Heena Sharma Blog

Older women, who are sporty or bisexual , are more likely to have a higher than average number of sexual partners in a lifetime compared to their female peers, says a new study. Such women also share some social, demographic and behavioural patterns with men, like income influencing same sex preference among older men, the findings indicated. So far, studies on sexual behaviour and associated health risks have tended to focus on teenagers and young people rather than older age groups, say the researchers from the University College London. To plug this knowledge gap, the team included a sample of 3,054 men and 3,867 women aged 50 and above to explore the factors associated with the numbers of sexual partners they had. Information on ethnicity, marital status, household income, sexual orientation, health and lifestyle -- the frequency and quantity of smoking, drinking and physical activity -- was also gathered. The findings, published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive He...

Individuals with tattoos are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue and report sleep problems, a recent study suggests. In a survey-based study published in the International Journal of Dermatology, the researchers also pointed out that people who had tattoos were more likely to be smokers, to have spent time in jail, and to have a higher number of sex partners. The survey was conducted in July of 2016 and resulted in a sample of 2,008 adults residing in the United States. "Previous research has established an association between having a tattoo and engaging in risky behaviours. In an era of the increasing popularity of tattoos, even among women and working professionals, we find these relationships persist but are not associated with lower health status," said Karoline Mortensen, lead author of the study. Read More Business Standard

According to a recent study, having a fixed bedtime and getting sufficient amount of sleep from early childhood may lead to a healthy body weight in adolescence. The results of the study were published in the journal 'Sleep'. The researchers at Penn State identified groups of children by bedtime and sleep routines and tested longitudinal associations for each group with adolescent body mass index (BMI). The findings suggest that childhood bedtime and sleep routine groups predict adolescent sleep patterns and BMI. In a national study of urban households, one-third of children consistently adhered to age-appropriate bedtimes for ages five through nine. Those who had no bedtime routine at age of nine had shorter self-reported sleep duration and higher BMI at age of 15 when compared to those children with age-appropriate bedtimes (after adjusting for age 3 BMI). "Parenting practices in childhood affect physical health and BMI in the teenage years. Developing a...

Two Malaysian women were caned Monday for having lesbian sex in violation of strict Islamic laws, despite an outcry from activists at the "cruel and unjust" punishment. The case has sparked widespread condemnation and focused attention on what rights groups say is a deteriorating climate for the gay community in the Muslim-majority country. Campaigners said it was the first time that women in Malaysia have been caned for violating a sharia regulation which forbids same-sex relations. The country operates a dual-track legal system and Islamic courts can handle religious and family matters for Muslim citizens, as well as cases such as adultery. The women, aged 22 and 32, were arrested in April by Islamic enforcement officers after they were found in a car in a public square in northern Terengganu state, one of the country's most conservative areas. The pair, whose identities have not been revealed, pleaded guilty last month to breaking Islamic laws an...

The media is abuzz these days with horrendous stories of child sexual abuse, the most recent incidents being of abuse in shelter homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. General News : The media is abuzz these days with horrendous stories of child sexual abuse, the most recent incidents being of abuse in shelter homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. While the trauma experienced by the girls will send a chill down the spines of most people, it is disheartening that hardly anyone seems to be concerned about the "why" of these incidents. Many abusers carry the burden of a past childhood sexual abuse themselves. Not provided with any intervention to heal the emotional trauma, they simply do to children what was done to them. A majority of the abusers indulging in non-touch forms of abuse are blissfully unaware that their acts are punishable under the POCSO Act. Once we are aware of the common causes, it is essential that we set about preventing these causes and assu...