Journal of Biosocial Science最新文献

{"title":"Persistent effects of China's one-child policy on childbearing attitudes of the Chinese diaspora in the United States: a qualitative study.","authors":"Nina Nguyen, Jessica Atrio, Nerys Benfield, June Hoi Ka Ng","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100510","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021932026100510","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines how China's former one-child policy has shaped fertility attitudes among the Chinese diaspora in the United States. Through semi-structured qualitative interviews with thirty reproductive-age women of Chinese descent, either born in China or first-generation immigrants to the United States, this study explored opinions towards the policy, self-reported impact on reproductive decision-making, and attitudes towards family size. Participants were recruited from an internet-based survey distributed through cultural groups on social media, paper flyers, and email listservs. Interviews were analysed using the principle of thematic analysis by three authors, who met after coding to resolve disagreements. The mean age of participants was 33. Six participants (20%) used an interpreter. Eighteen participants (60%) were born in China. The range of pregnancies was 0-5, and the range of births was 0-2. Authors found that while participants were no longer directly constrained by the one-child policy, many continued to demonstrate preferences for fewer children. Financial strains, resource allocation, societal shame, and internalised social norms emerged as key themes. These themes echo messages promoted during the one-child policy era through propaganda and enforcement measures, such as audits of family registrations, rewards for compliant families, fines, mandatory IUDs, or sterilisations for noncompliant ones, and even forced abortions for 'unauthorized' pregnancies. These messages reinforced that small families were more appropriate. These findings suggest a lasting cultural shift towards fewer children as a result of the policy, even after emigration. They also carry theoretical implications towards understanding the long-term social and psychological consequences of reproductive mandates and the generational transmission of policy-shaped fertility norms. This study offers a perspective for nations currently implementing pronatalist fertility regulations. These findings highlight the role of historical policies in shaping contemporary reproductive perspectives, family dynamics, and potentially, engagement with medicine beyond geographic, political, and temporal boundaries.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlates of pregnancies ending in induced abortions: a population-based analysis from the age perspective.","authors":"Aidée Baranda Ortiz, Mikolaj Stanek","doi":"10.1017/S002193202610056X","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S002193202610056X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Induced abortions (IAs) constitute a fundamental right contributing to women's reproductive sexual health allowing them to decide whether they wish to avoid, postpone, space, or conclude their motherhood. In this study, fertility control through IA is analysed according to the age combined with the individual and contextual characteristics of the women. Data from the Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy Statistics (Ministry of Health) and the Vital Statistics (Movimiento Natural de la Población, National Statistics Institute) were combined to capture all pregnancy outcomes, including IAs, live births, stillbirths, and late foetal deaths. Binary logistic regression models were applied to each age group (15-19, 20-29, 30-39, and 40-44 years) to calculate the likelihood of opting for an abortion based on whether individuals have a partner, the number of children, and adjusted for other sociodemographic variables. In the early reproductive stages, the probability of opting for an IA was higher in women without a partner than in those with one. In contrast, in the later years of the reproductive cycle, women with two or more children were more likely to opt for an IA, indicating their desire to stop childbearing. The likelihood of opting for an IA varies according to the woman's age. Furthermore, sociodemographic characteristics within each group of age undergo significant changes. A more detailed analysis of the reasons leading to the choice of abortion is necessary. Additionally, this study serves as valuable input for family planning public policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147730435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adverse self-rated health transition among older adults in India: a retrospective life course approach.","authors":"Margubur Rahaman, U Venkatesh, Om Prakash Bera, Ashoo Grover","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100546","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021932026100546","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Self-rated health (SRH) is a validated epidemiological measure that captures an individual's overall health perception and predicts morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive research on SRH among older adults in India, evidence on its transition across the life course remains limited. Using data from 70,595 individuals aged 45 years and above from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) 2017-2018, this study examined transitions in SRH from childhood to older adulthood. An adverse SRH trajectory was defined as a shift from good childhood health to poor or fair health in later life. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted. Overall, 51% of older adults experienced an adverse SRH trajectory. Higher odds were observed among women (AOR: 1.30), individuals with substance consumption (AOR:1.24), chronic multimorbidity (AOR: 3.37), functional limitations (AOR: 2.03), and depression (AOR: 1.51). Early-life disadvantages - child labour, child marriage, and persistent household poverty - were also significant risk factors. In contrast, higher education and participation in social and physical activities were protective. These findings indicate that an adverse subjective health trajectory is shaped by cumulative life-course exposures rather than ageing alone. Strengthening early-life social investments and community-based wellness initiatives is vital to promote healthy and equitable ageing in India.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147575935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The lived experiences of familial mental illness stigma among persons living with mental illnesses.","authors":"Joseph Adu, Abram Oudshoorn, Kelly Anderson, Carrie Anne Marshall, Heather Stuart","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100558","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021932026100558","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Persons with mental illnesses may experience stigma from their immediate family members in addition to other forms of stigma. The researchers used semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences of familial mental illness stigma among 15 people diagnosed with mental illnesses in a mid-sized city in Canada. Five themes that spoke to participants' experiences of familial mental illness stigma and ways to reduce it were identified by the investigators. The themes included: diagnosis as a 'double-edged sword,' potential familial isolation, familial stigma as societal stigma localized, stories of acceptance and support, and confronting potential familial mental illness stigma. Participants' narratives indicate that familial mental illness stigma is rooted in the broader social or public stigma, which sees its way into familial relations as well. This stigma takes various forms, including relationship bias or unfair treatment, breakdown in romantic relationships, loss of status, verbal and emotional abuse, exclusion from decision-making, and alienation within their immediate and extended families. Familial mental illness stigma experiences negatively impact participant's psychological well-being and personal empowerment. However, participants also shared ways that family members create supportive environments or actively confront or prevent stigma. Overall, this study has contributed to knowledge on mental illness stigma, particularly familial mental illness stigma from the perspective of participants living with a mental illness in a high-income country. Suggestions for future research include a focus on strategies to prevent ongoing familial mental illness stigma, and large-scale studies to explore familial mental illness stigma to understand why families might themselves at times perpetrate stigma.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"1-22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147575887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ebola in the rear-view mirror: how epidemic pasts shaped Sierra Leone's preparedness and response to Covid-19.","authors":"Fred Martineau, Annie Wilkinson, Lawrence Babawo","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100509","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021932026100509","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper examines how past experience and legacies of epidemics shaped Sierra Leone's response to COVID-19 and how these influences evolved over time. COVID-19 unfolded in the wake of the West African Ebola epidemic (2013-2016), a crisis which was unprecedented in scale. Despite differing markedly in both transmission patterns and clinical outcomes, the Sierra Leonean government repeatedly invoked Ebola when responding to COVID-19, framing the new outbreak through the lens of the old. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with policymakers, response personnel, health workers, and members of the public, the paper analyses how Ebola's imprint surfaced across four domains of the COVID-19 response: public and governmental framings, the design and implementation of key control measures, disputes over incentives and hazard pay, and practices of data and testing. It shows that when confronting a new outbreak, the past manifests in diverse ways. The analysis reveals how these 'epidemic pasts' - contained in lessons, memories, legacies, and assumptions - actively constitute 'epidemic presents'; and should be understood as politically mobilised and socially contested, shaping responses in both enabling and constraining ways. As such, it is suggested that past experience has been under-explored in preparedness and response, and that formal 'lessons learned' exercises offer a limited view of how the past is relevant.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147515849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intergenerational anthropological-demographic study on the changing trajectory of age at marriage in Howrah district of West Bengal.","authors":"Mir Azad Kalam, Saptamita Pal","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100534","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0021932026100534","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This cross-sectional study examines differentials in age at marriage, collecting data from 665 ever-married women in Howrah district, West Bengal, using a mixed-methods approach across three generational cohorts. Quantitative analyses included ANOVA and multinomial logistic regression, complemented by qualitative interviews to contextualize marriage timing. Results revealed a non-linear trajectory of marriage age across generations. Mean age at marriage was 21.4 years, 23.2 years, and 19.5 years in Generation I, Generation II, and Generation III, respectively, with significant differences. MLR results showed respondents in Generation II had higher odds of marrying at ages 19-24 (RRR = 1.5, CI = 0.6-2.7) and ≥25 years (RRR = 1.4, CI = 0.9-4.0), whereas Generation III women had lower odds at ages 19-24 (RRR = 0.3, CI = 0.2-0.9) and ≥25 years (RRR = 0.6, CI = 0.1-0.9), compared to Generation I. Urban women showed delayed marriage at ages 19-24 (RRR = 3.1, CI = 2.6-11.5) and ≥25 years (RRR = 4.5, CI = 2.2-15.5). Higher educated women increased the likelihood of delaying marriage at ages 19-24 (RRR = 1.6, CI = 0.4-1.9) and ≥25 years (RRR = 1.2, CI = 0.8-1.6). Fathers' secondary education was associated with marriage at ages 19-24 (RRR = 1.5, CI = 1.0-2.3) and ≥25 years (RRR = 4.6, CI = 1.3-15.8), and fathers' higher education was associated with marriage at ≥25 years (RRR = 2.6, CI = 1.3-12.8); mothers' secondary education was associated with marriage at ages 19-24 (RRR = 1.7, CI = 1.0-2.9) and ≥25 years (RRR = 3.1, CI = 1.9-12.3), and mothers' higher education was associated with marriage at ≥25 years (RRR = 3.2, CI = 1.6-10.4). Respondents in white-collar jobs were more likely to delay marriage at 19-24 (RRR = 1.5, CI = 0.3-2.0) and ≥25 years (RRR = 1.6, CI = 0.8-3.4). White-collar employment of fathers increased the odds of marriage at ages 19-24 (RRR = 1.7, CI = 0.7-2.1) and ≥25 years (RRR = 1.6, CI = 0.4-2.6) and of mothers at ages 19-24 (RRR = 1.2, CI = 0.4-1.6) and ≥25 years (RRR = 1.1, CI = 0.3-1.9). Women from the upper wealth quintile were more likely to marry at ≥25 years (RRR = 1.2, CI = 0.5-2.8). Muslim women showed significantly less likelihood to marry at ≥25 years (RRR = 0.2, CI = 0.1-0.6). Ethnographic narratives revealed tensions between aspirations for daughters' education and parental anxieties related to employment insecurity, dowry, and premarital relationships, shaping marriage decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147533605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biosocial disparities in substance use among sexual-minority veterans with depression: national evidence on the role of depression-related clinical contact and medication use.","authors":"Luke Manietta, Justin T McDaniel","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100480","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0021932026100480","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sexual-identity disparities in substance use among U.S. veterans, and whether mental-health treatment mitigates risk for those with depression, remain under-examined. Using data on veterans from the 2021-2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH; <i>N</i> = 7,212), disparities were estimated in past-30-day nicotine, marijuana, binge drinking, and polysubstance use, as well as severe psychological distress (K6≥13) and past-year suicidal ideation. Guided by a biosocial/minority-stress framework, multiple imputation was applied (<i>m</i> = 20) and survey-weighted logistic regression adjusting for age, year, race/ethnicity, sex, education, metro status, insurance, marital status, employment, and income; among veterans with a past-year major depressive episode (MDE), interactions were tested between sexual identity and (a) depression-related clinical contact (DRC) and (b) prescription medication for depressive feelings. Bisexual veterans showed the highest prevalence of marijuana (33.5%) and polysubstance use (30.6%), exceeding that of heterosexual (11.8%, 14.9%) and gay/lesbian veterans (24.0%, 18.8%). Models restricted to veterans with MDE, past-year DRC (DRC defined as any visit or conversation with a health professional about depressive feelings) moderated risk for gay/lesbian veterans, with DRC associated with lower odds of binge drinking and polysubstance use; prescription medication showed a similar moderating pattern for nicotine and polysubstance outcomes. Findings for severe psychological distress and suicidal ideation were mixed and consistent with confounding by indication. Results should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional data, self-report, small sexual-minority subgroups, and non-aligned recall windows (past-year mental health/treatment vs past-30-day substance use). Overall, sexual-identity disparities in substance use are evident, with bisexual veterans bearing the greatest burden, and engagement in DRC and medication among veterans with MDE, particularly gay/lesbian veterans, showing associations consistent with a buffering effect of affirming care. Longitudinal and qualitative studies are needed to test causal pathways and to illuminate lived experiences, and policy/clinical efforts should expand culturally competent, integrated services and routine SOGI data collection to monitor and reduce inequities.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"38-50"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146151006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"'It all depends on your faith': Spiritual illnesses and traditional healing in rural Limpopo Province, South Africa.","authors":"Michael Galvin, Lezanie Coetzee, Patricia Leshabana, Nthabiseng Masebe, Shitshembiso Lepebe, Aneesa Moolla, Amanda Tarullo, Peter Rockers, Erinn Cameron, Denise Evans","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100492","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0021932026100492","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite biomedical explanations for diseases being increasingly accepted in sub-Saharan Africa, traditional African explanatory models of illness remain widespread. This study sought to understand local explanatory models for illness and patient experiences with different traditional health practitioners (THPs) among a population of rural women in Limpopo, South Africa. This was a cross-sectional qualitative study in which eighty-two in-depth interviews were conducted, and the data were thematically analysed. Study findings indicate that 68% of participants believed illnesses can be caused by bewitchment, and these diseases were often considered too taboo to even be discussed. High percentages of participants also believe that THPs can cure illnesses that medical doctors cannot treat. Additionally, several illnesses were identified related to traditional practices and cultural beliefs, which can only be cured traditionally, via THPs. While the hospital/clinic is often first approached, its failure to resolve illness can often be seen as a sign of the spiritual origin of the ailment. This study is a pre-context for more research around biomedical/traditional medicine collaborations.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"51-62"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147327828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does the extent of child marriage vary with religious affiliation? An analysis of Hindu and Muslim communities in India.","authors":"C J Sonowal, Sourav Biswas","doi":"10.1017/S0021932026100522","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0021932026100522","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Globally, child marriage is a persistent issue, adversely affecting the rights and well-being of girls. With a special focus on religious affiliation, this study explores the contributing factors leading to child marriage, such as cultural norms, religious beliefs, and socioeconomic conditions. From the Census of India 2011 data, percentage distributions of child marriage were used to assess the trends and magnitude of child marriage over the years. From NFHS-5 data, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess factors like education and wealth index. Spatial analysis techniques, including Moran's I statistics, helped identify the geographic distribution of child marriage. Findings reveal a history of relatively high child marriage rates among Muslims and their faster decline over the last decades. In 2011, under-14 marriages among Hindus exceeded 1.03% more than that of Muslims, with a 0.33% higher incidence of under-18 marriages among Muslims. The sample-based NFHS-5 study highlights significant disparities in child marriage based on the sample populations' religious affiliations, regions, social categories, education, and wealth. In conclusion, the issue transcends religious boundaries, is rooted in broader social and economic contexts, and advocates for multidimensional interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"17-37"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147379238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The potential of <i>Cycling Without Age</i> on social isolation and loneliness among older adults.","authors":"Barbara Gonçalves, Joanne Lusher","doi":"10.1017/S002193202510045X","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S002193202510045X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Loneliness and social isolation represent persisent global public health concerns, particurarly for people in later life, with extensive mental, social, and biological consequences. Both have been associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, dementia, cardiovascular disease, premature mortality, and greater demand for health and social care services. A growing body of evidence indicates that nature-based interventions are effective in reducing loneliness, enhancing mood, and promoting overall well being, yet they still remain underutilised within health and social care strategies; particularly for older adults and those with limited mobility. One such initiative, <i>Cycling Without Age</i>, a grassroots programme, demonstrates the potential of nature-based interventions. Evidence across multiple contexts indicates improvements in mood, life satisfaction, and social connectedness, alongside benefits for families and care staff. <i>Cycling Without Age</i> illustrates a type of scalable, person-centred intervention that could be integrated into healthy ageing strategies. However, rigourous large-scale research remains scarce, which highlights the need for further evaluation to guide policy adoption and sustainable implementation. Effective responses to loneliness and social isolation require integrated support programmes that foster social connectedness and healthy ageing, delivered through coordinated efforts spanning public health, urban design, and community services.</p>","PeriodicalId":47742,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Biosocial Science","volume":" ","pages":"701-704"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145835034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}