INFLUENCE OF THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS ON REPRODUCTIVE AUTONOMY AMONG WOMEN

Assessing the relationship between reproductive autonomy and contraceptive use in rural Malawi

Reproductive autonomy, or the extent to which people control matters related to their own sexual and reproductive decisions, may help explain why some people who do not intend to become pregnant nevertheless do not use contraception. Using cross-sectional survey data from 695 women aged 16 to 47 enrolled in the Umoyo Wa Thanzi (UTHA) study in Malawi in 2019, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive analyses, and multivariable logistic regression to assess the freedom from coercion and communication subscales of the Reproductive Autonomy Scale and to examine relationships between these components of reproductive autonomy and current contraceptive use. The freedom from coercion and communication subscales were valid within this population of partnered women; results from a correlated two-factor confirmatory factor analysis model resulted in good model fit. Women with higher scores on the freedom from coercion subscale had greater odds of current contraceptive use (aOR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03-1.23) after adjustment for pregnancy intentions, relationship type, parity, education, employment for wages, and household wealth. Scores on the communication subscale were predictive of contraceptive use in some, but not all, models. These findings demonstrate the utility of the Reproductive Autonomy Scale in more holistically understanding contractive use and non-use in a lower-income setting, yet also highlight the need to further explore the multidimensionality of women's reproductive autonomy and its effects on achieving desired fertility.

Repercussions of COVID-19 on the daily lives of women living in a rural settlement

OBJECTIVE

To understand the repercussions of COVID-19 on women's daily lives in a rural settlement.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted in a rural settlement of the Landless Workers' Movement (MST) in a municipality in Northeastern Brazil between January and March 2021. Forty-eight women participated through semi-structured interviews. The data collected were analyzed by the Collective Subject Discourse method in light of the referential of pandemic processes.

RESULTS

The grouping of the speeches unveiled similar and/or complementary meanings about the coping strategies and the feelings generated due to the pandemic. Four Central Ideas were organized: denial to progressive awareness; Perception of the problem, acceptance, and explanation of reality; Negotiation; and Retrospection/reflection.

CONCLUSION

The pandemic repercussions are intrinsically related to an inhospitable reality from the perspective of the experience of women daily forgotten, marginalized, and suppressed.

Association between rural workers’ sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics and their reproductive autonomy

ABSTRACT Objectives: to verify the association between sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics with rural workers’ reproductive autonomy. Methods: a cross-sectional study, with a sample of 346 women and application of the Reproductive Autonomy Scale. Multinomial regression was performed to analyze associations between independent variables and outcomes. Results: in the analysis of subscales “Decision-making”, “My sexual partner or someone else such as a parent”, “Both me and my partner” and “Me”, women experienced greater reproductive autonomy in relation to their partners. For outcomes “Decision about which method to use”, “When to have a baby” or “About unplanned pregnancy”, the highest prevalence was for category “Me”, with statistically significant associations. Conclusions: the sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics among the most vulnerable women, in terms of the social, economic and cultural context in which they are inserted, may be associated with greater difficulties in exercising reproductive autonomy.

Associação entre as características sociodemográficas e reprodutivas com a autonomia reprodutiva das trabalhadoras rurais

RESUMO Objetivos: verificar a associação entre as características sociodemográficas e reprodutivas com a autonomia reprodutiva das trabalhadoras rurais. Métodos: estudo transversal, com amostra de 346 mulheres e aplicação da Escala de Autonomia Reprodutiva. Foi realizada regressão multinomial para análises de associações entre as variáveis independentes e desfechos. Resultados: na análise das subescalas “Tomada de decisão”, “Meu parceiro sexual ou alguém da família tem mais a dizer”, “Eu e meu parceiro sexual” e “Eu decido”, as mulheres experimentaram maior autonomia reprodutiva em relação aos parceiros. Para os desfechos “Decisão sobre qual método utilizar”, “Quando ter um bebê” ou “Sobre gravidez não planejada”, as maiores prevalências foram para a categoria “Eu decido”, com associações estatisticamente significante. Conclusões: as características sociodemográficas e reprodutivas entre mulheres mais vulneráveis, tratando-se do contexto social, econômico e cultural que estão inseridas, podem estar associadas a maiores dificuldades para exercerem a autonomia reprodutiva.

Repercussões da COVID-19 no cotidiano de mulheres residentes em um assentamento rural

RESUMO Objetivo: Compreender as repercussões da COVID-19 no cotidiano de mulheres em um assentamento rural. Métodos: Estudo de abordagem qualitativa, realizado num assentamento rural do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, em um município no Nordeste do Brasil, entre janeiro e março de 2021. Participaram 48 mulheres por meio de entrevista semiestruturada. Os dados coletados foram analisados pelo método do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, à luz do referencial dos processos pandêmicos. Resultados: O agrupamento dos discursos desvelou sentidos semelhantes e/ou complementares acerca das estratégias de enfrentamento e dos sentimentos gerados como consequência da pandemia. Foram organizadas quatro Ideias Centrais: Negação ao progressivo reconhecimento; Percepção do problema, aceitação e explicação da realidade; Negociação; e Retrospecção/reflexão. Conclusão: As repercussões da pandemia estão intrinsicamente relacionadas a uma inóspita realidade da perspectiva da vivência de mulheres que são cotidianamente esquecidas, marginalizadas e silenciadas.