Deniz Koçoğlu

Reproductive history, socioeconomic status and disability in the women aged 65 years or older in Turkey

Pregnancy and childbirth are an important physiological and emotional phenomenon in their lives for most women and studies have shown that this process may have a significant impact on their health at later ages. The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between functional disabilities in women over the age of 65 and their reproductive history and socioeconomic status. This is a cross-sectional study. The study group consisted of 543 women aged 65 or over. A general questionnaire and the Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ) were used to collect data with face-to-face interview in home visits. Of the women 79.2% have disability. First childbirth was experienced at the average age of 19.6+/-3.3 and the average age at which the women experienced their last delivery was 32.5+/-6.3. Parity was 4.1+/-1.7. Advanced age, being widowed and illiterate, less income, being outside of the middle class and having more than four children are important determinants for later life disability. The study highlights the importance of focusing not just on the short-term effects of childbearing and socioeconomic factors, but also of taking into account the possibility of long-term effects on disability in older women.

Adolescent Pregnancy in Turkey

Adolescent sexuality and reproductive health problems continue to be sensitive matter in Turkey. Premarital sexuality is not approved of in Turkish society, and society maintains a strict attitude against extramarital and random sex. It is considered unsuitable for Muslim adolescents to be active sexually until marriage; however, there is a more tolerant attitude toward adolescent males. In a 2008 study of midwifery students, the majority of students believe that virginity is important and premarital sexual intercourse is wrong and that young women have to be aware of the negative outcomes of premarital sexual intercourse. This inequality among adolescents has caused young girls to suffer much more harm than boys. One example, in Turkey, marriages under the age of 17 and all marriages other than civil marriages have been legally prohibited; however, as illegal marriages at early ages are accepted by society, they are still performed. Stopping this practice requires broad enforcement. Additionally, many studies conducted in Turkey demonstrate that young people still have deficiencies in knowledge about sexual health and reproductive health. What we have found is that the level of education, family structure, and economic status are closely related risk factors for adolescent pregnancies. The median age of first marriage for women who have received secondary and higher education is 24.1. The median age for women who have completed the second stage of primary education is 3 years younger (21 years old), and the median age for uneducated or non-primary school graduate women is 5 years younger (16 years old). We also found that the most significant reason for older age of first marriage is the increase in educational opportunities, access to a profession, and the use of effective birth control methods.