Perceived discrimination has been linked to poor health outcomes among ethnic and racial minorities in the United States, though the relationship of discrimination-related stress to immigrant health is not well understood. This article reports findings from a preliminary study that examined blood pressure and Epstein-Barr virus antibody levels in relation to self-reported indicators of stress, acculturation and social support among 79 adult immigrant Latino farm workers in Oregon, US. Findings show that increases in discrimination-related stress predicted elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and Epstein-Barr virus antibody levels among male participants. Though female participants reported similar levels of discrimination stress, this perceived stress was not reflected in biological measures. Among women, greater English language engagement was linked to higher SBP, and more years in the US was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure. Study results suggest that male and female immigrants' physiological responses to stress may be influenced in distinctive ways by processes of adjustment to life in the US. If replicated, the finding that discrimination stress predicts elevated SBP may have clinical and public health implications given that elevated SBP is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

This paper aims to describe the nutritional status of Caboclo adolescents living in two areas of the Amazon Basin. Two cross-sectional studies, the first in the dry and the second in the wet season, were carried out in two Amazonian ecosystems: the forest and black water ecosystem, and the floodplain and white water ecosystem. Measurements of weight, stature, arm circumference and triceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds were performed on 247 adolescents (10–19 years of age). Nutritional status was classified using body mass index according to international criteria and the prevalence of underweight and overweight was estimated. Linear mixed effects models were used with the anthropometric measurements as dependent variables and time interval, place of residence, sex, age and stature variation as independent variables. During the wet season, the prevalence of overweight among girls was higher in the forest (42%) than in the floodplain (9%). Longitudinal linear regression models showed that the arm circumference measurement was influenced both by seasonality and location, revealing that the increment between dry and wet seasons was less pronounced in the floodplain. At the time of the study, overweight already constituted a major public health concern among girls living in the forest area. In order to develop adequate public health policies for this important segment of the Amazon population further studies are necessary to investigate the role of environment and seasonality on the growth and nutritional status of adolescents.

The prevalence of overweight/obesity is increasing worldwide. Although countries like India are typically thought of as having a high prevalence of undernutrition, significant proportions of overweight/obese now co-exist with the undernourished. This study aims to find the prevalence of overweight/obesity, and its association with socioeconomic change, among Tangkhul women in India. The cross-sectional study was carried out among 346 Tangkhul women aged 20–70 years, who were divided into five 10-year age groups. Mean BMI was found to be lowest among the youngest age group, and it increased with age until the age of 59 and then declined. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was found to be 27.1%, as assessed from the Asian cut-off point. Although the prevalence of obesity (2.0%) was low when compared with Indian non-tribal female populations, the prevalence of overweight (25.1%) was not far behind. Overweight and obesity were found to be associated with age, marital status, physical activity level, lifestyle and improvement in socioeconomic status, especially occupation and income. When compared with urban non-tribal Indian females, who have a higher socioeconomic status, the prevalence of overweight/obesity among Tangkhul females is lower, indicating its association with socioeconomic status. Tangkhul Naga is a population where the majority are believed to be thin traditionally owing to the difficult hilly terrain and their physically active lifestyle. With urbanization and economic development, nutritional transition, improved socioeconomic status and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle have been observed, which have contributed to the increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity among Tangkhul Naga women.

Understanding the social and cultural contextual determinants of sexual behaviour of adolescents and young adults is an essential step towards curtailing the spread of HIV. This study examined the effects of one cultural factor, ethnicity, on sexual abstinence, faithfulness, condom use at last sex, and risky sex among young people in Zimbabwe. Data from the cross-sectional, population-based 2005–06 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey were used. Net of the effect of sociodemographic and social–cognitive factors, and using multinomial logistic regression, ethnicity was found to have a strong and consistent effect on sexual behaviour among youth. In addition, the study found that there were ethnic-specific and within-gender differences in sexual behaviour, for both men and women. Shona youth were more likely to be abstinent than Ndebele youth. Compared with Shona youth, Ndebele youth were more likely to have engaged in risky sex. However, Ndebele men were more likely have used condoms at last sex, compared with Shona men. For both men and women, sexual behaviour was more socially controlled. School attendance and religion exerted protective effects on sexual abstinence. For men only, those living in rural areas were less likely to be faithful and more likely to have engaged in risky sexual behaviour than those living in urban areas. The study attests to the fact that ethnic norms and ideologies of sexuality need to be identified and more thoroughly understood. In addition, the study provides evidence that in order to promote safe and healthy sexuality among young people in Zimbabwe, cultural, social and gender-specific approaches to the development of HIV prevention strategies should be seriously considered. Current success in the Abstinence, Being faithful and Condom use (ABC) approach could be strengthened by recognizing and responding to cultural forces that reproduce and perpetuate risky sexual behaviours.

Bangladesh represents one of the few countries in south Asia where the pace of fertility decline has been unprecedented over the last three decades. Although there has been significant reduction in fertility levels at the national level, regional variations continue to persist, especially in Sylhet and Chittagong where the total fertility rates are well above the country average. Using data from three consecutive Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHSs) this paper assesses how fertility patterns in Sylhet and Chittagong differ from the rest of Bangladesh through a marriage cohort analysis of the parity progression ratios, and examines the factors determining the transition rates to higher parity in these two regions. Three cohorts of women are identified: those married during 1965–1974, 1975–84 and 1985–94. The results show that the probability that a woman from the recent cohort in Sylhet or Chittagong who had a third birth will have a fourth birth is nearly twice that of her counterpart in other regions. Social characteristics such as education, occupation, religion and residence have no effect on fertility in Sylhet and Chittagong. Additional period-specific analyses using the 2007 BDHS data show that women in Sylhet are considerably more likely to have a third or fourth birth sooner than those in other divisions, especially Khulna. The findings call for specific family planning policy interventions in Sylhet and Chittagong ensuring gender equity, promoting female education and delaying entry into marriage and childbearing.

This paper investigates the distribution of distance associated with marriage migration in the northern region of Rajshahi and the southern region of Khulna in Bangladesh. The study was conducted in 2007 on 2250 respondents who had migrated due to marriage. Of the wide variety of curves that fitted the distance–marriage/contact data, three are discussed: Pareto, exponential, and Pareto-exponential. Logistic regression models were used to identify the covariates of marriage distance migration. In general, the three functions work better for marriages, whereas Pareto-exponential functions are a superior fit for migrations and marriage distance. The models disclose that the distribution of distance is significantly associated with marriage migration (p<0.001). The Pareto-exponential model was 100% stable and its shrinkage was 0.000000125. The main covariates associated with short-distance marriage migration were respondent's education, father's education and religion, whereas age at the time of marriage did not play a significant role in marriage migration. The risk of short-distance migration was greater in higher- than lower-educated Muslim families.

Most analyses of the contraceptive decision-making in which couples engage are based on the reports of only one partner, usually the female partner. This study uses information from the 2006 National Couples Survey conducted in the US, which was obtained from both partners in intimate heterosexual relationships to investigate the relative impact of the male and female partner's method preferences on the type of method they use together. It also investigates the extent to which differences in power between the partners, measured on multiple dimensions, may weigh the decision-making process toward one partner or the other. The results suggest that men's and women's method preferences are both significantly related to the couples' method choice. Further, there is no evidence of a significant gender difference in the magnitude of these relationships, although women in married and cohabiting relationships appear to have greater power over method choice than women in dating relationships. The analysis also finds that structural power as measured by relative education and income affects partner differences in the relationship between preferences and method choice, but is more important for married and cohabiting couples than for dating couples. In contrast, relationship-based power sources, including relative commitment and relative relationship alternatives, have significant effects only for dating couples.

Ten narrative studies involving family histories of 262 children of gay fathers and lesbian mothers were evaluated statistically in response to Morrison's (2007) concerns about Cameron's (2006) research that had involved three narrative studies. Despite numerous attempts to bias the results in favour of the null hypothesis and allowing for up to 20 (of 63, 32%) coding errors, Cameron's (2006) hypothesis that gay and lesbian parents would be more likely to have gay, lesbian, bisexual or unsure (of sexual orientation) sons and daughters was confirmed. Percentages of children of gay and lesbian parents who adopted non-heterosexual identities ranged between 16% and 57%, with odds ratios of 1.7 to 12.1, depending on the mix of child and parent genders. Daughters of lesbian mothers were most likely (33% to 57%; odds ratios from 4.5 to 12.1) to report non-heterosexual identities. Data from ethnographic sources and from previous studies on gay and lesbian parenting were re-examined and found to support the hypothesis that social and parental influences may influence the expression of non-heterosexual identities and/or behaviour. Thus, evidence is presented from three different sources, contrary to most previous scientific opinion, even most previous scientific consensus, that suggests intergenerational transfer of sexual orientation can occur at statistically significant and substantial rates, especially for female parents or female children. In some analyses for sons, intergenerational transfer was not significant. Further research is needed with respect to pathways by which intergenerational transfer of sexual orientation may occur. The results confirm an evolving tendency among scholars to cite the possibility of some degree of intergenerational crossover of sexual orientation.

Consanguineous marriage is traditionally common throughout the eastern Mediterranean region. Research has suggested that it is closely linked to the sociocultural and socioeconomical status of individuals, and education plays a critical role in decreasing the number of cases. This study aimed to determine the effects of a formal training programme on consanguineous marriages on the knowledge of, and attitudes towards, consanguineous marriage of high school students (n=804) in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Seniors from three randomly selected public high schools participated in the pre-test and post-test design study. To determine the effects of the programme, students who received the training were compared with those who did not receive any formal training about the subject. After the post-tests were administered, data were collected and analysed using chi-squared and McNemar tests. The results showed significant differences in knowledge and attitudes among the students who had received the formal training programme and those who had not. In addition, the results indicated potential peer influence between the students who received training in consanguineous marriage and those who did not.

Although the role of testosterone in the aetiology of social dominance is often suggested, surprisingly few studies have addressed the relationship between sex steroid hormones and dominance as a personality trait. In this paper, the relationship between testosterone and dominance is studied in a sample of adolescent boys and girls, taking into account the moderating role of gender ideology and same-sex peer group orientation. A direct association between free testosterone (FT) and dominance was found in girls but not in boys. In boys, masculine ideology moderated the relationship between FT and dominance, while in girls the relationship between FT and dominance was moderated by same-sex peer group affiliation.

The human sex ratio SR (proportion male) at birth has been reported to vary with many variables. The explanation of this variation is not established, but I have hypothesized that it is partially caused by the hormonal concentrations of both parents around the time of conception. The present note suggests how this hypothesis might accommodate recent sex ratio findings relating to ‘psychosexual restriction’, female genital cutting, sexes of prior sibs, finger length ratios, the autism spectrum disorder, parental occupation and maternal eating disorders. Tests of such suggestions are offered, and it is hypothesized that: (a) in women, Manning's R (the ratio of the lengths of the 2nd and 4th digits) is positively correlated with offspring sex ratio (proportion male); (b) women who have undergone female genital cutting (FGC) have high androgen levels; (c) offspring sex ratio correlates positively with ‘masculinity’ of parental occupation, the correlation being mediated by testosterone levels. It is noted that the lines of evidence for three hypotheses (James', Manning's and Baron-Cohen's) are mutually supportive.

Chlamydia trachomitis is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK and the number of cases diagnosed each year continues to rise. Although much is known about the risk factors for chlamydia from previous observational studies, less is known about how individuals put themselves at risk. Do they engage in just one risky type of behaviour or are certain individuals ‘risky’, engaging in multiple risky behaviours? This paper uses latent class analysis, applied to the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles II (2000–2001), to determine whether a subgroup of high-risk individuals can be identified and explores which features of their behaviour distinguish them from other groups of lower risk individuals. A 3-class solution was obtained, splitting the sample on the basis of the number of sexual partners in the past year. Those with no sexual partners in the past year (8%) and one sexual partner in the past year (71%) were much less likely to have engaged in any of the other behaviours known to increase chlamydia risk. However, the group who had two or more sexual partners in the past year (21%) were much more likely to have also engaged in other risky behaviours. The number of partners in the past year is therefore a useful marker for identifying those at increased risk of chlamydia infection. Individuals under 25 years old, males and those who were single or previously married were more likely to be allocated to the risky group. However, in spite of observed higher incidence of chlamydia infection, individuals in the black ethnic minority groups did not show an increased prevalence of risky behaviour, after controlling for age, sex and marital status.

A caretaker training programme was carried out in Ugwuogo-Nike, a rural area in south-east Nigeria, based on formative research within the community. A training of trainers workshop was organized for 30 leaders of women groups who subsequently trained other mothers in their group. Community information activities, which lasted for a period of eight months, included the use of posters, drama group and jingles. The programme was evaluated using the quantitative and qualitative methods that were employed at baseline, which included community survey and focus group discussions (FGDs). For the community survey, households with children under five years of age were identified and provided the sampling frame, from which 300 households were chosen using the systematic sampling method. The target population for the FGDs were caretakers of children under five years. Post-intervention evaluation of the programme showed significant (p<0.05) improvements in knowledge, home management of malaria and referral practices for severe malaria. Those who correctly reported that mosquitoes were the cause of malaria rose markedly from 39.7% to 88.7%. Knowledge of symptoms of mild and severe malaria also increased significantly. Only 1.5% of caretakers were aware of the correct dose of anti-malarial before intervention, but this increased to 41.5%. The impact of intervention brought about a dramatic change in the practice of taking severely ill children, especially those with convulsion, to a traditional healer. A minority (6.7%) of caretakers took a severely ill child to a traditional healer as against 60% pre-intervention. There was also a significant increase in use of formal health facilities for the treatment of severely ill children. The study findings support the view that training of mothers to recognize, treat appropriately and refer severe cases of malaria is feasible and may lead to a reduction in the incidence of severe disease.

The objective of the present analysis was to study the associations between body weight psychosocial correlates and body mass index (BMI) among four groups of adults in the Quebec population. Data were taken from the Social Lifestyles and Health 1998 Survey performed by the Institut de la Statistique du Québec (ISQ). The suggested guidelines of the ISQ were used to estimate the population's proportions and for statistical analysis. The groups studied were 25- to 44- and the 45- to 64-year-old men and women. In all groups, currently trying to lose weight increased the odds of reporting an excess weight. Better perceived eating habits was associated with lower BMI in most groups except in the 25- to 44-year-old women, where the trend was not significant. Higher number of physical activities related to transport and cigarette smoking were associated with lower BMI in both men groups. In both women groups, more frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages decreased significantly the odds of reporting excess body weight. A university degree was associated with a lower BMI only in the 25- to 44-year-old men. Regular practise of leisure time physical activity was associated with a lower BMI only in 45- to 64-year-old women. Opposite associations were observed between perceived health and BMI. In the 45- to 64-year-old men, better perceived health increased the odds of reporting an excess weight. Conversely, the odds of reporting excess weight decreased with better health in 25- to 44-year-old women. Many correlates differ between age group and sex. The identification of these factors illustrates the need to adapt obesity-related programmes toward specific sub-groups within the general population.

This paper examines contraceptive method use at different stages of the reproductive life course. Previous research on contraceptive practice in developed countries typically applies age as a proxy for reproductive history. While age is an essential and useful life course measure for understanding contraceptive use, investigations of contraceptive practice should also consider parity and fertility intentions, as they may be more accurate measures of reproductive life course stage. Analysis is based on data collected in the 2005 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, a nationally representative sample of women of reproductive age (18–44). For women at risk of pregnancy, the most commonly used methods are easily reversed methods such as the oral contraceptive pill (30%) and condom (23%), medium-term methods such as the intrauterine device and implantation (5%) and permanent methods (7% tubal ligation and 9% vasectomy of partner). Logistic regression models are used to investigate the use of four popular contraceptive methods by parity, age and fertility intentions controlling for socio-demographic factors. The main findings indicate that the use of these methods varies substantially by the stage of a woman's reproductive life course: age, parity and fertility intentions are all associated with method use.

Estimates indicate that about 42 million pregnancies are voluntarily terminated every year at the global level, of which more than 80% occur in developing countries. Abortion has been one of the major reproductive health concerns in post-Soviet nations, especially when it is commonly used as a means of fertility regulation. On average, every woman has had around 1.6 abortions in Kyrgyzstan. This paper attempts to measure the role of abortion in fertility regulation using data from the Kyrgyz Republic Demographic and Health Survey (KRDHS), 1997. The analysis reveals that Kyrgyzstan can attain replacement level fertility in the absence of induced abortion by raising the contraceptive prevalence to 70% at the current level of effectiveness. The study also shows that women's attitude towards becoming pregnant and their partner's perception about abortion are significantly associated with the propensity to opt for an induced abortion. Reproductive health programmes need to address these issues, including the enhancement of male involvement in family planning.

This paper compares the knowledge and utilization of health services among rural residents, urban residents, rural migrants and urban migrants in a large Chinese city. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of 2765 individuals (1951 heads of households and 814 spouses) in Guandu district, Kunming, in 2005. The determinants of their knowledge and utilization of health services were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. First, the migrant population was less likely to know of, or utilize, high-level hospitals and township hospitals than residents. Migrants were more likely to utilize private rather than public services for general health care and delivery care. Second, there was a difference between rural migrants and urban migrants in terms of knowledge and utilization of health services. Rural migrants utilized more low-cost private clinics, but had less knowledge about sources of condoms than urban migrants. Finally, rural residents had more knowledge and utilization of township hospitals than urban residents. This latter group were more likely to utilize high-level hospitals. Migrants' access to health care in urban China is understood better using a dual rural–urban and migrant–resident analytical framework. Rural migrants are the most disadvantaged in their access to urban health care. Further reform of the registered residence system and urban public financing system is recommended. Better information on services and their utilization should be provided to migrants and residents.

Based on a 1900 census sample of 34,166 post-reproductive females (≥45 years), the birth month effect was put to the test, for both lifetime fertility as well as child survival, controlling for maternal birth cohort (1826–1835, 1836–1845, 1846–1855), Duncan's SEI, urbanity, nativity, literacy and marital duration. Testing for potential cohort effects did not indicate a temporal trend in fertility by maternal birth month (seasonal Mann-Kendall test, p=0.578), while a minute increase in offspring survival was detected (p<0.001, Sen's estimator of slope=0.02, 95% CI=0.02 to 0.03). Further analyses of the maternal birth month effect on child survival were therefore seized. For lifetime fertility, ANOVA results indicated that maternal birth month was a major predictor for total offspring count (F11, 33606=1809.0, p<0.001), accounting for 37.2% of the total variability. In addition to main effects, a statistically significant interaction effect was observed (F538, 33606=2.2, p<0.001), with a corresponding effect size of η2=0.40. Planned contrasts revealed that birth-month-specific differences in fertility achieved statistical significance (F11, 31798=1712.9, p<0.001), while post-hoc multiple comparisons for literacy and nativity displayed an inverse relationship with fertility, which meets demographic expectations. Controlling for all factors of interest, models of cohort-specific offspring counts (independent ANOVAs for 1826–1835: F157, 3467=26.3, p<0.001; 1836–1845: F182, 10299=75.5, p<0.001; 1846–1855: F199, 19859=137.9, p<0.001) indicated that women born in the first half of the year (particularly, January, February, April and May) achieved above-average parity, while those born in the latter half (namely, July, October, November and December) displayed markedly lower fertility averages. These monthly disparities are in line with previous observations and appear to be linked to seasonal optimal ripening of the oocyte or seasonal preovulatory over-ripeness ovopathy (Jongbloet, 1992).

Scaling-up of skilled attendants and facility-based services is necessary for improving maternal and child care in developing countries but their effectiveness is crucially influenced by the uptake of such services. This study set out to establish the pattern and uptake of maternity services and associated factors against the backdrop of rapid urbanization in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study of socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics of mothers attending the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunization clinics in inner-city Lagos was conducted from July 2005 to December 2007, and their association with non-hospital delivery and use of unskilled attendants was determined by multiple logistic regression analyses. Of the 6465 participants, over half (51.4%) delivered outside hospital facilities and 81.8% of this group had no skilled attendants at delivery. Non-hospital delivery or the presence of unskilled attendants at delivery was associated with teenage mothers, Muslim religion, low or middle social class and use of herbal drugs in pregnancy. Additionally, non-hospital delivery was associated with ethnicity (Yoruba tribe), lack of tertiary education or full-time employment, accommodation with shared sanitation facilities and multiparity. The results suggest that availability of and access/proximity to hospital facilities or skilled attendants is no guarantee of uptake of maternity services. Efforts aimed at improving maternal and child health in developing countries should take cognisance of the socio-demographic and cultural underpinnings of maternal health-seeking behaviour of urban mothers beyond the provision of facility-based services or strengthening of the existing health care systems.

In recent years Vietnam has experienced a high sex ratio at birth (SRB) amidst rapid socioeconomic and demographic changes. However, little is known about the differentials in SRB between maternal socioeconomic and demographic groups. The paper uses data from the annual Population Change Survey (PCS) in 2006 to examine the relationship of the sex ratio of the most recent birth with maternal socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and the number of previous female births. The SRB of Vietnam was significantly high at 111.4 (95% CI 109.7–113.1) for the period 1st April 2000 to 31st March 2006. Multivariate analysis reveals that sex of the most recent birth is strongly related with the number of previous female births. This association is consistent across different socioeconomic and demographic groups of women. Given the high SRB in Vietnam, further research into the reasons for high SRB in these groups is required, as are intervention programmes such as those raising the public awareness of its negative consequences.