The role of social transfers in mitigating families with children from the economic impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic

In this study, we investigated the household income of families with children. Our specific interest was the earned income losses during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and how social transfers have mitigated those losses. We assessed the monthly income levels by comparing the information on the year prior to pandemic to income levels during COVID‐19 pandemic. We found that the pandemic affected all studied subgroups of families with children, with the most negative economic influence in May 2020. In addition, our results indicate that in Finland the social transfers protected fairly well against the negative economic impacts of the pandemic among families with children, especially among vulnerable families (those with lowest income level prior COVID‐19, with low parental education, single‐parent families and families with non‐Finnish‐born parents). The information gained from this analysis can be useful in economic recovery during and after COVID‐19 pandemic, and when preparing for future challenges. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Journal of Social Welfare is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

COVID-19 and food security risk in Nkambe Cameroon: perceptions, drivers and household response measures.

This study focuses on COVID-19 and food security risk, capturing perceptions, drivers and household response measures. Using a mixed research design, the researchers investigated food security risk in Nkambe Cameroon during peak periods of COVID-19. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire distributed to 400 respondents and key informant interviews, and it was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed significant differences in the food security dynamics among COVID-19-infected and non-infected households (19% and 33%, respectively, p = 0.002), with non-infected households being more food secure than COVID-19-infected ones. Significant positive effects between variables, like age of respondent, household size, level of education and food security of affected households were identified. The regression model explains 82.8% of the food security determinants in the midst of COVID-19's peak period. Both COVID-19-infected and non-infected households responded to food insecurity through food rationing and consumption frequency rationing, instead of reducing food consumption frequency. The researchers recommend increasing the efficacy of safety nets and other social assistance programmes in the face of shocks by targeting households most vulnerable to COVID-19-induced food insecurity. Expanding this research agenda to other study sites with a gender lense can provide insights for food security policies post COVID-19.

Non-covid Patients during the Period of Pandemic in Serbia

The paper considers a problem at the intersection of sociology, anthropology, law and multidisciplinary public health research - health care accessibility during a sudden social crisis. The authors test the theoretical assumptions on the example of the covid-19 pandemic in Serbia, trying to understand the specific position of non-covid patients suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases and their perceptions regarding health care accessibility during the period of the pandemic. The empirical data on which the analysis was performed was collected with the help of focus group interviews. The sample consisted of interviewees - representatives of the association of patients suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases that burden the population of Serbia the most, who live on the territory of the Republic of Serbia without Kosovo and Metohija. The analysis shows that access to health care during the pandemic was limited and that the protocols that the state and the health care system were setting up in the process did not take into account the specific needs of this socially vulnerable group of patients. This, due to the impossibility for them to go through certain diagnostic procedures in time, receive adequate therapy and/or rehabilitation, in a large number of cases resulted in the deterioration of the clinical picture of the chronic disease from which they suffer. The paper presents theoretical and practical conclusions, which aim to show how important it is to incorporate theoretical and empirical insights from the social sciences and humanities in the conceptualization and future implementation of public health protocols for future social crises in order to reduce their potential syndemic effect.

Government Responses to COVID-19 and Their Implications on Food Security in Indonesia

COVID-19 has triggered unprecedented movement restrictions measure and disrupted to the lives, economic and social, around the world. Indonesia continues to be severely affected by COVID-19. Pandemic inevitably threatens food security particularly for poor and most vulnerable groups. The poor and most vulnerable groups including lower income workers and informal sectors have less protection than formal sectors. In addition, increasing of unemployment has lowered the purchasing power and may threaten to access to food. To anticipate and mitigate the emerging global food crises predicted by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations as result of COVID-19. There are two keys priority policy taken by government, (1) social safety nets program to reduce the economic burden of the low income society during the pandemic and (2) food estate program to strengthening government food reserves at local level with mega food estate project outside Java started in October 2020. These two programs are not without controversies and critics. This chapter examines COVID-19 and its implications on food security in Indonesia. We examine government response and challenges in strengthening food security in times of COVID-19 and its implications on the achievements of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 2 zero poverty and hunger in Indonesia. This study uses literature review and published public materials to collect and analyze the data. We conclude that targeted social safety protection remains a critical policy in times of pandemic. In the implementation, it needs to be improved particularly on data of beneficiaries through one data policy to address food insecurity toward poor and vulnerable groups. Investing in a sustainable future forms a pillar of the COVID-19 response. Priority to strengthen resilience of the local food system and facilitate food production at local level with ensuring smallholders have financial support and minimizing the impact to the environment is critical rather than mega project with causing more land tenure conflicts and environmental degradation. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer 2022.

The Exposition of the Stark Realities of an Unequal Society Based on the COVID-19 Pandemic

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has united the world through its common challenge of being a global pandemic. The whole world is affected, although in reality it all boils down to the strength of a country's resources and the extent of its development. As COVID-19 knows no boundaries, it has uniquely demonstrated that its impact on an unequal society is overwhelming. The devastating nature of the pandemic has caused most developed countries to declare that their attention would be directed to their population: that is, there will be minimal or no aid for developing or underdeveloped countries. South Africa is a developing country with a large percentage of its population depending on social grants. As this is the most vulnerable group in South African society, it is the most affected by COVID-19. As such, the South African government has put in place mechanisms to combat the effects of COVID-19 that have already started to engulf the vulnerable. Social work as a profession focuses its commitment on social justice for the vulnerable groups that are in distress from circumstances beyond their capabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to highlight the psychosocial and economic challenges brought about by the pandemic. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

COVID-19 Preventive Measures Among Artisan Women Working with Native Cotton in a Protected Natural Area

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the tourism sector globally. In recent years, tourism in Peru experienced sustained growth, and the natural protected areas (ANP Areas Naturales Protegidas) became consolidated into main tourist destinations. Nevertheless, vulnerable groups like artisan workers have suffered more acutely from this crisis. This study was conducted in the buffer zone of the Bosque de Pómac Historic Sanctuary, with the study population being the artisan women of the native cotton weaving line (of the scientific name of Gossypium barbadense L., a trade product native to the area, which is in the process of extinction and was used by ancestral cultures). The objective of this study is to describe the socio-demographic profile and the compliance with preventive measures against COVID-19 of artisan women for tourism recovery. The research has a quantitative, descriptive-cross-sectional approach. A checklist was given to 30 artisan women specifically from the Jotoro-Jayanca, Pómac III-Pitipo, and Túcume population centers. To test the content validity of the instrument, Aiken's validity coefficient was chosen with 10 assessors who were experts in health and tourism;the items were fully approved and statistically significant (Aiken's V = 1, p = 0.0 01). The data was processed with IBM SPSS version 25, using descriptive statistical techniques. The results showed that 93.3 of the artisans had their vaccination doses and 70% are still not complying with preventive measures such as hand washing, the use of masks, and social distancing required by COVID-19 on behalf of the Peruvian state. It is concluded that interventions are needed to apply protocols when tourism has recovered for personal, family, and community care. © 2022 Copyright for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Conclusion

The health risks of socially vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, the sick, and the disabled, are significantly elevated under the COVID-19 epidemic. Therefore, the different factors affecting the use of information technology by socially vulnerable groups under COVID-19 are explored at the level of the use of emerging information technology. The impact on the information behavior of socially vulnerable groups under COVID-19 is also explored at the level of information behavior, including health information needs, the digital divide phenomenon, and the utilization of public information services. Based on the above findings, the current status of information behavior research for socially vulnerable groups is combined. Future research directions of information technology and information behavior for socially vulnerable groups are proposed. First, to improve the research theory of information behavior of socially vulnerable groups regarding information technology. Second, to apply big data technology and data analysis technology to explore the information technology adoption behavior of socially vulnerable groups in-depth. Third, to construct the information behavior model of socially vulnerable groups based on empirical research cases. Fourth, to use information technology for socially vulnerable groups according to information technology and the barriers faced by socially vulnerable groups in using information technology, and to provide strategies for using information technology that meet the needs of socially vulnerable groups. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

An Analysis of Mobile Gaming Apps' Privacy Policies

In the past decade, the gaming industry has seen a sharp rise in popularity, particularly in mobile gaming, and these numbers have only increased with the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Given the amount of user information being collected and shared by these gaming apps as well as the demographics of its users such as minors, it is critical to examine these apps' privacy vulnerabilities. In this study, we reviewed and analyzed 20 popular gaming apps' privacy policies and evaluated their explicit privacy protections or lack thereof. In particular, we examined if any specific privacy protections are provided to vulnerable groups like children and teenagers. Results found that although these gaming apps have privacy protections listed in their policies, only a few of them explicitly identify individual's consent and choice. Also, most of the privacy protections on minors like children and teenagers provided by these gaming apps are only at a basic level. Results from this study can provide guidance to both app users and app developers on the measures that each app is already taking on privacy protections, as well as identifying the vulnerabilities and potential privacy risks that currently exist. Furthermore, it can provide guidance for implementing appropriate privacy policies to protect users' personal data. © 2022 IEEE.

Young for old - covid-19 related intergenerational prosocial behavior

ABSTRACT Older adults were among the high-risk groups for COVID-19 infection and relied on less vulnerable groups to protect them. In Spring 2021, we examined potential intergenerational motivators of COVID-19 containing behaviors and the support of COVID-19 containment measures among young Germans (N = 258). Intergenerational contact and general identification with older adults were not associated with COVID-19 containing behaviors or support of COVID-19 containment measures. However, the awareness of older adults' vulnerability to COVID-19 and the identification with older adults based on the shared experience of the pandemic were positive predictors of both criteria. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Difficulties of Vulnerable Groups in Accessing the Public Information Service During COVID-19 Pandemic in China

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic seriously threatens people's lives and health all over the world. Public information service is an important way for the public to understand the pandemic development and pandemic prevention and control measures. However, more people become vulnerable rather than the typical vulnerable groups due to the pandemic encounter difficulties in accessing public information services. To better help vulnerable people during the emergencies, based on related vulnerable groups theory, this chapter identifies two types of vulnerable groups in China. It collects information from news, journal papers, conference papers and other relevant perspectives to examine the difficulties that vulnerable people have encountered. Moreover, this chapter puts forward some suggestions from the aspect of policies and regulations, technologies and information systems, service content, and operating mechanism of public information services to better meet the information needs of vulnerable people. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities in vulnerable groups (e.g., increased infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates in people with lower income, lower education, or ethnic minorities). Communication inequalities can act as mediating factors in this relationship. Understanding this link is vital to prevent communication inequalities and health disparities in public health crises. This study aims to map and summarize the current literature on communication inequalities linked with health disparities (CIHD) in vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify research gaps. METHODS: A scoping review of quantitative and qualitative evidence was conducted. The literature search followed the guidelines of PRISMA extension for scoping reviews and was performed on PubMed and PsycInfo. Findings were summarized using a conceptual framework based on the Structural Influence Model by Viswanath et al. RESULTS: The search yielded 92 studies, mainly assessing low education as a social determinant and knowledge as an indicator for communication inequalities. CIHD in vulnerable groups were identified in 45 studies. The association of low education with insufficient knowledge and inadequate preventive behavior was the most frequently observed. Other studies only found part of the link: communication inequalities (n = 25) or health disparities (n = 5). In 17 studies, neither inequalities nor disparities were found. CONCLUSIONS: This review supports the findings of studies on past public health crises. Public health institutions should specifically target their communication to people with low education to reduce communication inequalities. More research about CIHD is needed on groups with migrant status, financial hardship, not speaking the language in the country of residence, sexual minorities, and living in deprived neighborhoods. Future research should also assess communication input factors to derive specific communication strategies for public health institutions to overcome CIHD in public health crises.

COVID-19 and household water insecurities in vulnerable communities in the Mekong Region.

Access to sufficient clean water is important for reducing the risks from COVID-19. It is unclear, however, what influence COVID-19 has had on water insecurities. The objective of this study was to assess the associations between COVID-19 control measures and household water insecurities. A survey of 1559 individuals living in vulnerable communities in five countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam) showed that increased needs for clean water to wash hands or facemasks made it more likely a person was water insecure along those dimensions. Water insecurities with respect to handwashing and drinking, in turn, made adoption of the corresponding good practices less likely, whereas in the case of washing facemasks there was no association. Water system infrastructure, environmental conditions such as floods and droughts, as well as gender norms and knowledge, were also important for water insecurities and the adoption of good practices. As domestic water insecurities and COVID-19 control measures are associated with each other, efforts should therefore be directed at identifying and assisting the water insecure at high risk when COVID-19 reaches their communities. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10668-022-02182-0.

Development of a risk score to identify patients at high risk for a severe course of COVID-19.

Aim: We aimed to develop a risk score to calculate a person's individual risk for a severe COVID-19 course (POINTED score) to support prioritization of especially vulnerable patients for a (booster) vaccination. Subject and methods: This cohort study was based on German claims data and included 623,363 individuals with a COVID-19 diagnosis in 2020. The outcome was COVID-19 related treatment in an intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation, or death after a COVID-19 infection. Data were split into a training and a test sample. Poisson regression models with robust standard errors including 35 predefined risk factors were calculated. Coefficients were rescaled with a min-max normalization to derive numeric score values between 0 and 20 for each risk factor. The scores' discriminatory ability was evaluated by calculating the area under the curve (AUC). Results: Besides age, down syndrome and hematologic cancer with therapy, immunosuppressive therapy, and other neurological conditions were the risk factors with the highest risk for a severe COVID-19 course. The AUC of the POINTED score was 0.889, indicating very good predictive validity. Conclusion: The POINTED score is a valid tool to calculate a person's risk for a severe COVID-19 course. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10389-023-01884-7.

[Abortion in Germany: legal situation, challenges and current developments considering the COVID-19 pandemic]. / Schwangerschaftsabbruch in Deutschland: Gesetzeslage, Herausforderungen und aktuelle Entwicklungen unter Berücksichtigung der COVID-19-Pandemie.

Abortions are commonplace in Germany. For years, the numbers have changed very little, with about 60 abortions per 10,000 women of reproductive age per year. Those affected and the doctors who perform the abortions have to overcome many hurdles imposed on them by legislation (e.g., §§ 218 ff., Pregnancy Conflict Act).This discussion paper presents data and facts on abortion in Germany. In addition, the following questions are answered: What are the reasons for not using contraception? What factors motivate unplanned pregnant women to terminate their pregnancy? What abortion methods are available? What are the hurdles that have to be overcome before an abortion? The legal situation in Germany is described and it is explained how vulnerable groups such as single parents and people with poor German language skills or a low level of education are particularly affected by the challenges that arise. Moreover, in recent years, fewer and fewer doctors are willing to perform abortions. In addition to personal motives, the high effort, and inadequate remuneration, the reasons include dealing with criminal complaints and hostility. As a result, the practices that perform the procedure are rare and difficult to reach for unintentionally pregnant women. The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the situation, especially for vulnerable groups. However, it has been observed that telemedical offers for abortion "at home" gained in popularity.To ensure that unintended pregnant women continue to receive the professional care they need in the future, urgent measures must be taken to reduce the various hurdles.

Effects of general and corona-specific stressors on mental burden during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Germany.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic turned out to be a serious threat to mental and physical health. However, the relative contribution of corona-specific (DHs) and general stressors (DHg) on mental burden, and specific protective and risk factors for mental health are still not well understood. In a representative sample (N = 3,055) of the German adult population, mental health, potential risk, and protective factors as well as DHs and DHg exposure were assessed online during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (June and July 2020). The impact of these factors on mental health was analyzed using descriptive statistics, data visualizations, multiple regressions, and moderation analyses. The most burdensome DHg were financial and sleeping problems, respectively, and DHs corona-media reports and exclusion from recreational activities/important social events. 31 and 24% of total mental health was explained by DHg and DHs, respectively. Both predictors combined explained 36%, resulting in an increase in variance due to DHs of only 5% (R2 adjusted). Being female, older and a lower educational level were identified as general risk factors, somatic diseases as a corona-specific risk factor, and self-efficacy and locus of control (LOC) proved to be corona-specific protective factors. Further analyses showed that older age and being diagnosed with a somatic illness attenuated the positive influence of LOC, self-efficacy, and social support on resilience. Although the data showed that after the first easing restrictions, the stressor load was comparable to pre-pandemic data (with DHs not making a significant contribution), different risk and protective factors could be identified for general and corona-specific stressors. In line with observations from network analysis from other groups, the positive impact of resilience factors was especially diminished in the most vulnerable groups (elderly and somatically ill). This highlights the need to especially target these vulnerable groups to foster their resilience in upcoming waves of the corona pandemic.

Differences in mortality in Switzerland by citizenship during the first and second COVID-19 waves: Analysis of death statistics.

Background: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it became apparent that members of marginalized populations and immigrants were also at risk of being hospitalized and dying more frequently from COVID-19. To examine how the pandemic affected underserved and marginalized populations, we analyzed data on changes in the number of deaths among people with and without Swiss citizenship during the first and second SARS-CoV-2 waves. Method: We analyzed the annual number of deaths from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office from 2015 to 2020, and weekly data from January 2020 to May 2021 on deaths of permanent residents with and without Swiss citizenship, and we differentiated the data through subdivision into age groups. Results: People without Swiss citizenship show a higher increase in the number of deaths in 2020 than those who were Swiss citizens. The increase in deaths compared to the previous year was almost twice as high for people without Swiss citizenship (21.8%) as for those with it (11.4%). The breakdown by age group indicates that among people between the ages of 64 and 75, those without Swiss citizenship exhibited an increase in mortality (21.6%) that was four times higher than that for people with Swiss citizenship (4.7%). Conclusion: This study confirms that a highly specialized health care system, as is found in Switzerland, does not sufficiently guarantee that all parts of the population will be equally protected in a health crisis such as COVID-19.

Mental Health in Individuals with a History of Mental Disorder during COVID-19-Pandemic - Preliminary Results of the National Cohort Study in Germany

Introduction: Research of COVID-19-Pandemic mental health impact focus on three groups: the general population, (2) so called vulnerable groups (e.g. individuals with mental disorders) and (3) individuals suffering COVID-19 including Long-COVID syndromes. Objective(s): We investigate whether individuals with a history of depression in the past, react to the COVID-19 pandemic with increased depressive symptoms. Method(s): Longitudinal Data stem from the NAKO-Baseline- Assessment (2014-2019, 18 study centers in Germany, representative sampled individuals from 20 to 74 years) and the subsequent NAKO-COVID-Assessment (5-11/2020). The sample for analysis comprises 115.519 individuals. History of psychiatric disorder was operationalized as lifetime self-report for physician-diagnosed depression. Depressive symptoms were measured with the PHQ 9. Result(s): Mean age of the sample at baseline was 49.95 (SD 12.53). It comprised 51.70 women;14 % of the individuals had a history of physician-diagnosed depression. Considering a PHQ-Score with cutoff 10 as a clinical relevant depression, 3.65%of the individuals without history of depression and 24.19 % of those with a history of depression were depressed at baseline. The NAKO-COVID-Assessment revealed 6.53 % depressed individuals without any history of depression and a similar rate of 23.29 % in those with history of depression. Conclusion(s): In contrast to that what we expected, individuals with a history of a physician-diagnosed depression, did not react with increasing depressiveness during the first phase of the pandemic in Germany. Several reasons could be discussed. Whether there medium and long-term impact remains open.

The role of social transfers in mitigating families with children from the economic impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic

In this study, we investigated the household income of families with children. Our specific interest was the earned income losses during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and how social transfers have mitigated those losses. We assessed the monthly income levels by comparing the information on the year prior to pandemic to income levels during COVID‐19 pandemic. We found that the pandemic affected all studied subgroups of families with children, with the most negative economic influence in May 2020. In addition, our results indicate that in Finland the social transfers protected fairly well against the negative economic impacts of the pandemic among families with children, especially among vulnerable families (those with lowest income level prior COVID‐19, with low parental education, single‐parent families and families with non‐Finnish‐born parents). The information gained from this analysis can be useful in economic recovery during and after COVID‐19 pandemic, and when preparing for future challenges. [ FROM AUTHOR]

The health equity characteristics of research exploring the unmet community mobility needs of older adults: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Unmet community mobility needs of older adults, published since the announcement of the UN sustainable development goals was synthesised to describe the health equity characteristics of research identifying unmet community mobility needs of older adults. METHODS: Searches were conducted in March and April 2020, 2275 articles were screened and 100 identified for data extraction. RESULTS: Findings showed underrepresentation of articles considering rural settings [9%] and originating in the global South [14%]. Gender, disability, education, and transport / driving were identified as key health equity characteristics and only 10 articles provided detail on all four of these. External factors inhibiting community mobility included built environments, service availability, and societal attitudes. Internal factors included finances, fear and apprehension, and functional limitations. CONCLUSIONS: The need for standardised reporting of participant characteristics in the community mobility of older adults was highlighted. These characteristics are required by research consumers to judge equity dimensions, and the extent to which findings represent minority or marginalised groups. 15 after the UN pledge to reduce inequalities, peer reviewed primary research does not reflect a global drive to end discrimination, exclusion and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind.

COVID-19 Vaccination in Migrants and Refugees: Lessons Learnt and Good Practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities between low- and high-income countries. Within the latter, a greater impact is seen in the poorest and most vulnerable people, including refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. They all may experience poor access to quality healthcare or have suboptimal health-seeking behavior, distrust of governments, or fear of detention and deportation if seeking healthcare. Some refugees and migrants may face multiple barriers to vaccination and access to health systems that are relevant to the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, despite the growing inclusion of these populations in public health policies. Several good practices have emerged to ensure the inclusion of these populations in vaccination and healthcare for COVID-19 globally. However, inequalities persist between high-income and low-/middle-income populations. The inequalities in COVID-19 vaccination reflect the already existing ones in common health services worldwide. Further efforts are necessary to reduce such disparities, to protect the vulnerable, and, by extension, the general population. The initiatives organized, both at global and local levels, to support vaccination campaigns represent a notable example of how complex multilevel structures, such as health systems, as well as limited resource health services, can successfully face, even during a health emergency, the challenges related to global health issues.