Dataset Information

Innovative methods to analyse the impact of gender norms on adolescent health using global health survey data.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding how gender norms affect health is an important entry point into designing programs and policies to change norms and improve gender equality and health. However, it is rare for global health datasets to include questions on gender norms, especially questions that go beyond measuring gender-related attitudes, thus limiting gender analysis.

Methods

We developed five case studies using health survey data from six countries to demonstrate approaches to defining and operationalising proxy measures and analytic approaches to investigating how gender norms can affect health. Key findings, strengths and limitations of our norms proxies and methodological choices are summarised.

Findings

Case studies revealed links between gender norms and multiple adolescent health outcomes. Proxys for norms were derived from data on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours, as well as differences between attitudes and behaviours. Data were cross-sectional, longitudinal, census- and social network-based. Analytic methods were diverse. We found that gender norms affect: 1) Intimate partner violence in Nigeria; 2) Unhealthy weight control behaviours in Brazil and South Africa; 3) HIV status in Zambia; 4) Health and social mobility in the US; and 5) Childbirth in Honduras.

Interpretation

Researchers can use existing global health survey data to examine pathways through which gender norms affect health by generating proxies for gender norms. While direct measures of gender norms can greatly improve the understanding of how gender affects health, proxy measures for norms can be designed for the specific health-related outcome and normative context, for instance by either aggregating behaviours or attitudes or quantifying the difference (dissonance) between them. These norm proxies enable evaluations of the influence of gender norms on health and insights into possible reference groups and sanctions for non-compliers, thus informing programmes and policies to shape norms and improve health.

SUBMITTER: Cislaghi B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8819155 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Innovative methods to analyse the impact of gender norms on adolescent health using global health survey data.

Cislaghi Beniamino B Weber Ann M AM Shakya Holly B HB Abdalla Safa S Bhatia Amiya A Domingue Benjamin W BW Mejía-Guevara Iván I Stark Lindsay L Seff Ilana I Richter Linda M LM Baptista Menezes Ana Maria AM Victora Cesar G CG Darmstadt Gary L GL

Social science & medicine (1982) 20211210

<h4>Background</h4>Understanding how gender norms affect health is an important entry point into designing programs and policies to change norms and improve gender equality and health. However, it is rare for global health datasets to include questions on gender norms, especially questions that go beyond measuring gender-related attitudes, thus limiting gender analysis.<h4>Methods</h4>We developed five case studies using health survey data from six countries to demonstrate approaches to defining ...[more]

PMID: 34915243

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Project description:Summary Background Despite strides towards gender equality, inequalities persist or remain unstudied, due potentially to data gaps. Although mapped, the effects of key data gaps remain unknown. This study provides a framework to measure effects of gender- and age-imbalanced and missing covariate data on gender-health research. The framework is demonstrated using a previously studied pathway for effects of pre-marital sex norms among adults on adolescent HIV risk. Methods After identifying gender-age-imbalanced Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) datasets, we resampled responses and restricted covariate data from a relatively complete, balanced dataset derived from the 2007 Zambian DHS to replicate imbalanced gender-age sampling and covariate missingness. Differences in model outcomes due to sampling were measured using tests for interaction. Missing covariate effects were measured by comparing fully-adjusted and reduced model fitness. Findings We simulated data from 25 DHS surveys across 20 countries from 2005-2014 on four sex-stratified models for pathways of adult attitude-behaviour discordance regarding pre-marital sex and adolescent risk of HIV. On average, across gender-age-imbalanced surveys, males comprised 29.6% of responses compared to 45.3% in the gender-balanced dataset. Gender-age-imbalanced sampling significantly affected regression coefficients in 40% of model-scenarios (N = 40 of 100) and biased relative-risk estimates away from gender-age-balanced sampling outcomes in 46% (N = 46) of model-scenarios. Model fitness was robust to covariate removal with minor effects on male HIV models. No consistent trends were observed between sampling distribution and risk of biased outcomes. Interpretation Gender-health model outcomes may be affected by sampling gender-age-imbalanced data and less-so by missing covariates. Although occasionally attenuated, the effect magnitude of gender-age-imbalanced sampling is variable and may mask true associations, thus misinforming policy dialogue. We recommend future surveys improve balanced gender-age sampling to promote research reliability. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant OPP1140262 to Stanford University.

Project description:BackgroundFamily members influence maternal, child, and adolescent nutrition and are increasingly engaged in nutrition interventions and research. However, there remain gaps in the literature related to programmatic experiences and lessons learned from engaging these key influencers in nutrition activities.ObjectivesThis research aimed to document global health professionals' experiences engaging family members in nutrition activities, and their perceived barriers, facilitators, and recommendations for nutrition activities that engage family members.MethodsGlobal health and nutrition professionals were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences engaging family members in nutrition activities. The survey included 42 multiple-choice questions tabulated by frequency and 4 open-response questions, which were analyzed thematically.ResultsMore than 180 respondents (n = 183) in 49 countries with experience engaging fathers, grandmothers, and other family members in nutrition activities participated in the survey. Participants highlighted the importance of conducting formative research with all members of the family system and using participatory processes in intervention design and implementation. Respondents reported engaging family members increases support for recommended behaviors, improves program sustainability, and facilitates family and community ownership. Some respondents also shared experiences with positive and negative unintended consequences when engaging family members; for example, one-fifth of participants reported that mothers were uncomfortable with involving men in discussions. Common challenges centered on limited resources for program delivery, not involving all influential family members, and traditional gender norms. Recommendations included incorporating family members in the project design phase and ensuring sufficient project resources to engage family members throughout the project lifecycle.ConclusionsSurveying global health professionals provides an opportunity to learn from their experiences and fill gaps in the peer-reviewed literature to strengthen intervention design and implementation. Community ownership and sustainability emerged as key benefits of family engagement not previously reported in the literature, but responses also highlighted potential negative unintended consequences.

Dataset Information

Innovative methods to analyse the impact of gender norms on adolescent health using global health survey data.

Background

Methods

Findings

Interpretation

Publications

Innovative methods to analyse the impact of gender norms on adolescent health using global health survey data.

Similar Datasets

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