Measuring social norms endorsement and normative influence on contraceptive use among youth (15-24) in northeastern Uganda.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms are strongly associated with contraceptive use among youth in Karamoja, Uganda, suggesting that improving access to contraceptive services alone may be insufficient. Supportive reproductive health norms and young people’s self-efficacy were the strongest drivers of contraceptive uptake, while restrictive gender expectations, contraceptive myths, harmful cultural practices, stigma, and punitive […]
Threats and deprivations as predictors of IPV perpetration: a cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of Bangladeshi young adults.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender-inequitable attitudes were associated with childhood deprivation and, to a more limited extent, intimate partner violence perpetration. However, most gender-attitude domains did not independently predict perpetration after adjustment; only more equitable attitudes about women’s career choices were associated with lower odds of violence. The discussion emphasizes that intimate partner violence is […]
Psychometric validation of a novel community norms measure among youth, Eswatini Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, 2022.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates the feasibility of directly measuring community-level social norms among adolescents and young adults rather than relying on individual attitudes or beliefs as proxies. The validated measure captures both descriptive and injunctive norms, uses the community as the reference group, and focuses on unequal expectations surrounding domestic labor and […]
Socio-ecological influences on sexual and reproductive health service use: Young adults and provider perspectives from Soshanguve, South Africa.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms strongly shape young adults’ use of sexual and reproductive health services. Conservative cultural and religious norms can make sexual health discussions taboo, while peer and masculinity norms may encourage sexual risk-taking, discourage condom use, and stigmatize care-seeking. Fear of being judged as promiscuous or immoral further reinforces secrecy and […]
“When the self-test kit comes with the woman, it will be like she is overpowering you”: A qualitative study of men’s and women’s perspectives on HIV self-testing kits in South Africa.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms and unequal power within intimate relationships can substantially shape whether HIV self-testing is acceptable and safely implemented. In particular, norms positioning men as household decision-makers may make woman-delivered self-test kits appear to challenge male authority, potentially provoking mistrust, conflict, blame, or violence. The authors argue that programs should assess […]
Contraceptive use intention among women in Pakistan: Application of theory of planned behavior.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social expectations appear more influential than women’s personal attitudes in shaping contraceptive intentions in Pakistan. The findings suggest that even when explicit opposition to contraception is uncommon, subtle disapproval, gendered expectations, and deference to husbands and extended family can constrain women’s reproductive choices. Programs should therefore address family and community expectations […]
Factors affecting menstrual hygiene among women living in slum areas of Budanilakantha Municipality, Kathmandu.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Menstrual hygiene among women living in slum communities in Kathmandu is shaped not only by knowledge and access to resources but also by deeply entrenched cultural norms, stigma, and restrictions. Nearly all women experienced menstrual restrictions, and perceptions of menstruating women as impure remained common. The authors emphasize that menstrual health […]
Community and Health Care Provider Perspectives on Barriers to and Enablers of Family Planning Use in Rural Sindh, Pakistan: Qualitative Exploratory Study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that family planning (FP) uptake in rural Sindh is shaped by deeply rooted social and gender norms as much as by health system barriers. Norms that position men as household decision-makers, women as dependent caregivers, and large families as socially desirable limit women’s reproductive autonomy. Husbands’ and in-laws’ […]
Social Dominance, Sexual Double Standards, and Violence Against Women in Tight and Loose Cultures.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Sexual double standards function as powerful social norms and “legitimizing myths” that justify gender inequality and violence against women across both tight and loose cultural contexts. Even where norms differ in strictness (e.g., Pakistan vs. U.S.), the underlying normative processes linking hierarchy, gendered expectations, and acceptance of violence are strikingly similar. […]
Daughters-in-law’s perceptions and experiences with MILAP, a family-based intervention to reduce intimate partner violence and improve mental health in Nepal
Key Social Norms Takeaways: Social norms embedded in multigenerational households—particularly hierarchical gender norms granting authority to mothers-in-law and husbands—play a central role in shaping women’s autonomy, exposure to IPV, and mental health. The intervention demonstrates that shifting intra-family norms around communication, respect, decision-making, and women’s mobility can reduce violence and improve well-being. Importantly, norms change […]