scholarly journals The Informal Sector and Economic Growth of South Africa and Nigeria: A Comparative Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
Ernest Etim ◽  
Olawande Daramola
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Growth Dynamics ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Policy Incentives

The informal sector is an integral part of several sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries and plays a key role in the economic growth of these countries. This article used a comparative systematic review to explore the factors that act as drivers to informality in South Africa (SA) and Nigeria, the challenges that impede the growth dynamics of the informal sector, the dominant subsectors, and policy initiatives targeting informal sector providers. A systematic search of Google Scholar, Scopus, ResearchGate was performed together with secondary data collated from grey literature. Using Boolean string search protocols facilitated the elucidation of research questions (RQs) raised in this study. An inclusion and exclusion criteria became necessary for rigour, comprehensiveness and limitation of publication bias. The data collated from thirty-one (31) primary studies (17 for SA and 14 for Nigeria) revealed that unemployment, income disparity among citizens, excessive tax burdens, excessive bureaucratic hurdles from government, inflationary tendencies, poor corruption control, GDP per capita, and lack of social protection survival tendencies all act as drivers to the informal sector in SA and Nigeria. Several challenges are given for both economies and policy incentives that might help sustain and improve the informal sector in these two countries.

scholarly journals Intersectional stigma and its impact on HIV prevention and care among MSM and WSW in sub-Saharan African countries: a protocol for a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e047280
Author(s):  
Gamji M’Rabiu Abubakari ◽  
Debbie Dada ◽  
Jemal Nur ◽  
DeAnne Turner ◽  
Amma Otchere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Meta Analyses

IntroductionResearch has established that various forms of stigma (HIV stigma, gender non-conforming stigma and same-gender sex stigma) exist across Sub-Saharan Africa and have consequences for the utilisation of HIV prevention and care services. Stigmas are typically investigated in HIV literature individually or through investigating individual populations and the various stigmas they may face. The concept of intersectionality highlights the interconnected nature of social categorisations and their ability to create interdependent systems of discrimination based on gender, race, sexuality and so on. Drawing from perspectives on intersectionality, intersectional stigma denotes the convergence of multiple marginalised identities within an individual or a group, the experiences of stigma associated with these identities as well as the synergistic impact of these experiences on health and well-being. With respect to HIV, public health scholars can examine the impacts of intersectional stigmas on HIV prevention and care utilisation.Methods and analysisReviewers will search systematically through MEDLINE, Global Health, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection and Africa Index Medicus and citations for quantitative studies, qualitative studies and grey literature that include data on stigma and HIV among men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Eligible studies will include primary or secondary data on stigma related to HIV risk factors experienced by this population. Studies will be written in French or English and be published between January 1991 and November 2020. All screening and data extraction will be performed in duplicate, and if discrepancies arise, they will be settled by GM’RA, LEN, DD or AO. Findings from this study will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required as there will be no human participants and no protected data will be used in this study. We will disseminate findings through peer-reviewed manuscripts, conferences and webinars.

Informal Economies of the Sahel

2021 ◽  
pp. 310-328
Author(s):  
Fatou Guèye ◽  
Ahmadou Aly Mbaye
Keyword(s):  
Informal Sector ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Growth Dynamics ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
Informal Economies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
National Economies ◽  
Formal And Informal Sectors ◽  
Formal Business

Sahelian countries, while sharing many features of other Sub-Saharan African economies, face some unique economic challenges, which merit particular scrutiny, notably: a sizable demographic bulge, being landlocked, a lower income per head, and a higher poverty incidence. The picture is further darkened by critical governance weaknesses, political instability, and radical Islamist threats, which, as discussed in other chapters in this volume, have caused serious security challenges within, and across, national borders. All these factors have contributed to a downsizing of the formal business environment and an expansion of the informal sector. This chapter assesses the relative weights of the formal and informal sectors in Sahelian national economies, its growth dynamics, as well as employment and productivity patterns. It also examines the implications of the rise of the informal sector for institutions and governance, social inclusion, and stability.

scholarly journals Does undernutrition increase the risk of lost to follow-up in adults living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa? Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e048022
Author(s):  
Animut Alebel ◽  
Daniel Demant ◽  
Pammla Petrucka ◽  
David Sibbritt
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Lost To Follow Up

IntroductionUndernutrition is considered a marker for poor prognosis among people living with HIV (PLHIV), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where undernutrition and HIV are both highly prevalent. Evidence suggests that undernutrition (body mass index <18.5 kg/m2) is one of the main factors that significantly increases the risk of lost to follow-up (LTFU) in PLHIV. However, primary studies in SSA have reported inconsistent findings on the relationship between undernutrition and LTFU among adults living with HIV. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic review which aimed to summarise the available evidence. Hence, this review aims to determine the pooled effect of undernutrition on LTFU among adults living with HIV in SSA.Methods and analysisPubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and, for grey literature, Google Scholar will be systematically searched to include relevant articles published since 2005. Studies reporting the effect of undernutrition on LTFU in adults living with HIV in SSA will be included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale will be used for quality assessment. Data from eligible studies will be extracted using a standardised data extraction tool. Heterogeneity between included studies will be assessed using Cochrane Q-test and I2 statistics. The Egger’s and Begg’s tests at a 5% significance level will be used to evaluate publication bias. As heterogeneity is anticipated, the pooled effect size will be estimated using a random-effects model. The final effect size will be reported using the adjusted HR with a 95% CI.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for a protocol for a systematic review. The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be publicly available.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021277741.

scholarly journals Non-communicable respiratory disease in Malawi: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
Rebecca Nightingale
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Respiratory Disease ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Airflow Obstruction ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Disease ◽  
African Countries ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Life Course

BackgroundNon-communicable respiratory diseases are important contributors to morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan African countries such as Malawi. AimTo conduct a systematic review of the available literature relating to chronic respiratory disease in Malawi. MethodsWe conducted a systematic protocol-driven literature search of key scientific databases including Scopus and Medline. Papers were independently assessed for eligibility by two authors and included if they reported objective measures (including self-reported standard symptoms) of chronic respiratory disease and were conducted in Malawi. A meta-analysis of available estimates was then conducted. We re-analysed data from three of these studies in a secondary data analysis to allow for between-study comparisons. ResultsOur search identified 393 papers of which 17 (5 involving children and 12 involving adults) met the inclusion criteria. Wheeze was the symptom most frequently reported in children in the community (12.1%), hospital (11.2%) and HIV clinic (8.1%) settings. Cough was the symptom most frequently reported by adults in the community (3–18%). Spirometric abnormalities varied substantially between studies. For example, in adults, airflow obstruction varied between 2.3% and 20% and low forced vital capacity (FVC) varied between 2.7% and 52.8%. ConclusionWe identified a high burden of chronic respiratory symptoms and abnormal spirometry (particularly low FVC) within paediatric and adult populations in Malawi. The estimates for country-wide burden related to this disease were limited by the heterogeneity of the methods used to assess symptoms and spirometry. There is an urgent need to develop a better understanding of the determinants and natural history of non-communicable respiratory disease across the life-course in Malawi.

scholarly journals Effect of economic growth on employment in Sub-Saharan Africa.

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 28-41
Author(s):  
Francis Kamau Ndung’u ◽  
Professor Niu Xiongying
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Total Employment ◽  
Development Indicators ◽  
Domestic Capital ◽  
Sub Saharan

The study aimed at investigating the effect of economic growth on employment in Sub-Saharan African. The study employed secondary data that was sourced from the World Bank, World development indicators and FAOSTAT covering 30 Sub Saharan African Countries for the period 1990 to 2015. The study employed the traditional neo-classical aggregate production function in its estimation of the regression results. The panel data obtained was analysed using the STATA software program. Hausman test was used and it determined that fixed effects estimation was preferred to random effects estimation and therefore fixed effects regression was used during the analysis. Empirical results on effect of economic growth on employment established that total employment, women in employment and men in employment statistically and significantly influenced economic growth and on the other hand economic sectors which comprised of domestic capital, imports, exports and services sectors statistically and significantly influenced economic growth.

scholarly journals Acute Coronary Syndromes in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A 10‐Year Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hermann Yao ◽  
Arnaud Ekou ◽  
Thierry Niamkey ◽  
Sandra Hounhoui Gan ◽  
Isabelle Kouamé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Cote D'ivoire ◽  
Côte D’Ivoire ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cote D’Ivoire ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Côte D'ivoire ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background Data in the literature on acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa are scarce. Methods and Results We conducted a systematic review of the MEDLINE (PubMed) database of observational studies of acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2020. Acute coronary syndrome was defined according to current definitions. Abstracts and then the full texts of the selected articles were independently screened by 2 blinded investigators. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses standards. We identified 784 articles with our research strategy, and 27 were taken into account for the final analysis. Ten studies report a prevalence of acute coronary syndrome among patients admitted for cardiovascular disease ranging from 0.21% to 22.3%. Patients were younger, with a minimum age of 52 years in South Africa and Djibouti. There was a significant male predominance. Hypertension was the main risk factor (50%–55% of cases). Time to admission tended to be long, with the longest times in Tanzania (6.6 days) and Burkina Faso (4.3 days). Very few patients were admitted by medicalized transport, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire (only 34% including 8% by emergency medical service). The clinical presentation is dominated by ST–elevation sudden cardiac arrest. Percutaneous coronary intervention is not widely available but was performed in South Africa, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Sudan, and Mauritania. Fibrinolysis was the most accessible means of revascularization, with streptokinase as the molecule of choice. Hospital mortality was highly variable between 1.2% and 24.5% depending on the study populations and the revascularization procedures performed. Mortality at follow‐up varied from 7.8% to 43.3%. Some studies identified factors predictive of mortality. Conclusions The significant disparities in our results underscore the need for a multicenter registry for acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa in order to develop consensus‐based strategies, propose and evaluate tailored interventions, and identify prognostic factors.

scholarly journals Study protocol: Strengthening understanding of effective adherence strategies for first-line and second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in selected rural and urban communities in South Africa

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0261107
Author(s):  
Siphamandla Bonga Gumede ◽  
John Benjamin Frank de Wit ◽  
Willem Daniel Francois Venter ◽  
Samanta Tresha Lalla-Edward
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Second Line ◽  
First Line

Multiple factors make adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) a complex process. This study aims to describe the barriers and facilitators to adherence for patients receiving first-line and second-line ART, identify different adherence strategies utilized and make recommendations for an improved adherence strategy. This mixed method parallel convergent study will be conducted in seven high volume public health facilities in Gauteng and one in Limpopo province in South Africa. The study consists of four phases; a retrospective secondary data analysis of a large cohort of patients on ART (using TIER.Net, an ART patient and data management system for recording and monitoring patients on ART and tuberculosis (TB)) from seven Johannesburg inner-city public health facilities (Gauteng province); a secondary data analysis of the Intensified Treatment Monitoring Accumulation (ITREMA) trial (a randomized control trial which ran from June 2015 to January 2019) conducted at the Ndlovu Medical Center (Limpopo province); in-depth interviews with people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) who are taking ART (in both urban and rural settings); and a systematic review of the impact of treatment adherence interventions for chronic conditions in sub-Saharan Africa. Data will be collected on demographics, socio-economic status, treatment support, retention in care status, disclosure, stigma, clinical markers (CD4 count and viral load (VL)), self-reported adherence information, intrapersonal, and interpersonal factors, community networks, and policy level factors. The systematic review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) reporting and Population, Interventions, Comparisons and Outcomes (PICO) criteria. Analyses will involve tests of association (Chi-square and t-test), thematic analysis (deductive and inductive approaches) and network meta-analysis. Using an integrated multilevel socio-ecological framework this study will describe the factors associated with adherence for PLHIV who are taking first-line or second-line ART. Implementing evidence-based adherence approaches, when taken up, will improve patient’s overall health outcomes. Our study results will provide guidance regarding context-specific intervention strategies to improve ART adherence.

scholarly journals Violence in sub-saharan african schools: A scoping review protocol

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delarise Maud Mulqueeny ◽  
Senzelokuhle Mpumelelo Nkabini ◽  
Sabelo Abednego Nxumalo
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
School Violence ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Violence ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background: Violence in schools is an intersectional, multifaceted and complex global phenomenon that impedes gender equality and transformation, disrupts learner progress, familial and school environments and constitutes a public health, educational, social and human rights challenge. According to the United Nations (UN) study on Violence against Children, violence in schools refers to sexual and gender-based violence (GBV), bullying, gang-related violence (GRV), school and community-related violence, verbal, physical and psychological violence that includes fighting and weapons. Literature searches rendered no scoping or systematic results for a complex topic such as violence in SSA schools with catastrophic consequences. Hence, the objective of this scoping review is to map evidence of violence in SSA schools from existing literature over the past decade to summarise findings, identify research gaps, guide future research or determine the feasibility of a systematic review being conducted. Methods: Due to violence in schools being a broad topic our literature searches will include grey literature, unpublished and published studies, empirical studies, all study designs, conference presentations and website content using various keywords to search multiple databases to locate relevant literature. Search engines and electronic databases that will be searched are Google Scholar, PsycINFO (EBSCHO), CINAHL, SCOPUS, EBSCOhost, PsycARTICLES (EBSCO), EMBASE, university libraries, education departments and MEDLINE (EBSCHO). Title and abstract screening will be independently conducted by two screeners to minimise bias. A data charting form, compiled by three screeners using a Google form, will be used to extract relevant information from each article. Two screeners will populate the charting form electronically whilst all four screeners will ensure the charting form is continuously updated. Discussion: We anticipate mapping literature on violence in sub-Saharan African schools. Once summarized, the data will be useful to identify literature gaps, guide future research on school violence or determine the feasibility of a systematic review being conducted.

Prospects for African economies in 2019

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sub Saharan

Subject Prospects for African economies in 2019. Significance Sub-Saharan Africa’s gradual recovery is set to strengthen in 2019 with regional GDP growth seen accelerating to 3.1% from 2.7% in 2018, led by recoveries in the three largest economies -- Angola, Nigeria and South Africa. Looking ahead, economic growth is expected to average around 4% over the medium term, reflecting continuing convergence between high- and low-performing countries, although wide disparities will persist.

Investment in the Business Sector and Subsidies in stimulating Indonesian Consumption and Economic Growth

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-30
Author(s):  
Saiful Rizal ◽  
◽  
Budi Sasongko
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Moving Average ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Business Sector ◽  
Medium Scale ◽  
Domestic Companies

This study aims to examine investment in the business sector and subsidies to encourage consumption and economic growth in Indonesia. This study uses secondary data from world banks and processed regression using the moving average autoregression method. We find that the dominance of investment in the business sector in Indonesia comes from foreign funds, which puts pressure on domestic companies and investors who rely on the informal sector so that increased investment puts pressure on the backbone of the Indonesian economy, namely micro, small and medium scale enterprises

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document