scholarly journals Health Status and Health Care Needs of Drought-Related Migrants in the Horn of Africa—A Qualitative Investigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5917
Author(s):  
Kristina Lindvall ◽  
John Kinsman ◽  
Atakelti Abraha ◽  
Abdirisak Dalmar ◽  
Mohamed Farah Abdullahi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Horn Of Africa ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender

Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, situated in the Horn of Africa, are highly vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself through increasing temperatures, erratic rains and prolonged droughts. Millions of people have to flee from droughts or floods either as cross-border refugees or as internally displaced persons (IDPs). The aim of this study was to identify knowledge status and gaps regarding public health consequences of large-scale displacement in these countries. After a scoping review, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews during 2018 with 39 stakeholders from different disciplines and agencies in these three countries. A validation workshop was held with a selection of 13 interviewees and four project partners. Malnutrition and a lack of vaccination of displaced people are well-known challenges, while mental health problems and gender-based violence (GBV) are less visible to stakeholders. In particular, the needs of IDPs are not well understood. The treatment of mental health and GBV is insufficient, and IDPs have inadequate access to essential health services in refugee camps. Needs assessment and program evaluations with a patients’ perspective are either lacking or inadequate in most situations. The Horn of Africa is facing chronic food insecurity, poor population health and mass displacement. IDPs are an underserved group, and mental health services are lacking. A development approach is necessary that moves beyond emergency responses to the building of long-term resilience, the provision of livelihood support and protection to reduce displacement by droughts.

scholarly journals COVID-19 in humanitarian settings: documenting and sharing context-specific programmatic experiences

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha S. Singh ◽  
Orit Abrahim ◽  
Chiara Altare ◽  
Karl Blanchet ◽  
Caroline Favas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Field Experiences ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Humanitarian Settings ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Guidance Documents ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Context Specific

AbstractHumanitarian organizations have developed innovative and context specific interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as guidance has been normative in nature and most are not humanitarian specific. In April 2020, three universities developed a COVID-19 humanitarian-specific website (www.covid19humanitarian.com) to allow humanitarians from the field to upload their experiences or be interviewed by academics to share their creative responses adapted to their specific country challenges in a standardised manner. These field experiences are reviewed by the three universities together with various guidance documents and uploaded to the website using an operational framework. The website currently hosts 135 guidance documents developed by 65 different organizations, and 65 field experiences shared by 29 organizations from 27 countries covering 38 thematic areas. Examples of challenges and innovative solutions from humanitarian settings are provided for triage and sexual and gender-based violence. Offering open access resources on a neutral platform by academics can provide a space for constructive dialogue among humanitarians at the country, regional and global levels, allowing humanitarian actors at the country level to have a strong and central voice. We believe that this neutral and openly accessible platform can serve as an example for future large-scale emergencies and epidemics.

scholarly journals Exploring the mental health and psychosocial problems of Congolese refugees living in refugee settings in Rwanda and Uganda: a rapid qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Chiumento ◽  
Theoneste Rutayisire ◽  
Emmanuel Sarabwe ◽  
M. Tasdik Hasan ◽  
Rosco Kasujja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Free List ◽  
Psychosocial Wellbeing ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Background Refugees fleeing conflict often experience poor mental health due to experiences in their country of origin, during displacement, and in new host environments. Conditions in refugee camps and settlements, and the wider socio-political and economic context of refugees’ lives, create structural conditions that compound the effects of previous adversity. Mental health and psychosocial support services must address the daily stressors and adversities refugees face by being grounded in the lived reality of refugee’s lives and addressing issues relevant to them. Methods We undertook a rapid qualitative study between March and May 2019 to understand the local prioritisation of problems facing Congolese refugees living in two refugee settings in Uganda and Rwanda. Thirty free list interviews were conducted in each setting, followed by 11 key informant interviews in Uganda and 12 in Rwanda. Results Results from all interviews were thematically analysed following a deductive process by the in-country research teams. Free list interview findings highlight priority problems of basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare access; alongside contextual social problems including discrimination/inequity and a lack of gender equality. Priority problems relating to mental and psychosocial health explored in key informant interviews include discrimination and inequity; alcohol and substance abuse; and violence and gender-based violence. Conclusions Our findings strongly resonate with models of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing that emphasise their socially determined and contextually embedded nature. Specifically, findings foreground the structural conditions of refugees’ lives such as the physical organisation of camp spaces or refugee policies that are stigmatising through restricting the right to work or pursue education. This structural environment can lead to disruptions in social relationships at the familial and community levels, giving rise to discrimination/inequity and gender-based violence. Therefore, our findings foreground that one consequence of living in situations of pervasive adversity caused by experiences of discrimination, inequity, and violence is poor mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. This understanding reinforces the relevance of feasible and acceptable intervention approaches that aim to strengthening familial and community-level social relationships, building upon existing community resources to promote positive mental health and psychosocial wellbeing among Congolese refugees in these settings.

scholarly journals Gender-based violence and HIV sexual risk behavior: Alcohol use and mental health problems as mediators among women in drinking venues, Cape Town

2012 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 1417-1425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen V. Pitpitan ◽  
Seth C. Kalichman ◽  
Lisa A. Eaton ◽  
Kathleen J. Sikkema ◽  
Melissa H. Watt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Risk Behavior ◽  
Sexual Risk ◽  
Sexual Risk Behavior ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Hiv Sexual Risk ◽  
Gender Based

scholarly journals Study protocol for a longitudinal study evaluating the impact of rape on women’s health and their use of health services in South Africa

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e017296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naeemah Abrahams ◽  
Soraya Seedat ◽  
Carl Lombard ◽  
Andre P Kengne ◽  
Bronwyn Myers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionSouth Africa is a country known for its high levels of HIV infection and sexual violence. Although the interface between gender-based violence, HIV and mental health has been described, there are substantial gaps in knowledge of the medium-term and long-term health impact. The 2010 Global Burden of Disease study excluded many health outcomes associated with rape and other forms of gender-based violence because systematic reviews revealed huge gaps in data and poor evidence of health effects. This study aims to describe the incidence and attributable burden of physical and mental health problems (including HIV acquisition) in adult women over a 2-year postrape period, through comparison with a cohort of women who have not been raped. The study will substantially advance our understanding of the impact of rape and will generate robust data to assist in the development of postrape health services and the delivery of evidence-based care.Methods and analysisThis longitudinal study seeks to recruit 1008 rape-exposed and 1008 rape non-exposed women. Women were recruited from health services, and assessments were carried out at baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months. Outcome measures include exposure to risk factors; mental health status; cardio-metabolic risks; and biomarkers for HIV, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy and stress. The primary analysis will be to compare HIV incidence in the two groups using log-rank tests. Appropriate models to predict health outcomes over time will also be applied.Ethics and disseminationThe South African Medical Research Council’s Ethics Committee approved the study. As rape is a key element of the study, the safety and protection of participants guides the research process. We will adopt a research uptake strategy to ensure dissemination to policy makers, service providers and advocacy groups. Peer-reviewed journal articles will be published.

scholarly journals Risk of Gender-Based Violence and Poor Mental Health Among Nepalese Women During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
Lalita Kumari Sah ◽  
Prabhu Sah ◽  
Manoj Kumar Yadav ◽  
Surya B. Parajuli ◽  
Rinku Shah
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Service Access ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Health Service Access ◽  
Limited Health ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Financial Dependency

During Covid-19 pandemic, gender-based violence (GBV) against women and poor mental health with limited health service access for women have received paramount attention among researchers, policy makers, health professionals and healthcare service providers. This paper presents a review of published articles in an attempt to understand GBV and poor mental health among Nepalese women in the context of Covid-19. Evidence suggests that gender inequality and gender-based violence have played a significant role in increasing mental health issues among women during the pandemic. Social factors such as low education, financial dependency, lack of support system, limited access to healthcare, lack of awareness about the GBV laws, and cultural norms that put women in the lower position within the society are the realities of majority of Nepalese women. These factors intersect each other and present compounded risks that put women at more vulnerable position than others, which is further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic putting Nepalese women at risks of GBV and poor mental health compared to men in the society. The paper also recommends actions that are required to address the GBV and poor mental health among Nepalese women.

Intersecting Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Timilsina
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Gender And Sexuality ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Health It ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Gender Based

Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health are well-studied with accolades of literature on each topic; however, their interrelationships have been under-described. Mental Health problems can be result of concurrent or past Sexual and Reproductive Health ill event and vice versa. This article presents intersection between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health based on available literature. Intersections between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health and their impacts can be studied through life course perspective and needs prioritized attention in case of Gender Based Violence and for people living with disability. The article highlights the importance to explore other aspects such as emotions, gender and sexuality associated with Mental Health and to study and understand physiological and psychological context between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health. It also stresses the need of further research on intersection between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Effects of migration on women’s psychosocial health

2021 ◽  
pp. 137-140
Author(s):  
Mauro Carta ◽  
Giulia Cossu ◽  
Caterina La Cascia
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
African Women ◽  
Migrant Women ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender

The scientific community and humanitarian organizations have produced a considerable amount of research on the mental health status of migrants. However, few studies have looked at the mental health of migrant women. This chapter is aimed to study this phenomenon, beginning with an examination of risks related to sexual and gender-based violence in the different steps of the migration process, and the psychological implications of the migratory process on Mediterranean African women in Europe. The migration and different forms of violence on women are associated with psychopathological manifestations such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, adaptation, and trauma- and stressor-related disorders. There is very limited knowledge on the lived experiences of migrant women and in future studies researchers should investigate the relationship between migration, gender, and mental health, in order to encourage the policies and prevention/treatment programmes for women and for psychosocial issues that may arise.

scholarly journals A Pilot Study of Experience of Gender-Based Violence by Girls with Mental Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-174
Author(s):  
S.E. Retsya ◽  
Z.V. Lukovtseva
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Ptsd Scale ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
Subjective Significance

Being highly subjective and hard to diagnose, the phenomenon of experiencing of gender-based violence remains insufficiently understood. Finding the nature of such experience in victims with mental disorders appears to be of particular relevance and was chosen as the subject of this research work. It was hypothesized that experience of gender-based violence reflects the negative subjective significance of what happened and is more dramatic in girls with mental health problems than in girls who are mentally healthy. 15 girls with non-psychotic disorders (G.Ye. Sukhareva Center of Mental Health) and 8 mentally healthy girls aged 15-17 have been examined. The following methodologies were used: the Line of Life; Identifying Situations of Gender-Related Violence; Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. It has been established that experiencing gender-based violence by girls with mental disorders is distinguished by increased subjective actuality, acuteness, attainability of spontaneous verbalization and other characteristics. The practical relevance of the data obtained is determined by their applicability in the psychological rehabilitation of mentally diseased girls who have faced gender-based violence.

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