Suchergebnisse

Jammu and Kashmir has been a theatre of conflict for almost three decades now. After the outbreak of militancy in 1989–1990 in the Kashmir valley, Doda belt was the first area outside the valley where armed conflict made inroads and affected lives variedly. Based on ethnographic field work, this paper addresses three interrelated questions about the manifestation of militancy in Doda: first, how did the armed struggle for the control of landscape invoke fear ( dehshat) in people and affect their way of living? Second, how did the violence by both non-state and state actors to seek control and assert power transform the local landscape itself? Third, how did the locals negotiate with shifting landscapes embedded with fear and memories of violence? I approach these questions through memory ethnography of the times of militancy ( militancy ka daur). Based on conversations, narratives and participant observation, the article shows that militancy and resultant armed conflict sowed fear in people's lives and altered their relation with space and time in multiple ways. Actors involved in the armed conflict shaped the local landscape by resorting to spatial strategies to control territory and exercise power through fear. As a consequence, locals negotiated with the landscape of fear by conforming to outright commands and through silence. Although militancy ka daur has passed in Doda, the paper argues that it has left deep imprints upon the collective memory of the people.

Background: Conflicts adversely affect psychological well-being and are associated with mental disorders. Aim: The study aims to assess the levels of perceived stress, anxiety and depression and their association with demographic factors among the youth in the border villages of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among youth aged 18 to 25 years. The sample consisted of 300 individuals from the border villages of J&K. Of these, 150 individuals were from the villages located near the International Border (IB) in the Jammu district, and 150 individuals were from the villages near the Line Of Control (LOC) in the Rajouri district. Perceived Stress scale (PSS), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD7), and Public Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) scales were used to determine the levels of perceived stress, depression, and anxiety. Mann Whitney, Chi-square and Odds ratio analysis were performed to assess the levels of the indicators and their association with demographic factors. Results: 94% of the respondents had perceived stress, 34.46% anxiety and 31% depression. Perceived stress, anxiety and depression were significantly higher among the LOC youth than IB youth ( p < .00*). The LOC youth with an educational status below graduation level were found to be more anxious ( p = .034) and more depressed ( p = .003) than those with the educational status of graduation and above. The youth whose main activity was that of a student were found to be more depressed than the employed and unemployed youth ( p = .000). Conclusion: Perceived stress, anxiety, and depression were prevalent among the youth in border villages. These were found to be significantly higher among youth in border villages on the LOC. The findings suggest that education level has a significant impact on the mental health of the youth.

Fertility is a way through which human beings biologically replace themselves in order to continue their existence on earth. The present paper therefore attempts to study the factors affecting fertility among the Jat women of Haryana state. A household survey was conducted in 15 villages of Palwal district in which the concentration of Jats was found to be highest and 1014 ever married women were interviewed. Age at marriage, present age, education status, family type, and preference for male child were the most important factors that affected fertility in the studied population. Age at menarche, age at first conception, occupation status, use of birth control measures, and household per capita annual income did not affect the fertility in the studied population.

The study aimed to understand the effect of primary infertility on the psychological well-being of women. In addition, the study has assessed the impact of socio-demographic variables, reproductive trajectories and lifestyle variables on psychological well-being independently and in light of their dynamic interaction among North Indian women. This study was conducted among 250 infertile women with primary infertility attending the Gynaecology OPD and 250 age-matched fertile women from Delhi. Pretested quantitative interview schedule and WHO-5 perceived well-being scale were used for data collection. The results depicted that infertile women were found to have higher prevalence of poor psychological well-being than fertile women. Of all the variables, education, duration of infertility, physical activity, exercise, sleep pattern and family structure were significantly associated with the psychological well-being of infertile women. Infertility is a major cause of the decline in psychological well-being in infertile women. In most hospitals and infertility clinics, women are treated for infertility, but their psychological well-being is often ignored. To improve the psychological well-being of women dealing with primary infertility, infertility education and awareness, physical activity and family counselling must be integrated into the infertility treatment.

AbstractFor women who are trying to conceive, it is critical to assess their general knowledge regarding fertility and fertility-awareness practices to identify the fertile window and their agency to achieve pregnancy. The couple's ability to deal with the infertility issue may be influenced by their beliefs and attitudes concerning infertility, which are based on social and cultural influences as well as their inner aspirations. As a result, it's critical to examine infertile and fertile woman's general knowledge of reproduction and infertility risk factors. It's also crucial to learn about women's attitudes toward infertility (social beliefs), as well as the repercussions of infertility and the practises they employ to avoid it. The present study includes 250 fertile and 250 infertile women. Data collection for infertile women was done from the Gynecology Outpatient Department (OPD). Participants from both groups i.e., infertile and fertile women have little knowledge about infertility but, infertile women have significantly higher knowledge than fertile women. Knowledge of the fertile period, as well as several potential causes of infertility, were found to be significantly higher in women with infertility problem rather than fertile women, indicating that the knowledge they have acquired is not attributable to education system, but rather to their experience gained during visits to medical practitioners. In addition to differences with respect to knowledge, infertile and fertile women differed in terms of both attitude (societal beliefs and social consequences of infertility) and practices. Better knowledge regarding infertility is likely to bring positive notes among women with infertility problems. Which will further improve the attitude and practices of society towards infertile women. Therefore, its crucial to introduce reproductive health education at high school or undergraduate level, to assist women in avoiding infertility and to help infertile women develop healthier attitudes regarding infertility treatment and coping techniques.