“I don’t know if I have the courage”: reproductive choices in times of Zika

Arias, Ana Rosa Linde; Tristan-Cheever, Elisa; Furtado, Grace; Siqueira, Eduardo

doi:10.7322/jhgd.150807

Cited by 9 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…The views of advocates might not be aligned with women's' views regarding abortion, for example. In a previous transnational study that provided insights into women's views and attitudes towards their reproductive rights in times of the Zika epidemic, we reported that reproductive decisions were intimately related to personal convictions and cultural beliefs, and their actions and thoughts were embedded in their sociocultural norms [25]. Thus, it is important for the advocacy to be culturally sensitive, so it reaches a broad spectrum of the population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The psychosocial implications of the Zika epidemic are essential for a complete understanding of its long-term repercussions. To our knowledge, few studies discussed the impacts on women who are indirectly affected and less vulnerable to Zika [16,25]. Women indirectly affected by the epidemic suffered indirect effects from it without being directly exposed to the virus by personal contacts or infected by it.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Solidarity, vulnerability and mistrust: how context, information and government affect the lives of women in times of Zika

2020

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Background: The public health response to Zika outbreak has mostly focused on epidemiological surveillance, vector control, and individual level preventative measures. This qualitative study employs a social-ecological framework to examine how macro (historical, legislative, political, socio-economic factors), meso (sources of information, social support, social mobilization) and micro level factors (individual actions, behavioral changes) interacted to influence the response and behavior of women with respect to Zika in different contexts. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. They were of different nationalities and ethnicities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Women in this study deemed the information provided as insufficient, which led them to actively reach out and access a variety of media sources. Social networks played a vital role in sharing information but also resulted in the spread of hoaxes or rumors. Participants in our research perceived socio-economic inequities but focused on how to remedy their microenvironments. They did not engage in major social activities. Lack of trust in governments placed women in vulnerable situations by preventing them to follow the guidance of health authorities. These impacts were also a result of the response tactics of health and government administrations in their failed attempts to ensure the well-being of their countries' populations. Conclusions: Our findings call for public health interventions that go beyond individual level behavioral change campaigns, to more comprehensively address the broader meso and macro level factors that influence women' willingness and possibility to protect themselves.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Solidarity, vulnerability and mistrust: how context, information and government affect the lives of women in times of Zika

2020

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…The views of advocates might not be aligned with women's' views regarding abortion, for example. In a previous transnational study that provided insights into women's views and attitudes towards their reproductive rights in times of the Zika epidemic, we reported that reproductive decisions were intimately related to personal convictions and cultural beliefs, and their actions and thoughts were embedded in their sociocultural norms [26] .Thus, it is important for the advocacy to be culturally sensitive, so it reaches a broad spectrum of the population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solidarity, Vulnerability and Mistrust: How Context, Information and Government Affect the Lives of Women in Times of Zika

Arias

Roura

Siqueira

2019

Preprint

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Background and Objectives The public health response to Zika outbreak has mostly focused on epidemiological surveillance, vector control, and individual level preventative measures. This qualitative study employs a social-ecological framework to examine how macro (historical, legislative, political, socio-economic factors), meso (sources of information, social support, social mobilization) and micro level factors (individual actions, behavioral changes) interacted to influence the response and behavior of women with respect to Zika in different contexts. Methods A qualitative study was carried out. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. They were of different nationalities and ethnicities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Women in this study deemed the information provided as insufficient, which led them to actively reach out and access a variety of media sources. Social networks played a vital role in sharing information but also resulted in the spread of hoaxes or rumors. Participants in our research perceived socio-economic inequities but focused on how to remedy their microenvironments. They did not engage in major social activities. Lack of trust in governments placed women in vulnerable situations by preventing them to follow the guidance of health authorities. These impacts were also a result of the response tactics of health and government administrations in their failed attempts to ensure the well-being of their countries’ populations. Conclusions Our findings call for a broad spectrum of public health interventions that go beyond individual level behavioral change campaigns, to more comprehensively address the broader meso and macro level factors that influence womens’ willingness and possibility to protect themselves.

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“…The discussion about infected women has concentrated on strategies to limit or prevent reproduction (i.e. abortion) in order to reduce the dissemination of the Zika virus [18,19,20].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Too Much to Ask, Too Much to Handle”: Women’s Coping in Times of Zika

Arias

Furtado

Tristan-Cheever

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Background and Objectives Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities. Its consequences to pregnancies have made governments, national and international agencies issue advice and recommendations to women. This study was designed to develop an initial understanding of the impacts of Zika on women of reproductive age who lived in areas with or without local transmission. The impacts on women who were less directly affected and less vulnerable to Zika were analyzed. The hypothesis was that all women were impacted by the epidemic. Methods A qualitative study was carried out. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. They were of different nationalities and ethnicities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The social effects of the epidemic affect more women than had been thought before and at deeper emotional levels. Women perceived that the public health systems were placing an unfair responsibility for preventing health complications from Zika onto women who have limited ability. They also stated that the measures recommended to them were invasive, while creating the perception that women were the sole determinant of whether they contracted Zika. The results indicate that women with higher levels of education understood the limitations of the information, government actions, and medical care they received, which ended up producing higher levels of anguish and worry. Conclusions Women appeared to be disproportionately affected by the reproductive implications of the epidemic, even when they were only indirectly affected. Gender inequality and gender discrimination must be recognized and rendered visible in the public health emergency response. It is shown the importance of considering cultural aspects and behaviors when implementing health prevention or protection measures to control epidemics.

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“I don’t know if I have the courage”: reproductive choices in times of Zika

Cited by 9 publications

References 15 publications

Solidarity, vulnerability and mistrust: how context, information and government affect the lives of women in times of Zika

Solidarity, vulnerability and mistrust: how context, information and government affect the lives of women in times of Zika

Solidarity, Vulnerability and Mistrust: How Context, Information and Government Affect the Lives of Women in Times of Zika

“Too Much to Ask, Too Much to Handle”: Women’s Coping in Times of Zika

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