Farah Qadir|Murad Moosa Khan|Girmay Medhin|Martin Prince
Male gender preference, female gender disadvantage as risk factors for psychological morbidity in Pakistani women of childbearing age - a life course perspective
Fatima Jinnah Women University|Aga Khan University|Addis Ababa University|King's College London
pakistan preference boys girls deeply culturally embedded birth many women experience gendered disadvantages less access scarce resources poorer health care higher child mortality limited education less employment outside home circumscribed autonomy prevalence psychological morbidity exceptionally high among women hypothesise among women childbearing age gender disadvantage independent risk factor psychological morbidity crosssectional catchment area survey 525 women aged 18 35 years living islamabad rawalpindi effect gender disadvantage assessed latent variable using structural equation modelling indicators parental gender preference low parental care parental overprotection limited education early age marriage marital dissatisfaction low autonomy psychological morbidity assessed using 20 item self reporting questionnaire srq gender disadvantage independently predictive psychological morbidity among married women socioeconomic status predict psychological morbidity effect education mediated gender disadvantage rather socioeconomic status ses womens preference male child strongly predicted perceptions disadvantaged gender families origin high prevalence psychological morbidity among women pakistan concerning given recently reported strong associations low birth weight infant stunting social action public policies legislation indicated reduce culturally embedded preferences neglect fundamentals entrench consequent inequities including gender bias access education key millennium development goal