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This study aimed to identify the proportion and factors influencing the use of maternal health services (MHS) in rural Thawang, Rolpa, Nepal.

This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 417 mothers who had given birth in the previous two years. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify associations and predictors.

The results showed that the use of maternal health services was 50.8%. Adjusting for all other factors in the final model, age group 25–30 years (AOR: 2.30; 95% CI: 1.199–4.422), spouse communication (AOR: 7.31; 95% CI: 2.574–20.791), high accessibility (AOR: 2.552, 95% CI: 1.402–4.643) and high affordability (AOR: 10.89; 95% CI: 4.66–25.445) were significant predictors.

This is a community-based cross-sectional study, and hence cannot establish causal relationships. The research was conducted in a limited rural area mid-Western Nepal, and this may limit the generalization of results to other settings of the country.

This research supports to local level government and district health authority to develop and implement need based action to increase maternal health service in the local context.

Underutilization of maternal health services is the result of socioeconomic dynamics, poor access to health services and other physical developments. To increase utilization of maternal health services in rural areas, there is a need to tackle the root cause of health inequality such as reducing poverty, increasing female education, involving women in employment and increasing access to health as a priority development agenda by government authorities. This research supports local level government and district health authorities to develop and implement needs-based action to increase MHS in the local context.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the etiological model of cyberbullying behaviors among Thai adolescents, testing the hypothesis that the constructs of theory of planned behavior (TPB), including self-esteem, will influence and have impact on cyberbullying intention and behaviors.

Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data. Self-administered questionnaires were used among multi-stage stratified random samples from secondary schools in the Bangkok. The sample size consisting of 354 subjects included those who were victims (44.7 percent), perpetrators (33.1 percent) and witness (67.8 percent).

The SEM showed subjective norm (SN) to be the most direct influential factor of cyberbullying intention and behaviors, followed by attitude toward cyberbullying (Intention β=0.31, 0.24; p=0.01, Behavior β=0.09, 0.07; p=0.012 and 0.05, respectively). However, the SEM revealed that all variables from TPB including self-esteem in the equation can explain the variation scores of intention and cyberbullying behaviors at 54 and 67 percent levels (adjusted R²=0.54 and 0.67), respectively. The SEM showed that model modification indices indicate a good fit to the data (χ²=0.00, df=0, p>0.05, CMIN/df=0, GFI=1, AGFI=1, CFI=1 and RMSEA=0).

The experiences or witness of family violence and support at school level, which is supposed to mitigate the bullying problems, were neglected from this study.

The preventive measures for cyberbullying behaviors among adolescents should involve activities fostering self-esteem, developing proper attitude and SN to prevent cyberbullying. The initiatives and developed school supportive system for adolescents to understand how to control themselves when engaging in social network are imperative. However, for future research, family violence witness and attempt to lure the cyberbullying victims into offline meeting should be explored more.

TPB and the use of social media should be taken into account for planning and designing appropriate intervention to reduce and eliminate cyberbullying among all stakeholders in both public and private sectors in the area of health and educational institutes in order to endeavor and to advocate the anti-cyberbullying policy in Thailand.

TPB and self-esteem explained a substantial portion of and more modest but significant amount of variance in cyberbullying intention and behaviors. However, SN and attitude toward cyberbullying which was found to be most influential factors could be the useful information for designing intervention toward cyberbullying prevention for Thai adolescents and advocate implementing the anti-cyberbullying policy in Thailand.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the intention to prevent sexual risk behaviors and associated factors among the youth in Yangon, Myanmar.

A cross-sectional descriptive research was undertaken among 192 youths. Participants included the youth residing in the study area and participated in the youth development program. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to identify an association.

The findings indicated that the proportion of a high level of intention to prevent sexual risk behaviors was 53.6%. The factors associated with the intention to prevent sexual risk behaviors were: belief strength on sexual risk behaviors (aOR = 2.84; 95% CI: 1.06–7.26), normative belief on the prevention of sexual risk behaviors (aOR = 2.03; 95% CI: 3.03–6.23), motivation to comply with preventing sexual risk behaviors (aOR = 4.72; 95% CI: 3.11–6.23), decision-making (aOR = 2.46; 95% CI: 2.22–5.41) and negotiation (aOR = 6.3; 95% CI: 2.37–10.23)

The study was a cross-sectional study and cannot establish causal relationships. These results can be a guideline for implementation for the youth but may limit the generalization of results to other age groups in Myanmar.

Findings can be used as a local and national public health guideline for developing interventions to prevent sexual risk behaviors.

Sexual risk behavior is considered taboo and puts Myanmar youths at risk of health and social problems. It is important for prevention efforts to determine factors related to sexual intentions to prevent the consequence of these problems.