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Background/Aims Birth interval is measured by the number of months between two consecutive births, and is an important factor related to maternal and child health, family planning, and empowerment. A woman's ability to regulate time between pregnancies remains a human rights issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore the impact of autonomous decision making and attitudes about intimate partner violence on birth interval among married/partnered women in Kenya. Methods This study analysed data from fecund women (15 − 49 years old) included in the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. Autonomy and intimate partner violence perceptions were explored and analysed. The survey included married and partnered women. Structural equation modelling was used to determine the association between individual characteristics and optimal birth intervals. Results Women with higher permissive attitudes regarding intimate partner violence were more likely to report shorter birth intervals. Specifically, the results demonstrated that each unit increase in permissive attitudes towards domestic violence was associated with a 0.033 increase in the relative log odds of having birth intervals that were shorter than optimal. More than half of surveyed women (56%) reported using modern contraceptive methods, but 55% of them had non-optimal birth intervals. Conclusions Despite the majority of women using contraception, over half of surveyed women had non-optimal birth intervals. This calls for the expansion of education regarding contraceptive use for spacing of births. Equally, a shorter birth interval was associated with more permissive attitudes towards intimate partner violence. As perceptions of intimate partner violence may be socially constructed, targeting structural inequalities to address women's health may help this issue. Investigating data specific to Kenya will benefit the development of women's health and empowerment education strategies and interventions.

This paper explores the effectiveness of public school-based mental health treatment for K-12 students. Extant clinical data from 2017- 2018 for behavioral health service recipients (n = 874) was used in this analysis. Relationships among clinical diagnosis at discharge, duration in treatment, student participation, and status of mental health improvement were examined. Logistic regression explored associations among variables of interest. Results indicate 74.3% (n = 649) of students were identified by clinicians with improvement in mental health status at discharge. The most prominent mental health diagnoses being treated in the schools were depression, anxiety, and trauma. Students involved in treatment were over 15 times more likely to be categorized as having an improved mental health status; students who lacked participation were 63% less likely to improve. Our results highlight the necessity for school administrators to prioritize and support school-based mental health services. The findings provide school administrators guidance, evidence, and impetus for implementing effective school-based mental health programs.

Gender role stereotypes, social norms and social policies negatively influence health and well-being for marginalized groups. These inequalities are embedded in the fabric of our society and are often unquestioned and hidden. Practitioners frequently use an ethical lens that does not consider the influence of gender on life course decision-making. We developed the Practice Framework for Older Persons (PFOP) to assess past and current realities that take gendered experiences into consideration. By contextualizing means and opportunities, a more complete picture can be drawn about a person’s unique gender experiences. Subsequently, we can better understand their decision-making processes, wants, needs, and desires. This type of assessment may be particularly beneficial for women and transgender persons given ethical demands for practice paradigms which consider gender fluidity and development of a sense of personal agency.