Community Coping Mechanisms Research Articles

Community practices as coping mechanisms for mental health in Kashmir

ABSTRACT With a steady rise in mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Kashmir, the need to address mental health in this region becomes important. This paper reports on traditional and current community mental health coping mechanisms among residents in Kashmir. Six focus group discussions (FGD) were facilitated with key informants. Data were analyzed via a thematic analytic approach. Community coping mechanisms reported include social spaces and shared chore spaces, cultural practices, shrines and religious places, faithealers. These findings demonstrate community strengths that can leverage to build additional coping strategies and resilience among people.

Psychological and coping strategies of the red zone community: a cross-sectional study of COVID-19 pandemic in rural area in Indonesia

Introduction: People who live in red zone communities are at high risk of COVID-19 transmission. This condition can elicit various societal reactions, both physically and psychologically. This psychological response will urge them to search for alternative solutions. The fundamental purpose of this study was to determine the psychological state and coping mechanism, especially for people living in the rural red zone. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 12.423 persons living in a rural area of East Java province. According to Krejcie and Morgan's table, the sample size was 372 participants. The questionnaires were circulated through social media applications and a Google form. Two experts examined the validity of the content. In early June 2021, data collection began. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: The population suffers from three categories of ailments, the most common of which are anxiety and stress. The community employs both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping mechanisms. Seeking emotional and instrumental social support, turning to religion, acceptance, mental and behavioral divergence, active coping activities, focusing and releasing emotions, denial, and bodily symptoms are examples of coping mechanisms. The findings also show a significant relationship between several demographic variables, precisely age and coping strategies. People who live in the rural red zone have varied psychological reactions, such as anxiety and stress. The community's coping mechanisms tend to revolve around releasing emotions and denial. Conclusions: The increasing prevalence of COVID-19 contributes to the onset of psychological health problems in some people living in the red zone. When psychological health difficulties occur, they urge an individual to develop coping mechanisms for coping with the current condition.

User and community coping responses to service delivery gaps in emergency obstetric care provision in a rural community in Ghana.

The study sought to explore user and community responses to service delivery gaps in emergency obstetric care provision in rural Ghana. A qualitative design was employed to draw evidence from observations, interviews and focus group discussion among healthcare providers, clients and community members. Data processing and analysis followed a thematic approach. Findings reveal community interference in obstetric care delivery processes, reliance on unskilled providers, recourse to local oxytocin use, non-compliance to prescribed treatment and mistrust in healthcare providers as user and community coping mechanisms to perceived poor quality obstetric care. These behaviours have serious consequences on the life chances of pregnant and parturient women. The need to adapt to a more responsive and affordable maternal healthcare delivery system is essential for uptake of services in rural areas. Also, standardised guidelines to regulate health worker behaviour is critical to instil trust in the healthcare system.

An assessment of flood vulnerability and adaptation: A case study of Hamutsha-Muungamunwe village, Makhado municipality.

This study assesses flood vulnerability, levels of vulnerability, determinants of flood vulnerability and coping strategies for flood hazards. The vulnerability and resilience of the local communities are key concepts in this study. Most households are vulnerable to flood hazards. It is therefore important to measure their levels of vulnerability and assess their responses for current and future planning. A flood vulnerability index was used to measure the extent of flood vulnerability. Key informant interviews, field surveys and household questionnaires were used to collect the data. The results show that vulnerability to flood in this community is determined by the nature of soil, dwelling type, employment, education and amount of rainfall in a season. Social and economic components scored higher than the physical environment, while social factors are higher than the economic factors. Contextual coping strategies in this community were temporary relocation, evacuation to a safe area and waiting for government and neighbours to help. The study recommends that public awareness campaigns, early warning systems and improved disaster management strategies must take into consideration differentiated levels of vulnerability and community coping mechanisms and preferences.

Assessing the Effect of Flood Menace on the Community Well-being in Bunyala, Busia County, Kenya

Flooding has been singled out as the most common in Bunyala Sub-County of all the environmental hazards that have continued to pose tremendous danger to people’s lives and property. As such, members of these communities are hardly capable of averting and or managing the impacts of disasters facing them . This study aimed at examining the root causes of persistent floods and strategic community- based interventions in Bunyala Sub-County, and how community coping mechanisms affect the community’s well-being. The researcher used a descriptive research design through which the exact condition of Bunyala Sub-County was established in a cross-sectional manner. Data was collected through interviews with key informants, administration of semi-structured questionnaires to household, as well as through discussions in focus groups. The researcher used household as the definite analysis unit. Hence, 384 households were selected as the sample size for the study. Data analysis entailed its cleaning, coding and input into SPSS 11.5 version spread sheet for descriptive statistical analysis. Results showed that flooding effects were significantly higher during the flood season such as destruction of social amenities, houses, productive and non-productive assets though the benefit of living in the floodplains outweighs associated flooding risk.

Reprint of: Issues with families and children in a disaster context: A qualitative perspective from rural Bangladesh

Natural disasters such as floods and cyclones have repeatedly devastated lives and destroyed the belongings of people. This is especially so for children and their families in Bangladesh. This study analyzed the specific aspects of vulnerability of children (birth to eight years) and their families in natural disasters and their resilience and preparedness in natural disaster contexts. Qualitative field data suggest that, when faced with extreme natural forces, people suffered but coped with their changed situation. The data showed that families, who sometimes lost everything, had their way of living drastically changed. They had to live a life that was not preferable or emotionally acceptable to them. Women and children are affected most during any disastrous situation. Throughout this study it was evident that trauma brought fear and disturbance, which made children feel anxious, even after the cessation of the disaster. Both physical and mental illness appeared in specific cases. It was also found that children felt helpless and frustrated in terms of school-related issues, a lack of space to play, and scarcity of food. Instinctive survival strategies and intra-community cooperation improved coping post cyclone. This study recommends that disaster reduction strategies should include activities for enhancing services for birth to eight year olds in disaster settings and encourage mitigation while being aware of localized realities, which affect each community's coping mechanisms and ability to adapt.

Issues with families and children in a disaster context: A qualitative perspective from rural Bangladesh

Natural disasters such as floods and cyclones have repeatedly devastated lives and destroyed the belongings of people. This is especially so for children and their families in Bangladesh. This study analyzed the specific aspects of vulnerability of children (birth to eight years) and their families in natural disasters and their resilience and preparedness in natural disaster contexts. Qualitative field data suggest that, when faced with extreme natural forces, people suffered but coped with their changed situation. The data showed that families, who sometimes lost everything, had their way of living drastically changed. They had to live a life that was not preferable or emotionally acceptable to them. Women and children are affected most during any disastrous situation. Throughout this study it was evident that trauma brought fear and disturbance, which made children feel anxious, even after the cessation of the disaster. Both physical and mental illness appeared in specific cases. It was also found that children felt helpless and frustrated in terms of school-related issues, a lack of space to play, and scarcity of food. Instinctive survival strategies and intra-community cooperation improved coping post cyclone. This study recommends that disaster reduction strategies should include activities for enhancing services for birth to eight year olds in disaster settings and encourage mitigation while being aware of localized realities, which affect each community's coping mechanisms and ability to adapt.

PERBEDAAN TINGKAT PERCEIVED RISK, FEAR OF CRIME, DAN MEKANISME COPING PADA MASYARAKAT YANG BERAKTIVITAS DI WILAYAH RAWAN TINDAK KEJAHATAN (Studi Pada Dua Kabupaten/Kota di Provinsi Lampung yang Menduduki Peringkat Crime Rate Tertinggi)

Increasing the news about crimes committed in the province of Lampung, consciously or not, affect the pattern of community life. Many aspects (activities) productive hampered by fear are caused. The real implications of the rise of the news that is the limited / inhibition of community activities in public spaces or simply to mobilize someplace. This study illustrates the differences in the level of perceived risk, fear of crime, and community coping mechanisms that move in the two regions with the highest crime rate in the province of Lampung. The approach used in this research is quantitative, while the research method used is described and an explanatory. The number of samples in this study amounted to 80 people who are living and active communities in two districts / cities in Lampung province that has the highest crime rate. The results of different test (two independent samples test - Mann Whitney) were conducted on three variables show that that there are differences in the level of perceived risk, fear of crime, and significant coping mechanism between perceptional respondents who move in North Lampung and in Bandar Lampung (the calculation in three variables Asymp Sig <0.05). Referring to the descriptive overview of the response variable in all three assessments indicates that respondents who move in North Lampung give a higher assessment category compared with respondents who move in Bandar Lampung. In this case, the circumstances in Bandar Lampung tend to be more favorable in terms of safety aspects when compared with North Lampung.

Perceptions of children and community members concerning the circumstances of orphans in rural Zimbabwe

Focus group discussions and interviews were held with 40 orphans, 25 caretakers and 33 other community workers from a rural area near Mutare, Zimbabwe. Orphan concerns included feeling different from other children, stress, stigmatization, exploitation, schooling, lack of visits and neglect of support responsibilities by relatives. Many community members, while recognizing their limitations due to poverty, were already actively helping orphans and caretakers. Extended family networks are the primary resource for orphans, though some relatives exploit orphans or fail to fulfil their responsibilities. Interventions are suggested which support community coping mechanisms by strengthening the capacities of families to care for orphans. Outside organizations can develop partnerships with community groups, helping them to respond to the impact of AIDS, by building upon existing concern for orphan families. They can help affected communities to develop orphan support activities which encourage caring responses by community leaders and relatives and which discourage property-grabbing and orphan neglect. Material support channelled through community groups to destitute families at critical times can strengthen family coping mechanisms. Incomegenerating activities should build upon communities' existing capabilities and benefit the most vulnerable orphan households. Some communities are responding to the AIDS disaster by adaptations to cope with devastating changes taking place in their communities.

Orphan prevalence and extended family care in a peri-urban community in Zimbabwe.

An orphan enumeration survey was conducted in 570 households in and around Mutare, Zimbabwe in 1992; 18.3% (95% CI 15.1-21.5%) of households included orphans. 12.8% (95% CI 11.2-14.3%) of children under 15 years old had a father or mother who had died; 5% of orphans had lost both parents. Orphan prevalence was highest in a peri-urban rural area (17.2%) and lowest in a middle income medium density urban suburb (4.3%). Recent increases in parental deaths were noted; 50% of parental deaths since 1987 could be ascribed to AIDS. Orphan household heads were likely to be older and less well-educated than non-orphan household heads. The majority of orphaned children were being cared for satisfactorily within extended families, often under difficult circumstances. Caregiving by maternal relatives represents a departure from the traditional practice of caring for orphans within the paternal extended family and an adaptation of community-coping mechanisms. There was little evidence of discrimination or exploitation of orphaned children by extended family caregivers. The fact that community coping mechanisms are changing does not imply that extended family methods of caring are about to break down. However, the emergence of orphan households headed by siblings is an indication that the extended family is under stress. Emphasis needs to be placed upon supporting extended families by utilizing existing community-based organizations. Orphan support programmes may need to be established initially in high risk communities such as low-income urban areas and peri-urban rural areas.

Homicides and race riots

Comparative analysis of American race riots and homicides during the 1960s shows that the presence of large percentages of non-Whites and people living in structural poverty increased the chances of cities' having both collective (race riots) and individual (homicides) violence. Cities in the South had a greater chance of having relatively serious homicide activity than did other U.S. cities but a lesser chance of having serious race riot activity. The relative risk of individual (homicide) versus less individualistic (race riot) response to structural poverty is interpreted from a multidimensional perspective that treats both riots and homicide as examples of violent coping mechanisms. These mechanisms form one axis of a three-dimensional representation of community coping mechanisms: violent/non-violent, symptom focused/cause focused, and collective/individual. Several authors (e.g., Ball-Rokeach & Short, 1986; Spilerman, 1976) have argued that the differential incidence of riots in the South and in the rest of the country during the sixties should be interpreted in terms of the relative repressiveness and unresponsiveness of city governments in the South. Our findings suggest that repressiveness and unresponsiveness may be conducive to the development of coping mechanisms in communities that define and resolve problems at the individual level. The ironic consequences of such cultural adaptation are discussed.