Militant Groups Research Articles

An Analysis of the Crucial Role of Religious Extremism Contributes to Afghanistan’s Political Instability

Purpose: Political stability in Afghanistan has been hindered by religious extremism. However, several parties have grown up within the country to oppose the government. These extremist groups employ suffering as a means of gaining political power rather than simply using religion Because Sunni, Shia, Hanafi, Wahhabi, and other religious individuals live and work to promote their religions, religious extremism has a significant effect on Afghanistan's political stability. This has led to numerous problems between the citizens and the government. Several explosions have happened in mosques targeting Shia. It is believed that non-Muslims are using this tactic to extend the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan distinctively. This paper aims to analyze the impact of religious extremism on political instability in Afghanistan. In this paper, the analysis is based on the fact that religious extremists have a great impact on the political stability of Afghanistan. Materials and Methods: The study emphasizes analytical and descriptive approaches to gathering and analyzing data, which is more consistent with qualitative studies. The primary approaches used to gather data for qualitative research encompass focus groups, observation, and interviews. Findings: The results of this study are as follows: (1) The analysis of religion is considered one of the important elements in Afghanistan, five categories of participants have different opinions about this response, 51% of respondents agree that religious extremes have an impact on Afghanistan political stability, 38% of participants strongly agree that religion has on impact on political stability in Afghanistan; (2) the supporting of militant groups has an impact on Afghan political instability, 5% of participants are neutral about this response, and 3% of the participants are strongly disagree about the above response. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: We recommend that the Afghan government strictly obey the rule of Islam and international partners should cooperate with Afghanistan in this field.

Challenges to School Success Among Children in U.S. Military Families.

More than 90% of children in military families attend civilian schools that may lack understanding of the unique experiences and stressors of military life. School success in children of military families has important implications on future academic achievement, health outcomes, and military groups; yet there has not been an examination of challenges of school success among children of military families in the United States using nationally representative data. Data captured in the 2021-2022 National Survey of Children's Health, limited to children aged 6 to 17 years, were used to examine the association between child's caregiver military status and challenges of school success: lack of school engagement measured through caring about school and completing schoolwork, school absenteeism, and grade repetition (n = 60,599). Weighted to be nationally representative, bivariate analyses used chi-squared tests to examine estimates between selected variables and caregiver military status. Multivariable regression analyses were used to examine the association between caregiver military status and challenges of school success measures. In both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, we found that children of military families were more likely to not be engaged in school (adjusted odds ratios 1.35; 95% CI 1.19-1.53) and more likely to repeat a grade (adjusted odds ratios 1.33; 95% CI 1.09-1.64) than their civilian counterparts. There were no statistically significant differences in school absenteeism between children of military families and of civilian families. This study extends beyond previous research findings that have focused primarily on academic achievement by including school engagement, attendance, and grade repetition for a more holistic and complete understanding of school success of children in military families. Our findings can be informational for school systems and policymakers to create educational and connective interventions for children in military families to improve school success.

The State Of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) In Nigeria And Implications To National Security: Northwest And North Central In Focus

The ongoing insurgency and banditry in northern Nigeria and the government's harsh attempts to put it down have resulted in a wave of refugees and internally displaced people. Increase in population density and the migration of displaced people into places that are thought to be relatively quiet are prominently causing significant security concerns. With particular reference to the city of Ilorin, this study investigates the role of internally displaced people and community concerns in connection to national security and their repercussions. The study showed that the state's failure to provide security and deal with residents' socioeconomic problems contributed to the instability that drove large population displacement. Losses of life, insecurity, population relocation, intolerance toward other ethnic and religious groups, the operation of the militant groups and most importantly economic disasters are the consequences of these unfavorable tendencies, as this article has discovered. The findings of this study shows that the government's response to the situation of internally displaced people in the nation has been patchy, with no long-term fix in sight. Additionally, the dilemma of internally displaced people severely impedes the region's growth. This paper consequently promotes the establishment of offices for these displaced people's representatives by including the affairs of internally displaced people at the local government level. As an option to dealing with the problem of internally displaced people in the nation, increasing funding for national security among residents would improve security in Ilorin metropolis.

Comparison of Tuberculosis Cases in Military Personnel Versus Civilians: A Retrospective Descriptive Study.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death from infectious diseases worldwide. Military personnel are particularly vulnerable to TB because of the factors like deployments to endemic regions and close-quarters living. This study aims to compare the characteristics and outcomes of symptomatic TB cases between military and civilian patients treated at 2 French military hospitals, with a specific focus on diagnostic delay. This retrospective observational study included patients over 18 years old with culture-confirmed symptomatic TB treated between 2008 and 2021. Military patients (Group A) were compared to civilian patients (Group B), matched by age and sex. Data collected included demographic details, diagnostic delay, clinical presentations, and treatment outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed using chi-squared tests and Mann-Whitney tests, with significance set at P < .05. A total of 17 military and 38 civilian patients were included in the study. The median diagnostic delay was shorter for military patients at 49 days, compared to 64 days for civilians, although this difference was not statistically significant (P = .42). In the military group, 59% had been deployed to TB endemic regions, with 35% showing symptoms during operational missions. Clinical presentations and microbiological findings were similar between the two groups. Notably, two military patients were infected with Mycobacterium canettii, likely linked to deployments in Djibouti, where this strain is endemic. The military population showed a significant burden of physical sequelae, with 25% experiencing lasting physical impairments post-treatment. Tuberculosis presentation and outcomes in military and civilian patients were generally comparable. Early diagnosis remains essential to minimize disease severity and operational impact, particularly in military settings.

Russia's Diplomatic Maneuvering In the Israel‐Palestine War

AbstractThis article assesses Russia's policy and behavior since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and Israel's war on Gaza. For years, Moscow's approach to the Israel‐Palestine conflict was based on “equidistance” between the two parties—maintaining working relations with the Israelis and pledging friendship to the Palestinians. However, the outbreak of the latest war led Russia to take a clearly pro‐Palestinian stance and harshly criticize Tel Aviv's military response. The analysis shows that while relations were strained by Russian officials’ anti‐Israel statements, Moscow did not fundamentally alter its position. It did not cross Israel's red lines by arming Hamas and other militant groups, nor did it abandon its well‐established commitment to the two‐state solution. Russia's rhetoric and its high‐level diplomacy primarily serve to court the pro‐Palestinian Global South and to escape the diplomatic isolation sparked by the war in Ukraine.

ANALYSIS OF THE PECULIARITIES AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE MOVING AND TRAFFIC (TRANSPORTATION) OF GROUPS OF TROOPS (FORCES) IN THE OPERATIONS OF THE ARMIES OF NATO MEMBER COUNTRIES AND IN THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE

The task of increasing the efficiency of moving and traffic (transportation) of weapons and military equipment and material and technical means (material means) of military units and groups of troops (forces) in operations (combat operations) in the modern conditions of repelling wide scale armed aggression of the rf is becoming more and more urgent. This is due to the fact that the success of logistical support of operations (combat operations) is achieved mainly by early and high-quality preparation and distribution of vehicles, deployment of transport communications, clear organization of their technical service and cover. In order to solve these problems, an analysis of the peculiarities and shortcomings of the moving and traffic (transportation) of groups of troops (forces) in the operations of the armies of NATO member countries and in the Armed Forces of Ukraine was carried out based on the experience of local wars and armed conflicts, the Russian- Ukrainian war and the conduct of Joint Forces Operation (JFO) (Anti-terrorist operation (ATO) ) and identified the main shortcomings of this process. These shortcomings indicate that in previously performed studies, the issue of increasing the efficiency of moving and traffic (transportation) of weapons and military equipment and material and technical means (material means) of military units and groups of troops (forces) in operations (combat actions) was not sufficiently considered in theory. Therefore, in further research, it is necessary to analyze the existing scientific approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of moving and traffic (transportation) of troops (forces) in order to determine ways of their improvement.

Effects of Armed Conflicts on The National Security of Post Conflicts States, A Case Study of Juba County in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan

This paper assessed the nature of existing armed conflicts and their effect on security management, established the influence of the local and regional dynamics of conflicts on security management and finally examined the effect of the emerging security threats on security management strategies in Juba County, South Sudan. The study was guided by two theories; Conflict Transformation and National Security theories. The study used descriptive survey research design and Purposive sampling technique to enlist 210 respondents for this study. The main method of data collection was the interview. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data and reported in narrative form. The study established a dichotomy of existing armed conflicts; external and internal conflicts in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan that had serious implication on both Security Management and National security. The second objective established the influence of local and regional dynamics that affected security management that included; Interlocking political and tribal division aspects of conflict, the influence of insurgents and armed cross border militia groups; greed for livestock by political elites that saw them arm their tribal militia with modern guns and military hardware for ease of livestock theft, amongst others. The third objective established the effect of several emerging security threats on Security Management strategies in Juba County, which included migrant migration for domestic and international child soldiering recruitment in the context of the on-going civil war and also for soldiering elsewhere outside the country. This paper establishes a regional policy concern that South Sudan is largely unsafe, and by implication the whole region is unlikely to be safe. This calls for an immediate action by all security stakeholders, UN agencies, Non State Actors, security pundits and think tanks to brainstorm and chart a way forward for South Sudan and the entire region.

Punitive Operations Carried out by Lithuanian Partisans in Alytus County in 1944–1952

To compare with guerrilla wars in the 20th century in Europe, participants of Lithuanian partisan movement after the WW II were particularly involved in fighting collaborationism; they were struggling to overcome challenges related to support showed by their fellow citizens to the Soviet authorities. In the majority of cases, the punitive operations were precalculated actions, by which it was sought not to allow the Soviets to entrench deeply their authority in this country; yet, in part, it had been spontaneous responses towards substantial reforming of social relations and world view norms prevailing in Lithuania (especialy in the countryside). New norms had to comply with the bolshevist communist ideology version. In the beginning, fighting collaborationism had not been the most important part of partisan activity, yet, under conditions of increasing involvement of local people in the schemes of repressive structures (first of all, those of NKVD and MGB), the number of counter-punitive operations increased. Especially violent fight of this kind broke out in South Lithuania, first of all, in Dzūkija, as in this region, Dainava and Tauras military districts of partisans were established. Those two military districts were stronger and resisted longer to compare with other ones. It is likely that earlier, the leaders of first military groups of partisans acted spontaneously, they were following their own understanding of ethics. Although a part of them had to have access to the Order of 10th November 1944 of Headquarters of Lithuanian Freedom Army formally functioning across Lithuania. The Order contained information related to citizens behaviour concerning collaborationism. Later, the leaders of partisan military districts drafted legal acts, more or less adapted to war time conditions, regulating partisan fight tactics and methods against collaborations. Statistics collected when preparing this article shows that in 1941 – 1952, in the biggest Dzūkija county, Alytus county, Lithuanian partisans claimed the lives of more than 1 450 people (this number includes victims of clashes with the NKVD and MGB units). About 300 (21 per cent) of them were killed during mass assaults on one or several villages; later these events were named Bartholomew‘s Day Massacre. The majority of the victims were people who contributed more or less to entrenchment of Soviet system in Lithuania, although it is problematic to determine the exact number of such people, because, when investigating concrete cases, frequently, one is not able to reconstruct all circumstances of the event. Those cases when entire families were killed together with underage children are to be considered criminal offences unambiguously – no justification documents have been found concerning such actions in the written legacy of the partisans (several concerete cases demonstrate that partisan leaders considered a person of 14 years of age fully responsible for his / her actions).

Comparison of Muscular Activity During Running with New and Used Military Boots and Running Footwears in Healthy Individuals: A Clinical Trial Study

Background: The type of footwear worn by military personnel and others could increase the risk of overuse injuries. Objectives: This study aimed to compare muscular activity during running with new and used military boots and running footwear in healthy individuals. Methods: Thirty healthy males were given a new pair of running footwear (n = 15) and thermoplastic polyurethane military boots (n = 15). Participants in each group were asked to wear these shoes for 6 months. Electromyographic activity of the dominant limb muscles was recorded during running at a speed of 3.3 m/s before and after 6 months. Results: The results indicated significant differences in muscle activity based on the type of footwear worn during various phases of running. Specifically, muscles such as the tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus showed varied activity during phases such as loading, mid-stance, and push-off. Additionally, there were significant effects of time on certain muscles, including the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis during the push-off phase. Interactions between footwear type and time were observed for the semitendinosus and gluteus medius during the loading phase, and the gastrocnemius medialis during the push-off phase. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate a decrease in muscle activity for most lower limb muscles in the military boots group compared to the running footwear group during the stance phase of running. The magnitude of gastrocnemius medialis activity increased in the military boots group (but not in the running footwear group) from pre-test to post-test during the push-off phase.

A Corpus-Based Critical Discourse Analysis of News Reports on the 2023 Israel-Hamas War

This study analyzed news reports of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war in three media outlets (Al-Jazeera, China Daily, and CNN). An armed conflict between Israel and Hamas (Palestinian militant groups) has been taking place mainly in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023. The 2023 Israel-Hamas war has been the most violent and deadliest for Palestinians in the history of the conflicts between Israel and Palestine. Such a severe global issue has attracted significant international concerns and has been reported extensively. However, due to different ideologies, media outlets used different language to describe the war. This study compiled three corpora with 1,586,438 words for a horizontal comparison and analysis. Combining corpus linguistics (CL) and critical discourse analysis (CDA), this study aimed to reveal how these three media outlets constructed language to depict the war, demonstrating their political stances and revealing their ideologies from a more comprehensive perspective. Based on the findings from analyzing the linguistic features of the three corpora, this study hopes to provide a framework and methodological implications for future studies on news reports, especially on war topics.

Quality ofIntegration ofAir Force Trauma Surgeons Within the Center forSustainment ofTrauma andReadiness Skills, Cincinnati: A Pilot Study.

While previous studies have analyzed military surgeon experience within military-civilian partnerships (MCPs), there has never been an assessment of how well military providers are integrated within an MCP. The Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills, Cincinnati supports the Critical Care Air Transport Advanced Course and maintains the clinical skills of its staff by embedding them within the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. We hypothesized that military trauma surgeons are well integrated within University of Cincinnati Medical Center and that they are exposed to a similar range of complex surgical pathophysiology as their civilian partners. After Institutional Review Board approval, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were abstracted from billing data for trauma surgeons covering University of Cincinnati Hospitals in 2019. The number of trauma resuscitations and patient acuity metrics were abstracted from the Trauma Registry and surgeon Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities clinical activity (KSA-CA) scores were calculated using their CPT codes. Finally, surgeon case distributions were studied by sorting their CPT codes into 23 categories based on procedure type and anatomic location. Appropriate, chi-squared or Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to compare these metrics between the military and civilian surgeon groups and the metrics were normalized by the group's full-time equivalent (FTE) to adjust for varying weeks on service between groups. Data were available for two active duty military and nine civilian staff. The FTEs were significantly lower in the military group: military 0.583-0.583 (median 0.583) vs. civilian 0.625-1.165 (median 1.0), P = 0.04. Per median FTE and surgeon number, both groups performed a similar number of trauma resuscitations (civilian 214 ± 54 vs. military 280 ± 13, P = 0.146) and KSA-CA points (civilian 55,629 ± 25,104 vs. military 36,286 ± 11,267; P = 0.582). Although the civilian surgeons had a higher proportion of hernia repairs (P < 0.001) and laparoscopic procedures (P = 0.006), the CPT code categories most relevant to combat surgery (those relating to solid organ, hollow viscus, cardiac, thoracic, abdominal, and tissue debridement procedures) were similar between the surgeon groups. Finally, patient acuity metrics were similar between groups. This is the first assessment of U.S. Air Force trauma surgeon integration relative to their civilian partners within an MCP. Normalized by FTE, there was no difference between the two groups' trauma experience to include patient acuity metrics and KSA-CA scores. The proportion of CPT codes that was most relevant to expeditionary surgery was similar between the military and civilian partners, thus optimizing the surgical experience for the military trauma surgeons within University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The methods used within this pilot study can be generalized to any American College of Surgeons verified Trauma Center MCP, as standard databases were used.

The Israel-Hamas Armed Conflict in the Middle East: A Sociological Lens

The State of Israel and the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas have been in conflict for decades. Amid the conflict, Israel is determined to maintain control of Gaza and strive to eliminate Hamas as a terrorist organisation at all costs. Hamas’s objection to Israel’s attempt to occupy Gaza and its refusal to recognise the State of Israel led to violence that resulted in many losses of life and property. This article examined the Israel-Hamas armed conflict in the Middle East, using a sociological lens. Henri Tajfel and John Turner’s Social Identity Theory was adopted as a framework to guide the paper. Using evidence from textbooks, journals, media reports, government publications, and online sources, the results showed that the conflict between Israel and Hamas stems from many factors, including territorial settlement, political and ideological differences, and the role of the international community. The consequences of the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas include loss of life and property, destruction of critical infrastructure, economic disruption, and diplomatic relations. The study recommended the urgent need for a comprehensive and sustainable solution that prioritises the protection of human life, dignity, well-being, and critical infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. The international community should stop supporting an escalation of the conflict and instead engage in a peaceful effort to reconcile Israel and Palestine. Further research is needed to determine the coping strategies of the displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and nearby cities.

The Joe Biden administration s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan and the dominance of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban): Plans and Strategies

Despite the fact that America had spent a lot of money since 2001 and after the collapse of the Taliban to advance the project of nation-building in Afghanistan; but this militant group was able to take over Kabul again on August 15, 2021.The action of the Taliban in Afghanistan was accepted at a time when Joe Biden had determined his new policy towards Afghanistan based on the withdrawal of America from this country; for this reason, many experts should know that the control of the Taliban is the result of the government's policy, which was followed by Trump before. However, another question and concern that was raised at this time was whether the steps should be taken in relation to the withdrawal of the United States from a pre-determined regional plan with specific goals and foundations, or whether it was just at the top to reduce America's foreign spending and on the basis of partisanship. Did the democratic government accept this incident? The authors of this research have tried to compare these two views based on the method of case study. The result of this study shows that despite the existence of two main views on foreign policy, different components and variables should be included in the strategy for Afghanistan, which is a multi-faceted approach. This multi-factor approach has been presented by the authors in the end.

“Chasing Queers with Cameras”: Objects, a “Prosthetic Man,” and the Impotent Witnessing of War in The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida

This paper approaches Shehan Karunatilaka’s novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida as a tongue-in-cheek queer reimagining of Sri Lanka’s bloody 1980s when the government battled Tamil militant groups as well as an armed insurgency in the south. This queer revision is filtered through dysfunctional things. Dead and amnesiac, the protagonist recalls the chain of events as it is reconstituted by broken cameras, blurry photographs, accessories with slippery meanings, and repurposed sports and military equipment. Positing that dysfunctional objects are related to queer positionality and mediate the retelling, I explore their role in producing a satirical queer fictional war history. I argue that objects, in terms of how they symbolize witnessing war, enact impotent witnessing, a conceit discursively premised on the Sinhala queerphobic/transphobic insult ponnaya, which signifies male queerness and/or impotence, including political impotence. Objects make a virtue of impotence when producing a satirical war record, probing whether a queer war photographer has the prerogative to bear witness to human rights violations and atrocities from his subaltern position. The paper finds that objects’ impotent witnessing metaphorically depicts some silenced and non-hegemonic voices from the 1980s war history, reflecting a politics of foregrounding delegitimized and non-normative accounts of that time.

How do Militant Organizations Respond to Counterterrorism? Introducing the LIVE Typology, with Examples from Proscription in Pakistan

ABSTRACT How do militant organizations respond to counterterrorism? A vast literature seeks to understand the effects of counterterrorism, examining outcomes such as levels of violence. However, violence is only one way that militant groups can respond to pressure. We focus on terrorist designation or proscription, the sanctions many states and international organizations impose on militants as an attempt to weaken them. We introduce a new typology of armed group responses to counterterrorism: (L)egal tactics like lawsuits or petitions, (I)dentity shifts like name changes or fragmentation, (V)iolence increases or decreases, and (E)conomic or financial tactics such as changing funding sources. These four approaches can be summarized by the acronym LIVE. Empirically, we illustrate the model with examples from the case of militant organizations in Pakistan, an important and under-studied case. Overall, the LIVE typology can be helpful for anticipating the repertoire of responses to counterterrorism, and for explaining armed group behavior generally.

Risk and Reward: How Shadow Economies Impact the Financial Practices of Militant Organizations

ABSTRACT Violent non-state actors often maintain diverse economic portfolios to fund their operations and endure. While some tactics yield limited funds, such as opportunistic robberies or kidnappings, other activities such as smuggling and drug trafficking can produce consistently high returns, but require complex planning, coordination and execution. This study delves into the nexus between the economic environments in which militant groups operate and their funding tactics. We hypothesize that the magnitude of a state’s informal economy plays a significant role in shaping the fundraising choices of militant organizations. Specifically, groups operating within states with expansive shadow economies are likely to lean towards intricate, high-yield fundraising tactics over unpredictable, hit-or-miss methods. States with sprawling informal sectors often grapple with governance deficiencies, that provide fertile ground for collaborations between militant factions and criminal syndicates and enable them to pursue lucrative funding opportunities that demand connections and logistical infrastructure. We use the case study of FARC to illustrate our argument, and test our arguments quantitatively using group-level data on the funding activities of militant organizations around the world between 1998–2012.

Свобода слова в военное время: опыт Израиля

The article focuses on freedom of speech in the State of Israel in the context of the ongoing war with Hamas. Throughout its modern history the Jewish state has faced national security threats from some neighboring countries and military groups in the Middle East, that is why freedom of speech regulation has had to reflect these factors. However, parties’ compliance with the rules and customs of war (international humanitarian law) is not within the scope of this article. The first part of the study shows the evolution of the legislation, as well as key precedents of the Supreme Court of Israel, where the highest court of the land consistently considered freedom of speech as a core element of Israeli democracy. Then, the author moves on to current challenges, namely anti-war student protests on campuses and foreign media coverage of the war. Regarding freedom of speech at universities, Israeli legislation is quite ambiguous, leaving wide discretion to the administration of educational institutions and creating legal uncertainty. In contrast, foreign media face the opposite problem, i.e. the rigid regulation and military censorship. Consequently, both situations present equal challenges to freedom of speech in the country that require Israeli legislature and courts to act. In conclusion, the author fully acknowledges that the State of Israel, faced with military aggression, has a legitimate and justified interest in ensuring national security and it may lead to certain restrictions on freedom of speech. Meanwhile, it is important that such restrictions are clearly formulated in the statutes, balanced and proportionate. Today, more than ever, it is important that Israel preserves its democratic values that have always formed the very foundation of the Jewish state.

Framing News of Hamas Attacks: Automated Journalism Practices at NewsGPT.ai

The Hamas militant group's attack on the population of Israel was recorded in the Model Automated Journalism platform, NewsGPT.ai. The platform, led by CEO Alan Levy, claims to be the world's first AI-generated news. This research aimed to reveal the news framework presented by the NewsGPT.ai platform regarding the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Specifically, it investigated the way NewsGPT.ai positions Palestine and Israel in the news coverage. It used a qualitative approach with Robert N. Entman's framing theory. Entman's main concepts include defining problems, diagnosing causes, making moral judgments, and treatment recommendations. Within 10 selected news, an information bias regarding the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, was found. The news produced by NewsGPT.ai is subjective, in terms of the theme, reporting angle, and diction for the news object. Hamas tends to be associated with terrorists. The word terrorist is dominant in the text, referring to the actions of Hamas. Some terms that typically appear are acts of terrorism, terrorist attacks, fighting terrorism, and terrorist organizations. NewsGPT.ai presents information bias regarding this issue with a dominant emphasis on strengthening support for Israel. The use of AI in journalism, especially NewsGPT.ai, still shows bias towards certain groups.

Structural barriers to maternity care in Cameroon: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe maternal mortality and perinatal mortality rate in Cameroon are among the highest worldwide. To improve these outcomes, we conducted a formative qualitative assessment to inform the adaptation of a mobile provider-to-provider intervention in Cameroon. We explored the complex interplay of structural barriers on maternity care in this low-resourced nation. The study aimed to identify structural barriers to maternal care during the early adaptation of the mobile Medical Information Service via Telephone (mMIST) program in Cameroon.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups with 56 key stakeholders including previously and currently pregnant women, primary healthcare providers, administrators, and representatives of the Ministry of Health, recruited by purposive sampling. Thematic coding and analysis via modified grounded theory approach were conducted using NVivo12 software.ResultsThree main structural barriers emerged: (1) civil unrest (conflict between Ambazonian militant groups and the Cameroonian government in the Northwest), (2) limitations of the healthcare system, (3) inadequate physical infrastructure. Civil unrest impacted personal security, transportation safety, and disrupted medical transport system. Limitations of healthcare system involved critical shortages of skilled personnel and medical equipment, low commitment to evidence-based care, poor reputation, ineffective health system communication, incentives affecting care, and inadequate data collection. Inadequate physical infrastructure included frequent power outages and geographic distribution of healthcare facilities leading to logistical challenges.ConclusionDynamic inter-relations among structural level factors create barriers to maternity care in Cameroon. Implementation of policies and intervention programs addressing structural barriers are necessary to facilitate timely access and utilization of high-quality maternity care.

Demographic and Emotional Support Predictors of Academic Distress Among U.S. Military and Non-Military Students in Counseling

ABSTRACT This study analyzed secondary data of U.S. military students (N = 3,318) and non-military college students (N = 3,318) who received counseling during 2016–2018 to determine predictors of academic distress. In the military student group, demographic variables explained 5% of the variance in academic distress. Previously taking medications for mental health concerns and experiencing trauma also predicted higher levels of academic distress for military students. In the non-military student group, demographic variables explained 3% of the variance in academic distress. Previously taking medications for mental health concerns also predicted higher levels of academic distress for non-military students. Emotional support from family and friends explained additional variance in academic distress for both groups. When combining the groups, predictors related to higher levels of academic distress were previously taking medications for mental health concerns and disability status. Adding interactions between military status and all other predictors explained 8% of the variance in academic distress. The military status and race/ethnicity interaction was also significant.