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Bhuwania P, Raub A, Sprague A, Martin A, Bose B, Kidman R, Nandi A, Behrman JR, Heymann J. Impact of laws prohibiting domestic violence on wasting in early childhood. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301224. [PMID: 38547244 PMCID: PMC10977741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects an estimated 641 million women and girls globally with far-reaching consequences for the health of women and children. Yet, laws that prohibit domestic violence (DV) are not universal. Countries actively debate the effectiveness of DV laws in improving conditions given the inconclusive evidence on deterrent effects within households particularly in low- and middle-income countries that have limited infrastructure, and fewer resources to implement and enforce policy changes. This is the first study to rigorously examine the impact of DV laws on women's health decision-making and the intergenerational impact on children's wasting, a key predictor of mortality. We used the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data collected between 2000-2020 across 23 African countries. Exploiting the staggered adoption of laws, we used a difference-in-differences study design to estimate the impact of DV laws in the treated countries compared to countries without such laws. We find that DV laws increased women's decision-making autonomy in healthcare by 16.7% as well as other measures of women's autonomy that matter for health such as financial autonomy by 6.3% and social mobility by 11.0%. The improvements in women's autonomy translated into reductions in the probability of wasting among children aged 0-23 months by 5.4% points, a 30.9% reduction from the mean. DV laws also reduced wasting among older children aged 24-59 months by 3.6% points, a 38.7% reduction from the mean. The laws were effective in all 6 countries analyzed individually that criminalized DV. A civil prohibition in the seventh country was not found to be effective. The effect was positive and significant for all wealth and geographical categories. Our findings demonstrate the value of enacting criminal laws that prohibit domestic violence as one important tool to reducing the profound health impacts of IPV, a critical health and human rights issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Bhuwania
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Amy Raub
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Aleta Sprague
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Alfredo Martin
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Bijetri Bose
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Rachel Kidman
- Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Arijit Nandi
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health and the Institute for Health and Social Policy, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jere R. Behrman
- Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jody Heymann
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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Hormonal contraceptives as disruptors of competitive behavior: Theoretical framing and review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:101015. [PMID: 35835214 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that hormonal contraceptives (HCs) impact psychological outcomes through alterations in neurophysiology. In this review, we first introduce a theoretical framework for HCs as disruptors of steroid hormone modulation of socially competitive attitudes and behaviors. Then, we comprehensively examine prior research comparing HC users and non-users in outcomes related to competition for reproductive, social, and financial resources. Synthesis of 46 studies (n = 16,290) led to several key conclusions: HC users do not show the same menstrual cycle-related fluctuations in self-perceived attractiveness and some intrasexual competition seen in naturally-cycling women and, further, may show relatively reduced status- or achievement-oriented competitive motivation. However, there a lack of consistent or compelling evidence that HC users and non-users differ in competitive behavior or attitudes for mates or financial resources. These conclusions are tentative given the notable methodological limitations of the studies reviewed. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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