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Ramaiya A, Chandra-Mouli V, Both R, Gottert A, Guglielmi S, Beckwith S, Li M, Blum RW. Assessing the health, social, educational and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid review of the literature. Sex Reprod Health Matters 2023; 31:2187170. [PMID: 36987980 PMCID: PMC10062253 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2023.2187170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 has caused profound health, social, educational and economic devastation around the world, especially among the lives of adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. This paper looks at a wide array of outcomes impacting adolescents' daily lives including health (mental, physical, sexual and reproductive health, vaccine perceptions and overlap between these topics), social relationships (family and peer), education and socio-economic disparities. Both scientific and grey literature between December 2019 and February 2022 were sought from PubMed, Google Scholar and organisations conducting research among adolescents, and coded. A total of 89 articles were included, 73% of which were peer-reviewed; 37% of the articles were from WHO's Western Pacific region; 62% of the articles were cross-sectional; 75% were quantitative. Three major topics emerged in more than half the articles: mental health (72%), education (61%) and socio-economic ramifications (55%). However, there were regional differences in topics and many of them overlapped. The results indicate that, where there has been research, almost all findings have been linked to worse mental health during the pandemic. Overall, remote education was seen as a negative experience. The ramification of school closures on future aspirations, in particular early school leaving, highlights the importance of prioritising education during future pandemics based on the situation within the country. Gender and other disparities have made marginalised adolescents vulnerable to the economic ramifications of containment measures. Given the risks identified, there is a pressing need to put adolescents at the centre of establishing priorities for their health agenda for post-pandemic recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astha Ramaiya
- Assistant Scientist, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli
- Scientist, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health Research, UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Human Reproductive Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Ann Gottert
- Associate II, Population Council, New York, NY, USA
| | - Silvia Guglielmi
- Qualitative researcher, Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence, London, UK
| | - Sam Beckwith
- PhD candidate, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mengmeng Li
- PhD candidate, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert W. Blum
- Professor, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Nishat JF, Khan US, Shovo TEA, Ahammed B, Rahman MM, Hossain MT. Patterns, prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence and its association with mental health status during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study on early married female adolescents in Khulna district, Bangladesh. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e072279. [PMID: 37977869 PMCID: PMC10660971 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study was designed to identify the patterns, prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) against female adolescents and its association with mental health problems. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTINGS Dumuria Upazila (subdistrict) under the Khulna district of Bangladesh. PARTICIPANTS A total of 304 participants were selected purposively based on some specifications: they must be female adolescents, residents of Dumuria Upazila and married during the COVID-19 pandemic when under 18 years of age. OUTCOME MEASURES By administering a semi-structured interview schedule, data were collected regarding IPV using 12 five-point Likert scale items; a higher score from the summation reflects frequent violence. RESULTS The findings suggest that the prevalence of physical, sexual and emotional IPV among the 304 participants, who had an average age of 17.1 years (SD=1.42), was 89.5%, 87.8% and 93.7%, respectively, whereas 12.2% of the participants experienced severe physical IPV, 9.9% experienced severe sexual IPV and 10.5% experienced severe emotional IPV. Stepwise regression models identified age at marriage (p=0.001), number of miscarriages (p=0.005), education of spouse (p=0.001), income of spouse (p=0.016), age gap between spouses (p=0.008), marital adjustment (p<0.001) and subjective happiness (p<0.001) as significant risk factors. Hierarchical regression, however, indicated that age at marriage (p<0.001), age gap between spouses (p<0.001), marital adjustment (p<0.001) and subjective happiness (p<0.001) had negative associations with IPV, while the number of miscarriages (p<0.001) had a positive relationship. Pearson's correlation showed that IPV was significantly associated with depression, anxiety and stress. CONCLUSION During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in IPV and mental health problems among early married adolescents was documented. To reduce physical and mental harm and to assure their well-being, preventive and rehabilitative measures should be devised.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Umme Salma Khan
- Sociology Discipline, School of Social Science, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Taufiq-E-Ahmed Shovo
- Sociology Discipline, School of Social Science, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Benojir Ahammed
- Statistics Discipline, Science, Engineering and Technology School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Mizanur Rahman
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Social Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Bangladesh
| | - Md Tanvir Hossain
- Sociology Discipline, School of Social Science, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
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Ahmed D, Benavente P, Diaz E. Food Insecurity among International Migrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5273. [PMID: 37047889 PMCID: PMC10093953 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20075273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the measures imposed to control it have impacted food security globally, particularly among vulnerable populations. Food insecurity, in turn, has repercussions on health, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities. This scoping review maps the literature describing associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and food insecurity among migrants, with a particular view toward health. A total of 909 papers were extracted through four electronic databases, and 46 studies were included. The migrant populations described originated mainly from Latin America (11/46) and were located in North America (21/46). Most studies included refugees and asylum seekers (20/46). The main challenges described were financial hardship (28/46), the effect of migrants' documentation status on using public food aid (13/46), and the suspension of or reduction in humanitarian assistance due to the economic recession (7/46). The impact of food insecurity on migrants' mental and physical health was described in 26 of the 46 studies. Authorities in all destination countries should focus their attention and efforts into ensuring nutrition security for migrants in a holistic way, including their economic and legal integration, to be better prepared for health crises in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doua Ahmed
- Centre of International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
- Pandemic Centre, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Pierina Benavente
- Pandemic Centre, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Esperanza Diaz
- Pandemic Centre, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
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Sarker MR, Rouf Sarkar MA, Alam MJ, Begum IA, Bhandari H. Systems thinking on the gendered impacts of COVID-19 in Bangladesh: A systematic review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13773. [PMID: 36811121 PMCID: PMC9933548 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women and threatens to overturn four decades of progress in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. To better grasp the key areas of concern that gender inequality exists, gender studies and sex-disaggregated evidence are required. Using the PRISMA technique, this review paper is the first attempt to present a comprehensive and current picture of the gendered dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh regarding economic well-being, resource endowments, and agency. This study found that women were more likely to face hardship as widows, mothers, or sole breadwinners after the loss of husbands and male household members because of the pandemic. The evidence suggests that the advancement of women during this pandemic was hampered by poor reproductive health outcomes; girls' dropping out of school; job loss; less income; a comparable wage gap; a lack of social security; unpaid work burnout; increased emotional, physical, and sexual abuse; an increase in child marriages; and less participation in leadership and decision-making. Our study found inadequate sex-disaggregated data and gender studies on COVID-19 in Bangladesh. However, our research concludes that policies must account for gender disparities and male and female vulnerability across multiple dimensions to achieve inclusive and effective pandemic prevention and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mou Rani Sarker
- Sustainable Impact Platform, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Abdur Rouf Sarkar
- Agricultural Economics Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur, Bangladesh,Corresponding author.
| | - Mohammad Jahangir Alam
- Department of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Ismat Ara Begum
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Humnath Bhandari
- Impact, Policy, and Foresight Department, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Sakyi B, Amoako Johnson F. A cross-sectional study of the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on camped refugees in Ghana. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277515. [PMID: 36449455 PMCID: PMC9710794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Vulnerable populations such as camped refugees are often exposed to spread of infectious diseases because of their living conditions, limited resources available to them and exclusion from social services. This study examined the psychological state of camped refugees in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic and how their background characteristics predict the severity of the pandemic's psychological impact. It covered 763 refugees aged 15 years and above resident in two (Krisan = 316 and Ampain = 447) camps. Nine COVID-19 Anxiety Scale indicators were used to examine the psychological state of camped refugees. A composite indicator was derived to examine the overall psychological impact. Logistic regression was used to examine the factors that were associated with severe psychological impact. The multivariate analysis revealed that sex of the respondent, marital status and age of head of household were the only socio-demographic factors associated with having a severe psychological impact of the pandemic. There was very strong evidence that respondents who had moderate (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.12, 2.7) and high (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.05, 2.63) knowledge of the disease had increased odds of severe psychological impact. Also, those with moderate (OR = 2.97, 95% CI = 1.78, 4.97) and high (OR = 12.98, 95% CI = 7.86, 21.42) adherence had increased odds of severe psychological impact. None of the pre-existing health conditions and challenges were not significantly associated with severe psychological impact. The limited number of significant socio-demographic covariates suggests that severe psychological impact of the pandemic was a problem in the general population, and thus interventions should target the general population of camped refugees. Also, health education should not only focus on enhancing knowledge and promoting preventive measures but also on managing psychological distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Sakyi
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Fiifi Amoako Johnson
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Mixed Migration and Diaspora Studies (CeMMiDS), College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- * E-mail:
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Measuring contraceptive use in a displacement-affected population using the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey: the case of Iraq. J Migr Health 2022; 6:100114. [PMID: 35677661 PMCID: PMC9168485 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmh.2022.100114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Offers substantive and methodological contributions to the literature on IDP health. Uses Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data with displacement screening questions. Tests associations between modern contraceptive use and displacement in Iraq. Total survey error and feminist approaches highlight the limits of national household surveys.
Access to safe, effective, affordable, and acceptable contraceptive methods of choice is a basic right for displaced people. Yet displaced people are typically invisible in national sample surveys on population health, and quantitative evidence on their reproductive health outcomes is limited. This study focuses on the case of Iraq, a country with widespread displacement and where contraceptive use is a government policy priority. Using displacement screening questions in the Iraq 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey questionnaires, I construct two displacement-related indicators based on reason for last move and previous household residence. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression are used to test associations between modern contraceptive use and displacement, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Controlling for the variables in the models, factors significantly associated with modern contraceptive use among married women aged 15–49 in Iraq are Federal Iraq region (reference Kurdish Region of Iraq, OR 1.78), upper secondary and primary education (reference pre-primary or no education, OR 1.50 and 1.20, respectively), parity, age, and exposure to television. The association between displacement (reason for last move) and modern contraceptive use significantly depends on a woman's level of education and whether they live in an urban or rural area. Women who previously lived in a camp are almost half as likely to use modern contraception compared to other previous residence types. This paper highlights the methodological potential and substantive value of using national household surveys to analyse reproductive health outcomes through a displacement lens. It also critically examines the limitations of these data and measures, drawing on total survey error and feminist theory.
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Das M, Guedes A, Moletsane R, Svanemyr J. Singularity and Diversity in Child, Early, and Forced Marriage and Unions. J Adolesc Health 2022; 70:S1-S4. [PMID: 35184824 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessandra Guedes
- Child and Adolescent Rights and Empowerment Team, UNICEF, Florence, Italy
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