The average age of first-time mothers is increasing, along with the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases. This indicates a low level of knowledge about fertility and an increased sexual risk-taking among young people. The aim of this study was to explore knowledge, attitudes and values about reproductive and sexual health among adolescents and young adults. An overview of the current literature was made using an integrated analysis method, including sixteen studies. The result showed an extensive lack of knowledge among young people regarding fertility, reproductive and sexual health. Many youths lacked knowledge about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. A majority of the young people were not aware of the significance of age or the impact that sexually transmitted diseases had on their fertility. Many of the young people did however have knowledge about lifestyle factors such as smoking and diet and their impact on health. There was a positive attitude towards fertility treatments along with an overestimation of the efficiency of such treatments. The main part of the young people felt that the sex education they received was inadequate and lacked depth. It was also normative and old-fashioned. With a lack of proper education in school young people used other sources of information such as parents, friends or pornography. Young people expressed a want for easily accessible sources of information and more discussion about relations, consent and sexual abuse. More practical information was requested also. Midwives and nurses were good sources of information, a good opportunity to discuss their reproductive and sexual health was in connection with testing against sexually transmitted diseases or contraceptive counselling. In conclusion, this study showed a need for more sources of correct information regarding reproductive and sexual health that young people can easily access. Sexual education today needs to be modernized to be more inclusive to meet the needs and expectations of young people. / Medelåldern för när kvinnor föder sitt första barn har stigit, det har också förekomsten av sexuellt överförbara infektioner. Dessa fakta kan tyda på en låg kunskap om fertilitet och ett sexuellt risktagande hos unga personer idag. Syftet med studien var att undersöka vad ungdomar och unga vuxna har för kunskaper, attityder och värderingar avseende reproduktiv och sexuell hälsa. En litteraturöversikt gjordes med en integrativ analysmetod. Litteraturöversikten inkluderade sexton studier. I analysen framkom en utbredd kunskapsbrist hos ungdomar gällande fertilitet, reproduktiv och sexuell hälsa. Många ungdomar saknade kunskap om preventivmedel och sexuellt överförbara infektioner. En majoritet var inte medvetna om ålderns betydelse för fertiliteten eller hur sexuellt överförbara infektioner kan påverka fertiliteten. Många hade dock kunskap om livsstilsfaktorer som till exempel rökning och kost och dess påverkan på hälsan. I analysen framkom också en positiv inställning och övertro till fertilitetsbehandlingar. Huvuddelen av ungdomarna ansåg att den sexualundervisning de fått i skolan var bristfällig och saknade djup. Den upplevdes också som normativ och gammeldags. I brist på undervisning från skolan användes alternativa källor till information såsom föräldrar, kamrater eller pornografi. Ungdomarna efterfrågade lättillgängliga källor för information och mer diskussion om relationer, samtycke och sexuella övergrepp. Även praktisk information efterfrågades. Barnmorskor och sjuksköterskor ansågs vara bra källor i undervisningen, ett bra tillfälle att diskutera sin reproduktiva och sexuella hälsa var i samband med provtagning av könssjukdomar och preventivmedelsrådgivning. Slutsatsen från denna studie var att ungdomar behöver flera källor för korrekt information om sin reproduktiva och sexuella hälsa. Skolans sexualundervisning behöver moderniseras för att bli mer inkluderande och för att möta de behov och önskemål som finns hos ungdomar.

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The popularity of mobile period tracker apps, designed to help women track their periods and fertility, has skyrocketed over the past decade. The target audience is people who menstruate, most often women. There are numerous articles on personalisation in mobile apps, but personalisation in mobile period tracker apps has been little studied. Therefore, in this thesis, I analyse the ways of collecting information about users and personalising the user's account in the period tracker apps, as well as whether this personalisation meets the needs of female users. My research question is: How could the personalisation of mobile period tracker apps be improved through design to meet real users' needs? The study builds on the user experience (UX) design process and consists of the following phases: UX research, design, and user testing. In addition, it includes an ideation part. I used post-structural feminist theory from the perspective of Judith Butler's work as a framework. I conducted seven semi-structured interviews with female users who actively use period tracker apps. I studied three chosen period tracker apps using the walkthrough method and conducted a co-design workshop using the themes identified through the thematic analysis of the interviews. The research output is a design solution tested on five participants of the study and then iterated. Through my work, I contribute to studies of reproductive technologies and the field of feminist human-computer interaction (HCI) through suggestions on personalisation.

Bakgrund   Bröstcancer är den vanligaste cancerformen globalt, men en minoritet av de som drabbas är kvinnor i ett fertilt åldersspann. En bröstcancerdiagnos inom detta åldersspann är dock ofta sammankopplat med en sämre prognos på grund av sen upptäckt samt högre risk för invasiv cancer. Det finns en mängd olika behandlingsformer som kan leda till biverkningar såsom förtida klimakterium, fertilitetspåverkan och påverkan på sexualitet. Sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa är en viktig del i en människas uppfattning av hälsa, och innefattar både fysisk, psykisk, emotionell och social hälsa.  Syfte  Syftet var att belysa kvinnor i fertil ålders upplevelser av sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa efter bröstcancerbehandling. Metod  För att besvara syftet genomfördes en icke-systematisk litteraturöversikt av 16 vetenskapliga artiklar med kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod. Sökningar genomfördes i databaserna PubMed och CINAHL. Artiklarna analyserades med en integrerad dataanalys och granskades med hjälp av Sophiahemmets bedömningsunderlag för kvalitetsgranskning. Resultat Till resultatet formulerades de två huvudkategorierna fysiska och psykiska upplevelser samt sociala och emotionella upplevelser med tillhörande subkategorier sexuell dysfunktion, förändrad kroppsbild och identitet, partnerrelationen och familjeplanering samt informationsbehov och vårdrelationen. Slutsats Sexuell dysfunktion förekommer i stor utsträckning hos kvinnor i fertil ålder efter bröstcancerbehandling tillsammans med upplevelsen av otillräcklig information från hälso- och sjukvården gällande sexuella och reproduktiva besvär, nedsatt fertilitet samt fertilitetsbevarande behandling inför och efter bröstcancerbehandling. Bröstcancer och dess behandling väcker även tankar om kroppsbild, upplevd identitet och framtidssyn gällande familjeplanering. Rutinmässiga frågor bör därför ställas gällande sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa efter behandling för att fånga upp besvär och normalisera samtalet. / Background Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer globally, but only a minority of those affected are women in their reproductive age. However, a breast cancer diagnosis within this age group is often associated with a poorer prognosis due to late detection and a higher risk of invasive cancer. There are various treatment options available that can lead to side effects such as premature menopause, fertility impairment, and impact on sexuality. Sexual and reproductive health is an important aspect of an individual's perceived health, encompassing physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing.  Aim The purpose was to illuminate the experiences of sexual and reproductive health among women of reproductive age after breast cancer treatment. Method To answer the purpose, a non-systematic literature review was conducted of 16 scientific articles with both quantitative and qualitative methods. Searches were conducted in the databases PubMed and CINAHL. The articles were analyzed with an integrative data analysis and reviewed using Sophiahemmet's assessment criteria for quality review. Results The findings resulted in the formulation of the two main categories physical and psychological experiences and social and emotional experiences, along with the associated subcategories sexual dysfunction, altered body image and identity, partner relationship and family planning, as well as information needs and healthcare provider relationship. Conclusions Sexual dysfunction is widely prevalent among women of reproductive age following breast cancer treatment, along with the experience of insufficient information from healthcare providers regarding sexual and reproductive issues, reduced fertility and fertility-preserving treatment before and after breast cancer treatment. Breast cancer and its treatment also evoke thoughts about body image, perceived identity, and future prospects concerning family planning. Routine inquiries should therefore be made regarding sexual and reproductive health after treatment to identify issues and normalise the conversation.

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Vitamin D deficiency is of particular concern among women in many south Asian countries due to low availability of vitamin D-rich foods, dark skin pigmentation, and cultural and religious practices that promote the wearing of concealing clothing. However, information regarding the vitamin D status of many subpopulations in south Asian countries is limited. The current study was conducted to assess the vitamin D status of 147 Bangladeshi women of reproductive age and determine whether vitamin D status influences susceptibility to arsenic-associated skin lesions (75 cases, 72 controls). Serum 25(OH)D3 levels were measured using a radioimmunoassay. The mean serum vitamin D level among the women in the current study was 60.1 nmol/L, which is well below the cut-off value of 75 nmol/L defining optimal vitamin D status. Over 81% of the women were below this cut-off value. Vitamin D status was not influenced by the presence of arsenic-associated skin lesions. Sun exposure and very low egg consumption were factors identified as significant predictors of vitamin D status (p<0.05, p<0.04, respectively). Every additional hour of sun exposure per week during work was associated with a 0.32 nmol/L, on average, increase in serum vitamin D levels. Very low egg consumption corresponded to a 10.85 nmol/L lower serum vitamin D level compared to frequent egg consumption. Public health efforts in Bangladesh should promote increased consumption of food sources rich in vitamin D. Vitamin D fortification or supplementation may also be viable options to improve the vitamin D status of the population.

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In 2015, TN had the 9th highest teen birth rate in the United States. School-based sex education programs have shown promise in curbing teen pregnancy rates. In TN public schools, sex education could be taught by teachers of subjects like biology, health education, or invited guests from ministries, or national or local nonprofit agencies. The content, rigor, and approach of sex education taught by these diverse groups of providers remains unknown. This pilot study tested a survey questionnaire and methodology, while providing information on the providers’ sex education practices and perspectives. We adapted validated measures from past sex education surveys to reflect the context of TN. The survey items were reviewed and refined by diverse groups of experts on school-based health education, teen pregnancy prevention programs, and adolescent health. The survey was created and distributed via a web-based tool. A recruitment email or letter with a weblink to the survey was sent to 3,249 potential sex education providers, from April to June 2017. Of all contacts, 509 completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 15.7%. Of those who completed the survey, 137 taught sex education in the 2015-2016 school year to any of grades 5 through 12 students. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive tests. Abstinence (83.9%) was taught by most respondents, by grade 12, but far less respondents taught topics related to birth control (65.0%) and condoms: how to use condoms (22.6%), how to use and where to get other birth control (31.4%). Providers with more years of experience, and those who expressed that they had received enough training, were more likely to teach more number of topics, including controversial topics, such as condoms and birth control. Most providers indicated that sex education topics should be taught in earlier grades. This study identified the job titles of providers, content being taught, approach to teaching, and how providers would want to teach sex education. Identifying providers is crucial to designing sex education training programs, tracking program effectiveness, and changes in practices over time, to achieve the goal of curbing TN teen pregnancy rates through quality sex education.

Background: Transgender or nonbinary (TNB) individuals in the United States experience higher rates of sexual and reproductive health disparities when compared to their cisgender counterparts, along with lower access to care. TNB people in the south experience higher rates of disparities. Societal, interpersonal, and individual barriers contribute to these disparities in the TNB population. However, there is a paucity of research examining the sexual and reproductive health experiences of TNB people living in Central Appalachia. Methods: An interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) research design was used to collect and analyze semi-structured interviews with TNB individuals living in central Appalachia regarding their sexual and reproductive health experiences. Transcribed interviews were analyzed repeatedly by the primary investigator and the study equity committee to identify emergent themes which focused on understanding an individual’s lived experiences through interpretation. Results: Twenty participants from eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina from four Appalachian states within three Appalachian sub-regions participated in this study. Four themes were identified: a) perceptions and/or experiences receiving SRH healthcare shaped the individual’s self-agency regarding accessing and receiving SRH care, along with influencing their sense of self regarding their gender; b) heteronormative expectations within the medical field influenced interactions with providers and the care system; c) community is integral to SRH experiences, and d) policy and laws impact willingness and ability to access SRH care. Discussion: TNB individuals living in central Appalachia experience individual, interpersonal, community, and social factors that impact their sexual and reproductive healthcare experiences. By addressing these factors based on recommendations from participants, public health leaders, policy makers, and providers can improve sexual and reproductive healthcare experiences of TNB people living in central Appalachia.

This thesis investigates the underlying factors behind sexual risk-taking and non-risk-taking behavior with regard to Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) among adolescents in Lusaka, Zambia. The Qualitative Approach was used for data collection and analysis and using the theory of Social Construction, the author explains how different contexts and aspects in the Zambian Society, that is Traditional, Socio-economic, Political, etc., influence the sexuality or sexual behavior of young people in Zambia. Hermeneutics was used to interpret the meanings in the texts/transcripts acquired through data collection and from the author’s knowledge and understanding of the Zambian historical and cultural contexts within which the participants of the research were constructed. Max Weber’s Ideal Type concept was also used to explain that each young individual’s sexual behavior is uniquely constructed by societal aspects. It explains how that the discourses of these different aspects of society impact on young people individually causing them to be either Sexually Risk-taking or Non Sexually Risk-taking. Either tendency depends on whether the societal aspect that has most the dominating influence on a given individual's life is a Power factor (causing them to rationally think their way into Non Sexually Risk-taking behavior) or a Risk factor(causing them to rationally think their way into Sexually Risk-taking behavior). The author of this thesis introduces a new Model for Social Construction of Adolescent Sexuality with regard to Risk-taking. She uses it to explain how it is either power factors or risk factors that can have a greater impact on an individual's thinking, causing them to have either sexual risk-taking or non-sexual risk-taking behavior. The author concludes that the extent to which unsafe sex among the Zambian adolescents constitutes a product of interacting and/or main discourses in relation to mainly Traditional aspect risk factors, varies from person to person depending on the strength of given risk factors over any power factors that may be at play in an individual's life.