Addressing inequities in maternal health among women living in communities of social disadvantage and ethnic diversity

AbstractThe response to the coronavirus outbreak and how the disease and its societal consequences pose risks to already vulnerable groups such those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged and ethnic minority groups. Researchers and community groups analysed how the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated persisting vulnerabilities, socio-economic and structural disadvantage and discrimination faced by many communities of social disadvantage and ethnic diversity, and discussed future strategies on how best to engage and involve local groups in research to improve outcomes for childbearing women experiencing mental illness and those living in areas of social disadvantage and ethnic diversity. Discussions centred around: access, engagement and quality of care; racism, discrimination and trust; the need for engagement with community stakeholders; and the impact of wider social and economic inequalities. Addressing biomedical factors alone is not sufficient, and integrative and holistic long-term public health strategies that address societal and structural racism and overall disadvantage in society are urgently needed to improve health disparities and can only be implemented in partnership with local communities.

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Coronavirus Pandemic: Coping with the Psychological Outcomes, Mental Changes, and the “New Normal” During and After COVID-19

10.36811/ojda.2020.110005 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 07-19

Author(s):

Hiba Takieddine ◽

Samaa AL Tabbah

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Providers ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Public Health Response ◽

New Normal ◽

The World ◽

Health Organization ◽

The Impact

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease that has rapidly swept across the world, inducing a considerable degree of fear, worry and concern in the population at large and among certain groups in particular, such as older adults, healthcare providers and people with underlying health conditions. Authorities around the world tried to prevent the virus spread by imposing social distancing measures, quarantining citizens and isolating infected persons. Apart from its physical impact, COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous changes to people’s lives. It changed daily routines, caused worldwide economic crisis, increased unemployment, and placed people under emotional and financial pressures. It affected people psychologically and mentally especially in terms of emotions and cognition. During the acute crisis, everyone to varying degrees experienced fear of infection, somatic concerns, worries about the pandemic’s consequences, loneliness, depression, stress, as well as increased alcohol and drug use. As part of its public health response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has worked with partners to develop a set of new guidelines and messages that can be used to prevent, manage, and support mental and psychological well-being in different vulnerable target groups during the outbreak. Whether people like it or not, the psychological sequela of this pandemic will emerge and persist for months and years to come leading to long-term consequences. New lifestyles and “New Normals” will surely emerge. The main purpose of this review is to summarize the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the psychological and mental health of people around the world especially vulnerable groups. It also presents the relevant intervention actions and recommendations to cope efficiently and effectively with the psychological short-term and long-term outcomes, mental changes, and the “New Normal” during and after COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus, Psychological; Mental; New Normal

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Uneven Humanitarianism: Abandoned Refugees along the Thai-Myanmar Border

Review of Human Rights ◽

10.35994/rhr.v2i1.77 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 65-86

Author(s):

Tani Sebro

Keyword(s):

Ad Hoc ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Humanitarian Aid ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Ethnic Minority Groups ◽

Authoritarian Rule ◽

Humanitarian Organizations ◽

British Colonial

This essay considers the case of uneven humanitarian aid distribution along the Thai-Myanmar border, where forcibly displaced migrants from Myanmar have been abandoned by the UNHCR and international humanitarian organizations. Based upon long-term ethnographic fieldwork along the Thai-Myanmar border amongst Tai migrants from the Shan State in Myanmar, I attend to the effects of the inequitable distribution of rights and privileges in an international humanitarian system that is predicated on the neoliberal logic of uneven development. After two centuries of British colonial occupation and later Burman authoritarian rule, the ethnic minority groups along the Thai-Myanmar border are now facing another crisis – that of abandonment as NGOs search for new and more pressing humanitarian disasters elsewhere. The essay addresses a concept I call uneven humanitarianism as a neocolonial condition for peoples living in the Thai-Myanmar borderlands by specifically focusing on Tai peoples who are living in unofficial refugee camps that lost foreign funding in 2017. I argue that the ad hoc treatment and eventual abandonment of these vulnerable groups – that are currently in the midst of the world’s most protracted civil war and displacement situation – constitutes a failure of the “responsibility to protect” humanitarian project.

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Lower Wages of Nurses in Long-Term Care: Does Racial and Ethnic Diversity Explain the Difference?

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.270 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 70-70

Author(s):

Joanne Spetz ◽

Laura Wagner ◽

Timothy Bates

Keyword(s):

Registered Nurses ◽

Ethnic Diversity ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Labor Union ◽

National Sample ◽

Sample Survey ◽

Term Care ◽

Union Status

Abstract Registered nurses (RNs) are a key component of the long-term care (LTC) workforce and prior research demonstrates their importance to ensuring patient safety in LTC settings. RNs who work in LTC settings earn less than those who work in hospitals and also are more likely to be from racial and ethnic minority groups. This study seeks to measure wage differences between Registered Nurses (RNs) working in LTC and other settings (e.g., hospitals) and whether differences are associated with the characteristics of the RN workforce between and within settings. We used the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) public-use file to examine RN employment and earnings. Our study population included a sample of 15,373 employed RNs who provided patient care. Characteristics such as race/ethnicity, type of RN degree completed, census region, and union status were included in bivariate analyses and multiple regression analyses to examine the effect of these characteristics on wages. Logistic regression was used to predict RN employment in LTC settings. We found that RNs in LTC experienced lower wages compared to those in non-LTC settings, yet this difference was not associated with racial/ethnic or international educational differences. LTC nurses were also significantly less likely to be represented by a labor union, and there was not a statistically significant wage difference for LTC RNs who were unionized. Because RNs in LTC earn lower wages than RNs in other settings, policies to minimize pay inequities are needed to support the RN workforce caring for frail older adults.

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Examining COVID-19 and HIV: The impact of intersectional stigma on short- and long-term health outcomes among African Americans

International Social Work ◽

10.1177/0020872820940017 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (5) ◽

pp. 655-659

Author(s):

Liesl A Nydegger ◽

Mandy J Hill

Keyword(s):

Health Disparities ◽

African Americans ◽

Critical Race Theory ◽

Medical Mistrust ◽

Structural Racism ◽

Social Inequities ◽

Short And Long Term ◽

The Impact ◽

African American Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the health disparities and structural racism among African Americans. We examined overlaps between the COVID-19 pandemic and HIV epidemic using an intersectional stigma framework through the lens of Critical Race Theory. Intersectional stigma, medical mistrust, and decreased likelihood of referral for HIV and COVID-19 testing leads to decreased engagement in the healthcare system. Social inequities increase health disparities and lead to increased rates of chronic diseases, which increases the risk and severity of COVID-19. Solutions to mitigate impact among African Americans include increasing engagement regarding African American health, funding, and providers of color.

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Subjective cognitive failures and their psychological correlates in a large Italian sample during quarantine/self-isolation for COVID-19

Neurological Sciences ◽

10.1007/s10072-021-05268-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gabriella Santangelo ◽

Ivana Baldassarre ◽

Andrea Barbaro ◽

Nicola Davide Cavallo ◽

Maria Cropano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Symptoms ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cognitive Failures ◽

Virtual Platform ◽

The Moment ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

The Impact ◽

Psychoeducational Interventions

Abstract Objective The quarantine/self-isolation measures implemented to retard the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may negatively affect the mental health of the population. The present study aimed to explore the impact of the psychological symptoms on the occurrence of cognitive failures in a large sample of home-dwelling Italian individuals during quarantine/self-isolation for COVID-19. Methods We employed an online questionnaire using a virtual platform of Google Moduli. The questionnaire included an assessment of cognitive failures evaluated by the Perceived Memory and Attentional Failures Questionnaire (PerMAFaQ) and of resilience, coping style, depression, anger, and anxiety. Results The online questionnaire was completed by 4175 participants revealing that about 30% of participants complained of cognitive failures at least sometimes during quarantine/self-isolation, whereas some respondents reported very frequent cognitive failures. Moreover, resilience was found to mediate the relationships between depressive and anger symptoms and cognitive failures. Although no difference was found on PerMAFaQ among smart-workers, non-smart-workers, and those currently not at work, people not working at the moment complained of more frequent cognitive failures. Conclusions These findings indicate the need to implement psychological support intervention, particularly for vulnerable groups, to reduce anxiety, depression, and anger, and of psychoeducational interventions to enhance resilience reducing possible long-term cognitive consequences of the quarantine.

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Sexual and Gender Minorities Facing the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Systematic Review

10.31234/osf.io/dnc87 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Clara Bleckmann ◽

Birgit Leyendecker ◽

Julian Busch

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Future Research ◽

Sexual And Gender Minorities ◽

Current State ◽

Gender Minorities ◽

And Gender ◽

The Impact

Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) constitute vulnerable groups in many countries. Thus, they might be affected to a different extent than heterosexual and cisgender individuals by the Coronavirus pandemic. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the current state of international research on the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on SGM individuals. Following the PRISMA protocol, we synthesized 35 publications including different article formats. Key findings yield that SGM individuals overall suffer to a larger extent from combinations of both minority- and pandemic-specific stressors. Some evidence was contradicting across studies, for example changes in the extent of risk behavior, and minority stress experiences during the pandemic. Although our review distinctively spots on the impact of the pandemic on SGM individuals’ lives, its pathways still remain to be better understood. Moreover, future research should also examine the yet unforeseeable long-term consequences of the pandemic for SGM populations.

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Changing the Narrative: Structural Barriers and Racial and Ethnic Inequities in COVID-19 Vaccination

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189904 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9904

Author(s):

Anuli Njoku ◽

Marcelin Joseph ◽

Rochelle Felix

Keyword(s):

Minority Groups ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Structural Barriers ◽

Structural Racism ◽

Vaccination Rates ◽

Promising Solution ◽

The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. Although a promising solution of the COVID-19 vaccination offers hope, disparities in access again threaten the health of these communities. Various explanations have arisen for the cause of disparate vaccination rates among racial and ethnic minorities, including discussion of vaccine hesitancy. Conversely, the role of vaccine accessibility rooted in structural racism as a driver in these disparities should be further explored. This paper discusses the impact of structural barriers on racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake. We also recommend public health, health system, and community-engaged approaches to reduce racial disparities in COVID-19 disease and mortality.

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Impact of disasters, including pandemics, on cardiometabolic outcomes across the life-course: A systematic review

10.1101/2020.11.27.20239830 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Vanessa De Rubeis ◽

Jinhee Lee ◽

Muhammad Saqib Anwer ◽

Yulika Yoshida-Montezuma ◽

Alessandra T. Andreacchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Life Course ◽

Health Science ◽

List Type ◽

Obesity And Diabetes ◽

The Life Course ◽

Public Health Strategies ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACTObjectivesDisasters, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, disrupt daily life, increase uncertainty and stress, and may increase long-term risk of adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, including heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The objective was to conduct a systematic review to determine the impact of disasters, including pandemics, on cardiometabolic outcomes across the life-course.DesignA systematic search was conducted in May 2020 using two electronic databases, EMBASE and Medline. All studies were screened in duplicate at title and abstract, and full-text level. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they assessed an association with population-level or community disaster and cardiometabolic outcomes. There were no restrictions on year of publication, country or population. Non-English and earthquake-related studies were excluded. Data were extracted on study characteristics, exposure (e.g., type of disaster, name of specific event, region, year), cardiometabolic outcomes, and measures of effect. Study quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools.ResultsA total of 58 studies were included, with 24 studies reporting the effects of exposure to disaster during pregnancy/childhood and 34 studies reporting the effects of exposure during adulthood. Studies included exposure to natural (60%) and human-made (40%) disasters, with only 3 (5%) of these studies evaluating previous pandemics. Most studies were conducted in North America (62%). Most studies reported increased cardiometabolic risk, including increased cardiovascular disease incidence or mortality, diabetes, and obesity. Few studies investigated potential mechanisms or identified high risk subgroups.ConclusionsUnderstanding the long-term consequences of disasters on cardiometabolic outcomes across the life-course may inform public health strategies for the current COVID-19 pandemic. This review found strong evidence of an increased association between disaster exposure and cardiometabolic outcomes across the life-course, although more research is needed to better understand the mechanisms and preventative efforts.PROSPERO registrationCRD – 42020186074Strengths and limitations of this studyThis systematic review is one of the first to review the literature on disasters, including pandemics, and subsequent cardiometabolic outcomes throughout the life-course.A comprehensive search strategy was developed in consultation with Health Science Librarians at McMaster University, which resulted in 58 studies that were eligible for inclusion into the review.Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies, a meta-analysis was not conducted.This review contributes a synthesis of the literature on the impact of disasters and cardiometabolic outcomes, that can help to inform public health strategies for the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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Social Work during the COVID-19 Crisis: Responding to Urgent Social Needs

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12208595 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (20) ◽

pp. 8595 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gisela Redondo-Sama ◽

Virginia Matulic ◽

Ariadna Munté-Pascual ◽

Irene de Vicente

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Social Workers ◽

Social Services ◽

Social Needs ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Organizational Responses ◽

Long Term Impact ◽

The Impact

Social work during the COVID-19 crisis has faced one of the most challenging times to cover urgent social needs in an uncertain scenario. This study analyzes the immediate responses in social work to vulnerable groups in the first 15 days of the pandemic in Barcelona, one of the most affected areas worldwide by COVID-19. The sample for this qualitative study includes 23 semi-structured interviews with social workers from different fields of intervention, from general approaches (primary care) to specific ones (health, ageing, homeless, and justice). The data analysis followed the communicative methodology, including transformative and exclusionary dimensions, and the analytical categories focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social services users, the organizational responses of social workers, and the impact of the interventions to cover urgent social needs of attendees. The interventions have been accompanied by an improvement in communication channels with vulnerable groups, ensuring an understanding of the situation of families and individuals, and covering the most urgent social needs. The study shows the key role of social workers from diverse social attention tools and their contribution to the sustainability of social services with a long-term impact.

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Call for Action to Address Equity and Justice Divide During COVID-19

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2020.559905 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Sonu Bhaskar ◽

Aarushi Rastogi ◽

Koravangattu Valsraj Menon ◽

Beena Kunheri ◽

Sindhu Balakrishnan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Universal Healthcare ◽

Vulnerable Communities ◽

Adverse Impacts ◽

Lower Socioeconomic ◽

Sustainable Societies ◽

The Impact

The coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) is deepening the inequity and injustice among the vulnerable communities. The current study aims to present an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on equity and social justice with a focus on vulnerable communities. Vulnerable communities include, but not limited to, healthcare workers, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnic or minority groups, immigrants or refugees, justice-involved populations, and people suffering from chronic diseases or mental illness. The implications of COVID-19 on these communities and systemic disparities beyond the current pandemic are also discussed. People from vulnerable communities' experience disproportionately adverse impacts of COVID-19. COVID-19 has exacerbated systemic disparities and its long-term negative impact on these populations foretell an impending crisis that could prevail beyond the COVID-19 era. It is onerous that systemic issues be addressed and efforts to build inclusive and sustainable societies be pursued to ensure the provision of universal healthcare and justice for all. Without these reinforcements, we would not only compromise the vulnerable communities but also severely limit our preparedness and response to a future pandemic.

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