scholarly journals Acute food insecurity and short-term coping strategies of urban and rural households of Bangladesh during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic of 2020: report of a cross-sectional survey

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e043365
Author(s):  
Subhasish Das ◽  
Md. Golam Rasul ◽  
Md Shabab Hossain ◽  
Ar-Rafi Khan ◽  
Md Ashraful Alam ◽  
...  

IntroductionWe conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the extent and to identify the determinants of food insecurity and coping strategies in urban and rural households of Bangladesh during the month-long, COVID-19 lockdown period.SettingSelected urban and rural areas of Bangladesh.Participants106 urban and 106 rural households.Outcome variables and methodHousehold food insecurity status and the types of coping strategies were the outcome variables for the analyses. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were done to identify the determinants.ResultsWe found that around 90% of the households were suffering from different grades of food insecurity. Severe food insecurity was higher in urban (42%) than rural (15%) households. The rural households with mild/moderate food insecurity adopted either financial (27%) or both financial and food compromised (32%) coping strategies, but 61% of urban mild/moderate food insecure households applied both forms of coping strategies. Similarly, nearly 90% of severely food insecure households implemented both types of coping strategies. Living in poorest households was significantly associated (p value <0.05) with mild/moderate (regression coefficient, β: 15.13, 95% CI 14.43 to 15.82), and severe food insecurity (β: 16.28, 95% CI 15.58 to 16.97). The statistically significant (p <0.05) determinants of both food compromised and financial coping strategies were living in urban areas (β: 1.8, 95% CI 0.44 to 3.09), living in poorest (β: 2.7, 95% CI 1 to 4.45), poorer (β: 2.6, 95% CI 0.75 to 4.4) and even in the richer (β: 1.6, 95% CI 0.2 to 2.9) households and age of the respondent (β: 0.1, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.21).ConclusionBoth urban and rural households suffered from moderate to severe food insecurity during the month-long lockdown period in Bangladesh. But, poorest, poorer and even the richer households adopted different coping strategies that might result in long-term economic and nutritional consequences.

Medicina ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Kamila Faizullina ◽  
Galina Kausova ◽  
Zhanna Kalmataeva ◽  
Ardak Nurbakyt ◽  
Saule Buzdaeva

Background and Objective. The number of new entrants to higher medical schools of Kazakhstan increased by 1.6 times from 2007 to 2012. However, it is not known how it will affect the shortage of human resources for health. Additionally, human resources for health in rural areas of Kazakhstan are 4 times scarcer than in urban areas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the intentions of students toward their professional future and readiness to work in rural areas, as well as to determine the causes for dropping out from medical schools. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2 medical universities in Almaty during the academic year 2011–2012. The study sample included medical students and interns. In total, 2388 students participated in the survey. The survey tool was an anonymous questionnaire. Results. The students of the first years of studies compared with those of later years of studies were more optimistic about the profession and had more intentions to work in the medical field. Only 8% of the students reported a wish to work in rural localities. On the other hand, 4% of the students did not plan to pursue the profession. On the average, every third medical student dropped out on his/her own request. Conclusions. Associations between intentions to work according to the profession and the year of studies, faculty, and residence area before enrolling in a medical school were documented. The majority of the students who came from rural areas preferred to stay and look for work in a city, which might contribute to an unequal distribution of physicians across the country.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-125
Author(s):  
KR Thapa ◽  
BK Shrestha ◽  
MD Bhattarai

Background Posting of doctors in remote rural areas has always been a priority for Government; however data are scarce in the country about experience of doctors of working in remote areas after medical graduation.Objective A questionnaire survey of doctors was planned to analyze their experience of working after graduation in remote rural areas in various parts of the country.Method The cross-sectional survey was done by convenience sampling method. A one-page questionnaire with one partially closed-end and five open-end type questions was distributed to the doctors who had worked in remote rural areas after graduation under various governments’ postings.Result Two-third of participants had their home in urban areas and 89.8% had stayed for 1 to 5 years. About half of the participants had difficulty in getting the posting in the remote areas of their choice. Most participants indicated provision of opportunities for Residential (postgraduate) Training as their reasons of going to remote areas as well as their suggestions to encourage young graduates to go there. Similarly most also suggested appropriate career, salary and incentives to encourage doctors to go to work in remote areas. About 85% of participants pointed out the major problem faced while posted in remote areas as difficulty in handling varied situations with no guidance or seniors available around.Conclusion The notable points indicated by the participants are centered on the opportunity for Residential Training and difficulties faced without such training. Residential Training is a priority to be considered while planning the health policy for optimum health care of people.Kathmandu University Medical Journal Vol.12(2) 2014: 121-125


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-187
Author(s):  
Sumani Abdul-Manan ◽  
Alhassan Iddrisu Abdullai ◽  
Buhari Gunu Yussif

Background: A proven strategy for saving lives from vaccine-preventable diseases is the timely vaccination of the people. In Ghana, there is considerable hesitation about the Covid-19 vaccines due to anxieties and uncertainties about their safety. With varying perceptions and believes being developed about Covid-19 vaccines, there is a likely negative effect on vaccine acceptance or otherwise. This study aims to ascertain the levels of acceptance of potential Covid-19 vaccine among Ghanaian adults, to identify predictors of vaccine acceptance or hesitance. Methodology: A web based cross-sectional survey conducted among Ghanaians above 18 years, conducted between the month of February and March, 2021. Data were collected by administering online google forms (Questionnaire). The questionnaire was shared through social media platforms. A snowball sampling technique was used where researchers shared google forms to close friends and family. Analyses were conducted at p-value <0.05 using descriptive statistics, cross-tabula­tions and logistic regression. Results: A total of 350 responses were achieved by end of data collection. Out of these, only 348 were considered for analysis based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Majority of the respondents (65.2%) were male, a third (30%) of them live in rural areas and about 57.5% were married. Factors such as age, educational level, prior vaccine acceptance history, personal vulnerability and self-feeling of health were significantly associated with covid-19 vaccine acceptance. Conclusion: The results depict low acceptance rate for potential covid-19 vaccine among Ghanaians. Government and MoH should engage the media on its role in combating misinformation with regards the Covid-19 vaccine. Key words: coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), vaccine, hesitance, acceptance.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajama Nepali ◽  
Padam Simkhada ◽  
Ian Glyyn Davies

Abstract Background: Wasting is a consequence of food insecurity, inappropriate dietary practices, and inadequate caring and feeding practices. The present study assessed association between wasting and household food insecurity among under five years old children, along with other socio-demographic characteristics.Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. The survey is cross-sectional in design with use of standardized tools. The sampling frame used is an updated version of the frame from the 2011 National Population and Housing Census. The participants were children under five years of age (n= 2414). Logistic regression was carried out to identify the odds of being wasted for children belonging to different levels of food insecure households using odds ratio and 95 percent confidence intervals. Results: The prevalence of wasting increased with the level of food insecurity, from mild (9.4%) to moderate (10.8%) and to severe (11.3%). The highest proportions of wasted children were in Province 2 (14.3%), from rural areas (10.1%), born to mothers with no education (12.4%) and from a richer quintile (11.3%). Children belonging to severe food insecure households had 1.36 (95%CI 0.72-2.57) adjusted odds of being wasted and those belonging to mild food insecure and moderately food insecure households had 1.13 (95%CI 0.65-1.97) and 1.36 (95%CI 0.72-2.57) odds of being wasted respectively. Province 1 (AOR 2.06, 95%CI 1.01-4.19) and Province 2 (AOR 2.45, 95%CI 1.22-4.95) were significantly associated with wasting.Conclusion: Considering the increment in childhood wasting as per level of food insecurity, an integrated intervention should be developed in Nepal that, 1. addresses improving knowledge and behavior of community people with respect to diet and nutrition; 2. reduce the problem of food insecurity through agricultural interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigusie Birhan Tebeje ◽  
Gashaw Andargie Biks ◽  
Solomon Mekonnen Abebe ◽  
Melike Endris Yesuf

Background. The magnitude of food insecurity in Ethiopia ranges from 38.7% to 82.3% among the general population. Children under the age of five years were more prone to food insecurity and its serious consequences like anemia, low bone density, frequent episodes of common cold, stomachache, poor educational performance, and dental carries in developing countries like Ethiopia. However, there is no any research finding that documented the magnitude of child food insecurity, coping strategies, and associated factors in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was estimating the magnitude of child food insecurity, major coping strategies, and factors associated with child food insecurity in the study area. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional survey has been conducted in Dabat demographic and health surveillance site among 7152 mothers/caretakers of children under the age of five years. Data were collected by experienced data collectors working for the demographic and health surveillance site, and the collected data were entered into EpiData template and then transported to Stata 14 software for data cleaning and analysis. The ordinal logistic regression model was fitted to identify predictors for child food insecurity. Results. About 21.42% of children under the age of five years were food insecure in Dabat district of whom 57.8%, 38.6%, and 3.6% had experienced mild, moderate, and severe levels of child food insecurity, respectively. All most all 1391 (92%) of the mothers/caretakers of food insecure children had practiced food insecurity coping strategies. More than half (57%) of mothers/caretakers reduces the size of child meal as insecurity coping strategy. Child food insecurity was associated with household wealth status, parent’s education status, and maternal and child health service utilization and child feeding practices. Conclusion. A large segment of under-five children had experienced food insecurity in Dabat district, and the major coping strategy for child food insecurity was reducing meal size. Therefore, working on household wealth improvement and expansion of basic health services would improve child food security.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (13) ◽  
pp. 2458-2466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Grenier Wax ◽  
Susan M Stankorb

AbstractObjectiveFood insecurity increases risk of health conditions that may decrease military readiness. The aim of the present study was to define the prevalence of food insecurity among households with young children utilizing military installation childcare facilities and to describe household characteristics associated with food insecurity among this population.DesignCross-sectional survey including demographic questions and the US Department of Agriculture Food Security Survey Module six-item short form given to households (n 248) enrolled in Joint Base San Antonio Child Development Centers (JBSA-CDC) during the spring of 2015.SubjectsDepartment of Defense families with at least one child less than 6 years old enrolled in a JBSA-CDC.SettingsJoint Base San Antonio, TX, USA.ResultsNearly one in seven families reported food insecurity. Households were more likely to be food-insecure if the head of household’s highest level of education was high school or equivalent (P=0·003) and if the head of household was unmarried/unpartnered (P=0·001). Among food-insecure households headed by military service members, all were junior enlisted or non-commissioned officers (E1–E9). Food-insecure households were less likely to live off-post in owned or rented homes compared with those who were food-secure (P=0·016). Other characteristics associated with food insecurity included at least one family member enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (P=0·020) and more children in the household (P=0·029). Few families reported enrolment in government supplemental food programmes.ConclusionsFood insecurity is prevalent in military families. Targeted interventions and policies can be developed using the demographic risk factors identified in the present study.


2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-80
Author(s):  
Riyadh A. Alhazmi ◽  
R. David Parker ◽  
Sijin Wen

Backround: Emergency medical services (EMS) workers are at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and frequently exposed to blood and bodily fluids through percutaneous injuries. This study aimed to assess the consistency with which standard precautions (SPs) among rural and urban EMS providers were used. Methods: This study consisted of a cross-sectional survey conducted with a sample of certified EMS providers in West Virginia in which we ascertained details about sociodemographic characteristics, and the frequency of consistent SP. An email invitation was sent to a comprehensive list of agencies obtained from the Office of West Virginia EMS. Findings: A total of 248 out of 522 (47%) EMS providers completed the survey. The majority of the EMS providers (76%) consistently complied with SPs; however, more than one third (38%) of urban EMS providers indicated inconsistent use compared with 19% of rural EMS providers ( p = .002). Most EMS providers reported low prevention practices to exposure of blood and body fluids in both areas. Conclusion/Application to Practice: The results emphasize the need to enhanced safe work practices among EMS providers in both rural and urban areas through education and increasing self-awareness. Occupational health professional in municipalities that serve these workers are instrumental in ensuring these workers are trained and evaluated for their compliance with SPs while in the field.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sana Ullah ◽  
Siham Sikander ◽  
Mudassar Mushtaq Jawad Abbasi ◽  
Syed Aftab Rahim ◽  
Babar Hayat ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Prevalence of smoking is on the rise and its harmful effects on every organ of body are well known. Smoking is a growing concern due to adverse effects on health, its association with academic performance is not well studied. Objectives This study aims to assess the prevalence of smoking among undergraduate students of age 18-24 years in a public sector university of Islamabad, association between smoking and academic performance and also to assess the reasons of smoking initiation among undergraduate students. Methods The study included 500 undergraduate students. A self-report structured questionnaire was used to assess smoking, dietary habits, physical activity, parent’s smoking, friend’s smoking, time spent on mobile and TV and academic performance for collection of data. Logistic regression was used for association between smoking and academic performance. Results Results of study show that 112/500 (22.4%) students were smokers among them 93/112 (34.6%) were males and 19/112 (8.2%) were females. The mean age of study participants was 21.50 years (SD: 1.72. Prevalence of smoking was higher in students belonging to rural areas 23.5% to that of urban areas 21.9%. Three major reasons of smoking initiation; 25% students stated peers and friends, 21% stated easy availability while 14% said it was fun and enjoyment they started smoking. High academic performance was found to be inversely proportional to student’s smoking; at p-value 0.000 smokers had 2.5 (1.77, 3.74) odds of lower academic performance, boys having 2.17 (1.56, 3.03) odds of lower academic performance in last semester exams. Conclusion Findings highlighted extensive cigarette smoking among undergraduate students of Islamabad. Smoking is significantly and negatively associated with academic performance.


Author(s):  
Susmita Thakur ◽  
Narendra Singh ◽  
Mitasha Singh

Background: Developing countries are experiencing an epidemic of obesity and overweight. Adolescence is the stage when the lifestyle behavior sets in and decides the future pattern of health. The objective was to study the prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among school going adolescents of district Ghaziabad.Methods: A school based cross sectional survey was conducted in district Ghaziabad. Adolescents (10-19 years) from both urban and rural government and private schools were included. Multistage sampling technique was used to study 1128 study population. Anthropometry and a structured questionnaire were used as study tool.Results: In urban area, the proportion of underweight students in government schools (20.9%) was significantly more than the private school (13.8%) whereas the number of overweight students in private school (18.2%) was significantly more than the government schools (10.3%). In rural area underweight students in government school (30.5%) was significantly more than the private school (21.3%) whereas the number of overweight students in private school (11.3%) was significantly more than the government school (3.2%). Obesity was significantly associated with the area of residence, type of school, consumption of carbonated drinks, fast foods and decreased physical activity.Conclusions: An overall higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in urban areas and increasing trend in rural areas too alarm us to focus on the modifiable risk factors. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 1280-1285
Author(s):  
Sadashiva Basavantappa Ukkali ◽  
Nagamani Kulkarni ◽  
Thobbi A.N. ◽  
Ayesha Siddiqua ◽  
Shruthi Reddy

BACKGROUND Adolescent period is that part of exciting period of life which marks the transition from being a dependent kid to an independent and responsible adult. It is recognised as a fascinating period that poses specific challenges and has a great impact on the physical, social and emotional behaviour in the family and society. METHODS A comparative cross-sectional survey of a total of 1000 adolescents, 16 - 18 years of age – 250 each from 4 PU colleges (2 urban + 2 rural) were interviewed using a pretested questionnaire. Based on responses, their attitude towards social aspects of life were assessed, analysed and compared. RESULTS There were significant differences in attitude of adolescents residing in urban areas on various social aspects of life as compared to the adolescents residing in rural areas. Significant differences were observed in personality development traits like selfesteem and self-concept, shrewdness, tender mindedness, internal restraint and individual capacities. Risk taking behaviour was more common in urban adolescents and academic underachievement was more common in rural adolescents. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to home / college environment, safety at home / college, relationships with parents, siblings and friends, depression and social ideation. CONCLUSIONS We observed that rural and urban adolescents differed significantly in their attitude towards development of personality traits. Rural adolescents were academically underachievers because of poor facilities, less opportunities and lack of motivation. Urban adolescents exhibited high risk-taking behaviour compared to rural adolescents because of high peer-pressure, curiosity and more exposure to mass media. KEY WORDS Adolescent, Attitude, Rural, Urban, Social


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