“…Tere is evidence that once a woman is widowed, she struggles in order to support her family [20]. Azumah and Nachinaab [2], in their study on the case of widowhood rituals among the people of the Bulungu community in Ghana, established that widows would send their children to beg in the streets whilst they could be engaging in commercial sexual practices.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Widows are considered to be one of the vulnerable groups in society due to the experiences they go through after the death of their spouses [1]. Women who are widowed go through physical, social, and physiological experiences that impact their well-being [2]. A woman is considered to be a widow once she has lost her husband [3].…”
The aim of the study was to understand the experiences of widows in Mzuzu city, Malawi. The study utilizes a qualitative narrative inquiry to explore the experiences of widows. Participants were identified in Chibanja, Zolozolo, and Chasefu townships within the city of Mzuzu. Ten participants were purposively selected and consented to be interviewed. Data were analyzed using Reisman’s approach of thematic narrative analysis. The study has revealed that some widows had their property seized following the death of their husbands. The findings have shown that most of the deceased husbands had small-scale businesses and were living on what they had earned that day. This study recommends the Government of Malawi introduce social service programs where widows could be economically empowered through grants and monthly upkeep to help widows who are facing challenges in meeting their needs and to reinforce policies to prevent widows from facing challenges.
“…Tere is evidence that once a woman is widowed, she struggles in order to support her family [20]. Azumah and Nachinaab [2], in their study on the case of widowhood rituals among the people of the Bulungu community in Ghana, established that widows would send their children to beg in the streets whilst they could be engaging in commercial sexual practices.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Widows are considered to be one of the vulnerable groups in society due to the experiences they go through after the death of their spouses [1]. Women who are widowed go through physical, social, and physiological experiences that impact their well-being [2]. A woman is considered to be a widow once she has lost her husband [3].…”
The aim of the study was to understand the experiences of widows in Mzuzu city, Malawi. The study utilizes a qualitative narrative inquiry to explore the experiences of widows. Participants were identified in Chibanja, Zolozolo, and Chasefu townships within the city of Mzuzu. Ten participants were purposively selected and consented to be interviewed. Data were analyzed using Reisman’s approach of thematic narrative analysis. The study has revealed that some widows had their property seized following the death of their husbands. The findings have shown that most of the deceased husbands had small-scale businesses and were living on what they had earned that day. This study recommends the Government of Malawi introduce social service programs where widows could be economically empowered through grants and monthly upkeep to help widows who are facing challenges in meeting their needs and to reinforce policies to prevent widows from facing challenges.
“…About 88% of the district’s population reside in rural areas. Agriculture (farming, fishing, forestry) constitutes the main economic activity; small-scale mining activities are increasing [ 37 , 38 ]. Twi is the most common spoken language.…”
Background
Stigma related to skin neglected tropical diseases like Buruli ulcer (BU) and yaws has remained underexplored and existing studies are limited to individual diseases despite the WHO call for integration in disease management. Within two districts in central Ghana, we explored stigma associated with BU and yaws to understand overlaps and disease-specific nuances to help guide integrated interventions.
Methodology/Principal findings
In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 current or formerly affected individuals to assess the experiences, effects and coping strategies adopted to manage disease related stigma. Data were analysed along broad themes based on the sociological construct of macro and micro interaction and Goffman’s treatise on stigma.
Disapproving community labels fueled by misconceptions were noted among BU participants which contributed to macro stigma experiences, including exclusion, discrimination and avoidance. In contrast, a high level of social acceptance was reported among yaws participants although some micro-level stigma (anticipated, felt and self-stigma) were noted by individuals with both diseases. While younger participants experienced name-calling and use of derogatory words to address affected body parts, older participants and caregivers discussed the pain of public staring. Stigma experiences had negative consequences on psychosocial well-being, schooling, and social relations, particularly for BU affected people. Problem-focused strategies including confrontation, selective disclosure and concealment as well as emotion-focused strategies (religious coping and self-isolation) were noted.
Conclusions and significance
The types and levels of stigma varied for BU and yaws. Stigma experiences also differed for adults and children in this setting and these differences should be accounted for in integrated interventions for these skin NTDs. School health programs need to prioritize educating school teachers about skin NTDs and the negative impact of stigma on the wellbeing of children.
“…The findings regarding verbal and nonverbal violence are consistent with Rerkswattavorn and Chanprasertpinyo (2019), which found that 95% of parents experience or practice verbal and physical violence in their daily lives. Azumah et al (2017) state that all forms of parental violence, both verbal and physical, have a negative impact on children because they put the child under stress and can cause emotional trauma.…”
Quarter-life crisis in youngsters in their 20s triggered by concerns over uncertainties of future life, notably regarding job prospects, romantic relationships linked with marriage plan, and social life. The purpose of this study is to understand the psychosocial dynamics of the quarter-life crisis and to comprehend the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the quarter-life crisis among early adults in various regions in Indonesia. The research uses a phenomenological method of qualitative approach. Research participants were selected using the purposive sampling technique, composed of 6 people who experienced a quarter-life crisis. The age range of the participants was 20 to 29 years. Semi-structured interviews through Whatsapp media were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results showed that work-related demands, marriage plans, and family-related issues are the root causes of quarter-life crises marked by disturbing negative thoughts and feelings. Pandemic Covid-19 has also intensified the anxieties felt by some participants as the economic situation and job prospects got even bleaker. This study implies that to prevent a quarter-life crisis among youth, families are expected to be more supportive by providing support and trust for young adults to make decisions and be responsible for their choices for the future.
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