Explore the vast range of titles available.

Antenatal care (ANC) contacts have long been considered a critical component of the continuum of care for a pregnant mother along with the newborn baby. The latest maternal mortality survey in Bangladesh suggests that progress in reducing maternal mortality has stalled as only 37% of pregnant women have attended at least four ANC contacts. This paper aims to determine what factors are associated with ANC contacts for women in Bangladesh. We analysed the data, provided by Bangladesh demographic and health survey 2014, covering a nationally representative sample of 17,863 ever married women aged 15-49 years. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling was used to collect the data. Data derived from 4,475 mothers who gave birth in the three years preceding the survey. Descriptive, inferential, and multivariate statistical techniques were used to analyse the data. An overall 78.4% of women had ANC contacts, but the WHO recommended ≥8 ANC contacts and ANC contacts by qualified doctors were only 8% for each. The logistic regression analysis revealed that division, maternal age, women's education, husband's education, wealth index and media exposure were associated with the ANC contacts. Likewise, place of residence, women's education, religion, and wealth index were also found to be associated with the WHO recommended ANC contacts. Furthermore, the husband's education, division, religion and husband's employment showed significant associations with ANC contacts by qualified doctors. However, Bangladeshi women in general revealed an unsatisfactory level of ANC contacts, the WHO recommended as well as ANC contacts by qualified doctors. In order to improve the situation, it is necessary to follow the most recent ANC contacts recommended by the WHO and to contact the qualified doctors. Moreover, an improvement in education as well as access to information along with an increase of transports, care centres and reduction of service costs would see an improvement of ANC contacts in Bangladesh.

High maternal mortality is still a significant public health challenge in many countries of the South-Asian region. The majority of maternal deaths occur due to pregnancy and delivery-related complications, which can mostly be prevented by safe facility delivery. Due to the paucity of existing evidence, our study aimed to examine the factors associated with place of delivery, including women's preferences for such in three selected South-Asian countries. We extracted data from the most recent demographic and health surveys (DHS) conducted in Bangladesh (2014), Nepal (2016), and Pakistan (2017-18) and analyzed to identify the association between the outcome variable and socio-demographic characteristics. A total of 16,429 women from Bangladesh (4278; mean age 24.57 years), Nepal (3962; mean age 26.35 years), and Pakistan (8189; mean age 29.57 years) were included in this study. Following descriptive analyses, bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted. Overall, the prevalence of facility-based delivery was 40%, 62%, and 69% in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan, respectively. Inequity in utilizing facility-based delivery was observed for women in the highest wealth quintile. Participants from Urban areas, educated, middle and upper household economic status, and with high antenatal care (ANC) visits were significantly associated with facility-based delivery in all three countries. Interestingly, watching TV was also found as a strong determinant for facility-based delivery in Bangladesh (aOR = 1.31, 95% CI:1.09-1.56, P = 0.003), Nepal (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI:1.20-1.67, P<0.001) and Pakistan (aOR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.03-1.32, P = 0.013). Higher education of husband was a significant predictor for facility delivery in Bangladesh (aOR = 1.73, 95% CI:1.27-2.35, P = 0.001) and Pakistan (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI: 0.99-1.43, P = 0.065); husband's occupation was also a significant factor in Bangladesh (aOR = 1.30, 95% CI:1.04-1.61, P = 0.020) and Nepal (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI:1.01-1.58, P = 0.041). Our findings suggest that the educational status of both women and their husbands, household economic situation, and the number of ANC visits influenced the place of delivery. There is an urgent need to promote facility delivery by building more birthing facilities, training and deployment of skilled birth attendants in rural and hard-to-reach areas, ensuring compulsory female education for all women, encouraging more ANC visits, and providing financial incentives for facility deliveries. There is a need to promote facility delivery by encouraging health facility visits through utilizing social networks and continuing mass media campaigns. Ensuring adequate Government funding for free maternal and newborn health care and local community involvement is crucial for reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and achieving sustainable development goals in this region.

High maternal mortality rates still today remain a significant public health concern in South Asian countries. The majority of maternal deaths occur during pregnancy, and these deaths may typically be avoided by ensuring that women have access to reliable maternity care such as antenatal care (ANC) and facility delivery. The objectives of this research were to assess socioeconomic disparities in the utilization of health care services by mothers and to determine the factors influencing this utilization among women aged 15 to 49 in five South Asian countries. For this study, nationally representative data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) were analyzed. This research included a total of 262,531 women between the ages of 15 and 49. To determine the likely causes of maternal health care utilization, simple bivariate statistics and binary logistic regression were applied, and decomposition analysis and the concentration curve were used to quantify disparity (Lorenz curve). ANC and institutional delivery were both prevalent in 59.27% and 86.52% of cases, respectively. Among the five nations, Maldives has the greatest ANC (96.83%) and institutional delivery (99.39%), while Bangladesh has the lowest ANC (47.01%) and institutional delivery (49.81%). Women's and husbands' education, household wealth status, BMI, and urban residents are the most important factors influencing maternal health service utilization, whereas higher education level, affluent wealth quintiles, and place of residence are the major contributors to socioeconomic inequalities in access to maternal health care that favor the wealthy. Maternal health care services must be utilized properly in order to promote optimal health and prevent maternal mortality. Several socioeconomic and sociodemographic variables of the individual population, as well as policy issues, all have an impact on maternal mortality. This research recommends for concerted action to enhance how successfully women use maternity care services.

Self-medication is a prevalent practice among university students globally and is a significant public health concern. However, previous research has been limited in scope, focusing primarily on adolescents or the general public, leaving a gap in understanding the causal relationships associated with self-medication; thus, this study aimed to investigate the factors influencing self-medication practices among university students in Bangladesh by developing a comprehensive causal model. Data from 417 students across five public universities were collected using the simple random walk technique by a team of 10 members. The study utilized constructs of knowledge, attitude, and convenience related to self-medication as independent variables, while self-medication practice as the dependent variable. One-way ANOVA and structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed to develop a causal model of self-medication practice among university students in Bangladesh. The findings revealed that students with better medication knowledge and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were more likely to practice self-medication. A positive attitude towards self-medication and ADRs was also significantly associated with higher self-medication practice scores. Additionally, those who perceived self-medication as convenient and prescribed medication as inconvenient had higher self-medication practice scores. The attitude towards self-medication had the most substantial negative effect on self-medication practice, followed by the inconvenience of prescribed medication and the convenience of self-medication. The model explained 87% of the variance in self-medication practice, indicating a good fit for the data. University students in Bangladesh possess intermediate knowledge of medication and primary knowledge of ADRs. They exhibit a positive attitude towards self-medication and ADRs. Physical convenience favors self-medication, while the inconvenience of prescribed medication contributes to its lower preference. Policymakers should focus on evidence-based guidelines to reduce the extent of unnecessary self-medication practice and to enhance the quantity and accessibility of prescribed medications to address the issue effectively.

In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Bangladesh, socioeconomic inequalities in access to maternity care remain a substantial public health concern. Due to the paucity of research, we attempted to determine the factors affecting the facility delivery, quantify wealth-related inequality, and identify potential components that could explain the inequality. We used the latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS 2017-18) data in this study. We utilized logistic regression to investigate the associated factors of facility delivery. The concentration curves (CC), concentration index (CIX) and decomposition of CIX techniques were used to analyze the inequality in-facility delivery. Women living in the urban areas, age at first birth after (18-24 years ≥25 years), being overweight/obese, having secondary and higher-level education of the women and their husband, seeking four or more ANC, coming from more affluent households, and women with high enlightenment were significant determinants of facility delivery. The concentration curve was below the line of equality, and the relative concentration index (CIX) was 0.205 (p <0.001), indicating that women from wealthy groups were disproportionately more prevalent to facility delivery. The decomposition analysis reveals that wealth status of women (57.40%), age at first birth (10.24%), husband's education (8.96%), husband's occupation (7.35%), education of women (7.13%), women's enlightenment (6.15%), residence (8.64%) and ANC visit (6.84%) are the most major contributors to the inequalities in utilizing facility delivery. The study demonstrates a clear disparity in the use of facility delivery among Bangladeshi women; hence, immediate action is required to lower the inequalities, with a special emphasis on the contributing factors.

Background Similar to other countries, reproductive-age women in Nepal frequently encounter diverse mental disorders, yet they receive inadequate screening and attention. This research seeks to address this gap by conducting a comprehensive examination of the prevalence and factors associated with mental disorders of reproductive-age women in Nepal. Methods This study used the nationally representative Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022 dataset to examine the association between mental disorders and potential confounders. Screening tools for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were employed, and descriptive and inferential statistics, including linear regression and structural equation modeling, were utilized in the analysis. Results The study found that 22% of Nepalese women aged 15 to 49 reported anxiety symptoms, while 5% reported depressive symptoms. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) reveals that anxiety had the most significant positive effect on depression (β = 0.683, p  < 0.001), followed by emotional violence (β = 0.139, p  < 0.001). Marital status (β = 0.072, p  < 0.001) and the presence of genital discharge (β = 0.084, p  < 0.001) or ulcer (β = 0.058, p  < 0.001) in the last 12 months were also associated with higher levels of depression. Conversely, self-rated health status (β=-0.121, p  < 0.001) was negatively associated with depression, indicating that better-perceived health was linked to lower levels of depression. Conclusion Although the prevalence of anxiety symptoms is higher than that of depression, there is a positive relationship between these two. Consequently, it is crucial to address the identified factors contributing to anxiety and depression in this population group through behavioral and policy interventions to enhance the mental well-being of reproductive-age women.

Marital control and culturally accepted justifications of domestic violence are pervasive forms of gendered power imbalances that undermine women’s autonomy and significantly contribute to adverse mental health outcomes. These factors are critical yet often overlooked in patriarchal settings like Bangladesh, where the interpersonal dynamics within marital households pose a substantial health burden, with long-lasting effects on the well-being of women. Despite this, national-scale studies remain scarce. This study examines how attitudes toward domestic violence and socioeconomic contexts influence anxiety and depression among married women in Bangladesh, leveraging data from the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS). Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scales. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, binary logistic regression, and stepwise multiple regression were employed to identify predictors. Results indicate that 26.9% and 29.2% of married women experienced mild-to-severe anxiety and depression, respectively, with 4.5% reporting moderate-to-severe anxiety and 1.3% moderate-to-severe depression. Justified domestic violence was significantly associated with higher odds of moderate to severe anxiety and depression. Women who believed wife-beating was acceptable in situations such as going out without informing the husband ( p  < 0.001), neglecting children ( p  < 0.001), arguing ( p  < 0.001), refusing sex ( p  < 0.001), or burning food were more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. Stepwise regression identified terminated pregnancy as the strongest predictor of both anxiety (R 2  = 0.071, p  < 0.001) and depression (R 2  = 0.069, p  < 0.001). Socioeconomic factors, such as education and continuing education after marriage, also significantly influenced outcomes. The findings underscore the high prevalence of mental health issues among Bangladeshi married women, shaped significantly by socioeconomic conditions and normalization of gender-based violence. These findings highlight the urgent need for culturally sensitive interventions addressing familial pressures and gender-based violence. Future research should employ longitudinal designs to explore causal pathways and incorporate additional determinants, such as social support and coping mechanisms, to inform comprehensive mental health policies in low-resource settings.

Background We aimed to determine the factors that increase the risk of HRFB in Bangladeshi women of reproductive age 15–49 years. Methods The study utilised the latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017–18 dataset. The Pearson's chi-square test was performed to determine the relationships between the outcome and the independent variables, while multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the potential determinants associated with HRFB. Results Overall 67.7% women had HRFB among them 45.6% were at single risk and 22.1% were at multiple high-risks. Women’s age (35–49 years: AOR = 6.42 95% CI 3.95–10.42), who were Muslims(AOR = 5.52, 95% CI 2.25–13.52), having normal childbirth (AOR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.22–1.69), having unwanted pregnancy (AOR = 10.79, 95% CI 5.67–18.64) and not using any contraceptive methods  (AOR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.24–1.81) were significantly associated with increasing risk of having HRFB. Alternatively, women and their partners’ higher education were associated with reducing HRFB. Conclusion A significant proportion of Bangladeshi women had high-risk fertility behaviour which is quite alarming. Therefore, the public health policy makers in Bangladesh should emphasis on this issue and design appropriate interventions to reduce the maternal HRFB. Plain Language Summary High rates of maternal high-risk fertility behaviour (HRFB) have a variety of unfavourable repercussions for both the mother and the child. However, because there have been few studies on this topic to date, we set out to identify the determinants that enhance the risk of HRFB in Bangladeshi women between the ages of 15 and 49. Using latest demographic and health survey (BDHS) data we have found that 67.7% of women had HRFB, with 45.6% having a single high-risk factor and 22.1% having multiple high-risk factors. This high prevalence rate demonstrates that HRFB are all too common in Bangladesh, potentially endangering the health of the country's women. We found that women practicing Islam as core religion, age above 35 years, having normal childbirth, having above 3 children, having unwanted pregnancies and not using birth control methods were at increased risk of having HRFB. As a result of the study's findings, interventions are urgently needed to prevent high-risk fertility behaviour among Bangladeshi women aged 15 to 49 years.

ChatGPT's capability to provide immediate responses to student queries positions it as a potentially transformative educational tool. Nevertheless, its impact on Bangladeshi university students remains a subject of debate. This cross-sectional study examines ChatGPT usage among Bangladeshi university students and its determinants using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data from 729 students across five public and four private universities were analyzed via inferential statistics and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results indicate perceived usefulness, ease of use, and perceived risk significantly influence ChatGPT adoption. Private university students' usage was primarily driven by ease of use and perceived usefulness, while perceived risk and attitude showed no significant impact. In contrast, public university students' usage was strongly influenced by perceived usefulness and existing knowledge, with perceived risk negatively affecting attitudes. Public university students perceived higher risks and lower ease of use than private peers. SEM highlighted ease of use as the strongest positive predictor in private institutions, while existing knowledge was more influential in public ones. The findings suggest structured training, awareness campaigns, and safety policies could mitigate risks and enhance ethical adoption. Public universities require targeted interventions to address risk perceptions, whereas private institutions benefit from emphasizing ChatGPT's usability and academic value. The study, \"Factors Influencing the Acceptance and Usage of ChatGPT as an Emerging Learning Tool among Higher Education Students: A Structural Equation Modeling,\" explores the rapidly growing integration of AI-powered tools in education. With ChatGPT gaining prominence as an interactive platform for personalized learning, this research aims to identify the key determinants influencing its acceptance and effective and legitimate usage by higher education students. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study examines factors such as perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, and technological readiness. This research provides valuable insights into the adoption of ChatGPT as a transformative educational tool, highlighting its potential to enhance student engagement and critical thinking. Findings from this study can guide educators, institutions, and developers in leveraging AI technologies effectively, ensuring they meet students' learning needs while addressing potential barriers to adoption. Ultimately, this research contributes to advancing the integration of innovative technologies in higher education.

Aim In Bangladesh, 36% of children under the age of 5 are moderately or severely stunted, impeding the country’s overall public health outcomes. Some differences have been found in the associations of risk factors and two forms of stunting; therefore, investigating why these differences exist is necessary. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for moderate and severe stunting in Bangladeshi children < 5 years old. Methods Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014 (BDHS 2014) data were analyzed in this study; the information of 7131 mother-child pairs was available. Height-for-age z-scores (HFAz) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 growth standards were used to define moderate (HFAz <−2 SD) and severe stunting (HFAz<−3 SD). The associations between selected independent factors and nutritional status were assessed using chi-square tests, and potential risk factors were explored using multiple multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results The multinomial analysis demonstrated that child age (0–11 months), small size at birth, fever and diarrhea within 2 weeks before the survey, maternal height ≤ 145 cm, and maternal body mass index (BMI) ≤18.50 kg/m 2 were significant risk factors for both moderate and severe childhood stunting. The area of residence (rural), mother’s exposure to television, father’s engagement in agricultural work, and residence in Chittagong and Sylhet were associated with severe stunting, whereas residence in Rajshahi, maternal BMI (18.51–25.00 kg/m 2 ), and maternal primary or secondary education level were associated with moderate stunting. Conclusion A low number of children under the age of 5 had fever and diarrhea, but these factors were significantly associated with developing moderate or severe stunting and demand further study. Along with ongoing nutritional programs, the government should make comprehensive targeted efforts to change the nutritional status of mothers and children.