un Análisis Sobre Las Experiencias Vividas Por Las Mujeres Guaraníes Con Los Servicios De La Salud Reproductiva En La Villa 31 De Buenos Aires, Amelia Mitchell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In order to serve the ‘public’, public health services must be accessible to everyone, without discrimination based on race, gender, social class, or geographic location, among other facets of identity. Reproductive health services, in particular, are a key service that must be adequately supplied in order to guarantee the health and wellbeing of a population. Reproductive healthcare not only allows individuals to decide if and when they wish to have a child, it also contributes to cancer prevention and the detrimental effects of sexually transmitted diseases. This investigation examines the experiences of Guaraní women that live within “Villa 31” of …

Resilience Of Romanian Institutions During The Global Gag Rule: 20012007, Sara Hayet

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

There is a wealth of literature about the negative effects of the executive order called the Global Gag Rule, officially known as the Mexico City Policy, and its various manifestations. Despite this, there is a gap in the research about how institutions in affected countries respond to the Global Gag Rule’s family planning restrictions. This qualitative study seeks to provide some insight into how Romanian institutions responded during President George W. Bush’s reinstatement of the policy by using a model of social resilience. Through a literature review of three subjects (social resilience, the Global Gag Rule, and Romania’s family planning …

“It’S Not Important For You To Speak:” The Perception Of Purity And Its Power Over Women’S Reproductive And Sexual Health, Margot Radding

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

There is a general silence in both society and academia surrounding women’s health and the social conception of purity. Purity myths and misconceptions have created stigmas that women of all backgrounds must navigate to manage and care for their reproductive and sexual health. This study investigates the importance of purity and how it is used to define, measure, and categorize women’s bodies and behaviors. Women’s perception of purity, specifically in regards to menstruation and pre-marital sex, were investigated using semi-structured interviews in Dehradun, Uttarkhand. This study analyzes how stigmatized conceptions of impurities manifest as silence in society. Data collected from …

El Método Anticonceptivo Implante Subdérmico Para Prevenir La Repetición Del Embarazo Adolescente En La Provincia De Tucumán, Madelaine Hack

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Información Contextual: El método anticonceptivo implante subdérmico se utiliza para prevenir la repetición del embarazo adolescente entre mujeres de 14 a 24 años de edad que no tienen cobertura de salud (es decir, sin cobertura de una obra-social o pre-paga) y que han tenido un evento obstétrico (parto o aborto) en los últimos 12 meses. La prevención del segundo embarazo adolescente es una línea estratégica sumamente importante porque la tasa de embarazo adolescente ha mantenido su valor cercano al 15% por los últimos 20 años. En el caso particular de la provincia de Tucumán, está presenta un contexto interesante lo …

El Uso De Terapias Psicológicas En Mujeres Jóvenes En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires (Caba), Argentina, Batsheva Honig

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Información Contextual: Esta investigación se enfoca en el uso de terapia en mujeres jóvenes en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (CABA), Argentina. Argentina es el líder mundial de psicólogos por habitantes con una gran concentración de psicólogos en CABA (Alonso y Klinar 2014). El uso de terapia no es exclusivo de personas con trastornos mentales. En el ámbito privado son comunes las consultas por cuestiones generales de la vida. La población de este estudio son mujeres jóvenes entre 22 y 32 años. Este periodo es caracterizado como un tiempo de exploración y auto-reflexión. Además, esta franja etaria constituye un gran …

Los Factores Influyentes En Las Perspectivas De Aborto De Los Estudiantes Universitarios En Santiago, Chile: Desde Lo Conservador A Lo Contrario, Victoria Albert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research Question: What factors influence the pro-life and pro-choice perspectives of university students in Santiago, Chile? What are these perspectives? Objectives: The general objective of this study is to describe the pro-life and pro-choice perspectives on abortion held by university students in Santiago, Chile, and to describe how factors such as feminism, religion, and the right to life influence these views today. The specific objectives of this study are to define and analyze the way in which these factors work to influence students’ perspectives, as well as identify what percentage of students currently support various types of abortion.

Background: Chile …

Maternal Health In Villages Of Northern Uttar Pradesh Assessing Options, Practices And Outcomes In Bahraich District, Elizabeth Curtis

India: Public Health, Policy Advocacy, and Community

Maternal mortality distinctly highlights a health burden women face, particularly in developing countries. For that reason, poor maternal outcomes in rural India are a field in which Public Health workers and researchers continue to question and study. This project aims to understand the reasons behind poor maternal health outcomes for village women in Bahraich District of Uttar Pradesh. The focus of this topic is the accessibility of available health services and the attitudes of various players who distribute or consume services of the health system. Through fieldwork with doctors, medical institutions, auxiliary health workers, traditional health workers, and village women, …

The Perception Of Menstruation And Treatment Of Menstrual Ailments Among Tibetan Women In Mcleod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh, Kara Spafford

India: Public Health, Policy Advocacy, and Community

Despite recent incorporation of quality of life assessments into goal setting, menstrual ailments are still left out of public health initiatives in developing countries. Due to lack of studies on perceptions of menstruation and treatment options for menstrual ailments, the specific health needs of Tibetan women are not met. The present study seeks to determine how Tibetan women are influenced by societal views of menstruation and to explore access to treatment for menstrual problems in McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh. A total of thirty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted among Tibetan doctors at Men-Tsee-Khang (Tibetan Medical and Astronomy Institute) and Tibetan women …

Cross-Cultural Childbirth: Prioritizing The Healthcare Experiences Of Migrant Women In Competent Models Of Care, Emma Hall

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the context of the feminization of increasing global migration, it is impossible to understand maternal and child health in a given country without considering the experience of female migrants. As the total migrant population increases in the European Union, migration and its effects on health care provision in receiving countries and the experiences of immigrant populations must be recognized. Past research exposes an increased risk of complications and maternal mortality in migrant populations, but little information exists on the tangible programs that could respond to disparity. According to the World Health Organization, maternal health refers to the health of …

Abortion In Brazil - Todo Mundo Faz: An Analysis Of Social Movements And Social Support For The Liberalization Of Brazil’S Abortion Law In Salvador, Brazil, Maria Camila Caicedo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study analyzed the current actions of feminist movements, black women’s movements, and other advocacy groups that have a stake in the current debate for the legalization of abortion in Brazil. The purpose of the study was to assess the current political avenues for approaching the legislative body available to marginalized groups who are disproportionately affected by the criminalization of abortion. It was built upon a comprehensive review of existing literature, which found very little information on the actions of feminist movements and black women’s movements in Northeast Brazil. The study was conducted over the course of four weeks in …

Hurdles To Health: An Exploration Of The Social Determinants That Affect Attitudes Toward Hpv Vaccination In Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Megan Rogers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 2014, the Brazilian government began supplying free, preventative human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for girls between the ages of 9 and 13. This public health campaign has the potential to greatly reduce the high HPV infection rate in Brazil, but without targeted education and information to supplement this medical intervention the program is predicted to have a smaller impact. This study aims to assess how well information about the HPV vaccine is currently reaching young Brazilian girls and their families. Data was gathered by interviewing professionals who work in STD education, women’s issues, and healthcare advocacy, as well as one …

Babies First: Ensuring Proper Infant Nutrition During Emergencies, Abigail M. Alonso

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Background: Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for an infant, living in all regions and cultures. Recommendations apply across the board, from developed nations to refugee camps, from women with HIV to those with time constraints regarding feeding. There also exists a complex relationship between corporations that provide BMS and the NGOs working to promote breastfeeding in emergency situations amongst vulnerable populations.

Objective: The objective of this paper is to expose breastfeeding promotion, using the Dadaab camps in Northeastern Kenya as a case study of IYCF programs and support of breastfeeding among low-literacy populations with an emphasis on women …

Effect Of Females In Leadership Roles On Menstrual Sanitation In Rural Jamkhed, India, Kirsten Hughes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Introduction: Menstruation is integral to puberty and maturation of adolescent girls. Education about menstruation and menstrual hygiene effects a woman’s physical and psychosocial health through the majority of her life.

Purpose: This study seeks to answer the following questions: Who is providing information to girls before or after their first menstruation? Is this information timely, appropriate and accurate? Is the information effective enough to see changes in menstrual practices through a family and community? In answering these questions, the study attempts to determine the pathways of communications regarding menstruation and menstrual health in the Jamkhed area of the Ahmednagar district …

Los Efectos De La Violencia Familiar Y Las Percepciones De Las Mujeres Afectadas: Un Estudio De Las Mujeres Victimas De La Violencia Familiar A Ahmauta / The Effects Of Family Violence And Perceptions Of Women Affected :A Study Of Women Victims Of Domestic Violence To Ahmauta, Catherine Oidtman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Violence against women is a social problem that demands much attention from society because it is a human rights issue and is damaging to the mental health status of women. The purpose of this investigation is to use an ethnographic approach to analyze the perceptions of women who have suffered from domestic violence to determine how perceptions of domestic violence impact subsequent mental health outcomes. Women (n=6) were recruited from the NGO Amhauta, an educational program that advocates for the rights of women and children in San Jerónimo, a district of Cusco, Peru. This analysis uses an ethnographic approach to …

Women's Health And Abortion Culture In China: Policy, Perception And Practice , Naomi Bouchard

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since China’s implementation of the Family Planning Policy in 1973, much research has been dedicated to analyzing the effects of a policy that strictly controls the reproductive lives of a population now comprisedof 1.35 billion people. Analyses focus on the rise of abortions in China, now at an annual rate of at least 13 million, but offer little insight into the perceptions of the population in regard to China’s new abortion culture. This study aims to shed light on current perceptions through a range of in-person, qualitative interviews conducted in Kunming, China. The study is limited to a sample size …

Breaking Barriers: The Influence Of Socioeconomic Status On Obesity Among Women In Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Christina Camoriano

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Obesity in Brazil has grown rapidly within the past decade, however research is conflicting in terms of who carries the burden of this disease- the economic elite or the poor. Despite the lack of clarity towards the current distribution of obesity, many studies have come to the conclusion that in developing countries, obesity is growing more rapidly among those of lower socioeconomic status.¹¹ Therefore, the purpose of my research study is to examine how socioeconomic status influences the dietary and exercise habits of lower and lower-middle income women who are obese. This study is relevant because it seeks to …

Barriers To Successful Cervical Cancer Screening In Rural Kwazulu-Natal, Cato Manor, And Cape Town, Amanda Comai

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 2000, the South African Department of Health produced a nationwide policy intended to combat the growing crisis of cervical cancer. Nearly fifteen years later, however, the disease remains a significant cause of death among certain female populations, especially those who are rural, poor, and HIV-positive. It is undeniable that challenges of access, awareness, resource demand, and stigmatization stand in the way of complete policy enactment.

In this study, I explore in detail the barriers that prevent successful implementation of the policy. My research combines interviews with a variety of individuals and participant observation at the Cancer Association of South …

Eating Disorders: Prevalence, Perceptions, And Treatments In Jordan, Brenda Gable

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the perceptions that young women in Jordan have regarding their bodies and eating disorders, in addition to their opinion regarding media and familial pressures to fit societal norms. The study further examines eating disorders as a mental disorder and the obstacles that individuals face when seeking treatment. This study was implemented by 95 surveys distributed to women in a first aid course at Jordan University and by interviewing professionals in the nutritional, mental health, and educational field. It was found that 86% of surveyed students believed that young women in Jordan struggled with body image and 72% …

Schoolgirls’ Experience Of Menstruation Ss Expressed Through Body Mapping In A Quasi-Rural South African Village, Angela Zablotny

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The aim of this independent study project was to gain an understanding of menstruation as experienced by school aged girls in a quasi-rural village in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. Though a fact of life for roughly half of the world’s population, menstruation continues to be a taboo topic and has implications related to both traditional Zulu beliefs as well as expectations for females in a largely patriarchal society.

The qualitative research method of body mapping was used with teenage girls in an effort to facilitate both reflection and discussion on their lived experiences with their periods. Supplemental interviews …

Femininity, Dependency, And Patriarchy: The Marginalization Of Women With Japanese Encephalitis And Neurological Sequelae In The Northern Terai Region Of Uttar Pradesh, Katherine Ehrenreich

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The present study seeks to determine how girls and women who have suffered from neurological sequelae after a Japanese encephalitis (JE) infection are marginalized in the Northern Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, India. Societal and familial values were studied in comparison to behaviors towards a neurologically disabled girl after a JE infection in order to determine how women infected with JE are excluded from cultural practices and norms. The 4 study was conducted in the Northern Terai region of Uttar Pradesh in the districts of Bahraich and Shrawasti under the guidance of DEHAT and Dr. Jitendra Chaturvedi. Semi-structured interviewing was …

Pepfar Problems: How Does The United States’ Presidential Emergency Program For Aids Relief Empower Women?, Caitlin H.

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study looks to examine how the Presidential Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) works to achieve one of its key goals, the empowerment of women, in the Western Cape. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects women disproportionately, around the world and in South Africa. Thus, women should be a key focus of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) relief and HIV prevention. This paper analyzes the work of PEPFAR to empower women through three lenses. Women’s empowerment in general is discussed, to see how organizations view their own methods of empowerment. PEPFAR’s work with sex workers is examined, as they are often …

Los Factores Sociales Que Influyen En El Embarazo Y En El Uso De Anticonceptivos De Adolescentes En El Barrio 25 De Mayo, Maipú, Mendoza., Isabel Odean

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a common phenomenon among those living in poverty. Adolescent pregnancy is influenced by many social and cultural factors, leading to lack of use of contraceptives. This study took place in the neighborhood 25 de Mayo, in the city of Maipú, Mendoza in Argentina. This community is mostly composed of people with low incomes and limited education. Socioeconomic and the attitudes toward teenage pregnancy, as well as the use of contraceptives by adolescents, are distinct from those in wealthier better educated groups. This neighborhood is approximately 10,000 people, the majority of whom are women. Most of the …

The Current Status Of Maternal Health In Samoa: Maternal Health Perspectives According To Professionals And Women, Yesenia Pedro Vicente

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Countries that face pressure to develop at a rapid pace under the western model must adapt to social change and adopt new policies that will secure their well-being. In an attempt to guide these countries, the United Nations has established the Millennium Development Goals as a framework for national development. The United Nations recognizes the importance of improving maternal health and has established it as one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed to by member states. Samoa has agreed to these Goals and is said to be “on track” for improving maternal health by the year 2015. This …

Lo Personal Es Político: La Lucha Por La Legalización Del Aborto En Chile, A Través De La Organización Feminista, Católicas Por El Derecho A Decidir, Gavin Odabashian

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper investigates the work of a small collective of women—Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir—and the practice of their activism in Valparaíso, Chile. I focus on the ways in which these women are strategically mobilizing as an organization to fight for justice for women in Chile—more specifically, for gender equality, access to reproductive rights, and the legalization of abortion in all cases. I examine the history of the organization, its form and structure, the projects and campaigns they are currently working on, the individual experiences of the women working within the organization, their perspectives on their work, …

The Different Perceptions Of Breast Cancer In Post-Conflict Northern Uganda, Karen Im

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Objective: To assess breast cancer perceptions in Northern Uganda for the purpose of informing necessary cancer initiatives.

Methods: Breast cancer patients and the Gulu District community development officer participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative data analysis.

Results: The concept of cancer is relatively new in Northern Uganda. In conjunction with a lack of understanding and competing priorities, many women are often diagnosed in late and advanced stages. Most women go to the hospital when they feel distinctive pain in the body instead of getting regular check-ups.

Conclusions: Educating people on needs for more proactive health-seeking behavior could …