Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Impact of Family Dynamics on Health in Low Income Communities Undergoing Rapid Socioeconomic Change

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

University of Connecticut doctoral student Marie A. Brault, under the guidance of Dr. Stephen L. Schensul will undertake research on the impact of family dynamics on marriage and outcomes for young women in low income communities undergoing rapid socioeconomic change. The research will take place among adolescent women (ages 15-25) in Mumbai, India, a group who, like the 600 million adolescent girls who marry soon after menarche in low- and middle-income settings, are often limited in their education, social mobility, access of health knowledge and health care. The aims of this project are to: describe young women's birth family dynamics and pre-marital social networks and the impact of these on their mobility and knowledge before marriage; examine how young women's birth family experiences impact transitions to and relationships with their husbands and in-laws; and identify the ways sociocultural and biological factors impact health in a globalizing urban community. The project will employ qualitative (in-depth interviewing with young women and key informants, content analysis, and social network analysis ) and quantitative (survey and biomarker) methods. The multi-level perspectives and unique methodological approaches used will provide an understanding of the individual, socio-cultural, and global factors impacting the transition through adolescence and marriage in the context of the rapid socioeconomic changes. The data obtained will provide the basis for a doctoral student's training as well as presentations and publications that can elucidate the challenges for married adolescents in India and elsewhere, and contribute to improving their quality of life. Results will be communicated to researchers in India, providing the opportunity for national dissemination of research results. Findings will also be presented in the study communities. Thus, research will be disseminated to multiple audiences.