“Hunger Would Kill us Instead of the Pandemic:” Elders’ Responses to COVID-19 in Ethiopia

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unpredictable challenges globally. Urban elders in Global South nations are among the major population groups vulnerable to COVID-19. A qualitative case study design was used to uncover the challenges and sources of support for poor urban elders during COVID-19 lockdown in Ethiopia. Data were collected from 27 elders age 60 and above in Debre Markos Town via in-depth interviews and document review. Narrative data were analyzed using thematic data analysis. Four prominent themes were identified: 1. Food insecurity (“Hunger would kill us instead of COVID-19”), 2. Hopelessness (“Feeling hopeless and begging to die”), 3. Social isolation (“We prefer social support rather than food donations”) and 4. Gratitude (“Feeling thankful”). The physical distancing program introduced to contain the pandemic isolated many elders and diminished their capacity to access support from others needed to perform their daily activities. An institutional welfare system is needed to ensure older adults in the Global South can live a joyful and dignified life, even through a global pandemic. Moreover, a special emergency fund to meet older adults’ basic needs during a pandemic like COVID-19 should be introduced to minimize the effect of crises on vulnerable groups like destitute older adults in Ethiopia.

The Smart Money is in Cash? Financial Literacy and Liquid Savings Among U.S. Families

Most financial advisors recommend storing three to six months of expenses in liquid assets in case of an emergency. Yet we estimate that more than half of U.S. families do not have at least three months of their non-discretionary expenses in liquid savings. We find that financial literacy is strongly predictive of having three months of liquid savings, controlling for income, income variability, and even parental resources. We also find that financial literacy predicts liquid savings across the income distribution. These results indicate that accumulation of an emergency fund is not simply a function of income. Finally, financial literacy is predictive of liquid savings even among high illiquid wealth households. This suggests that the phenomenon of "wealthy hand-to-mouth" families may reflect financial mistakes rather than portfolio optimization. Our paper highlights the importance of financial knowledge in explaining families' preparedness to deal with unexpected expenses or disruption in their income.

Mitigation Strategy for Fishermen’s Households as a Result of Covid-19 Pandemic Social Engineering in Sungai Kayu Ara Village

Covid-19 had a major impact on people’s lives, including the fishing community. Mitigation strategies are needed in order to reduce the impact of Covid-19. This research was conducted in March 2021 at Sungai Kayu Village. This village is one of the coastal villages located in Sungai Apit District, Siak Regency, Riau Province. The purpose of this study is to identify structural and non-structural mitigation and analyze the mitigation strategies carried out by fishing households in Sungai Kayu Ara Village. The method used in this study using the Survey Method. The population was fishing households totaling 48 households. The technique of determining the respondents is by census, which takes all the population as respondents. Data was collected by means of observation, in-depth interviews, documentation, literature studies, and online searching of data and information. The data that used: qualitative descriptive analysis and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Structural and non-structural Covid-19 mitigation in Sungai Kayu Ara Village, Sungai Apit District, Siak Regency is more focused on implementing government policies stipulated by the Regent’s regulation on handling infectious diseases and the Regent’s regulation on the application of administrative sanctions for the enforcement of health protocols in handling infectious diseases. Mitigation strategies for fishermen households in Sungai Kayu Ara Village, Sungai Apit District, Siak Regency due to the main social engineering of the covid-19 pandemic are: Selling fish caught by fishermen online, receiving protection fund and empowering fishermen, owning a plantation business (alternative business), receiving social assistance and have saving and emergency fund.

Breastfeeding assessment tools for at-risk and malnourished infants aged under 6 months old: a systematic review

Background: Many small and malnourished infants under 6 months of age have problems with breastfeeding and restoring effective exclusive breastfeeding is a common treatment goal. Assessment is a critical first step of case management, but most malnutrition guidelines do not specify how best to do this. We aimed to identify breastfeeding assessment tools for use in assessing at-risk and malnourished infants in resource-poor settings. Methods: We systematically searched: Medline and Embase; Web of Knowledge; Cochrane Reviews; Eldis and Google Scholar databases. Also the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), CAse REport guidelines, Emergency Nutrition Network, and Field Exchange websites. Assessment tool content was analysed using a framework describing breastfeeding ‘domains’ (baby’s behaviour; mother’s behaviour; position; latching; effective feeding; breast health; baby’s health; mother’s view of feed; number, timing and length of feeds). Results: We identified 29 breastfeeding assessment tools and 45 validation studies. Eight tools had not been validated. Evidence underpinning most tools was low quality and mainly from high-income countries and hospital settings. The most comprehensive tools were the Breastfeeding, Evaluation and Education Tool, UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative tools and CARE training package. The tool with the strongest evidence was the WHO/UNICEF B-R-E-A-S-T-Feed Observation Form. Conclusions: Despite many possible tools, there is currently no one gold standard. For assessing malnourished infants in resource-poor settings, UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative tools, Module IFE and the WHO/UNICEF B-R-E-A-S-T-Feed Observation Form are the best available tools but could be improved by adding questions from other tools. Allowing for context, one tool for rapid community-based assessment plus a more detailed one for clinic/hospital assessment might help optimally identify breastfeeding problems and the support required. Further research is important to refine existing tools and develop new ones. Rigorous testing, especially against outcomes such as breastfeeding status and growth, is key.

Determinants of Financial Inclusion Gender Gap in Ethiopia: Evidence From Decomposition Analysis

In Ethiopia, the gender gap in financial inclusion is high, and the effect of socioeconomic variables on the gap is not well investigated. As a result, this study uses the World Bank’s Global Findex database from 2017 to analyze magnitude and determinants of the gender gap in financial inclusion in Ethiopia. Using Fairlie decomposition technique, we find statistically significant gender gap in all indicators of financial inclusion under study in Ethiopia. The result shows that the highest financial inclusion gender gap is observed in formal saving followed by formal account holding. The decomposition results show males are 16.5%, 16.6%, 8.9 %, 8.4 %t, and 5.8% more likely to have a formal account, formal saving, borrowing, emergency fund possibility, and debit card ownership, respectively. We further decompose these gaps using Daymont and Andrisani approach and the result reveals that differences in coefficients between males and females explain 57.7% in formal saving, 43.4% in formal account holding, and 110.9% in borrowing from formal financial institutions. About 54.2% of the total gender gap in possibility of raising emergcency fund is attributed to differences in characteristics/predictors between the two genders while gender gap in debit card holding is explained by the iteraction between differences in characterisctics and coefficients. Being older, more educated, and wealthier favor financial inclusion, with age, employment, and education having a greater effect. Furthermore, gaps in coefficients, productivity, and advantage to males and disadvantage to females aggravate the gender gap in financial inclusion in Ethiopia. Gender mainstreaming in economic activities to increase income, employment opportunities and education for females to bridge the gender gap in financial inclusion is important.

Contribution of Family Nurses to the Success of Breastfeeding

Introduction: Breast milk is extremely important for maternal and child health bringing indisputable benefits to mother, family and society. Health professionals, including nurses, play a key role in promoting and supporting breastfeeding with all their technical-scientific knowledge and proximity to the population. Aims: Understand the mothers' perspective regarding the contribution of health professionals to the success of breastfeeding. Methodology: Qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 women from a Family Health Unit in a Primary care setting who were mothers between December 2016 and December 2017. A content analysis of the data was performed with the support of web-based data analysis (webQDA) software. Results: The intervention of the family nurse in the context of pregnancy surveillance and child health consultations is distinguished, as well as in home visitation. The intervention of midwives in pre-natal courses and post-natal breastfeeding consultations also demonstrated to be relevant for breastfeeding success. Conclusion: As recommended by the World Health Organization and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, an effort is being made by health professionals, including nurses and midwives, for support of mothers and families in the decision, establishment and maintenance of the breastfeeding process, contributing positively to its success and establishing a follow-up to woman and family throughout the pregnancy-puerperal cycle.

HOUSEHOLDS SAVINGS AND FINANCIAL BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO THE ABILITY TO HANDLE FINANCIAL EMERGENCIES: CASE STUDY OF KOSOVO

To reflect the financial situation of households, especially for emergencies, the main purpose of this research is to analyze financial behavior in relation to savings. This research explains the interaction of minimum savings rules and committed forms of saving, which means that the use of personal budgets depends on financial behavior due to insecurity and the financial situation of families. The research is consistent with some empirical findings on financial behavior in relation to savings, which affect the growth or decline of the economy, because the lower the well-being of families the lower the economic growth or vice versa. The validation of the hypotheses was realized through the analysis of field findings, using the econometric model of savings in relation to financial behavior through factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple regression analysis. The main finding of this research is the lack of financial behavior to save for emergencies. These findings are important in order for households to be aware of financial behavior in relation to savings, because there is no emergency fund to cover their needs.

Menyusui Dari Perspektif Sosial Budaya

Air Susu Ibu (ASI) adalah suatu emulsi lemak dalam larutan protein, laktosa dan garam-garam anorganik yang sekresi oleh kelenjar mamae ibu, yang berguna sebagai makanan bagi bayinya.(Anik Maryunani, 2012) Susu adalah sumber gizi utama bagi bayi sebelum mereka dapat mencerna makanan padat. Susu binatang (biasanya sapi) juga diolah menjadi berbagai produk seperti mentega, yogurt, es krim, keju dan susu kental manis serta susu bubuk dan yang lainnya yang bisa dikonsumsi oleh manusia (Ade Benih Nirwana, 2014)Menurut World Health Organization (WHO) dan United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) (2012) laporan anak dunia 2011 yaitu dari 136,7 juta bayi lahir diseluruh dunia dan hanya 32,6% dari mereka yang disusui secara eksklusif dalam 6 bulan pertama. Sedangkan dinegara industri, bayi yang tidak diberi ASI Eksklusif lebih besar meninggal dari pada bayi yang diberi ASI eksklusif (Eka Putri Rahmadhani, dkk, 2013). Walaupun pemerintah telah menghimbau pemberian ASI eksklusif di Indonesia masih rendah. Berdasarkan survey Demografi Kesehatan Indonesia (SDKI) 2007 662 hanya 3,7% bayi yang memperoleh ASI pada hari pertama sedangkan pemberian ASI pada bayi umur kurang 2 bulan sebesar 64%, antara 2-3 bulan 45,5% antara 4-5 13,9% dan antara 6-7 bulan 7,8%. Sementara itu cakupan pemberian susu formula meningkat 3 kali lipat menjadi 32,4% pada tahun 2008 (Depkes, 2010).ASI merupakan makanan utama bagi bayi dan yang paling baik. ASI mengandung hampir semua zat gizi yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan bayi untuk tumbuh dan berkembang secara lebih baik. (Pollard,2016).

Developing a Scale of Financial Attitudes in Emergency Fund Ownership Decision Making

Financial attitudes in emergency fund ownership decision-making are important in shaping decision-making behavior to have an emergency fund. In order to obtain an accurate profile of financial attitudes in emergency fund ownership decision-making, it required a good instrument with precise measurement model. This study focuses on developing a financial attitude scale in emergency fund ownership decision-making using Rasch model. The participants were 106 respondents and after going through 2 analysis process stages using Winsteps, the instruments possessed a very decent reliability index, both from alpha cronbach’s and item reliability value. The items has also met the accuracy of the item model, the unidimensionality number was above the standard, as well as the unexplainable variance by the instruments was not exceed the standard. Overall, it can be concluded that financial attitude scale in emergency fund ownership decision-making held a decent psychometric attitude, so that this attitude scale can be used to a second stage pilot test process with a larger number of respondents.

Value of Immunizations during the COVID-19 Emergency

Recent estimates by World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) show a significant decline in vaccinal coverage rates in both pediatric and adult populations. The interruption of vaccination services is reported in at least 68 countries, with the involvement of about 80 million children worldwide. The situation is alarming if we consider that already in the period preceding the pandemic, immunization programs slowed down in various areas of the world. For these reasons, there is the risk of overloading health systems, already under pressure from the pandemic emergency, by employing human and economic resources for the management of epidemic outbreaks from vaccine-preventable diseases. The restoration and integration of vaccination services, the immunization of susceptible individuals as well as the adoption of adequate monitoring and surveillance measures are the main activities adopted by different countries to address the current global health emergency.