| 1. |
- Edin, Kerstin E, 1952-
(author)
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Perspectives on intimate partner violence, focusing on the period of pregnancy
- 2006
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Målet med denna avhandling var att undersöka partnerrelaterat våld mot kvinnor i Sverige från olika perspektiv och med ett särskilt fokus på graviditetsperioden. Syftet var: 1) att ta reda på barnmorskors erfarenheter, attityder och rutiner angående partnerrelaterat våld mot gravida kvinnor inom mödravården; 2) att utforska hur personer som arbetar inom olika program för våldsbenägna män (inom och utom kriminalvården) talar om manligt och kvinnligt och om partnerrelaterat våld, speciellt i förhållande till graviditet; och 3) att belysa kvinnors erfarenheter av att bli och vara gravid samtidigt som de var utsatta för våld i relationen, samt deras möten med barnmorskorna på mödravårdscentralen. Data för tre studier samlades in under åren 1998-2003 med kvantitativa och kvalitativa metoder. En enkät skickades till alla yrkesverksamma mödravårdsbarnmorskor i Västerbotten och analyserades statistiskt och med innehållsanalys. Forskningsintervjuerna utfördes och analyserades enligt ’grundad teori’ (för att skapa teoretiska förklaringsmodeller), ’diskursanalys’ (för att visa hur ett gemensamt språkbruk konstruerar ’sanning’) och ’narrativ metod’ (för att tolka och återberätta innebörden i personliga berättelser). Resultaten från de studier som lade grunden till denna avhandling visar på problemets komplexitet, både från de professionellas och från kvinnornas perspektiv. Barnmorskorna (artikel I) var yrkeskunniga men också kunniga om partnerrelaterat våld mot kvinnor, men utan PM eller andra riktlinjer, så blev de osäkra och ställde sällan direkta frågor eftersom ämnet ansågs vara känsligt och tabubelagt. De professionella (artikel II-III) som arbetade med våldsbenägna män i olika program (inom eller utanför kriminalvården) krävde att män skulle ta ansvar för sitt våld. De ansåg att våldsamma män var tämligen vanliga män men avvikande i särskilda avseenden såsom i samspel, kommunikation, nära relationer och i deras kvinnosyn. De professionella beskrev stereotyper om könsskillnader och hur aggressivitet kan starta på olika sätt hos olika typer av män och ansåg också att graviditet kan utlösa konflikter och våld. Likväl så ingick i programmen vanligtvis inte känsliga frågor, om t.ex. graviditet och samlevnad, och trots en god vilja och avsikt att skapa en ’ny maskulinitet’, så tycktes deras strategier och tankegångar rent av kunna motverka deras egna goda syften. De nio intervjuade kvinnorna (artikel IV) som hade varit utsatta för våld beskrev hur deras liv hade varit komplicerade och blivit till en mardröm då deras hjärtevän hade förvandlats till en förövare. Två kvinnor bröt upp från sina relationer under graviditeten på grund av livshotande våld medan de andra för det mesta höll uppe en fasad och dolde det pågående våldet inför barnmorskan och andra alltmedan de gick balansgång mellan hopp och förtvivlan eller väntade på rätt tidpunkt att ge sig av. Förutom kvinnornas berättelser om partnerrelaterat våld under graviditet (artikel IV) så presenterades två professionella grupper och deras gemensamma svårigheter gällande tabun och känsliga frågor utanför det man vanligtvis sysslade med i sin profession (artikel I-III). Barnmorskorna var yrkeskunniga men hade ingen handlingsplan för att kunna bemöta och identifiera komplexiteten i våldsutsatta gravida kvinnors situation som ofta består i att dölja och balansera. De professionella i program för män konfronterade tydligt mäns våld och hade ambitionen att utmana deras maskulinitet, men då de i samtalen exempelvis förbisåg att ta upp vissa känsliga frågor kan utfallet ifrågasättas.
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| 2. |
- Christianson, Monica
(author)
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What's behind sexual risk taking? : exploring the experiences of chlamydia-positive, HIV-positive, and HIV-tested young women and men in Sweden
- 2006
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The overall aim was to explore the experiences of sexual risk taking among Chlamydia Trachomatis positive (CT+), HIV positive (HIV+), and HIV tested young women and men. The specific aims were to explore, from a gender perspective, the course of events, the norms, considerations and emotions involved in sexual risk taking in CT+, explore the perception of sexual risk taking in HIV+ youth, and their understanding of why they caught HIV and look at how the Law of Communicable Diseases Act impacts their sexuality. Moreover, to investigate why young adults test for HIV, how they construct the HIV risk, and what implications testing has for them.42 informants between 17-24 years of age were recruited from a youth clinic in Umeå and from three infection clinics for HIV patients in Sweden.In depth interviews and focus group interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to a Grounded Theory approach.The finding revealed that behind sexual risk taking, there was a drive to go steady, where lust and trust guided if sex would take place. In one-night stands women were expected to be less forward compared with men. We found an uneven responsibility concerning condom use where men expected women to be "condom promoters". By catching CT, women experienced guilt, while men felt content through knowing "the source of contamination".Among the HIV+ youth, socio-cultural factors such as; lack of adult supervision, naivité, love, alcohol, drugs, the macho ideal and cultures of silence blinded the informants to the risks and made them vulnerable. By grouping narratives according to degree of consensus in sexual encounters, this demonstrated that sexual risks happened in a context of gendered power relations where the informants had varied agency. The Law of Communicable Diseases Act implied both support and burden for these HIV+ youth. A lot of responsibility was put on them and to be able to handle the infromation duty they tried to switch off lust, switch off the disease, or balance lust and obedience.Among the HIV tested youth, HIV was seen a distant threat. Many had event-driven reasons for testing for HIV; multiple partners being one. Risk zones, like bars were perceived to be a milieu that often was expected to include one-night stands. Responsibility for testing was a gendered issue; "natural" for women, while men rather escaped from responsibility and had a testing resistance. Receiving a "green card" confirmed healthiness and provided relief, and made the informants felt "clean". They could restart with new ambitious, including reconsidering risk.The findings can be used in public health and in health care sectors that work with young people. We present suggestions on how to decrease the spread of STIs:To implement how men could play an equal part in sexual and reproductive health.Promote general CT screening for men.Liberal HIV testing among both young women and men.Promote safer sex behaviour from the uninfected youth, especially focusing on men??.Consider the role of gender and social background in the context of risky behaviours.Give lots of positive rewards concerning HIV disclosure to diminish the risk for HIV transmission.
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| 3. |
- Lindström, Meta, 1941-
(author)
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Gynekologer och barnmorskor inom svensk abortvård : åsikter, erfarenheter och upplevelser
- 2007
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Aim: To investigate gynecologists’ and midwives’ views and experiences regarding work in abortion care in Sweden. Methods: Questionnaire to gynecologists (n=269) and midwives (n=258 comprising 48 questions, response 85%. The quantitative studies (articles I-III) were supplemented by a qualitative study (article IV), consisting of focus-group interviews with gynecologists and midwives/nurses. Results: From the questionnaire studies it was apparent that all the gynecologists had worked in abortion care, whilst not all midwives had done so. The male gynecologists were older than both their female colleagues and the midwives; they had most years of experience but were now working least with abortion patients. Both groups considered it absolutely right, that Sweden have legal abortion and that the law was being followed. Most thought that women should be allowed to have an abortion even after they had felt fetal movements. The midwives were generally somewhat more restrictive than the gynecologists. Half of all thought that the work with abortion patients brought something positive with it. Those having worked longest and most extensively, especially during the previous year were most liberal. Both groups felt that there was a difference between working with surgical and late abortions compared with medical abortions. One in four had had misgivings when involved in surgical and medical abortions, and one in two with abortions after the 18th week. All were positive about the transition to medical abortions, and roughly two thirds of the midwives thought that the primary care sector should be able to take care of these, whereas less than half of the gynecologists thought this. The majority considered it important to receive further and continuing professional development and ongoing guidance. From the focus-group interviews it was clear that the experiences of the gynecologists were largely connected with the technical development of abortion methods and those of the midwives/nurses with improved pain relief. The work was sometimes described in paradoxical terms and was occasionally experienced as frustrating, especially in connection with repeat abortions. Neither of the two groups, however, had had any doubts about participating in abortion. The gynecologists described how women now expected to get an abortion, whereas previously they had asked for one. The midwife/nurse group maintained that the meetings with the women had become considerably more frequent. The interaction between the two professional groups was marked by great trust in each other’s professional competence. Conclusions: Gynecologists and midwives working in abortion care support Swedish abortion legislation and have no doubts about participating in abortions, despite the fact that they have frequently experienced complex and difficult work situations. The character of the work is experienced as contradictory and frustrating, but also as challenging and rewarding. The awareness that the two professional groups have of the importance of continuing professional development and ongoing guidance should be acted on. Furthermore, their collective views and experiences should be made use of, so that abortion care can be developed, not only in order to promote women’s health, but also to improve the work environment for the abortion staff.
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| 4. |
- Ekstrand, Maria, 1977-
(author)
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Sexual Risk Taking : – Perceptions of Contraceptive Use, Abortion, and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Adolescents in Sweden
- 2008
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to inestigate Swedish adolescents' perceptions and behaviours regarding sexual risk taking. Specific objectives were to explore teenagers' perceptions of contraceptive use, unintended pregnancy, and abortion; teenage girls' experiences of decision making process and support connected to abortion; and male adolescents' perceptions of sexual risk taking and barriers to practicing safe sex. Another objective was to evaluate the effect of advance provision of emergency contraceptive pills to teenage girls. The methodologies included focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and a randomized controlled trial. Among the adolescents in our studies, teenage parenthood was generally viewed as a "catastrophe", and the majority expressed supportive attitudes towards abortion (studies I-IV). Occasions of failure to use contraceptives were common, especially when sex was unplanned (studies I-V). Pregnancy prevention was perceived as the woman's responsibility. However, many girls were reluctant about using homonal contraceptives due to worries about negative side effects (I, III). Initiating condom use was difficult for girls, as well as for boys, for a number of reasons (I-IV): fear of ruining an intimate situation, associations with disease, distrust, pleasure reduction, and (for the boys) the fear of loosing one's erection. Males generally perceived personal and partner-related risks connected to unprotected intercourse as low. Few males were worried that an unintended pregnancy would be carried to term, and the majority would urge the girl towards abortion if she seemed ambivalent (II, IV). Girls viewed the abortion decision as a natural, yet difficult choice, strongly influenced by attitudes of partners, parents, peers and societal norms (III). Teenage girls provided with emergency contraceptive pills in advance used it more frequently and sooner after unprotected intercourse compared with controls, without jeopardising regular contraceptive use (V).
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