Food Insecurity, Nutritional Inequality, and Maternal–Child Health: A Role for Biocultural Scholarship in Filling Knowledge Gaps

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-92
Author(s):  
Barbara A. Piperata ◽  
Darna L. Dufour
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Maternal Child Health ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Type Studies ◽  
Access To Food

Food insecurity, a significant contributor to nutritional inequality, disproportionately affects women and children in low- and middle-income countries. The magnitude of the problem has inspired research on its impacts on health, especially on nutritional status and, more recently, mental well-being. Current research is dominated by surveillance-type studies that emphasize access, one of food security's four dimensions. Findings are inconclusive regarding the association between food insecurity and women and children's nutritional status, but some evidence indicates that it is a key contributor to mental distress in women. To understand these inconsistent findings, we emphasize the need for research on the strategies that people use to cope with inadequate access to food. We contend that biocultural approaches that recognize the importance of local contexts and the role of broader political-economic factors in shaping them are well suited for addressing current knowledge gaps.

Health and Environmental Tolls of Protracted Conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 120 (830) ◽  
pp. 339-345
Author(s):  
Jeannie Sowers ◽  
Erika Weinthal
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Public Debates ◽  
War Zones ◽  
Access To Food

The effects of conflict on public health and ecosystem well-being are understudied and rarely figure in public debates about war-making. Protracted conflicts are particularly damaging to people and environments in ways that are inadequately documented. In recent wars in the Middle East and North Africa, parties to the conflicts have induced hunger and displacement and undermined public health through the use of violence and economic policies that deprive civilians of access to food, water, fuel, and livelihoods. Environmental pollution is widespread, particularly in cities that became war zones, while the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened conflict-induced poverty and food insecurity.

scholarly journals Starving to be a student: The experiences of food insecurity among undergraduate students in Nova Scotia, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-125
Author(s):  
Meredith Bessey ◽  
Lesley Frank ◽  
Patricia L. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Funding Programs ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Student Funding

Household food insecurity (HFI) exists when access to food is inadequate or insecure due to financial constraints, and is an issue of increasing concern among postsecondary students who face barriers to food access due to precarious finances. The goal of the current study was to explore the experience of HFI among university students in Nova Scotia (NS), including barriers and facilitators, and potential policy solutions to the issue from the perspective of students. Twelve semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with students experiencing HFI from across NS. Phenomenological analysis was undertaken, using Radimer’s model of HFI as a theoretical framework. Key aspects of the experience of food insecurity in this sample included all four dimensions of Radimer’s model of HFI: quantitative, qualitative, psychological, and social. The main contributing factor to student’s difficulties accessing food was inadequate and precarious finances. Students highlighted various coping mechanisms, such as utilizing food banks, budgeting their money, and buying food in bulk. This study is an important next step to a better understanding of the experience of student HFI in NS, building on previous quantitative research. Findings suggest that while the experience of HFI has many similarities with the experience in other populations, students experience tensions between independence and reliance on their family and have unique struggles related to government financial supports. The findings point to necessary policy changes related to student funding programs, and suggest that relying on campus food banks to solve the issue of HFI among students is inadequate.

scholarly journals Older People, Mobility and Transport in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of the Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 6157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Gorman ◽  
Sion Jones ◽  
Jeffrey Turner
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The State ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Older populations are rising globally, which in high-income countries has helped to generate a growing literature on the impact of ageing on travel requirements and transport policy. This article aims to provide an initial assessment of the state of knowledge on the impact on transportation policy and usage of the increasing numbers of older people in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs), through a review of the literature relating to older people and transportation. As both the academic and policy/practice-related literature specifically addressing ageing and transport in LAMICs is limited, the study looks beyond transportation to assess the state of knowledge regarding the ways in which older people’s mobility is affected by issues, such as health, well-being, social (dis)engagement and gender. We find significant knowledge gaps, resulting in an evidence base to support the implementation of policy is lacking. Most research in low-income countries (LICs) is either broad quantitative analysis based on national survey data or small-scale qualitative studies. We conclude that, although study of the differing contexts of ageing in LAMICs as they relate to older people’s mobilities and transport use has barely begun, institutions which both make and influence policymaking recognise the existence of significant knowledge gaps. This should provide the context in which research agendas can be established.

scholarly journals Food insecurity and HIV/AIDS: Current knowledge, gaps, and research priorities

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 224-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aranka Anema ◽  
Nicholas Vogenthaler ◽  
Edward A. Frongillo ◽  
Suneetha Kadiyala ◽  
Sheri D. Weiser
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Hiv Aids

Association Between Social Pensions With Depression, Social, and Health Behaviors Among Poor Older Individuals in Colombia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Hessel ◽  
Lina María Bermeo López ◽  
Laura Cristina López Franco ◽  
Andrés Ham ◽  
Mónica Pinilla-Roncancio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Labor Force ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Health Food ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Pension Program ◽  
Social Pension

Abstract Objectives Many low- and middle-income countries have introduced social pensions to alleviate extreme poverty and improve the well-being of older individuals. However, evidence remains inconclusive about the potential effects of such programs on mental health, social, and health behaviors. Methods Data for individuals aged 60 or older came from the nationally representative Encuesta Nacional de Salud, Bienestar y Envejeciamiento survey in Colombia 2015 (N = 9,456). We used propensity score matching to estimate the association between the country’s social pension program (Colombia Mayor) with depression, self-rated health, food insecurity, alcohol consumption, social participation, and labor force participation. Results Results show that receiving the program does not significantly affect the likelihood of suffering from depression or self-rated health among either men or women. However, receiving the program is associated with significant reductions in the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity and significant increases in the likelihood of participating socially. Among women, receiving the program is associated with significant reduction in the likelihood of participating in the labor force. Discussion The absence of a measurable effect on depression and self-rated health may be explained, at least partly, by the program’s comparatively small cash benefit and the sharing of resources with other family members. Policymakers should assess possibilities to maximize the health and social benefits of social pensions.

scholarly journals Exploring experiences of food insecurity, stigma, social exclusion, and shame among women in high-income countries: A narrative review

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Pineau ◽  
Patricia L Williams ◽  
Jennifer Brady ◽  
Madeleine Waddington ◽  
Lesley Frank
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Financial Constraints ◽  
Well Being ◽  
High Income ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Health And Well Being

In Canada, over 4.4 million people experience food insecurity, a serious public health issue characterized by inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints. Globally, women experience disproportionately high rates of food insecurity, which can be a highly stigmatizing experience that is associated with feelings of shame and social isolation. This narrative review explores how and why social beliefs and stigma contribute to social exclusion among women experiencing food insecurity within high-income countries, and how enhancing the capacity for empathetic responses to feelings of shame, and efforts to strengthen women’s resilience to shame, can lead to a reduction in stigma. The thematic analysis of the articles included in this review resulted in four themes: 1) the mechanisms of food insecurity-related social exclusion; 2) charitable responses to food insecurity and stigma, shame, and social exclusion; 3) women’s experiences with food insecurity, stigma, shame, and social exclusion; and 4) empathy and shame resilience. The findings of this review suggest that dominant responses to food insecurity contribute to stigma, shame, and social exclusion among women, and that the inadequacy of existing policy responses to address food insecurity has wide-reaching ramifications on the health and well-being of women and their families.

Prospective Memory Development Across the Lifespan

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha Zuber ◽  
Matthias Kliegel
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Memory ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Present Model ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Everyday Functioning ◽  
Integrative Framework

Abstract. Prospective Memory (PM; i.e., the ability to remember to perform planned tasks) represents a key proxy of healthy aging, as it relates to older adults’ everyday functioning, autonomy, and personal well-being. The current review illustrates how PM performance develops across the lifespan and how multiple cognitive and non-cognitive factors influence this trajectory. Further, a new, integrative framework is presented, detailing how those processes interplay in retrieving and executing delayed intentions. Specifically, while most previous models have focused on memory processes, the present model focuses on the role of executive functioning in PM and its development across the lifespan. Finally, a practical outlook is presented, suggesting how the current knowledge can be applied in geriatrics and geropsychology to promote healthy aging by maintaining prospective abilities in the elderly.

Social Protection, Adolescent Well-Being, and Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suman Verma
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Developmental Potential ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Social Protection Systems ◽  
Cycle Of Poverty ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Effective social protection policies are crucial to realizing adolescents’ rights, ensuring their well-being, breaking the cycle of poverty and vulnerability, and helping them realize their full developmental potential. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have extended social security coverage to ensure basic protections—while continuing to develop social protection systems. Social protection for LMIC adolescents in the context of gross violations of their basic rights is examined. Prevalence, consequences of protection rights violations, and the role and impact of social protection programs in ensuring enhanced opportunities for development and well-being among young people are discussed. Results demonstrate direct impacts (e.g., increased income, consumption, goods and services access; greater social inclusion; reduced household stress). LMICs need integrated social protection policy and program expansion if the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to be realized. With adolescent-centered policies and investments, governments can help adolescents realize their rights to a fulfilling and productive life.

scholarly journals Self-reported morbidities, nutritional characteristics, and associated factors in institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelhafid Benksim ◽  
Rachid Ait Addi ◽  
Elhassania Khalloufi ◽  
Aziz Habibi ◽  
Mohamed Cherkaoui
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Nutritional Characteristics

Abstract Background As the world’s population ages and people live longer, it seems important to ensure that older people have a good quality of life and positive subjective well-being. The objective of this study is to determine socio-economic, health and nutritional characteristics of institutionalized and non-institutionalized elders in the province of Marrakech. Methods This study was conducted among 368 older adults in the province of Marrakech between March 2017 and June 2019. Of all participants, 180 older adults reside in a public institution and 188 of them live in their own homes. Data on health conditions, nutritional status, functional and socio-economic characteristics were collected. Data was analyzed using SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 16.0. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results Institutionalized elders were illiterate (80.0%), had low incomes (95.5%), and unmarried (73.3%), they reported also no children (56.1%) and no health insurance (98.9%). Institutional residents suffered from malnutrition (22.2%), hearing impairments (35.6%) and severe edentulism (43.3%). There was no significant difference between both groups on daily activities and depression. A multivariate analysis identified a model with three significant variables associated with non-institutionalized elders: health insurance (P = 0.001; OR = 107.49), number of children (P = 0.001; OR = 1.74) and nutritional status (p = 0.001; OR = 3.853). Conclusions This study shows that the institutionalization of older adults is considerably induced by various factors such as nutritional problems, lack of health insurance and family structure. To mitigate the effects of this phenomenon, home care strategies and preventive actions should be implemented to delay the institutionalization of older adults and therefore keep them socially active in their own homes.

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