scholarly journals Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence: Findings from Slums of Four Major Metro Cities of India

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Sathyanarayana Tamysetty ◽  
Giridhara R. Babu ◽  
Biswamitra Sahu ◽  
Suresh Shapeti ◽  
Deepa Ravi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Studies ◽  
Urban Slums ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Vaccine Confidence ◽  
Informal Urban Settlements ◽  
Frequent Reason

There are limited studies on COVID vaccine confidence at the household level in urban slums, which are at high risk of COVID-19 transmission due to overcrowding and poor living conditions. The objective was to understand the reasons influencing COVID-19 vaccine confidence, in terms of barriers and enablers faced by communities in urban slums and informal settlements in four major metro cities in India. A mixed method approach was adopted, where in field studies were conducted during April–May 2021. First, a survey of at least 50 subjects was conducted among residents of informal urban settlements who had not taken any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Delhi; second, a short interview with five subjects who had taken at least one dose of the vaccine in each of the four cities to understand the factors that contributed to positive behaviour and, finally, an in-depth interview of at least 3 key informants in each city to ascertain the vaccination pattern in the communities. The reasons were grouped under contextual, individual/group and vaccine/vaccination specific issues. The most frequent reason (27.7%) was the uncertainty of getting the vaccine. The findings show the need for increasing effectiveness of awareness campaigns, accessibility and the convenience of vaccination, especially among vulnerable groups, to increase the uptake.

Potential impacts of slum urbanisation on channel bank storage in the Bang Pakong River, Thailand

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Harriden
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Balance Equations ◽  
Physical Processes ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Recharge Rates ◽  
Water Quality Deterioration ◽  
Informal Urban Settlements ◽  
Storage Processes

Generally regarded as social phenomena, this paper regards slum urbanisation as an environmental actor. Specifically, how slum developments modify hydrogeomorphological processes motivates this research. Using the Bang Pakong River, eastern Thailand, as a case study, a literature review was conducted. The literature reviewed indicated changes in physical processes such as channel bank stability, water quality, flow regimes and the hydrological balance equations can occur with slum development. Given the importance of channel banks as the physical basis of many slum sites, this paper focuses on the possible changes to channel bank storage in the Bang Pakong River following slum urbanisation. The research highlights possible changes to channel bank storage processes, notably decreased storage recharge rates; increased anthropogenic extraction; and probable water quality deterioration. Deeper scientific understanding of how river processes are affected by specific forms of urban development can contribute to better management of both informal urban settlements and rivers.

The Quest for Water, Rights and Freedoms: Informal Urban Settlements in India

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1080-1095
Author(s):  
Francesco M. Gimelli ◽  
Briony C. Rogers ◽  
Joannette J. Bos
Keyword(s):  
Water Rights ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Informal Urban Settlements

scholarly journals Co-exploring the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihood of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adity Shayontony Das ◽  
Fatema Akter Bonny ◽  
Arifa Bente Mohosin ◽  
Sabina Faiz Rashid ◽  
Md Tanvir Hasan
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
World Health ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Formal Sector ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Household Level ◽  
The Government ◽  
Health Organization

Background: According to World Health Organization (WHO), vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities are facing severe impacts of the pandemic. There has always been significant challenges and hurdles in terms of achieving adequate and equitable inclusivity of persons with disabilities in all sections of social life. Education and employment of persons with disabilities were least focused which created more marginalization for the community. The long term impact of these marginalization has also led to the lack of jobs and social security of persons with disabilities, which is very clear now given the crisis in place. In low and middle income countries like Bangladesh the situation is even worse. To better understand the conditions of persons with disabilities in this crisis situation, the present study was initiated to explore the dimensions of livelihood with respect to income and wellbeing of persons with disabilities and to generate evidence for developing policies around these issues.Methods: A qualitative study was undertaken among 30 persons with disabilities from 8 different geographical divisions of Bangladesh. The interviews were conducted through telephone calls due to the existing COVID-19 crisis and mobility restrictions. The respondents were purposively selected based on gender, type of disability, area of resident (urban, rural) and their ability to communicate, therefore most (25/30) respondents were persons with physical disability. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate the findings of the study.Findings: Study findings revealed that majority of the respondents were involved in informal jobs. Predominantly males were daily wage-earners and often the sole breadwinner of the families, very few females were involved in economic activities. Since they had no stable income, the economic shock from the COVID-19 pandemic had affected them badly even leading to household level famine. The study identifies low level of education and informal job security as the primary causes of socio-economic insecurity among persons with disabilities, resulting in challenges in ensuring a stable livelihood during crisis situations, such as COVID-19.Conclusion: Constant alienation of persons of disabilities from the formal sector results in the deterioration of their livelihood standards which even worsen during any emergency crisis such as COVID-19. The study pinpoints that only aided services are not adequate to ensure persons with disabilities' rights rather there is an urgent need of disability inclusion in formal job sector and livelihood training for persons with disabilities. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and to irradiate the inequality towards persons with disabilities in the society it is important for the Government and concern bodies to focus on the inclusiveness with better implementation and monitoring strategies.

scholarly journals COVID-19 vaccine brand hesitancy and other challenges to vaccination in the Philippines

2022 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. e0000165
Author(s):  
Arianna Maever L. Amit ◽  
Veincent Christian F. Pepito ◽  
Lourdes Sumpaico-Tanchanco ◽  
Manuel M. Dayrit
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Model ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Phone Call ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Vaccination Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Confidence

Effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines have been developed at a rapid and unprecedented pace to control the spread of the virus, and prevent hospitalisations and deaths. However, COVID-19 vaccine uptake is challenged by vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccination sentiments, a global shortage of vaccine supply, and inequitable vaccine distribution especially among low- and middle-income countries including the Philippines. In this paper, we explored vaccination narratives and challenges experienced and observed by Filipinos during the early vaccination period. We interviewed 35 individuals from a subsample of 1,599 survey respondents 18 years and older in the Philippines. The interviews were conducted in Filipino, Cebuano, and/or English via online platforms such as Zoom or via phone call. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated, and analysed using inductive content analysis. To highlight the complex reasons for delaying and/or refusing COVID-19 vaccines, we embedded our findings within the social ecological model. Our analysis showed that individual perceptions play a major role in the decision to vaccinate. Such perceptions are shaped by exposure to (mis)information amplified by the media, the community, and the health system. Social networks may either positively or negatively impact vaccination uptake, depending on their views on vaccines. Political issues contribute to vaccine brand hesitancy, resulting in vaccination delays and refusals. Perceptions about the inefficiency and inflexibility of the system also create additional barriers to the vaccine rollout in the country, especially among vulnerable and marginalised groups. Recognising and addressing concerns at all levels are needed to improve COVID-19 vaccination uptake and reach. Strengthening health literacy is a critical tool to combat misinformation that undermines vaccine confidence. Vaccination systems must also consider the needs of marginalised and vulnerable groups to ensure their access to vaccines. In all these efforts to improve vaccine uptake, governments will need to engage with communities to ‘co-create’ solutions.

Assessing public health risk factors for internally displaced households in North Darfur, Sudan

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elfadil Mohammed Mahmoud ◽  
Indraijt Pal ◽  
Mokbul Morshed Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Health Risk Factors ◽  
Public Health Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Household Level ◽  
The Public

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the public health risk factors of internally displaced households and suggest appropriate measures and strategies for health risk reduction in the context of IDPs.Design/methodology/approachThe composite Index (CI) method was used to compare the public health risk factors at the household level in three IDP camps. A set of 22 indicators were studied in 326 households. Households were selected by using a two-stage cluster sampling technique.FindingsThe findings indicate that the Shangil Tobaya camp is at the highest risk for communicable diseases (63.6%) followed by Zamzam (52.4%) and Abu Shouk (42.7%) at the household level. Eight indicators appeared to have made differential impacts between Abu Shouk and Shangil Tobaya, these include: level of education, walking time to health facilities, water source, latrines type, safe disposal of child feces, frequency of visit by pregnant women to antenatal care services, place of delivery and women delivering their children with the help of skilled birth attendants.Research limitations/implicationsSince the selection criteria of the camps were predefined; there are variations in the number of samples between the camps. Therefore, the generalizability may be compromised.Social implicationsIncreased access to healthcare services particularly reproductive health services to the most vulnerable groups (women). Community involvement in services management to promote ownership.Originality/valueThe methods used in this study is original and flexible and can be replicated for other emergency areas and risks.

The implications of point source phosphorus management to potable water treatment

1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-350
Author(s):  
Ralph G. Heath ◽  
Machiel C. Steynberg ◽  
Rita Guglielmi ◽  
Annelie L. Maritz
Keyword(s):  
Waste Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
South African ◽  
Water Intake ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Algal Species ◽  
Raw Water ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Informal Urban Settlements

The Vaal River Barrage reservoir is an important source of raw water for Rand Water which supplies at least 10 million people with drinking water daily. Return effluents from waste water treatment works, industries and informal urban settlements in the catchment has resulted in algal problems in the raw water and treatment process. In order to attempt to reduce the effect of eutrophication of South African inland water quality the Department of Water Affairs implemented in 1985 a 1 mg/l ortho-phosphate standard for waste water treatment works effluents. The amount of phosphate originating from the waste treatment works decreased significantly over the 10 years after the standard was implemented even though 40% of the time the works do not comply to the standard. This has resulted in no significant change in the chlorophyll values at Rand Water Intake No. 1. The algal species composition has changed with blue-greens becoming more dominant which has resulted in a higher incidence of algal related problems. The stabilizing of the chlorophyll values is not only as a result of lower ortho-phosphate levels but also due to residence times, turbidity and conductivity. To further reduce the algal concentrations at Rand Water Intake No. 1 the 1 mg/l ortho-phosphate standard will have to be enforced, the standard possibly reduced and diffuse sources managed on a catchment basis.

Utility-small water enterprise partnerships: serving informal urban settlements in Africa

Water Policy ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyrus Njiru
Keyword(s):  
Water Utilities ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Small Water ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Quality Water ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Informal Urban Settlements

Sustainable development cannot be realised when a large proportion of people do not have access to improved water services. Indeed, despite concerted international effort and publicity made in the last two decades to increase coverage of improved water and sanitation services, the number of people without improved water and sanitation services continues to increase. Water utilities are not serving a large proportion of the urban population and small water enterprises (SWEs) have moved to fill the gap. This paper looks at the growing urban water problem and outlines the role played by SWEs in providing water services to those un-served or under-served by water utilities. Typical constraints faced by SWEs are outlined and the rationale for developing utility–SWE partnerships for the benefit of water consumers (customers) is provided. Potential opportunities for developing utility-SWE partnerships are discussed. The paper argues that utility-SWE partnerships can enable SWEs to provide affordable good quality water services to customers, while providing benefit to the utility and thus also assisting the utility to meet its mandate. The paper proposes win–win utility-SWEs partnerships aimed at achieving the objectives of utilities and SWEs while improving water services to customers in informal urban settlements of developing countries, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Individual-, maternal- and household-level factors associated with stunting among children aged 0–23 months in Bangladesh

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabuj Kanti Mistry ◽  
Md. Belal Hossain ◽  
Fouzia Khanam ◽  
Fahmida Akter ◽  
Mahmood Parvez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Reduction Rate ◽  
Urban Slums ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Factors Associated

AbstractObjectiveChildhood stunting remains a major public health concern in Bangladesh. To accelerate the reduction rate of stunting, special focus is required during the first 23 months of a child’s life when the bulk of growth takes place. Therefore the present study explored individual-, maternal- and household-level factors associated with stunting among children under 2 years of age in Bangladesh.DesignData were collected through a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted between October 2015 and January 2016. A two-stage cluster random sampling procedure was applied to select 11 428 households. In the first stage, 210 enumerations areas (EA) were selected with probability proportional to EA size (180 EA from rural areas, thirty EA from urban slums). In the second stage, an average of fifty-four households were selected from each EA through systematic random sampling.SettingRural areas and urban slums of Bangladesh.ParticipantsA total of 6539 children aged 0–23 months.ResultsOverall, 29·9 % of the children were stunted. After adjusting for all potential confounders in the modified Poisson regression model, child’s gender, birth weight (individual level), maternal education, age at first pregnancy, nutrition (maternal level), administrative division, place of residence, socio-economic status, food security status, access to sanitary latrine and toilet hygiene condition (household level) were significantly associated with stunting.ConclusionsThe study identified a number of potentially addressable multilevel risk factors for stunting among young children in Bangladesh that should be addressed through comprehensive multicomponent interventions.

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