Religion, politics and COVID-19 risk perception among urban residents in Malawi.

INTRODUCTION: Majority of Malawians have not yet adopted COVID-19 mitigation measures despite having knowledge about its infectivity, morbidity, and fatality. Understanding drivers of hesitancy to adoption of COVID-19 mitigation measures is critical as it can inform prevention programs. This study explores Malawians' COVID-19 risk perception, and the associated constraints in the adoption of mitigation efforts. A Health Belief Model (HBM) approach was used to understand perceived factors that undermine public health COVID-19 messages to reduce the spread of the pandemic in Malawi. METHODS: The study applied rapid appraisal and photovoice qualitative inquiry to comprehend risk perception regarding COVID-19. We purposively selected 52 participants from three major cities in Malawi. Audio and video interviews were transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were coded manually to derive key themes and concepts. RESULTS: The study identified that social factors particularly religious and political beliefs influenced COVID-19 risk perception. Specific religious beliefs pertaining to individuals recognizing signs of the 'Christian apocalypse' were particularly associated with lower risk perceptions. Politically, participants believed COVID-19 lockdown measures were a ploy by the then-ruling party to remain in power. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that religious beliefs and political environment undermine self -perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 among urban dwellers in Malawi. We recommend that diverse actors in Malawi should collaborate to promote the dissemination of accurate COVID-19 discourses and reduce the severity of the pandemic's impact in Malawi.

Religion, Politics and COVID-19 Risk Perception Among Urban Residents in Malawi (preprint)

Introduction: Majority of Malawians have not yet adopted COVID-19 mitigation measures despite having knowledge about its infectivity, morbidity, and fatality. Understanding drivers of hesitancy to adoption of COVID-19 mitigation measures is critical as it can inform prevention programs. This study explores Malawians’ COVID-19 risk perception, and the associated constraints in the adoption of mitigation efforts. A Health Belief Model (HBM) approach was used to understand perceived factors that undermine public health COVID-19 messages to reduce the spread of the pandemic in Malawi. Methods: : The study applied rapid appraisal and photovoice qualitative inquiry to comprehend risk perception regarding COVID-19. We purposively selected 33 participants from three major cities in Malawi. Audio and video interviews were transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were coded manually to derive key themes and concepts. Results: The study identified that social factors particularly religious and political beliefs influenced COVID-19 risk perception. Specific religious beliefs pertaining to individuals recognizing signs of the ‘Christian apocalypse’ were particularly associated with lower risk perceptions. Politically, participants believed COVID-19 lockdown measures were a ploy by the then-ruling party to remain in power. Conclusion: The study suggests that religious beliefs and political environment undermine self -perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 among urban dwellers in Malawi. We recommend that diverse actors in Malawi should collaborate to promote the dissemination of accurate COVID-19 discourses and reduce the severity of the pandemic’s impact in Malawi.

Perceived implications of COVID-19 policy measures on food insecurity among urban residents in Blantyre Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Malawi is at the brink of experiencing food insecurity amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as the vast majority of its population lives in extreme poverty. While measures are being implemented to avert the spread of COVID-19, little is known about how COVID-19 policy measures have impacted food insecurity in urban Malawi. This study addresses this gap by exploring the implications of COVID-19 policy measures on food insecurity in low-income areas of Blantyre in Malawi. METHODS: We used Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory to explore the implications of COVID-19 policy measures on peoples' access to food. In-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen participants comprising of private school teachers, street vendors, sex workers, and minibus drivers. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis in which emerging patterns and themes from the transcripts were identified. RESULTS: The COVID-19 lockdown measures undermined participants' ability to maintain livelihoods. These measures have increased the vulnerability of the residents to food insecurity, forcing them to face severe challenges to accessing adequate food to support their families as a result of low incomes, job loss, and business disruptions. CONCLUSION: Our study underscores the need for the Malawi government to seriously consider the provision of basic necessities such as food to the urban poor. We also suggest that the Malawi government should continue and expand the social cash transfer or relief funding packages by targeting the most vulnerable groups in the city. There is also a need for the government to engage all stakeholders and work collaboratively with people at local level in policymaking decisions in times of crisis.

Transforming Field Education During COVID-19

In order to ensure safety for students, staff, and faculty, and in response to local public health guidelines on physical distancing, Canadian post-secondary institutions rapidly shifted to virtual platforms and operations for teaching, student learning, and research (Bazinet et al., 2020;Wall, 2020). Hosted at the University of Calgary, the TFEL partnership brings together local, provincial, national, and international partners to explore the current state of social work field education while supporting the development and implementation of new sustainable models of field education;facilitate the integration of research into practice in the context of field education;increase the recognition of the importance of social work research in field education;and create new training and mentorship opportunities for students to inform the next generation of social workers (Drolet, 2020). The plenary session was followed by a panel presentation with Dr. Grant Charles, University of British Columbia;Holly Bradley, Vancouver Island University;Clement Dlamini, University of Eswatini;and Dr. Lena Dominelli, International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). The Summit also included workshops highlighting innovative ways that research can be integrated into social work practice: 1) Research As Daily Practice, presented by Drs. Sally St. George, Dan Wulff, and Lauren Birks, University of Calgary;2) Articulating Transformation in Field Education and Research through Digital Storytelling, presented by Dr. Christine A. Walsh and social work students Natalie St. Denis and Alison L. Grittner, University of Calgary;3) Models for Integrating Research and Practice in Social Work Education, presented by Dr. Sheri M. McConnell, Memorial University, and social work students Melissa Noble, Heather Shenton, Mohammad Idris Alemi and alumna Amanda Duke;4) Wise Practices from the Indigisphere to the Land: Indigenous Intersectional Violence and Trauma-Informed Field Education in Shifting Spaces of Learning, presented by Dr. Natalie Clark, Thompson Rivers University;and 5) Digital Storytelling Premiere.