Introduction: In August 2014, the Yazidi community of Sinjar, in the Nineveh Governorate of Northern Iraq, was brutally targeted by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for annihilation through murder, torture, and the systematic and premeditated use of rape and sexual slavery of Yazidi women. In 2016, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that ISIS was committing genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against Yazidis. Methods: Using current international literature, which includes reviews, qualitative interviews of survivors, and reports from medical and humanitarian actors, this paper explores the short and potentially long-term physical and mental health consequences of the extreme physical and sexual violence and atrocities perpetrated against Yazidi women. Results: Yazidi women survivors of kidnapping, sex slavery, and rape experienced significant levels of physical ailments, chronic pain, and mental health conditions. All women reported feelings of guilt, stress, insomnia, and severe flashbacks. The incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ranged from 42% to 90%. Sixty-seven percent suffered from a somatoform disorder, 53% had depression, 39% experienced anxiety, and 28% suffered from dissociation. Conclusions: Sexual violence against women is a common tool systematically employed during wars and genocide. In recent ISIS attacks, intentional perpetration of mass rapes of women and execution of men was a strategy to destroy an entire population.
Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is physical, sexual, or psychological harm perpetrated by a spouse or an intimate partner. Its detrimental effects on women’s physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health are well-documented. However, its impact on nutritional status is not well-studied, and previous studies have led to contradictory findings. This study aimed to explore the association between intimate partner violence and the nutritional status of married Nepalese women. Methods The study used the 2016 Nepal Demographic Health Survey data, which employed a modified version of the Conflict Tactics Scale to determine women’s exposure to IPV. Anemia and low body mass index (BMI) were used as proxies of nutritional status. Multinomial regression was used to analyze the relationship between BMI and IPV; multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the association between anemia and IPV. Results The prevalence of underweight, overweight/obesity, and anemia were respectively 13.9%, 25.1%, and 38.7%. The prevalence of physical, sexual, and emotional IPVs experienced in the preceding year were respectively 9.8%, 4.6%, and 7.6%. Likewise, the prevalence of lifetime physical, sexual, emotional, and controlling behavior IPVs were respectively 21.8%, 7.4%, 12.3%, and 32.1%. The low intensity of emotional IPV (AOR 1.62; CI: 1.02–2.56) and moderate intensity of physical IPV (AOR 3.70; CI: 1.64–8.35) experienced in the preceding year, and low intensity of lifetime emotional IPV (AOR 1.69; CI: 1.11–2.58) were associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity. Moderate intensity of sexual IPV (AOR 2.59; CI: 1.099–6.108) experienced in the preceding year was associated with an increased risk of underweight BMI. The low intensity of lifetime controlling behavior (AOR1.25; CI: 1.03–1.53) was associated with an increased risk of anemia. Conclusions Emotional and Physical IPVs are significantly associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity. Sexual IPV is significantly associated with an increased risk of underweight BMI, and controlling behavior is significantly associated with an increased risk of anemia. Seeking help could offset the detrimental effects of IPV; therefore, IPV screening should be a part of regular healthcare assessment for married women, and appropriate rehabilitation should be offered to IPV survivors.
Background: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is currently a threat to malaria elimination due to risk of primaquine-induced haemolysis in G6PD deficient individuals. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends G6PD screening before providing primaquine as a radical treatment against vivax malaria. However, evidence regarding the prevalence and causing mutations of G6PD deficiency in Nepal is scarce. Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based, prevalence study was carried out from May to October 2016 in 12 malaria-endemic districts of Nepal. The screening survey included 4067 participants whose G6PD status was determined by G6PD Care Start ™ rapid diagnostic test and genotyping. Results: The prevalence of G6PD deficiency at the national level was 3.5% (4.1% among males and 2.1% among females). When analysed according to ethnic groups, G6PD deficiency was highest among the Janajati (6.2% overall, 17.6% in Mahatto, 7.7% in Chaudhary and 7.5% in Tharu) and low among Brahman and Chhetri (1.3%). District-wise, prevalence was highest in Banke (7.6%) and Chitwan (6.6%). Coimbra mutation (592 C>T) was found among 75.5% of the G6PD-deficient samples analysed and Mahidol (487 G>A) and Mediterranean (563 C>T) mutations were found in equal proportions in the remaining 24.5%. There was no specific geographic or ethnic distribution for the three mutations. Conclusions: This study has identified populations with moderate to high prevalence of G6PD deficiency which provides strong evidence supporting the WHO recommendations to screen G6PD deficiency at health facility level before the use of primaquine-based radical curative regimen for Plasmodium vivax.
Objective: Disrespectful and abusive (D&A) maternity care is a deterrent to facility childbirth and can thus contribute to child and maternal mortality. This study will review existing literature on D&A in Tanzania to better understand and contextualize the issue. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to find relevant publications on D&A during childbirth in Tanzania. The search was conducted on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health). The inclusion criteria were as follows: qualitative, quantitative, and ethnographic studies conducted in Tanzania on obstetrical violence; published in English; focused on prevalence, incidence, root causes, historical trends, interventions, and policy recommendations for obstetrical violence in Tanzania. Results: Twenty-one studies were selected for this literature review. Up to 73.1% of women reported experiencing at least one form of D&A during labor. Commonly reported D&A events include non-dignified care, non-confidential care, and physical abuse. Other forms of D&A, including detention in facilities and asking for unofficial payments, are also reported. Ninety-six percent of nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants in Tanzania self-reported engaging in at least one form of D&A. Lack of training and provider support, long work hours, fear of blame, and limited infrastructure were reported as factors leading to D&A by providers. Conclusions: In Tanzania, D&A during childbirth is prevalent in healthcare systems. The direct relationship between D&A and poor maternal and fetal health is well-documented.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.