The overturning of Roe v Wade reinvigorated the national debate on abortion. We used Twitter data to examine temporal, geographical and sentiment patterns in the public’s reaction. Using the Twitter API for Academic Research, a random sample of publicly available tweets was collected from 1 May–15 July in 2021 and 2022. Tweets were filtered based on keywords relating to Roe v Wade and abortion (227,161 tweets in 2021 and 504,803 tweets in 2022). These tweets were tagged for sentiment, tracked by state, and indexed over time. Time plots reveal low levels of conversations on these topics until the leaked Supreme Court opinion in early May 2022. Unlike pro-choice tweets which declined, pro-life conversations continued with renewed interest throughout May and increased again following the official overturning of Roe v Wade. Conversations were less prevalent in some these states had abortion trigger laws (Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi). Collapsing across topic categories, 2022 tweets were more negative and less neutral and positive compared to 2021 tweets. In network analysis, tweets mentioning woman/women, supreme court, and abortion spread faster and reached to more Twitter users than those mentioning Roe Wade and Scotus. Twitter data can provide real-time insights into the experiences and perceptions of people across the United States, which can be used to inform healthcare policies and decision-making.
Background Current breastfeeding recommendations focus on the physical benefits of breastfeeding but do not take into account the influence of a history of childhood maltreatment on mothers’ experiences breastfeeding. A better understanding of this relationship is important to be able to better support mothers during this critical time. Research aim To review current research that examined how women’s personal experiences of childhood maltreatment has affected their breastfeeding outcomes and experiences. Methods A scoping review was conducted to evaluate current literature on breastfeeding and childhood maltreatment. We screened 275 articles, of which eight met the sample selection criteria and were included in this review. These articles were analyzed based on common themes that emerged: Breastfeeding intention, initiation, duration, and exclusivity; medical conditions associated with breastfeeding; and participants’ experiences related to breastfeeding. Results History of childhood maltreatment was associated with decreased and shorter duration of breastfeeding. Participants’ experiences of breastfeeding varied: Some found it empowering, and others experienced great distress while breastfeeding. Challenges during this period included managing touch, struggling with the power differential between providers and participants, and coping with trauma symptoms (e.g., dissociation). Conclusions For some participants, it was possible to breastfeed successfully after childhood maltreatment, but others found the experience extremely difficult, even traumatizing. There is a need for a trauma-informed approach to lactation care for women with a childhood maltreatment history.
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unique challenges to parents of young children, due to the closure of schools and childcare centers, and increased caregiver burden. These challenges may be especially pronounced for youth with foster care backgrounds, as they lack critical support and resources to rely on during emergency situations.
Objective
The purpose of the present study was to examine the experiences of these vulnerable young parents since the beginning of the pandemic.
Participants and setting
Our study included 17 young parents ages 18–26, who had recently aged out of foster care or were currently in extended care. Participants were predominantly female, and Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC).
Methods
Youth participated in virtual focus groups or individual interviews and described their experiences and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. A structured thematic analysis approach was employed to examine key themes in youths` accounts.
Results
Analysis resulted in five major themes: (a) employment disruptions and economic hardships, (b) educational challenges for parents and children, (c) parental and child mental health concerns, (d) insufficient resources and barriers to service receipt, and (e) “silver linings”.
Conclusions
Young parents with foster care backgrounds faced numerous challenges due to COVID-19 and struggled to access critical resources and supports. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.
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