Food Insecurity, Safety Nets, and Coping Strategies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multi-Country Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected food security across the world. As governments respond in different ways both with regards to containing the pandemic and addressing food insecurity, in parallel detailed datasets are being collected and analysed. To date, literature addressing food insecurity during the pandemic, using these datasets, has tended to focus on individual countries. By contrast, this paper provides the first detailed multi-country cross-sectional snapshot of the social dimensions of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic across nine African countries (Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda). Econometric analysis reveals that female-headed households, the poor, and the less-formally educated, appear to suffer more in terms of food insecurity during this global pandemic. Importantly, our findings show that the negative consequences of the pandemic are disproportionately higher for lower-income households and those who had to borrow to make ends meet rather than relying on savings; impacts are country-specific; and there is considerable spatial heterogeneity within country food insecurity, suggesting that tailored policies will be required. These nine countries employ both food and cash safety nets, with the evidence suggesting that, at least when these data were collected, cash safety nets have been slightly more effective at reducing food insecurity. Our results provide a baseline that can be used by governments to help design and implement tailored policies to address food insecurity. Our findings can also be used as lessons to reshape policies to tackle the heterogeneous impacts of climate change.

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Suicidal ideation and associated factors among school-going adolescents in rural Ghana

Current Psychology ◽

10.1007/s12144-021-01378-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie ◽

Samuel Kofi Odame

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Attempted Suicide ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Rural Adolescents ◽

African Countries ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rural Ghana ◽

Sub Saharan

AbstractSuicidal ideation is a critical risk for attempted suicide and eventual suicide. Little is known about suicidal ideation among rural adolescents in most sub-Saharan African countries. We aimed to estimate the 12-month prevalence of suicidal ideation and to describe some of the common and gender-specific associated factors among in-school adolescents in rural Ghana. We conducted a cross-sectional survey involving a random sample of 1101 in-school adolescents aged 10–19 years in a rural district in Eastern Ghana. The Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised was used to assess suicidal ideation. Overall, 25.1% participants (95% CI = 22.5–27.7), representing 28.3% females (95% CI = 24.7–32.2) and 21.5% males (95% CI = 18.0–25.2) reported suicidal ideation during the previous 12 months. Females who experienced personal and interpersonal adversities mainly outside the family context were likely to report suicidal ideation, while suicidal ideation among males was associated with conflict with parents. Regardless of gender, adolescents who reported exposure to a friend’s attempted suicide were about two times more likely to report suicidal ideation. The prevalence of suicidal ideation among adolescents in rural Ghana compares with in-school estimates from other countries within sub-Saharan Africa, but also underscores the need for targeted and universal prevention programmes and intervention efforts to mitigate the potential transition from suicidal ideations to suicidal attempts and eventual deaths by suicide among rural adolescents.

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HIV/AIDS

Oxford Textbook of Medicine ◽

10.1093/med/9780198746690.003.0098 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 901-933

Author(s):

Sarah Fidler ◽

Timothy E.A. Peto ◽

Philip Goulder ◽

Christopher P. Conlon

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

African Countries ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

The People ◽

Reduce Life Expectancy ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

The Impact

Since its discovery in 1983, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been associated with a global pandemic that has affected more than 78 million people and caused more than 39 million deaths. Globally, 36.9 million (34.3–41.4 million) people were living with HIV at the end of 2013. An estimated 0.8% of adults aged 15–49 years worldwide are living with HIV, although the burden of the epidemic continues to vary considerably between countries and regions. Sub-Saharan Africa remains most severely affected, with nearly 1 in every 20 adults living with HIV and accounting for nearly 71% of the people living with HIV worldwide. The impact of HIV in some African countries has been sufficient to reverse population growth and reduce life expectancy into the mid-30s, although HIV incidence has declined in some of these high-prevalence countries. However, there are large-scale HIV epidemics elsewhere (e.g. India, the Russian Federation, and Eastern Europe).

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Mastalgia: Prevalence at a Sub-Saharan African Tertiary Hospital

Pain Research and Treatment ◽

10.1155/2014/972726 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

T. Makumbi ◽

M. Galukande ◽

A. Gakwaya

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Western World ◽

African Countries ◽

Breast Clinic ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ethical Approval ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Cyclical Mastalgia

Introduction. Mastalgia is a common breast condition among women referred to breast clinics worldwide. Whereas the prevalence is known in the Western world and Asia, the prevalence of the disease is unknown in many African countries. The aim of this study therefore was to determine the prevalence and describe factors associated with mastalgia among women attending a tertiary hospital in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods. A cross-sectional study was done in Kampala, Uganda. Mastalgia was defined as self-reported breast pain (unilateral or bilateral) for a period not less than two months. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 11. Ethical approval was obtained. Results. Out of the 1048 women who presented to the breast clinic during the study period, 168 (16%) were diagnosed with mastalgia in the absence of breast cancer. Noncyclical and cyclical mastalgia were 22/168 (13%) and 5/168 (3%), respectively. The onset of noncyclical category as compared to the cyclical type of mastalgia was observed to manifest before 24 years of age (P=0.006). Conclusion. Mastalgia was a common condition among women in this sub-Saharan African setting as is elsewhere. The early onset mastalgia in this sub-Saharan African study requires further exploration for determination of its risk factors.

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Birth registration and child undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001500333x ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (10) ◽

pp. 1757-1767 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Ornella Comandini ◽

Stefano Cabras ◽

Elisabetta Marini

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Status ◽

Permutation Test ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Wealth Quintile ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Demographic And Health Surveys ◽

Birth Registration ◽

African Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sub Saharan

AbstractObjectiveIn many countries of the world millions of people are not registered at birth. However, in order to assess children’s nutritional status it is necessary to have an exact knowledge of their age. In the present paper we discuss the effects of insufficient or imprecise age data on estimates of undernutrition prevalence.DesignBirth registration rates and levels of stunting, underweight and wasting were retrieved from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys of thirty-seven sub-Saharan African countries, considering the subdivision in wealth quintiles. The composition of the cross-sectional sample used for nutritional evaluation was analysed using a permutation test. Logistic regression was applied to analyse the relationship between birth registration and undernutrition. The 95 % probability intervals and Student’s t test were used to evaluate the effect of age bias and error.ResultsHeterogeneous sampling designs were detected among countries, with different percentages of children selected for anthropometry. Further, registered children were slightly more represented within samples used for nutritional analysis than in the total sample. A negative relationship between birth registration and undernutrition was recognized, with registered children showing a better nutritional status than unregistered ones, even within each wealth quintile. The over- or underestimation of undernutrition in the case of systematic over- or underestimation of age, respectively, the latter being more probable, was quantified up to 28 %. Age imprecision was shown to slightly overestimate undernutrition.ConclusionsSelection bias towards registered children and underestimation of children’s age can lead to an underestimation of the prevalence of undernutrition.

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Comprehensive Review of Growing Food Insecurity in Africa in Terms of Causes, Effects and Solutions: The Nigerian Example

Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology ◽

10.24925/turjaf.v5i6.629-636.1113 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (6) ◽

pp. 629

Author(s):

Wasiu Olayinka Fawole ◽

Burhan Özkan

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

African Countries ◽

Security Risks ◽

Western Africa ◽

Annual Survey ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Sub Saharan

This study examined the situation of food insecurity in Africa with special emphasis on Nigeria with a view to giving the picture of the trend with respect to causes, effects and possible solutions. The study employed secondary data sourced from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and subsequently compared the results with other previously conducted studies on food security status in Nigeria and few other African countries. Data for the trend of food security between 1990 and 2014 were sourced from FAO. The findings of this study combined with other previously conducted studies revealed that the food insecurity in Nigeria is not only becoming worrisome but frightening. According to the FAO three commonly employed indicators (prevalence of undernourishment, prevalence of food insecurity and number of undernourished people), it was observed that food insecurity in Nigeria continued to rise from 2009 according to the results of the annual survey till 2014. The implication of this is that if the trend is not halted as quickly as possible it is a time bomb that may pose grave security risks and danger to the country and Africa as a whole being the most populous black nation and it is almost certain that any destabilization suffered as a result of hunger in Nigeria is a destabilization of the entire sub-Saharan Africa region considering her enormous population and the strategic place she occupies in the economy of the region especially the western Africa. This paper made some far-reaching recommendations that could halt the trend if judiciously implemented.

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Investigation of the Possible Moderators of Alcohol-Related Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa

African Journal of Biology and Medical Research ◽

10.52589/ajbmr-oaebs2xl ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 67-83

Author(s):

Ekpenyong M.S. ◽

Tawari E. P.2

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Demographic And Health Surveys ◽

African Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sub Saharan

Alcohol-related intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue which has attracted a lot of research and debates. While some studies have reported the relationship between alcohol and IPV to be linear, others have reported threshold effects. While some studies have found the link to be strong, others have reported it to be weak or to show no association. The aim of this study was to determine the possible moderators on the alcohol-IPV link in sub-Saharan Africa. For the quantitative study, secondary analysis and meta-analysis were used to analyze cross-sectional data from the demographic and health surveys of ten countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). Logistic regression analysis of possible moderators of the alcohol-IPV link was determined in ten sub-Saharan African countries. The nature of moderation was different among countries. The results of this study can be applied in planning country-specific and multi-faceted intervention programmes.

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Economics & Religious Implications On Adult Literacy In Sub-Saharan Africa

Journal of Applied Business Research (JABR) ◽

10.19030/jabr.v25i1.1050 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Amon O. Okpala ◽

Comfort O. Okpala

Keyword(s):

Adult Literacy ◽

Urban Population ◽

Religious Affiliation ◽

Least Square ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

African Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ordinary Least Square ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Impact

Although literacy rates have improved somehow in recent years, there are still large numbers of people that are illiterates in developing countries.  This paper examines the impact of public education expenditures, the percentage of urban population and religious affiliation on adult literacy rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, a cross-sectional data of 34 Sub-Saharan African countries with adequate data information were analyzed. The results from the ANOVA and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression analysis are quite conclusive - that urban population, government expenditures on education and religious affiliations do have strong statistical impact on literacy.

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The Role Of School Life Expectancy And Urbanization On Adult Literacy Rates In Sub-Saharan Africa

International Business & Economics Research Journal (IBER) ◽

10.19030/iber.v13i2.8448 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 329

Author(s):

Amon Okpala ◽

Comfort Okpala

Keyword(s):

Life Expectancy ◽

Adult Literacy ◽

Percent Level ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

School Life ◽

African Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Impact

It is important to examine the role of urbanization, government, and school life expectancy (the years of schooling a child is expected to have) on adult literacy because literacy contributes to economic success. Using cross-sectional data on 46 Sub-Saharan African countries, this study examines 1) the impact of school life expectancy on adult literacy, 2) the influence of urban population on adult literacy, and 3) the effectiveness of government educational expenditure on adult literacy. OLS regression analysis showed that the percentage of the population residing in urban centers and the school life expectancy were positively significant at the 5 percent level. Government expenditure, as a percentage of GDP, was positively significant at the 1 percent level.

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Preparedness and Response Efforts to Fight against COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

Journal of Pediatrics & Neonatal Biology ◽

10.33140/jpnb.05.02.07 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

Keyword(s):

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

World Health ◽

African Countries ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Laboratory Facility ◽

The World ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Moment ◽

Health Organization

In late December the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as global pandemic and needs international concern. As the novel corona virus rages through the world and spreads rapidly Africa is the least-affected continent at the moment. Sub-Saharan Africa is the home of more than one billion populations with fragile health system which is prone for the epidemic to occur. But Ebola experience left many African countries better prepared. We were searching all sources of the website related to preparation and prevention of COVID-19 in sub-Sahara Africa countries. Most African countries have established laboratory facility and implement the recommendations that terminate the outbreak COVID-19.

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TIMING OF SEXUAL DEBUT AMONG UNMARRIED YOUTHS AGED 15–24 YEARS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s0021932017000098 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 161-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Joshua Amo-Adjei ◽

Derek Anamaale Tuoyire

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Young Women ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Sexual Debut ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

African Countries ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Female Headed Households ◽

The Impact

SummaryThis study aimed to contribute to the evidence on the timing of sexual debut in young people in sub-Saharan African countries. Data were extracted from 34 nationally representative surveys conducted in the region between 2006 and 2014. The study sample comprised unmarried women (n=167,932) and men (n=76,900) aged 15–24 years. Descriptive techniques and Cox proportional regression models were used to estimate the timing of sexual debut, and Kaplan–Meier hazard curves were used to describe the patterns of sexual debut in each country by sex. For the countries studied, sexual debut for both women and men occurred between the ages of 15 and 18 years, with median ages of 16 for women and 17 for men. Overall, education and household wealth provided significant protection against early sexual debut among women, but the reverse was found among men for wealth. Women in rural areas, in female-headed households and in Central, South and West Africa reported higher hazards of early commencement of sexual activity than their counterparts in urban, male-headed households and East Africa. However, the impact of these variables on male sexual debut did not follow a consistent pattern. Varied timing, as well as country-specific risk factors associated with sexual debut for young women and men across sub-Saharan Africa, were identified. Sexual health programmes and interventions for young people may require different approaches for young women and men.

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