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Galappaththi EK, Perera CD, Dharmasiri IP, Ford JD, Kodithuwakku SS, Chicmana-Zapata V, Zavaleta-Cortijo C, Pickering K, van Bavel B, Hyams K, Arotoma-Rojas I, Akugre FA, Nkalubo J, Namanya DB, Mensah A, Hangula MM. Policy responses to COVID-19 in Sri Lanka and the consideration of Indigenous Peoples. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY 2023; 144:110-123. [PMID: 36949900 PMCID: PMC10011033 DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has had uneven impacts on health and well-being, with Indigenous communities in the Global South facing some of the highest risks. Focusing on the experience of Sri Lanka, this study identifies key policy responses to COVID-19, documents how they evolved over two years of the pandemic, and examines if and how government responses have addressed issues pertaining to Indigenous Peoples. Drawing upon an analysis of policy documents (n = 110) and interviews with policymakers (n = 20), we characterize seven key policy responses implemented by the Sri Lankan government: i) testing for and identifying COVID-19; ii) quarantine procedures; iii) provisional clinical treatments; iv) handling other diseases during COVID-19; v) movement; vi) guidelines to be adhered to by the general public; and vii) health and vaccination. The nature of these responses changed as the pandemic progressed. There is no evidence that policy development or implementation incorporated the voices and needs of Indigenous Peoples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eranga K Galappaththi
- Department of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Chrishma D Perera
- Department of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
- University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Indunil P Dharmasiri
- Department of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
| | - James D Ford
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Sarath S Kodithuwakku
- Department of Agricultural Economics & Business Management, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Victoria Chicmana-Zapata
- Unidad de Ciudadanía Intercultural y Salud Indígena (UCISI), Facultad de Salud Pública y Administración, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo
- Unidad de Ciudadanía Intercultural y Salud Indígena (UCISI), Facultad de Salud Pública y Administración, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Bianca van Bavel
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Hyams
- Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Ingrid Arotoma-Rojas
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan Nkalubo
- Uganda National Health Research Organization & Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda
| | - Didacus Bambaiha Namanya
- Ministry of Health-Uganda National Health Research Organisation, & Uganda Martyrs, University, Uganda
| | - Adelina Mensah
- Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Martha M Hangula
- Department of Animal Production, Agribusiness and Economics, University of Namibia, Namibia
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Aouissi HA, Kechebar MSA, Ababsa M, Roufayel R, Neji B, Petrisor AI, Hamimes A, Epelboin L, Ohmagari N. The Importance of Behavioral and Native Factors on COVID-19 Infection and Severity: Insights from a Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10071341. [PMID: 35885867 PMCID: PMC9323463 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10071341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on a global scale. Understanding the innate and lifestyle-related factors influencing the rate and severity of COVID-19 is important for making evidence-based recommendations. This cross-sectional study aims at establishing a potential relationship between human characteristics and vulnerability/resistance to SARS-CoV-2. We hypothesize that the impact of the virus is not the same due to cultural and ethnic differences. A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire. The methodology included the development of a multi-language survey, expert evaluation, and data analysis. Data were collected using a 13-item pre-tested questionnaire based on a literature review between 9 December 2020 and 21 July 2021. Data were statistically analyzed using logistic regression. For a total of 1125 respondents, 332 (29.5%) were COVID-19 positive; among them, 130 (11.5%) required home-based treatment, and 14 (1.2%) intensive care. The significant and most influential factors on infection included age, physical activity, and health status (p < 0.05), i.e., better physical activity and better health status significantly reduced the possibility of infection, while older age significantly increased it. The severity of infection was negatively associated with the acceptance (adherence and respect) of preventive measures and positively associated with tobacco (p < 0.05), i.e., smoking regularly significantly increases the severity of COVID-19 infection. This suggests the importance of behavioral factors compared to innate ones. Apparently, individual behavior is mainly responsible for the spread of the virus. Therefore, adopting a healthy lifestyle and scrupulously observing preventive measures, including vaccination, would greatly limit the probability of infection and prevent the development of severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hani Amir Aouissi
- Scientific and Technical Research Center on Arid Regions (CRSTRA), Biskra 07000, Algeria; (M.S.A.K.); (M.A.)
- Laboratoire de Recherche et d’Etude en Aménagement et Urbanisme (LREAU), Université des Sciences et de la Technologie (USTHB), Algiers 16000, Algeria
- Environmental Research Center (CRE), Badji-Mokhtar Annaba University, Annaba 23000, Algeria
- Correspondence: (H.A.A.); (R.R.); Tel.: +21-3662387144 (H.A.A.)
| | - Mohamed Seif Allah Kechebar
- Scientific and Technical Research Center on Arid Regions (CRSTRA), Biskra 07000, Algeria; (M.S.A.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Mostefa Ababsa
- Scientific and Technical Research Center on Arid Regions (CRSTRA), Biskra 07000, Algeria; (M.S.A.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Rabih Roufayel
- College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East, Kuwait;
- Correspondence: (H.A.A.); (R.R.); Tel.: +21-3662387144 (H.A.A.)
| | - Bilel Neji
- College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East, Kuwait;
| | - Alexandru-Ionut Petrisor
- Doctoral School of Urban Planning, Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, 010014 Bucharest, Romania;
- National Institute for Research and Development in Tourism, 50741 Bucharest, Romania
- National Institute for Research and Development in Constructions, Urbanism and Sustainable Spatial Development URBAN-INCERC, 021652 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ahmed Hamimes
- Faculty of Medicine, University Salah Boubnider of Constantine 3, Constantine 25000, Algeria;
| | - Loïc Epelboin
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne Andrée Rosemon, 97306 Cayenne, France;
- Centre d’Investigation Clinique (CIC INSERM 1424), Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne Andrée Rosemon, 97306 Cayenne, France
| | - Norio Ohmagari
- Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan;
- AMR Clinical Reference Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
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Mat-O-Covid: Validation of a SARS-CoV-2 Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) Using Data from a National Compensation System for Occupational COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095733. [PMID: 35565128 PMCID: PMC9105377 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Background. We aimed to assess the validity of the Mat-O-Covid Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) on SARS-CoV-2 using compensation data from the French National Health Insurance compensation system for occupational-related COVID-19. Methods. Deidentified compensation data for occupational COVID-19 in France were obtained between August 2020 and August 2021. The case acceptance was considered as the reference. Mat-O-Covid is an expert-based French JEM on workplace exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Bi- and multivariable models were used to study the association between the exposure assessed by Mat-O-Covid and the reference, as well as the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios. Results. In the 1140 cases included, there was a close association between the Mat-O-Covid index and the reference (p < 0.0001). The overall predictivity was good, with an AUC of 0.78 and an optimal threshold at 13 per thousand. Using Youden’s J statistic resulted in 0.67 sensitivity and 0.87 specificity. Both positive and negative likelihood ratios were significant: 4.9 [2.4−6.4] and 0.4 [0.3−0.4], respectively. Discussion. It was possible to assess Mat-O-Covid’s validity using data from the national compensation system for occupational COVID-19. Though further studies are needed, Mat-O-Covid exposure assessment appears to be accurate enough to be used in research.
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