Geographical Demography Research Articles

Gender-based violence perpetrated against migrant women during lockdowns: A pastoral care challenge

Background: The article unpacks the complexities of gender-based violence (GBV) against illegal migrant women during lockdowns and contributes to the broader discourse on gender equality, human rights and social justice within the Pentecostal or Charismatic pastoral praxis. The geographical demography was a semi-formal area located between South Africa’s Gauteng and Northwest provinces. The period for the inquiry was South Africa’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) induced lockdowns that began on 27 March 2020 until 05 April 2022.Objectives: The study aimed to shed light on the unique challenges faced by this vulnerable population, exploring the intersectionality of their undocumented status, gender and the socio-economic impacts of restrictive measures and the challenges to pastorally care for them.Method: The qualitative approach and case study were used to select two sets of participants; 13 illegal Zimbabwean Migrant Women (ZMW) and 3 Pentecostal or Charismatic clergy.Results: There was a disturbing prevalence of GBV incidents, ranging from physical, sexual to psychological abuse. The illegal status of migrant women exacerbated their vulnerability and reluctance to seek help due to fear of deportation and societal stigmatisation. The lockdown-induced economic strain further compounded their susceptibility to GBV.Conclusion: There was nonexistent pastoral care policy or praxis within the Pentecostal or Charismatic church for illegal ZMW who were victims of GBV during the lockdowns. These themes emerged: (1) high incidents of GBV perpetrated against illegal ZMW during lockdowns; (2) barriers to seeking pastoral care were lack of trust, migration status, fear of deportation, fear of infection and (3) no physical virtual pastoral care.Contribution: This article is embedded in the Pentecostal or Charismatic practice of care; postmodern, using the interpretive narrative framework to highlight the narratives of illegal Zimbabwean Migrant Women (ZMW) who were victims of gender-based violence (GBV) during South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdowns and the challenges of pastorally caring for them.

COVID vaccine: Social, menstrual and psychological aftermath

ObjectiveBeginning from the end of year 2019 till end of year 2021 the whole world has witnessed a calamity that shook every aspect of human life. Globally, countries were engrossed in developing the vaccine at the earliest. Several vaccines having Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) were distributed and administered, after assuring no severe adverse impact. However, certain side effects persist. These unforeseen outcomes led to vaccine hesitant behavior and even refusal to take a jab. In this context, the present study attempts to investigate the social, psychological and menstrual changes perceived after inoculation. Material and methodsCross-sectional observational study following the CHERRIES publication guidelines for the description of research results from web based surveys and questionnaires. ResultsThe study reveals that almost 40 % of the respondents have received some information relating to the impact that vaccine has on menstrual health and out of which almost 65% have received negative information. Moreover, 32% of the respondents were not very sure about the side effects or after effects of the vaccine. The inferential findings of this study suggest that COVID vaccine has affected the menstrual cycle, particularly cycle length and volume. Majorly, the impact of vaccine was reported by those who have already suffered from past menstrual illnesses. However, age, geographical demography and the type of vaccine injected does not significantly impact the menstrual homeostasis. ConclusionGeographical demography of respondents have significant impact on their perceived psychological stress after the vaccination. This study shows the significance of gender-based trials of vaccines in the coming future so that these unforeseen physiological and psychological ailments can be evaded.

COVID vaccine: Social, menstrual and psychological aftermath

ObjectiveBeginning from the end of year 2019 till end of year 2021 the whole world has witnessed a calamity that shook every aspect of human life. Globally, countries were engrossed in developing the vaccine at the earliest. Several vaccines having Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) were distributed and administered, after assuring no severe adverse impact. However, certain side effects persist. These unforeseen outcomes led to vaccine hesitant behavior and even refusal to take a jab. In this context, the present study attempts to investigate the social, psychological and menstrual changes perceived after inoculation. Material and methodsCross-sectional observational study following the CHERRIES publication guidelines for the description of research results from web based surveys and questionnaires. ResultsThe study reveals that almost 40 % of the respondents have received some information relating to the impact that vaccine has on menstrual health and out of which almost 65% have received negative information. Moreover, 32% of the respondents were not very sure about the side effects or after effects of the vaccine. The inferential findings of this study suggest that COVID vaccine has affected the menstrual cycle, particularly cycle length and volume. Majorly, the impact of vaccine was reported by those who have already suffered from past menstrual illnesses. However, age, geographical demography and the type of vaccine injected does not significantly impact the menstrual homeostasis. ConclusionGeographical demography of respondents have significant impact on their perceived psychological stress after the vaccination. This study shows the significance of gender-based trials of vaccines in the coming future so that these unforeseen physiological and psychological ailments can be evaded.

Epidemiological Surveillance of Type 2 Diabetes Among Adolescents and Children

With a high incidence of the condition worldwide, type 2 diabetes has emerged as one of the most worrisome chronic diseases. Type 2 diabetes has been identified in certain public health research to have an early beginning tendency, and the rapid rise in teen and child prevalence may be an epidemiological warning sign. This study uses systematic retrieval and induction techniques to examine the prevalence and trajectory of type 2 diabetes in children and adoles-cents. In this paper, the useful data and literature collected are discussed and sorted out in an attempt to establish a complete field of analysis of current type 2 diabetes, which is to criti-cally discuss the practice of current epidemiological surveillance and screening systems for adolescents and children, and to propose possible constructive suggestions. This study finds that the development trend in adolescents and children may not be optimistic, and there are differences in risk based on geographic demography, gender, race, etc. Epidemiological screening and surveillance of type 2 diabetes in adolescents and children, as well as targeted public and individual prevention and intervention, could have significant implications.

What Makes a Good Neighbor? Race, Place, and Norms of Political Participation

Social norms are thought to motivate behaviors like political participation, but context should influence both the content and activation of these norms. I show that both race and neighborhood context moderate the social value of political participation in the United States. Using original survey data and a survey experiment, I find that Whites, Blacks, and Latinos not only conceptualize participation differently, but also asymmetrically reward those who are politically active, with minority Americans often providing more social incentives for participation than Whites. I combine this survey data with geographic demography from the American Community Survey and find that neighborhood characteristics outpace individual-level indicators in predicting the social value of political participation. The findings suggest that scholars of political behavior should consider race, place, and social norms when seeking to understand participation in an increasingly diverse America.

Global strategies to prevent non-communicable diseases: A view for the low-income societies

Two facts of public health in the low-income societies are becoming overwhelmingly apparent. First the incidence and prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has been accelerating rapidly throughout the world (not just in affluent industrialised nations) with deaths from heart disease and cancer surpassing those from infections and undernutrition. The second is the persistence of conditions of food insecurity underweight and micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger). To illustrate this dichotomy some time in 2001 the earths population moved into an interesting and historically unprecedented situation; an equal number of individuals across the world suffered from undernutrition (defined as a 2 standard deviation deficit in weight for age) and overnutrition (defined as a body mass index (BMI) in excess of 25 kg/m2). Of course there is generally a segregation in age and geographical demography with the undernutrition occurring among the young of the poor nations of the tropical world and overnutrition among adults in affluent nations. This traditional separation however is by no means hermetic as overweight rates continue to rise in developing societies in the face of widespread undernutrition. These apparently paradoxical situations have been termed nutrition transition a phase in societal development during which chronic diseases emerge and coexist with nutritional deficiency states. Resolving the apparent paradox invokes the multifaceted adversity of poverty which influences ones capacity to access both the quantity and the quality of diet for optimal nutrition and health. (excerpt)