Gender & Sexuality:
Abstract # 26
Bringing Resilience to the Global Health and Development Community: The Case of Girls First – India
Presenter: Steve Leventhal Co - Presenters: Jane Gillham, Katherine Leventhal
Abstract:
Mental Health Interventions Adolescents, Girls, International Development, Global Health, Intervention Today, 600 million girls live in low and middle income countries (LMICs). In part due to intense and entrenched gender-based discrimination, girls in these countries are significantly and almost uniformly less likely than their male counterparts to be educated, employed, and physically healthy.Over the last decade, many prominent actors in global health and development have adopted policies and programs to improve physical health, education, and employability for girls in LMICS (e.g., WHO, World Bank, UNICEF, etc.). However, there is a critical link that is missing: attention to resilience, and in particular, to psychosocial resilience. In this community, few have focused on building social-emotional assets (e.g., persistence, self-efficacy, strong ties with adults, etc.) as a key lever for improving physical health and education for girls.In this presentation we discuss how Girls First–India, a 2013-14 RCT of a combined resilience/adolescent health intervention among 3,400 rural adolescent girls in Bihar, India, has brought resilience into global health and development discussions among foundations and governments. We present strategies we have used in engaging with multiple stakeholders, challenges we have encountered, and lessons we have learned about the synergies of the field of resilience and the fields of global health and development.
Abstract # 46
Viewing Women’s Resilience through a Gendered Lens: A Critical Review
Presenter: Saima Hirani Co - Presenters: Gerri Lasiuk, Kathleen Hegadoren
Abstract:
Although it has been the subject of study for several decades, resilience research is beset with definitional and methodological issues that make it difficult to operationalize and measure resilience, compare findings across studies, and perform meta-analyses. In this presentation, we present findings of a critical review of the literature, which was motivated by the hypothesis that current conceptualizations of and methods for measuring resilience lack gender sensitivity. Data for the review was gleaned from electronic searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, Science Direct, and PubMed using the search terms ‘resilience’, ‘adaptability’, ‘psychological constructs similar to resilience’, ‘women’, ‘gender’, and ‘gender based analyses’. Hand searches of references lists yielded additional literature. Data sources were limited to materials published in the English language between 1979 and 2014. Based on our findings, we argue that most current measures of resilience do not take into account gender-related social and environmental experiences that may contribute to the oft reported higher resilience scores in men. These gaps threaten the quality of evidence regarding women’s resilience and the development of strategies to support resilience in women. These limitations have practical implications for women’s health and healthcare.
Abstract # 50
Negotiating Transition to a ‘Grown Up World’: The Journey to Sexual and Reproductive Health for Unaccompanied Adolescent Asylum Seekers
Presenter:Jane March-McDonald Co-Presenter: Cathy Brennan
Abstract:
Unaccompanied asylum seekers (UAS) around the world face increased risks in relation to sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the country of asylum due to: the loss of strong supportive structures and social networks, the absence of parental protection, cultural attitudes, poor knowledge of and lack of access to relevant services, as well as the need for these young people to prioritize immediate problems over sexual and reproductive health. Having negotiated the often dangerous and highly challenging journey of seeking asylum in the Western world, the resilience of UAS is clearly evident. How though do they subsequently manage and negotiate the transition from childhood to adulthood, identifying and securing resilient pathways to sexual and reproductive health, in a context marked by transition, uncertainty and cultural alienation? How might the communities they reside in and the available resources, shape their journeys and outcomes? The ethical and methodological challenges of carrying out research with this population are well documented. To identify and understand culturally specific and universal resilient pathways for sexual and reproductive health, we need to successfully engage UAS in research through using new and creative methodologies. Having secured a Worldwide Universities Development Fund grant, we welcome contributions and interest on our venture.
Abstract # 45
The Forgotten Victims Of Child Sexual Abuse: Disclosure And Resilience Features In Male Youth
Presenter: Martine Hébert Co - Presenters: Christine Wekerle, Isabelle Daigneault, Delphine Collin-Vézina
Abstract:
Child sexual abuse is now recognized as an important public health issue. Prevalence estimates reveal that 1 out of five women and 1 out of ten men report experiencing sexual abuse before the age of 18. Yet, sexual abuse and sexual violence against male youth often remains hidden, as male youth are less likely to disclose to anyone and less likely to seek services. Consequently, there are significant gaps in the scholarly literature as to the outcomes and possible resilience of male youth with sexual abuse experiences. Discussants in this panel will highlight findings from their recent studies as to the specific obstacles in disclosing sexual abuse experiences identified by male victims as well as the features associated with resilience in school-aged boys victims of sexual abuse. In addition, resilience characteristics of high school male adolescents experiencing sexual abuse and of child-welfare involved male adolescents experiencing sexual violence in the context of dating relationships will be summarized. This facilitated discussion will offer a unique opportunity to exchange as to the specific challenges in this area of investigation and the design of future investigations and tailored intervention addressing the needs of male youth victims of sexual abuse.
