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Abularrage TF, Wurtz HM, Samari G. Responding to structural inequities: Coping strategies among immigrant women during COVID-19. SSM - MENTAL HEALTH 2024; 5:100293. [PMID: 38910842 PMCID: PMC11192517 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2023.100293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Examining coping strategies and resilience among immigrant communities reflects a commitment to working with immigrant communities to understand their needs while also identifying and building upon their strengths. In the United States, the physical, emotional, and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic intersected with existing structural inequities to produce distinct challenges and stressors related to the pandemic, immigration, caregiving responsibilities, and structural xenophobia. Leveraging an understanding of the multilevel effects of stress, this qualitative study explores individual, interpersonal, and community-level coping strategies immigrant women used to respond to, alleviate, or reduce distress related to these compounding stressors. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in 2020 and 2021 with 44 first- and second-generation cisgender immigrant women from different national origins and 19 direct service providers serving immigrant communities in New York City, data were coded and analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Four central themes were identified: caregiving as a source of strength, leveraging resources, social connections, and community support. While women described a range of coping strategies they used to manage stressors and challenges, perspectives from direct service providers also connect these coping strategies to the harm-generating institutions, policies, and structures that produce and uphold structural oppression and inequities. Accounts from service providers point to the detrimental long-term effects of prolonged coping, underscoring a duality between resilience and vulnerability. Exploring the coping strategies cisgender immigrant women used to ease distress and promote resilience during a period of heightened structural vulnerability is critical to centering the experiences of immigrant women while simultaneously directing attention towards addressing the fundamental causes of cumulative disadvantage and the systems and structures through which it is transmitted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara F. Abularrage
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heather M. Wurtz
- Anthropology Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Research Program on Global Health & Human Rights, Human Rights Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Goleen Samari
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Samari G, Wurtz HM, Desai S, Coleman-Minahan K. Perspectives from the pandemic epicenter: Sexual and reproductive health of immigrant women in New York City. PERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2024; 56:136-146. [PMID: 38571367 DOI: 10.1111/psrh.12260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT The United States' response to COVID-19 created a policy, economic, and healthcare provision environment that had implications for the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of racialized and minoritized communities. Perspectives from heterogenous immigrant communities in New York City, the pandemic epicenter in the United States (US), provides a glimpse into how restrictive social policy environments shape contraception, abortion, pregnancy preferences, and other aspects of SRH for marginalized immigrant communities. METHODS We conducted in-depth interviews in 2020 and 2021 with 44 cisgender immigrant women from different national origins and 19 direct service providers for immigrant communities in New York City to explore how immigrants were forced to adapt their SRH preferences and behaviors to the structural barriers of the COVID-19 pandemic. We coded and analyzed the interviews using a constant comparative approach. RESULTS Pandemic-related fears and structural barriers to healthcare access shaped shifts in contraceptive use and preferences among our participants. Immigrant women weighed their concerns for health and safety and the potential of facing discrimination as part of their contraceptive preferences. Immigrants also described shifts in their pregnancy preferences as rooted in concerns for their health and safety and economic constraints unique to immigrant communities. CONCLUSION Understanding how immigrant women's SRH shifted in response to the structural and policy constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic can reveal how historically marginalized communities will be impacted by an increasingly restrictive reproductive health and immigration policy landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goleen Samari
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Heather M Wurtz
- Anthropology Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Research Program on Global Health & Human Rights, Human Rights Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Sheila Desai
- Coalition to Expand Contraceptive Access, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Kate Coleman-Minahan
- College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Broussard K. Strategic (Non)Disclosure: Activation and Avoidance of Social Ties among Women Seeking Abortion. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2024:221465231215783. [PMID: 38229506 PMCID: PMC11250776 DOI: 10.1177/00221465231215783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The increased politicization of sexual and reproductive health has created barriers to medically necessary care. In absence of formal health care, social ties become critical sources of information and resources, yet the disclosure of stigmatized health needs carries significant risk. How do people navigate the risks and benefits of disclosure when seeking care for stigmatized needs? Drawing on original survey data (N = 153) and in-depth interviews (N = 55) with women who attempted a self-managed abortion, I first describe the distinct roles of weak and strong ties in women's health-seeking experiences. I then demonstrate how both partial disclosure and nondisclosure are critical tools for obtaining information, resources, and emotional support during periods of health-seeking. Findings advance understanding of disclosure as a continuum that can be strategically wielded by people with stigmatized needs to confront and evade stigma and surveillance from their networks, the state, and the formal health care system.
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Asadisarvestani K, Hulsbergen M. Experiences with family planning and abortion services during the Covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in Bangladesh, Iran and Netherlands. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:31. [PMID: 38166967 PMCID: PMC10763037 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17414-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Access to family planning services is a human right that plays an essential role in society's health, particularly women's health. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of human life including access to family planning services. Accordingly, the main goal of this study was to explore the experiences of women and service providers from the main challenges and obstacles of access to family planning services and abortion services in Bangladesh, Iran, and the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS In this qualitative study, the data were collected through online, telephone, or in-person semi-structured interviews with key informants. Participants selected by purposive sampling method. The participants included women aged 15 to 49 (n = 63) and service providers (n = 54) in the 3 abovementioned countries. These individuals were included from October 2020 until December 2020. Conventional thematic analysis was employed to analyze the collected data. RESULTS The main extracted themes were challenges (reduction of referral; disruption of access to services; insufficient knowledge; worries among staff; rising prices; and unavailability of some contraceptives), measures (time extension and visit scheduling; telephone, online, and door to door services; and support of the media) and recommendations (health facility improvements; free, online, and closer services; and ongoing trainings and awareness campaigns). CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic has affected family planning and reproductive health services in different ways and has uncovered existing inequalities in access to these services. However, in Iran, the reported challenges were also rooted in new population policies that have further limited access to family planning and abortion services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadijeh Asadisarvestani
- Department of Demography and Geodemography, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.
- Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.
| | - Myrrith Hulsbergen
- Women's Healthcare Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Teaching & Learning Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Working Party International Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Bhuptani PH, Hunter J, Goodwin C, Millman C, Orchowski LM. Characterizing Intimate Partner Violence in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:3220-3235. [PMID: 36321779 DOI: 10.1177/15248380221126187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant global health concern. Numerous research studies document increases in IPV since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Despite this widespread recognition, research around the nature of this violence is still growing. This systematic review summarizes the existing literature documenting the prevalence and characteristics of IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inclusion criteria are as follows: reported original data empirical study, assessed for IPV among adult population in the United States, and was published in English between December 2019 and March 2022. A total of 53 articles were then independently reviewed and sorted into four thematic subcategories: victimization, perpetration, articles addressing victimization and perpetration, and provider perspectives. Studies document consistent increases in the prevalence of IPV victimization and perpetration. Providers within agencies providing support to individuals impacted by IPV also documented increased strain on the agencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prachi H Bhuptani
- Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, USA
- Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Samari G, Wurtz HM, Karunaratne M, Coleman-Minahan K. Disruptions in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Service Delivery for Immigrants During COVID-19. WOMEN'S HEALTH REPORTS (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2023; 4:319-327. [PMID: 37476604 PMCID: PMC10354724 DOI: 10.1089/whr.2023.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Purpose To provide perspectives from heterogenous cisgender immigrant women and service providers for immigrants in New York City (NYC) on how restrictive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care delivery environments during COVID-19 shape immigrant's access to health care and health outcomes to generate insights for clinical practices and policies for immigrant women's health care needs. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in 2020 and 2021, including in-depth interviews with 44 immigrant women from different national origins and 19 direct service providers for immigrant communities in NYC to explore how immigrants adapted to and were impacted by pandemic-related SRH care service delivery barriers. Interviews were coded and analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Results Pandemic-related delays and interrupted health care, restrictive accompaniment policies, and the transition from in-person to virtual care compounded barriers to care for immigrant communities. Care delays and interruptions forced some participants to live with untreated health conditions, resulting in physical pain and emotional distress. Participants also experienced challenges within the health care system because of changes to visitor policies that restricted the accompaniment of family members or support persons. Some participants experienced difficulties accessing telehealth and technology, while others welcomed the flexibility given the demands of frontline work and childcare. Conclusions To mitigate the health and social implications of increasingly restrictive immigration, reproductive, and social policies, clinical practices like expanding access to care for all immigrants, engaging immigrant communities in health care institutions policies and practices, and integrating immigrant's support networks into care play an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goleen Samari
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Heather M. Wurtz
- Anthropology Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Research Program on Global Health and Human Rights, Human Rights Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Mihiri Karunaratne
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kate Coleman-Minahan
- College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Damle M, Wurtz H, Samari G. Racism and health care: Experiences of Latinx immigrant women in NYC during COVID-19. SSM. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH 2022; 2:100094. [PMID: 35578651 PMCID: PMC9095080 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected minoritized racial groups, especially Latinx immigrants, evidenced by the high rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths among this population. With increasing xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment in parallel to the pandemic, it is critical to understand the perspectives of Latinx populations. This study explores Latinx immigrant women's perceptions of racism and xenophobia in their health care experiences in New York City (NYC) during the COVID-19 pandemic and, further, seeks to understand the role of perceived discrimination in health care settings and on health care access. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative method of analysis from twenty-one in-depth interviews conducted with foreign-born women in the five boroughs of New York City from diverse countries across Latin America. Four central themes emerged including: structural inequalities, discriminatory health care experiences, victimization in public institutions, and overcoming discrimination in health care settings. Latinx immigrant women described the ways in which perceptions and experiences of discrimination shaped their capacity to address health-related needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides evidence to a growing body of literature suggesting that structural racism and xenophobia and perceptions of anti-immigrant discrimination, including resulting structural inequalities, may have a negative effect on individuals' ability to access and engage the health care system, resulting in avoidance of health care services - a critical need during a global pandemic. Scholars, policymakers, and practitioners alike should be mindful of how racism and xenophobia shape Latinx immigrant communities' engagement with the health care system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Damle
- Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heather Wurtz
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Goleen Samari
- Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Marfo EA, Fernandez-Sanchez H, Annor BOH. Challenges of undocumented immigrants in Canada and the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic: a review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MIGRATION, HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/ijmhsc-07-2020-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Pandemics pose challenges to all groups of people and all aspects of human lives. Undocumented migrants are likely to face more challenges during global pandemics. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible challenges of undocumented immigrants in Canada and the USA in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
From existing literature, the authors examined the challenges of undocumented migrants in Canada and the USA and suggested recommendations to address those challenges at both policy and national levels.
Findings
The undocumented status of some international immigrants makes them vulnerable in their host nations. They face myriad challenges in their host countries, spanning from economic, health, social isolation and employment challenges, and these are further exacerbated during pandemics such as the ongoing COVID-19. The provision of culturally sensitive and safe policies may support this particular population, especially in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Originality/value
This paper provides critical insights into the possible intersections that worsen the vulnerability of undocumented migrants in pandemic crises like COVID-19. Further, this review serves to initiate the discourse on policy and interventions for undocumented immigrants during pandemics or disease outbreaks.
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Mavuso JMJJ, Chadwick R. Reproductive governance and the affective economy. FEMINISM & PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/09593535221106644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The governance of reproductive practices, processes, decision-making, experiences, desires, subjectivities, and bodies has received and continues to receive significant attention in feminist efforts to name and resist reproductive oppression. And over the last 30 years, articles published in Feminism & Psychology have made significant contributions to the visibilisation and critique of this form of oppression. In this Virtual Special Issue on Reproductive Governance and the Affective Economy, we apply repronormativity and affect to our reading of 20 articles published in Feminism & Psychology. Collectively, these articles provide a glimpse of the wide-ranging scope of reproductive regulation (including that which is re-produced by/within feminism itself), and the various work that repronormativity and affect do in this governance. The challenging of reproductive governance notwithstanding, we conclude by arguing that the centring and circulation of certain reproductive subjects and their experiences within feminist knowledge production is itself a part of and upholds repronormativity and forecloses the possibility of reproductive freedom for all.
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Pelaccio K, Bright D, Dillaway H, O’Connell MB. Birth Control Use and Access Including Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Services during COVID-19. PHARMACY 2022; 10:pharmacy10060142. [PMID: 36412818 PMCID: PMC9680515 DOI: 10.3390/pharmacy10060142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic influenced health care with effects on contraception access emerging. The study objectives were to analyze pandemic impacts on birth control (BC) use and access; and evaluate perceptions of pharmacist-prescribed BC. A 50-item survey was distributed by 31 Michigan community pharmacies to women aged 18-45 over a three-month period. The survey link was also posted on two websites. 147 surveys were analyzed. Respondents were 29 ± 7.9 years old, primarily white (77%) and straight (81%). Fifty-eight percent of respondents used prescription BC, mostly to prevent pregnancy (84%) with oral pills (76%) being the most common formulation. Some BC users (25%) were worried about BC access and 27% had difficulty taking BC regularly. Half of the respondents (50%) would likely use pharmacist-prescribed BC if available, with advantages being more convenient than visiting a doctor's office (71%) and easier access (69%). The major concern about pharmacist-prescribed BC was women not receiving PAP smears and screenings (61%). Respondents reported high confidence (72%) in pharmacist-prescribed BC and believe it would help prevent unintended pregnancies (69%). Some respondents experienced altered BC use and access. Half of the respondents supported pharmacist-prescribed BC. Pharmacist-prescribed BC could help solve pandemic-related access problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karli Pelaccio
- Doctor of Pharmacy Program, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - David Bright
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, 202C Hagerman Pharmacy Building, 220 Ferris Dr., Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
| | - Heather Dillaway
- College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University, Stevenson Hall 141, Campus Box 4100, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Mary Beth O’Connell
- Pharmacy Practice Department, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Suite 2124, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Correspondence:
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Jain T, LaHote J, Samari G, Garbers S. Publicly-Funded Services Providing Sexual, Reproductive, and Maternal Healthcare to Immigrant Women in the United States: A Systematic Review. J Immigr Minor Health 2022; 24:759-778. [PMID: 34697702 PMCID: PMC10373793 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-021-01289-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sexual, reproductive, and maternal health (SRMH) care in the US is highly politicized, with restrictions that impede immigrant women's health. This review describes SRMH outcomes among immigrant women accessing publicly-funded services. We examined articles published from December 2007 to August 2020 in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases, following PRISMA guidelines. Included articles (n = 9) consisted of predominantly Latina immigrant samples. The majority included a subsample of women classified as vulnerable due to low income, low educational attainment, and/or documentation status. Our search strategy included a range of SRMH outcomes; however, the majority of articles focused on prenatal care (PNC). Over half of the articles revealed that underserved immigrant women with access to Medicaid/CHIP during expansion had higher rates of PNC adequacy compared to those without access. There is a need for more research on the impact of publicly-funded services other than Medicaid on outcomes beyond PNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanvi Jain
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jessica LaHote
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Goleen Samari
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Samantha Garbers
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA
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Chandrasekaran S, Choimorrow SY. Asian American and Pacific Islander Access to Abortion During COVID-19: A Complex Interplay of Factors. Health Equity 2022; 6:625-628. [PMID: 36081883 PMCID: PMC9448515 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2022.0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Often stereotyped as the “model minority,” health care providers, lawmakers, and the general public regularly underestimate and ignore the health concerns of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the racism that AAPIs face—many communities report facing severe xenophobia during the pandemic, which has increased hesitancy to obtain needed medical treatment and heightened mental health issues at a time of isolation. The pandemic is also exacerbating the barriers that already exist in accessing abortion care—with travel restrictions, quarantine measures, lesser availability of appointments, and more burden on the health care staff and system. There has been no discussion on the impact of the pandemic on AAPIs' access to abortion care. We discuss challenges that are specific to AAPIs in accessing sexual and reproductive care, especially abortion, and how these are compounded by the lack of appropriate data and methods. We then discuss the added complexity that comes with accessing abortion care during a pandemic and provide recommendations for research methods to better reach these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sung Yeon Choimorrow
- National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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Larki M, Sharifi F, Manouchehri E, Latifnejad Roudsari R. Responding to the Essential Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs for Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review. Malays J Med Sci 2022; 28:8-19. [PMID: 35002486 PMCID: PMC8715882 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2021.28.6.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The pandemic and its consequences have been shown to have a negative impact on the availability and accessibility of the basic services, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs. The aim of this study was to investigate the responses to the essential SRH needs for women during the COVID-19 pandemic. This narrative review was conducted based on the Scale for Assessing Narrative Review Articles (SANRA), in order to present key activities for responding to the important SRH needs of women in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The literature search was performed through English databases of Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect, as well as Persian databases including Magiran and Scientific Information Database (SID). In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and the reports of Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were searched. The search was carried out from December 2019 up to 10 January 2021. Essential reproductive healthcare services for women during the COVID-19 pandemic were divided into six categories including access to contraception, safe abortion and post-abortion care, sexual health and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention, cervical cancer screening and prevention, maternity services and also addressing violence against women and girls. These essential needs should be considered as a priority by governments as well as public and private stakeholders. It seems that the implementation of the shifted strategies, active participation of public and private stakeholders, consideration of human rights and ethical issues, ensuring access to vulnerable populations, regular contact with individuals and the increased cooperation of individuals for responding to the SRH needs during the COVID-19 outbreak, are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Larki
- Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Farangis Sharifi
- Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Elham Manouchehri
- Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashad Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Robab Latifnejad Roudsari
- Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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14
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Mukherjee TI, Khan AG, Dasgupta A, Samari G. Reproductive justice in the time of COVID-19: a systematic review of the indirect impacts of COVID-19 on sexual and reproductive health. Reprod Health 2021; 18:252. [PMID: 34930318 PMCID: PMC8686348 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-021-01286-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite gendered dimensions of COVID-19 becoming increasingly apparent, the impact of COVID-19 and other respiratory epidemics on women and girls' sexual and reproductive health (SRH) have yet to be synthesized. This review uses a reproductive justice framework to systematically review empirical evidence of the indirect impacts of respiratory epidemics on SRH. METHODS We searched MEDLINE and CINAHL for original, peer-reviewed articles related to respiratory epidemics and women and girls' SRH through May 31, 2021. Studies focusing on various SRH outcomes were included, however those exclusively examining pregnancy, perinatal-related outcomes, and gender-based violence were excluded due to previously published systematic reviews on these topics. The review consisted of title and abstract screening, full-text screening, and data abstraction. RESULTS Twenty-four studies met all eligibility criteria. These studies emphasized that COVID-19 resulted in service disruptions that effected access to abortion, contraceptives, HIV/STI testing, and changes in sexual behaviors, menstruation, and pregnancy intentions. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the need to enact policies that ensure equitable, timely access to quality SRH services for women and girls, despite quarantine and distancing policies. Research gaps include understanding how COVID-19 disruptions in SRH service provision, access and/or utilization have impacted underserved populations and those with intersectional identities, who faced SRH inequities notwithstanding an epidemic. More robust research is also needed to understand the indirect impact of COVID-19 and epidemic control measures on a wider range of SRH outcomes (e.g., menstrual disorders, fertility services, gynecologic oncology) in the long-term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trena I Mukherjee
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Angubeen G Khan
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anindita Dasgupta
- Social Intervention Group, School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Goleen Samari
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Samari G, Nagle A, Coleman-Minahan K. Measuring structural xenophobia: US State immigration policy climates over ten years. SSM Popul Health 2021; 16:100938. [PMID: 34660879 PMCID: PMC8503659 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing need to understand the structural drivers of immigrant health inequities, including xenophobic and racist policies at the state level in the United States. Databases aggregate state policies related to immigration and research using single year indices examines state policy and immigrant health. Yet none of these sources use a theoretically informed social determinants of immigrant health approach to consider state environments longitudinally, include both exclusionary and inclusionary policies, and are relevant to immigrants from any region of the world or ethnic group. Using an established social determinants of immigrant health framework, a measure of structural xenophobia was created using fourteen policies across five domains: access to public health benefits, higher education, labor and employment, driver's licenses and identification, and immigration enforcement over a ten-year period (2009-2019). To create the Immigration Policy Climate (IPC) index, we used data from state legislatures as well as policy databases from foundations, advocacy organizations, and scholarly articles. We identified and coded 714 US state policies across the 50 US States and the District of Columbia from 2009 to 2019. We calculated annual IPC index scores (range: 12 - 12) as a continuous measure (negative scores: exclusionary; positive scores: inclusionary). Results show that the US has an exclusionary immigration policy climate at the state-level (mean IPC score of -2.5). From 2009 to 2019, two-thirds of state-level immigration policies are exclusionary towards immigrants. About 75% of states experienced a 4-point change or less on the IPC index, and no state changed from largely exclusive to largely inclusive. By aggregating comprehensive, detailed data and a measure of state-level immigration policies over time, the IPC index provides population health researchers with rigorous evidence with which to assess structural xenophobia and an opportunity for longitudinal research on health inequities and immigrant health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goleen Samari
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amanda Nagle
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kate Coleman-Minahan
- College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO, USA
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16
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Tan RKJ, O'Hara CA, Kumar N. Partnership status, living arrangements, and changes in sexual behaviour and satisfaction during the COVID-19 lockdown: insights from an observational, cross-sectional online survey in Singapore. Sex Health 2021; 18:366-377. [PMID: 34743786 DOI: 10.1071/sh21077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Background The SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus disease 2019; COVID-19) pandemic and its concomitant movement control measures have had a profound impact on the world. In spite of its potential impact on sexual health, there is a lack of research on how the pandemic and its movement control measures have impacted sexual wellbeing among Singaporeans. Methods This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted from August to September 2020. Participants were recruited through an online survey instrument promoted through social media. Respondents self-reported their sexual behaviours and levels of sexual satisfaction prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic movement control measures. Results We recruited a total of 562 participants, of whom 338 (60.1%) ever had a sexual experience. Singles (n=106, 31.4%) and those not living with their partners (n=115, 34.0%) reported a greater decrease in partnered sexual activities but a greater increase in individual sexual activities such as masturbation, sending and receiving nudes and watching pornography, relative to those who were living with their partners (n=117, 34.6%). Multivariable analyses indicated that relative to singles, those who were not living with their partners were more likely to experience a decrease in sexual satisfaction (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]=1.42, 95% CI [1.07, 1.90]), whereas those who were living with their partners were less likely to experience a decrease in sexual satisfaction (aPR=0.45, 95% CI [0.25, 0.81]). Conclusions Interventions may focus on enhancing sexual wellness by educating on and supporting individual or partnered sexual activities that may vary along the lines of partnership status and living arrangements during the implementation of movement control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayner Kay Jin Tan
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; and Present address: University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China, No. 2 Lujing Road, Guangzhou, 510085, China; and Present address: Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Navin Kumar
- Human Nature Lab, Department of Sociology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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17
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Bolarinwa OA. Factors associated with access to condoms and sources of condoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 79:186. [PMID: 34702340 PMCID: PMC8548264 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-021-00701-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence has shown that the prescribed lockdown and physical distancing due to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have made accessing essential health care services much more difficult in low-and middle-income countries. Access to contraception is an essential service and should not be denied, even in a global crisis, because of its associated health benefits. Therefore, it is important to maintain timely access to contraception without unnecessary barriers. Hence, this study examines the factors contributing to limited access to condoms and sources of condoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. METHODS This study used the National Income Dynamics Study-Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) wave 1 survey dataset. The NIDS-CRAM is a nationally representative survey of the National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS) conducted via telephone interview during COVID-19 in the year 2020. This is the first secondary dataset on COVID-19 conducted by NIDS during pandemic. A total of 5304 respondents were included in the study. Data were analysed using frequencies distribution percentages, chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Almost one-quarter (22.40%) of South Africans could not access condoms, and every 7 in 10 South Africans preferred public source of condoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who were from other population groups [AOR = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.19-0.74] and those who were in the third wealth quintile [AOR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.38-0.93] had lower odds of having access to condoms while those respondents who were aged 25-34 [AOR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.27-0.83] and those with a secondary level of education and above [AOR = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.08-0.71] were less likely to prefer public source of condom. CONCLUSIONS This study concludes that there was limited access to condoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and that the preferred source of condoms was very skewed to public sources in South Africa. Strategic interventions such as community distribution of free condoms to avert obstruction of condom access during the COVID-19 pandemic or any future pandemics should be adopted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa
- Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. .,Obaxlove Consult, Lagos, 100009, Nigeria. .,Department of Global Public Health, School of Allied and Public Health Professions, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, CT1 1QU, UK.
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18
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Đoàn LN, Chong SK, Misra S, Kwon SC, Yi SS. Immigrant Communities and COVID-19: Strengthening the Public Health Response. Am J Public Health 2021; 111:S224-S231. [PMID: 34709878 PMCID: PMC8561064 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2021.306433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the many broken fragments of US health care and social service systems, reinforcing extant health and socioeconomic inequities faced by structurally marginalized immigrant communities. Throughout the pandemic, even during the most critical period of rising cases in different epicenters, immigrants continued to work in high-risk-exposure environments while simultaneously having less access to health care and economic relief and facing discrimination. We describe systemic factors that have adversely affected low-income immigrants, including limiting their work opportunities to essential jobs, living in substandard housing conditions that do not allow for social distancing or space to safely isolate from others in the household, and policies that discourage access to public resources that are available to them or that make resources completely inaccessible. We demonstrate that the current public health infrastructure has not improved health care access or linkages to necessary services, treatments, or culturally competent health care providers, and we provide suggestions for how the Public Health 3.0 framework could advance this. We recommend the following strategies to improve the Public Health 3.0 public health infrastructure and mitigate widening disparities: (1) address the social determinants of health, (2) broaden engagement with stakeholders across multiple sectors, and (3) develop appropriate tools and technologies. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(S3):S224-S231. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306433).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan N Đoàn
- Lan N. Đoàn, Stella K. Chong, Simona C. Kwon, and Stella S. Yi are with the Department of Population Health Section for Health Equity, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY. Supriya Misra is with the Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
| | - Stella K Chong
- Lan N. Đoàn, Stella K. Chong, Simona C. Kwon, and Stella S. Yi are with the Department of Population Health Section for Health Equity, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY. Supriya Misra is with the Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
| | - Supriya Misra
- Lan N. Đoàn, Stella K. Chong, Simona C. Kwon, and Stella S. Yi are with the Department of Population Health Section for Health Equity, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY. Supriya Misra is with the Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
| | - Simona C Kwon
- Lan N. Đoàn, Stella K. Chong, Simona C. Kwon, and Stella S. Yi are with the Department of Population Health Section for Health Equity, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY. Supriya Misra is with the Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
| | - Stella S Yi
- Lan N. Đoàn, Stella K. Chong, Simona C. Kwon, and Stella S. Yi are with the Department of Population Health Section for Health Equity, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY. Supriya Misra is with the Department of Public Health, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
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19
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Maier M, Samari G, Ostrowski J, Bencomo C, McGovern T. 'Scrambling to figure out what to do': a mixed method analysis of COVID-19's impact on sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States. BMJ SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2021; 47:e16. [PMID: 34376524 PMCID: PMC8359865 DOI: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2021-201081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A weak and politicised COVID-19 pandemic response in the United States (US) that failed to prioritise sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) overlaid longstanding SRHR inequities. In this study we investigated how COVID-19 affected SRHR service provision in the US during the first 6 months of the pandemic. METHODS We used a multiphase, three-part, mixed method approach incorporating: (1) a comprehensive review of state-by-state emergency response policies that mapped state-level actions to protect or suspend SRHR services including abortion, (2) a survey of SRHR service providers (n=40) in a sample of 10 states that either protected or suspended services and (3) in-depth interviews (n=15) with SRHR service providers and advocacy organisations. RESULTS Twenty-one states designated some or all SRHR services as essential and therefore exempt from emergency restrictions. Protections, however, varied by state and were not always comprehensive. Fourteen states acted to suspend abortion. Five cross-cutting themes surrounding COVID-19's impact on SRHR services emerged across the survey and interviews: reductions in SRHR service provision; shifts in service utilisation; infrastructural impacts; the critical role of state and local governments; and exacerbation of SRHR inequities for certain groups. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates serious disruptions to the provision of SRHR care that exacerbated existing SRHR inequities. The presence or absence of policy protections for SRHR services had critical implications for providers and patients. Policymakers and service providers must prioritise and integrate SRHR into emergency preparedness planning and implementation, with earmarked funding and tailored service delivery for historically oppressed groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malia Maier
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Program on Global Health Justice and Governance, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Goleen Samari
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Program on Global Health Justice and Governance, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jennifer Ostrowski
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Program on Global Health Justice and Governance, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Clarisa Bencomo
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Program on Global Health Justice and Governance, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Terry McGovern
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Program on Global Health Justice and Governance, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
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20
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Navarrete J, Yuksel N, Schindel TJ, Hughes CA. Sexual and reproductive health services provided by community pharmacists: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e047034. [PMID: 34312200 PMCID: PMC8314704 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pharmacists are increasingly providing patient-focused services in community pharmacies, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Specific SRH areas have been the focus of research, but a broader perspective is needed to position pharmacists as SRH providers. This review explored research that described and evaluated professional pharmacy services across a broad range of SRH areas. DESIGN Scoping review DATA SOURCES: Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library (January 2007-July 2020). STUDY SELECTION Studies reporting on the description and evaluation of professional pharmacy SRH services provided by community pharmacists. DATA EXTRACTION Two investigators screened studies for eligibility, and one investigator extracted the data. Data were analysed to primarily describe professional pharmacy services and intervention outcomes. RESULTS Forty-one studies were included. The main SRH areas and professional pharmacy services reported were sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections (63%) and screening (39%), respectively. Findings showed that pharmacists' delivery of SRH services was feasible, able to reach vulnerable and high-risk groups, and interventions were highly accepted and valued by users. However, integration into daily workflow, pharmacist remuneration, cost and reimbursement for patients, and policy regulations were some of the barriers identified to implementing SRH services. Studies were primarily in specific areas such as chlamydia screening or hormonal contraception prescribing, while studies in other areas (ie, medical abortion provision, long-acting reversible contraception prescribing and vaccine delivery in pregnant women) were lacking. CONCLUSION This scoping review highlights the expansion of pharmacists' roles beyond traditional product-focused services in a number of SRH areas. Given the potential feasibility, users' acceptability and reach, pharmacists are ideally situated to enhance SRH care access. Future research describing implementation and evaluation of professional pharmacy services in all SRH areas is needed to promote access to these services through community pharmacies and position pharmacists as SRH providers worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javiera Navarrete
- Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nese Yuksel
- Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Theresa J Schindel
- Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Christine A Hughes
- Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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21
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Freed B, Hillman S, Shantikumar S, Bick D, Dale J, Gauly J. The impact of disasters on contraception in OECD member countries: a scoping review. EUR J CONTRACEP REPR 2021; 26:429-438. [PMID: 34126834 DOI: 10.1080/13625187.2021.1934440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Review evidence is lacking about how contraception is affected by severe social disruption, such as that caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the impact of natural and man-made disasters on contraception in OECD member countries. METHODS Manual searches and systematic searches in six electronic databases were conducted with no language restrictions. All articles were screened by at least two researchers. The data were analysed thematically. RESULTS 108 articles were included. Most focussed on the Zika virus outbreak (n = 50) and the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 28). Four key themes were identified: importance of contraception during disasters, impact of disasters on contraceptive behaviour, barriers to contraception during disasters and ways of improving use of contraception during disasters. Despite efforts to increase access to contraception including by transforming ways of delivery, barriers to use meant that unmet need persisted. CONCLUSIONS To prevent adverse health outcomes and reduce health costs as a result of failure to have access to contraception during disasters, there is a need to intensify efforts to remove barriers to use. This should include increasing access and information on methods of contraception and their side effects (e.g., menstrual suppression) and making contraception freely available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Freed
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Sarah Hillman
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | - Debra Bick
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Jeremy Dale
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Julia Gauly
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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22
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Gomez-Aguinaga B, Dominguez MS, Manzano S. Immigration and Gender as Social Determinants of Mental Health during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Case of US Latina/os. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:6065. [PMID: 34199895 PMCID: PMC8200095 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18116065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
While men and women make up a similar number of COVID-19 cases, and are equally likely to know someone who has become ill due to the virus, the gendered and systemic implications of immigration during public health emergencies among minority groups in the United States are empirically underexplored. Using the SOMOS COVID-19 Crisis National Latino Survey, we conduct a series of intersectional analyses to understand the extent to which personal experiences with COVID-19, gendered structural factors, and spillover effects of US immigration policies impact the mental health of US Latina/os during a public health emergency. The results show that among Latinas, knowing an undocumented immigrant and someone ill with COVID-19 increases the probability of reporting worse mental outcomes by 52 percent. Furthermore, being a woman increases the probability of reporting the highest level of mental health problems by 30 percent among Hispanic people who know someone with COVID-19 and an undocumented immigrant. These findings indicate that the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak among US Latinas and Latinos are entrenched in gendered and systemic inequalities.
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23
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Hayward SE, Deal A, Cheng C, Crawshaw A, Orcutt M, Vandrevala TF, Norredam M, Carballo M, Ciftci Y, Requena-Méndez A, Greenaway C, Carter J, Knights F, Mehrotra A, Seedat F, Bozorgmehr K, Veizis A, Campos-Matos I, Wurie F, McKee M, Kumar B, Hargreaves S. Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: A systematic review. J Migr Health 2021; 3:100041. [PMID: 33903857 PMCID: PMC8061095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmh.2021.100041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migrants in high-income countries may be at increased risk of COVID-19 due to their health and social circumstances, yet the extent to which they are affected and their predisposing risk factors are not clearly understood. We did a systematic review to assess clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in migrant populations, indirect health and social impacts, and to determine key risk factors. METHODS We did a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42020222135). We searched multiple databases to 18/11/2020 for peer-reviewed and grey literature on migrants (foreign-born) and COVID-19 in 82 high-income countries. We used our international networks to source national datasets and grey literature. Data were extracted on primary outcomes (cases, hospitalisations, deaths) and we evaluated secondary outcomes on indirect health and social impacts and risk factors using narrative synthesis. RESULTS 3016 data sources were screened with 158 from 15 countries included in the analysis (35 data sources for primary outcomes: cases [21], hospitalisations [4]; deaths [15]; 123 for secondary outcomes). We found that migrants are at increased risk of infection and are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 cases. Available datasets suggest a similarly disproportionate representation of migrants in reported COVID-19 deaths, as well as increased all-cause mortality in migrants in some countries in 2020. Undocumented migrants, migrant health and care workers, and migrants housed in camps have been especially affected. Migrants experience risk factors including high-risk occupations, overcrowded accommodation, and barriers to healthcare including inadequate information, language barriers, and reduced entitlement. CONCLUSIONS Migrants in high-income countries are at high risk of exposure to, and infection with, COVID-19. These data are of immediate relevance to national public health and policy responses to the pandemic. Robust data on testing uptake and clinical outcomes in migrants, and barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination, are urgently needed, alongside strengthening engagement with diverse migrant groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally E Hayward
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Anna Deal
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Cherie Cheng
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Alison Crawshaw
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Miriam Orcutt
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Marie Norredam
- Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health, University of Copenhagen; Department of Infectious Diseases at Copenhagen University Hospital, Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Manuel Carballo
- International Centre for Migration, Health, and Development, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Ana Requena-Méndez
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Insitutet, Solna, Sweden; and Barcelona Insitute for Global Health (ISGlobal), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Jessica Carter
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Felicity Knights
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Anushka Mehrotra
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Kayvan Bozorgmehr
- Department of Population Medicine and Health and Health Services Research, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany; Section for Health Equity Studies & Migration, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ines Campos-Matos
- Public Health England; and UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, London, UK
| | - Fatima Wurie
- Public Health England; and UCL Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, London, UK
| | - Martin McKee
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Sally Hargreaves
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - on behalf of the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Travellers and Migrants (ESGITM)
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, Kingston University, London, UK
- Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health, University of Copenhagen; Department of Infectious Diseases at Copenhagen University Hospital, Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Centre for Migration, Health, and Development, Geneva, Switzerland
- Doctors of the World UK, London, UK
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Insitutet, Solna, Sweden; and Barcelona Insitute for Global Health (ISGlobal), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Population Medicine and Health and Health Services Research, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany; Section for Health Equity Studies & Migration, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Medecins Sans Frontieres Greece, Athens, Greece
- Public Health England, London, UK
- Public Health England; and UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, London, UK
- Public Health England; and UCL Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, London, UK
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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24
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Ott MA, Bernard C, Wilkinson TA, Edmonds BT. Clinician Perspectives on Ethics and COVID-19: Minding the Gap in Sexual and Reproductive Health. PERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2020; 52:145-149. [PMID: 32945616 PMCID: PMC7537032 DOI: 10.1363/psrh.12156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary A. Ott
- Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolis
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