Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand

Concern about the sexual and reproductive health of young people has been mounting recently in Thailand. Unequal gender relations have a considerable influence on the lives of young people, especially young women, yet few studies have explored the ways in which they have impacted on provision of sex...

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Main Authors: Tangmunkongvorakul A., Kane R., Wellings K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2014
Online Access:http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-22544443053&partnerID=40&md5=5b1548c821952376f2fba74128c2c64d
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16864209
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/4299
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Institution: Chiang Mai University
Language: English
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spelling th-cmuir.6653943832-42992014-08-30T02:38:09Z Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand Tangmunkongvorakul A. Kane R. Wellings K. Concern about the sexual and reproductive health of young people has been mounting recently in Thailand. Unequal gender relations have a considerable influence on the lives of young people, especially young women, yet few studies have explored the ways in which they have impacted on provision of sexual health care. Drawing upon data from a qualitative study in Northern Thailand, this paper explores the views and experiences of young people in seeking health care, highlighting the kinds of gender double standards and power imbalances that may pose obstacles to their use of sexual and reproductive health services. Findings reveal the vulnerability of sexually active young women in seeking support and care from partners, parents, and service providers. Those who experience adverse outcomes of sexual activity, such as unwanted pregnancy or infection, report facing indifference, victim blaming, or the threat of abandonment by their partners. Because of their fear of disclosure to their parents and communities, of their sexual activity, they opt for clandestine and unsafe abortion and seek the counsel of peers and drugstores rather than parents and providers. At the service provider level, young women report facing threatening and judgemental attitudes, indifferent counselling, and possible violation of confidentiality. This is in marked contrast to the treatment of young men, who generally meet with a more sympathetic and accepting response. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group Ltd. 2014-08-30T02:38:09Z 2014-08-30T02:38:09Z 2005 Article 13691058 10.1080/13691050500100740 16864209 CHSUB http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-22544443053&partnerID=40&md5=5b1548c821952376f2fba74128c2c64d http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16864209 http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/4299 English
institution Chiang Mai University
building Chiang Mai University Library
country Thailand
collection CMU Intellectual Repository
language English
description Concern about the sexual and reproductive health of young people has been mounting recently in Thailand. Unequal gender relations have a considerable influence on the lives of young people, especially young women, yet few studies have explored the ways in which they have impacted on provision of sexual health care. Drawing upon data from a qualitative study in Northern Thailand, this paper explores the views and experiences of young people in seeking health care, highlighting the kinds of gender double standards and power imbalances that may pose obstacles to their use of sexual and reproductive health services. Findings reveal the vulnerability of sexually active young women in seeking support and care from partners, parents, and service providers. Those who experience adverse outcomes of sexual activity, such as unwanted pregnancy or infection, report facing indifference, victim blaming, or the threat of abandonment by their partners. Because of their fear of disclosure to their parents and communities, of their sexual activity, they opt for clandestine and unsafe abortion and seek the counsel of peers and drugstores rather than parents and providers. At the service provider level, young women report facing threatening and judgemental attitudes, indifferent counselling, and possible violation of confidentiality. This is in marked contrast to the treatment of young men, who generally meet with a more sympathetic and accepting response. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group Ltd.
format Article
author Tangmunkongvorakul A.
Kane R.
Wellings K.
spellingShingle Tangmunkongvorakul A.
Kane R.
Wellings K.
Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand
author_facet Tangmunkongvorakul A.
Kane R.
Wellings K.
author_sort Tangmunkongvorakul A.
title Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand
title_short Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand
title_full Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand
title_fullStr Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand
title_full_unstemmed Gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in Northern Thailand
title_sort gender double standards in young people attending sexual health services in northern thailand
publishDate 2014
url http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-22544443053&partnerID=40&md5=5b1548c821952376f2fba74128c2c64d
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16864209
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/4299
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