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How gender- and violence-related norms affect self-esteem among adolescent refugee girls living in Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT: Background:Evidence suggests adolescent self-esteem is influenced by beliefs of how individuals in their reference group perceive them. However, few studies examine how gender- and violence-related social norms affect self-esteem among refugee populations. This paper explores relationships between gender inequitable and victim-blaming social norms, personal attitudes, and self-esteem among adolescent girls participating in a life skills program in three Ethiopian refugee camps. Methods:Ordinary least squares multivariable regression analysis was used to assess the associations between attitudes and social norms, and self-esteem. Key independent variables of interest included a scale measuring personal attitudes toward gender inequitable norms, a measure of perceived injunctive norms capturing how a girl believed her family and community would react if she was raped, and a peer-group measure of collective descriptive norms surrounding gender inequity. The key outcome variable, self-esteem, was measured using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Results:Girl's personal attitudes toward gender inequitable norms were not significantly predictive of self-esteem at endline, when adjusting for other covariates. Collective peer norms surrounding the same gender inequitable statements were significantly predictive of self-esteem at endline (ß = -0.130; p = 0.024). Additionally, perceived injunctive norms surrounding family and community-based sanctions for victims of forced sex were associated with a decline in self-esteem at endline (ß = -0.103; p = 0.014). Significant findings for collective descriptive norms and injunctive norms remained when controlling for all three constructs simultaneously. Conclusions:Findings suggest shifting collective norms around gender inequity, particularly at the community and peer levels, may sustainably support the safety and well-being of adolescent girls in refugee settings.

SUBMITTER: Stark L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5797934 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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How gender- and violence-related norms affect self-esteem among adolescent refugee girls living in Ethiopia.

Stark L L Asghar K K Seff I I Cislaghi B B Yu G G Tesfay Gessesse T T Eoomkham J J Assazenew Baysa A A Falb K K

Global mental health (Cambridge, England) 20180117

<h4>Background</h4>Evidence suggests adolescent self-esteem is influenced by beliefs of how individuals in their reference group perceive them. However, few studies examine how gender- and violence-related social norms affect self-esteem among refugee populations. This paper explores relationships between gender inequitable and victim-blaming social norms, personal attitudes, and self-esteem among adolescent girls participating in a life skills program in three Ethiopian refugee camps.<h4>Method ...[more]

PMID: 29435352

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Project description:BackgroundAdolescent girls have a higher risk of anemia due to an increased requirement, low intake of hematopoietic nutrients and low intake of a nutrient that enhance absorption of these hematopoietic nutrients. Adolescent girls living in refugee camps are more vulnerable to anemia. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls aged 10-19 years in Aw-Barre refugee camp, Somalia regional state, Southeast Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was employed. Study participants were recruited using a simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Hemoglobin level was tested using HemoCueHb 301 from 10μl finger prick blood samples. Adolescents with a hemoglobin level of <12.5gm/dl after altitude adjustment were classified as anemic. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7.0 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the association of independent variables with anemia. Variables having P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.ResultsFour hundred thirty-seven adolescent girls participated in the study with a response rate of 95.83%. The prevalence of anemia was 22% (95% CI (17.6, 26.1)). Late adolescents were 2 times more likely to have anemia as compared to early adolescents (AOR: 1.95, 95% CI (1.09, 3.47). Those who stayed ≥8 years in the camp were 3 times more likely to develop anemia (AOR: 2.92, 95% CI (1.14, 7.50)). Those who ate heme iron food sources less than one time per month were 11 times more likely to develop anemia compared to those who ate more than twice within a week (AOR: 11.42, 95% CI (3.42, 38.18)).ConclusionsThe prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls was a moderate public health problem. Education and awareness on adolescent nutrition with special attention of late adolescents and duration in the refugee camps is warranted. Moreover, promoting the intake of foods rich in heme iron is suggested.

Project description:BACKGROUND:We sought to estimate the prevalence and describe heterogeneity in experiences of gender-based violence (GBV) across subgroups of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). METHODS:We used data from a cross-sectional bio-behavioural survey among 1299 AGYW aged 14-24 in Mombasa, Kenya in 2015. Respondents were recruited from hotspots associated with sex work, and self-selected into one of three subgroups: young women engaged in casual sex (YCS), young women engaged in transactional sex (YTS), and young women engaged in sex work (YSW). We compared overall and across subgroups: prevalence of lifetime and recent (within previous year) self-reported experience of physical, sexual, and police violence; patterns and perpetrators of first and most recent episode of physical and sexual violence; and factors associated with physical and sexual violence. RESULTS:The prevalences of lifetime and recent physical violence were 18.0 and 10.7% respectively. Lifetime and recent sexual violence respectively were reported by 20.5 and 9.8% of respondents. Prevalence of lifetime and recent experience of police violence were 34.7 and 25.8% respectively. All forms of violence were most frequently reported by YSW, followed by YTS and then YCS. 62%/81% of respondents reported having sex during the first episode of physical/sexual violence, and 48%/62% of those sex acts at first episode of physical/sexual violence were condomless. In the most recent episode of violence when sex took place levels of condom use remained low at 53-61%. The main perpetrators of violence were intimate partners for YCS, and both intimate partners and regular non-client partners for YTS. For YSW, first-time and regular paying clients were the main perpetrators of physical and sexual violence. Alcohol use, ever being pregnant and regular source of income were associated with physical and sexual violence though it differed by subgroup and type of violence. CONCLUSIONS:AGYW in these settings experience high vulnerability to physical, sexual and police violence. However, AGYW are not a homogeneous group, and there are heterogeneities in prevalence and predictors of violence between subgroups of AGYW that need to be understood to design effective programmes to address violence.

Project description:BackgroundAge-mixing (age-disparate [5-9 years difference] and intergenerational [≥ 10 years difference]) partnerships are hypothesized drivers of HIV in adolescent girls and young women (AGYW; 15-24 years). These partnerships are often associated with increased gender inequities which undermine women's agency and assertiveness. We assessed whether age-mixing partnerships were associated with HIV in Malawi and if endorsement of inequitable gender norms modifies this relationship.MethodsWe analyzed data from the Malawi Population-based HIV Impact Assessment, a nationally representative household survey conducted in 2015-2016. Participants underwent HIV testing and completed questionnaires related to actively endorsed gender norms and sexual risk behavior. We used multivariate logistic regression and multiplicative interaction to assess associations among AGYW who reported the age of their primary sex partner from the last year.ResultsThe analysis included 1,958 AGYW (mean age = 19.9 years, SD = 0.1), 459 (23.4%) and 131 (6.7%) of whom reported age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships, respectively. AGYW in age-mixing partnerships accounted for 13% of all AGYW and were older, more likely to reside in urban areas, to be married or cohabitating with a partner, and to have engaged in riskier sexual behavior compared with AGYW in age-concordant partnerships (p < 0.05). HIV prevalence among AGYW in age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships was 6.1% and 11.9%, respectively, compared with 3.2% in age-concordant partnerships (p < 0.001). After adjusting for residence, age, education, employment, wealth quintile, and ever been married or cohabitated as married, AGYW in age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships had 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1-3.5) and 3.4 (95% CI: 1.6-7.2) greater odds of HIV, respectively, compared with AGYW in age-concordant partnerships. Among the 614 (31% of the study group) who endorsed inequitable gender norms, AGYW in age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships had 3.5 (95% CI: 1.1-11.8) and 6.4 (95% CI: 1.5-27.8) greater odds of HIV, respectively, compared with AGYW in age-concordant partnerships.ConclusionsIn this Malawi general population survey, age-mixing partnerships were associated with increased odds of HIV among AGYW. These findings highlight inequitable gender norms as a potential focus for HIV prevention and could inform interventions targeting structural, cultural, and social constraints of this key group.

Project description:PURPOSE:This study investigates the relationship between adolescent girls' agency and social norms regarding early marriage, girls' education, and nutrition in West Hararghe, Ethiopia. METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional study involving adolescent girls aged between 13 and 17 years in 2016. A two-stage cluster sampling procedure was followed to identify eligible respondents at the household level. A total of 114 clusters in four districts and 30 households from each cluster were randomly selected. Data were collected using a structured and pretested questionnaire. The agency composite score was measured based on 21 previously validated items. Descriptive and injunctive norm composite scores regarding education, marriage, and nutrition were constructed based on context-relevant items. The weighted mean and standard errors were calculated for the agency and social norms composite scores. The relationship between girls' agency and descriptive and injunctive norms were examined using a multivariable linear regression model that accounted for a complex sample survey design. RESULTS:A total of 3,186 adolescent girls participated in this study. The multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that adolescent girls' agency score significantly and favorably associated with education (? = .19, p < .001), marriage (? = .13, p < .01), and nutrition (? = .20, p < .01) descriptive norms after adjusting for individual and household characteristics. Similarly, adolescent girls' agency was significantly and favorably associated with marriage (? = .21, p < .001) injunctive norms; however, positive injunctive norms around education (? = .09, p > .05) and nutrition (? = .12, p > .05) did not have a statistically significant association with girls' agency. The domains of agency scale related to the belief in women's health rights related to contraception use and the belief in women's right to refuse sex showed poor prosocial views. CONCLUSIONS:Favorable descriptive and injunctive norms around marriage were significantly associated with greater adolescent girls' agency, which indicates the need to incorporate interventions that address social norms in efforts aimed to enhance adolescent girls' sexual and reproductive health status. Furthermore, attention should be given to monitor which domain of agency is improved by the interventions.

Dataset Information

How gender- and violence-related norms affect self-esteem among adolescent refugee girls living in Ethiopia.

Publications

How gender- and violence-related norms affect self-esteem among adolescent refugee girls living in Ethiopia.

Similar Datasets

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