Socio-ecological Factors Research Articles

Social resources, resilience, and sexual health among South African adolescent girls and young women: findings from the HERStory study

Socioecological factors, including social resources, influence South African adolescent girls’ and young women’s sexual health. Few studies have explored how these multi-level social factors relate to both resilience and sexual health in this community. This study examines if social resources mediate associations between resilience and two sexual health outcomes. A weighted-sample of 7,237 South African girls and young women (aged 15–24 years) completed a cross-sectional survey conducted from 2017 to 2018 which included a validated measure of resilience, along with measures of sexual health and social resources. Using multivariable logistic regression models and bootstrapping methods, two types of social resources were assessed as potential mediators. Increased resilience was negatively associated with early sexual debut and engagement in transactional sex. Social support mediated associations between resilience and engagement in transactional sex but did not mediate associations between resilience and early sexual debut. Of all the types of social support measured, social support from a special person mediated the largest proportion of the association between resilience and transactional sex. Examining underlying social and community dynamics related to resilience and sexual health can guide the development of future contextually-relevant programming and policies.

Contested renewable energy sites due to landscape and socio-ecological barriers: Comparison of wind and solar power installation cases in Japan

There has been an increasing effort to promote renewable energies as climate change mitigation measures in Japan. Yet, the installation of wind turbines and solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants is being contested in several parts of the country. There is a need to understand these oppositions to reduce the number of delayed projects or overcome future barriers. Thus, in this study, we investigated cases of opposition movements and legal proceedings against wind and solar PV power development. Results indicated that landscape elements and socio-ecological factors motivate local oppositions. For instance, there were cases filed due to landscape view obstruction caused by wind turbines and solar panels. In terms of socio-ecological barriers, examples of cases scrutinized showed opposition caused by the potential impact on recreational activities such as climbing and hiking trails. Additionally, we observed that there were differences in the scope and scale of opposition movements and legal proceedings between wind and solar PV power projects. These differences were related to the scale (project size) and duration (construction to operation) of the project coupled with the renewable energy-related legal system changes in Japan. We observed that the overall legislative framework is frequently designed at the national level while challenges in project site selection are dealt with at the municipal- and prefectural-level. The findings of this study can help policymakers to revise and/or develop legal systems that minimize impacts on landscape and social elements while satisfying the demand for renewable energy transitions.

Multi-Level Influences on Center-Pivot Irrigation Adoption in Alabama

Rates of poverty and economic inequality in rural Alabama are among the nation's highest and increasing agricultural productivity can provide a needed boost to these communities. The transition from rain-fed to irrigation-fed (RFtoIF) agriculture has significantly increased farm productivity and profitability elsewhere in the United States. Despite this potential to enhance stability and resilience in rural economies, irrigated cropland accounts for only 5% of Alabama's total cropland as numerous barriers remain to irrigation adoption. To encourage RFtoIF transition, it is imperative to identify the challenges faced by individual farmers at farm, community, and state levels. This study presents a multi-level mixed effects survival analysis to identify the physiographic, socioecological, and economic factors that influence the location and timing of irrigation adoption. We integrate spatiotemporal cropland and climatological data with field-verified locations of center-pivot irrigation systems, local physiographic characteristics, and parcel-level surface water access and average well depth. Access to surface water, costs to access groundwater, and soil characteristics were generally important influences in all regions, but regions were differentiated by the extent to which new irrigation was more responsive to social influences vs. precipitation and price trends. Our findings also highlighted the diversity of farming conditions across the state, which suggested that diverse policy tools are needed that acknowledge the varying motivations and constraints faced by Alabama's farmers.

Age-friendly interventions in rural and remote areas: A scoping review.

In 2007, the World Health Organization published a guide on age-friendly cities. However, little is known about interventions that have been implemented to promote age-friendly communities in rural and remote areas. This paper presents the findings from a scoping review undertaken to locate available evidence of interventions, strategies, and programs that have been implemented in rural and remote areas to create age-friendly communities. This scoping review used the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. A total of 219 articles were included in this review. No intervention studies were referred to as 'age-friendly'. However, there were interventions (mostly healthcare-related) that have been implemented in rural and remote areas with older people as participants. There were also non-evaluated community programs that were published in the grey literature. This review identified the common health interventions in older people and the indirect relevance to the WHO age-friendly framework domains in rural and remote contexts. The eight age-friendly domains were not explicitly utilised as a guide in the development of interventions for older people in rural and remote settings. Implementation of age-friendly interventions in rural and remote areas requires a multisectoral approach that is tailored to address the specific needs of individual communities. Age-friendly interventions also need to consider socio-ecological factors to adequately and holistically address community needs and ensure long-term sustainability.

Not just females: the socio-ecology of social interactions between spider monkey males.

Male-male relationships are mostly characterized by competition. However, males also cooperate with one another if socio-ecological conditions are suitable. Due to their male philopatry, the need for cooperation in home range defence and high degree of fission-fusion dynamics, spider monkeys provide an opportunity to investigate how male-male interactions are associated with socio-ecological factors, such as the presence of potentially receptive females, the degree of food availability and the likelihood of home range defence. We tested predictions about changes in social interactions between wild spider monkey males in relation to these factors. First, males did not change their interaction patterns when potentially receptive females were in the subgroup compared to when they were absent. Second, males tended to be less tolerant of one another when feeding, but spent more time grooming, in contact and proximity with one another when food availability was lower than when it was higher. Third, males exchanged fewer embraces, spent less time grooming, in proximity and in contact with one another, and spent more time vigilant at the home range boundary area than at other locations. Our findings contribute to the understanding of social flexibility and the importance of considering males in socio-ecological models of any group-living species.

Contribution of Conceptual-Drawing Methods to Raise Awareness on Landscape Connectivity: Socio-Environmental Analysis in the Regional Context of Trentino (Italy)

This paper deals with landscape understanding and connectivity from an ecological as well as a human perspective. It is based on a broader research study known as EIT Climate-KIC SATURN (System and sustainable Approach to virTuous interaction of Urban and Rural LaNdscapes) co-funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), Climate-KIC and the institutions participating in this project. The aim of the study was to explore how landscape connectivity is perceived, on urban and regional scales, by decision-makers and key stakeholders as well as the impact this can have on building sustainable cities. The paper used a series of drawing and visualization workshops, community engagement methods, and participatory tools to identify the connection communities and decision-makers have with their landscape surroundings as well as the impact landscape connectivity has on our health and wellbeing. Through a series of specifically designed workshops following a landscape visioning approach, the paper explored how drawings and visualizations can support decision-makers to create a vision that addresses landscape connectivity, considering the socio-ecological factors in their area and creating a holistic regional approach between urban and rural landscapes. The study concludes that landscape connectivity is of major importance when creating visions for a sustainable future; however, a better connection between ecological and human elements needs to be established to improve landscape design.

A Socioecological Mixture Model of Asthma Prevalence Among Sexual Minority Adults in the United States.

Purpose: Sexual minority (SM) identity as well as sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with asthma prevalence. A syndemics framework analyzes disease conditions in a population and the social, economic, and environmental contexts in which they are found. We used a syndemic model of individual-level socioecological factors to identify profiles of asthma prevalence among SM adults. Methods: Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted on a subpopulation of SM adults aged 18-59 years from the 2001 to 2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Indicators in the LCA model included current asthma, gender, sexual identity, poverty-income ratio, education, and serum cotinine level. Multinomial logistic regression analyzed the effects of covariates (race/ethnicity, nativity, age, marital status, body mass index, lifetime smoking, and mental health care seeking) on identified profiles. Results: Four classes were identified among our sample of n = 1097 SM adults. Classes 1 and 2 had 19% and 18% conditional probabilities of current asthma, respectively, and were primarily female and bisexual. Classes 3 and 4 had 5% and 2% conditional probabilities of asthma, respectively, and were primarily male and gay. Classes 1 and 3 also had conditional probabilities of high income and educational attainment. Black individuals had higher odds than White individuals of being in Class 1 (odds ratio [OR] = 4.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.43-13.93), Class 2 (OR = 21.66, 95% CI = 7.50-62.60), and Class 4 (OR = 7.41, 95% CI = 2.05-26.71), relative to Class 3. Conclusion: Findings extend past literature that suggests within-group asthma disparities among SM adults. Informational campaigns on asthma management should target this community to avoid severe disease exacerbations.

African Americans and the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative inquiry of preparedness, challenges, and strategies on how we can move forward

RationaleThe COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted Black Americans. Inequities in systems and social determinants of health along with racial health disparities impact degree of pandemic preparedness. ObjectiveIn early pandemic stages, we aimed to explore: 1) state of pandemic preparedness; 2) effects of socio-ecological factors on preparedness; and 3) multi-level strategies to increase preparedness among uniquely, vulnerable Black American subgroups. MethodsWe conducted 62 in-depth interviews with Black American community members representing parents, individuals with underlying medical conditions, essential workers, and young adults. Based on the McLeroy's Model Ecological for Health Promotion, an inductive-deductive content analysis approach was used to analyze the interview data around the factors influencing preparedness on individual, interpersonal processes and primary groups, community/institutional, and public policy. ResultsMajority (56.5%) of the participants stated they were somewhat or very prepared. We identified four themes: 1) Lived Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic; 2) Challenges experienced during the COVID-19 Pandemic; 3) I would do this differently they say; 4) Changes Needed to Survive the Pandemic relate to Public Policy, Community/institutional factors, and Interpersonal processes and primary group(s). All participants described their adjustments to live in the new norm. Participants identified perceived challenges and solutions on multi-levels, driven by subgroup. ConclusionsPandemic response plans should use targeted strategies across multi-levels to enhance the preparedness of Black Americans, especially those in vulnerable groups. This could reduce the disproportionate COVID-19 disease burden exhibited by Black Americans and better prepare for future pandemics.

Student Suicide in India: Unintended Consequences of Socio-Ecological Factors.

The expectation of family members and society towards students has increased in recent years to perform well or achieve success in their life. But lack of job opportunities and increased competition among students has depressed the student community. The expectation without support has negatively impacted students which has catalysed suicide among the students in India. Students are committing suicide in Indian society due to failure in achieving families' expectations which is a matter of grave concern for social scientists. The current study has applied content analysis as a method to evaluate the cases of student suicide. The cases of student suicide have been collected from different newspapers, magazines, and news portals from July 2020 and April 2021. The study finds that most students are committed suicide due to depression. The study points out that students committed suicide due to failure to fulfil the expectations of a family member.

Socio-Ecological Factors and Well-Being among Self-Employed in Europe during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The self-employed are at increased risk of negative well-being outcomes when facing adversity such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies that examine socio-ecological factors that may protect their well-being are warranted. Methods: Data were drawn from a cross-sectional survey of European self-employed people (n = 1665). The WHO-5 Well-being Index was used to examine the impact on well-being of factors at four socio-ecological levels. Independent sample t-tests, Pearson correlations and linear regression were applied to analyse differences between groups of self-employed and interactions between variables using SPSS. Results: Well-being and the socio-ecological factors of resilience, social support, useful work and finding the rules clear were positively correlated with well-being. For self-employed who reported that it was challenging to run their business during the pandemic, social support and finding rules clear were of significantly greater importance to their well-being. Conclusions: The findings highlight that the socio-ecological factors of resilience, social support, doing useful work and finding the rules clear affect well-being. The results also indicate that it is vital to consider factors at multiple socio-ecological levels to improve the well-being of the self-employed during adversity.

#70 Predicting place-based factors for Staphylococcus aureus infections within pediatric population using machine learning

Abstract Background Community-onset Staphylococcus aureus (CO-S. aureus) infections, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), have a high burden on United States (US) Emergency Departments and urgent care, particularly within the pediatric population. Although individual risk factors have been well-studied, the influence of specific geographic locality and place-based risks for CO-S. aureus infections have not been well-characterized. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) is a machine learning technique for ecological niche modeling, which predicts the distribution of disease vectors and their possible disease transmissions using environmental and other relevant risk factors. The aim of this study is to predict socioecological factors that contribute to the spread of CO-S. aureus in a major urban area. Method Electronic medical records from children with staphylococcal infections, who were treated at two pediatric hospitals from 2002 to 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. Children were included in the analyses if they had a confirmed S. aureus infection within 48 hours of hospital admission (i.e., CO-S. aureus), less than 19 years old, and a geo-referenced address within Atlanta’s metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The timespan was divided into two periods, 2002-2005 (early) and 2006-2010 (later), mimicking the trend of CO-S. aureus. Fourteen place-based factors, obtained at the US Census Bureau block group level, were included in the MaxEnt model: population under 18 years old, Caucasian, African American, ethnicity, poverty, low education (high school diploma), high education (Bachelor’s degree and above), crowding, nursery school enrollment, kindergarten enrollment, distance to K-12 school, distance to a children’s hospital, distance to a daycare center, and population density. These were based on factors previously determined a priori. A total of four models (CO-MRSA early, CO-MSSA early, CO-MRSA later, and CO-MSSA later) were run using the MaxEnt software (v.3.4.1). For each model, 75% and 25% of data was randomly assigned to training and testing groups, respectively. Models were assessed by jack-knife tests. Results 16,124 records met the eligibility criteria and were included in the MaxEnt models. Preliminary analyses of data from 2002-2010 suggest training Area Under the Curve (AUC) ranging from 0.802 to 0.828 and the test AUC ranging from 0.796 to 0.809, demonstrating these models are performing very well. Population density had the highest contribution in predicting CO-MRSA and CO-MSSA locations, which was confirmed by jack-knife tests. Conclusion By applying MaxEnt to pediatric CO-S. aureus infections in the Atlanta MSA, it was found that higher risks of CO-S. aureus infections may exist in more densely populated areas. MaxEnt can be utilized to identify potential future areas of CO-MRSA and CO-MSSA infections based on estimated or predicted changes to the place-based factors used to build these models, most notably population density. Predicted risk areas should have more frequent monitoring to prevent S. aureus infection outbreaks, which will also allow for more time to pool public health resources for these areas to quickly and effectively control outbreaks.

Patterns in Receipt and Source of STI Testing Among Young People in the United States, 2013–2019

PurposeRates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young adults (15–24) continue to increase. Limited national information exists about the frequency and source of STI testing among this population. MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of National Survey of Family Growth data from 2013–2019 to describe patterns in STI testing and assess associations with individual characteristics. ResultsWe found that non-Hispanic Black women, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic men, and individuals with public insurance are more likely to receive an STI test. The two sexes have different sources of care for STI testing and publicly supported providers provide the bulk of services to marginalized populations. DiscussionSTI testing frequencies of this age group fall below what national guidelines suggest. Multiple socioecological factors may affect the likelihood that a young person receives an STI test. All providers should be supported and encouraged to provide confidential and unbiased STI care.

Uncovering spatial patterns of ecosystem services and biodiversity through local communities' preferences and perceptions

Tropical agricultural frontiers are rapidly changing and present unique opportunities to reconcile ecosystem services (ES) provision, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood maintenance of rural communities. To understand the dynamics of these frontiers, we analyzed preferences, reasons associated with importance, and spatial perceptions of ES and biodiversity in Mexico at two scales. In seven workshops and 42 interviews, participants ranked preferred ES and expressed reasons for their importance. They identified the relevant areas for ES and biodiversity. We used this data to create an index to obtain maps of perceived spatial patterns and perform a cluster analysis to identify ES bundles. A redundancy analysis highlighted the factors that help explain the spatial patterns and qualitative and quantitative methods were used to explore the reasons behind participants’ rankings of relative importance. We found two contrasting bundles at the regional scale: the natural protected area, where biodiversity is highest, and the agricultural frontier, where agricultural services were highest. At the ejido scale, ejidos whose livelihoods are mainly centered on agriculture and those that develop diverse activities were grouped. Socio-ecological factors (e.g., ejido area, PES program, and indigenous population) further distinguished ejidos focused on agricultural expansion, those dominated by marginalized local inhabitants, and those focused on forest management. The most dominant reasons underlying ES rankings include having sufficient nutritious food and economic support linked to agricultural services. We discuss the role of conservation strategies, historical government decisions, and biophysical characteristics in shaping strong trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and agriculture—and the role of voluntary local conservation initiatives and a national PES scheme in supporting opportunities to reconcile some of these trade-offs. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating local community preferences and perceptions into spatially explicit products that can be used in inclusive conservation and landscape planning approaches for tropical landscapes worldwide.

Determinants of Decision Making by Smallholder Farmers on Land Allocation for Small-Scale Forest Management in Northwestern Ethiopian Highlands

Smallholder farmers in the northwestern Ethiopian Highlands are highly engaged in small-scale forest management. Participation in this activity can provide a key source of income for the farmers as well as wider benefits to the environment. To gain a better understanding of how spatial and socio-ecological factors determine farmers’ engagements in small-scale forest management, we conducted a comparative study in three Districts of northwestern Ethiopia. We used a mixed method approach including both quantitative (n = 375) and qualitative (n = 45) surveys to understand farmers’ motivations and decisions in three Districts of northwestern Ethiopia. We found that there were a number of factors motivating farmers’ decisions to participate, including land degradation and decline in crop productivity (in Fagta Lekoma District); adverse impact of adjacent woodlots (in North Mecha District); and increasing demand of wood products (in Guna Begemidir District). Further analysis on the extent of farmer engagement revealed that their decision to increase or decrease the share of land allocated to woodlots is heavily dependent on the comparative socio-economic benefits of woodlots and distance to markets. Other key (District-specific) determinant factors included wealth status, soil fertility status, gender, adult equivalent value, total land holding size, and annual crop production risk perception. Our findings suggest that to increase the uptake of woodlots, we would need to adopt a demand-driven forestry extension approach, which considers the heterogeneity of farmers and farm characteristics. Further research is required to quantify the optimal level of land allocation for small-scale forest management.

Take charge during treatment: A planned exercise protocol to evaluate disparities and cardiovascular outcomes in Black and White patients with breast cancer undergoing treatment.

TPS12138 Background : Cardiotoxicity is a significant challenge associated with common first-line breast cancer (BC) chemotherapy (CTx) treatments including anthracyclines (AC) and targeted therapies, such as anti-Her-2 therapy. For targeted therapies, cardiac complications typically resolve once treatment is completed or stopped. For ACs, treatment may lead to permanent long term cardiac damage, and elevated risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Black/African American (B/AA) women are at higher risk for AC-based cardiotoxicity compared to Non-Hispanic White (NHW) women. To date, most efforts have targeted managing and defining mechanisms of large vessels and cardiac damage. However, impaired microvascular function, a powerful but clinically underused predictor of future MACE, may also be implicated. Extensive evidence shows that exercise interventions reduce systemic inflammation and possibly MACE. However, few cardio-oncology studies have utilized exercise to mitigate cardiotoxicity, and none have quantified microvascular endothelial function. A further gap in cardio-oncology research is a paucity of studies focused on understanding and addressing disparities. This research project aims to 1) test the feasibility and efficacy of an exercise intervention designed to mitigate the effects of CTx, Take Charge during Treatment (TCT) and 2) examine the influence of socio-ecological factors on endothelial function in response to an exercise intervention. Methods: B/AA (n=50) and NHW (n=50) women diagnosed with non-metastatic BC, scheduled to receive AC and/or anti-HER-2 therapy, will be recruited and randomized to participate in the TCT intervention or usual care (NCT05223322). TCT is a virtual exercise coaching program with weekly coaching sessions, six of which include supervised exercise. Assessments to assess socio-ecologic and vascular outcomes are presented in the Table. Assessments will be completed prior to treatment (T1), after treatment completion (18-24 weeks, T2), and 12-months post treatment (T3). Clinical trial information: NCT05223322. [Table: see text]

Public satisfaction with urban trees and their management in Australia: The roles of values, beliefs, knowledge, and trust

The success of urban forest management strategies is dependent on public support for and engagement with urban trees. Satisfaction with urban trees and their management, and the level of trust people have in urban tree managers, are useful for understanding public opinions. Yet these concepts, and the mechanisms leading to the formation of public opinions remain poorly explored in the literature. Here we explore how satisfaction with urban trees and with urban tree management, and trust in the agencies responsible for urban tree management, are explained by cognitive factors (values, beliefs, and knowledge) and socio-ecological contextual factors (tree presence/canopy cover, cultural diversity, and socioeconomic status) using an online survey of 16 local government areas in south-eastern Australia. Analyses of 2367 responses revealed that people’s opinions about trees in general (values and beliefs) were overwhelmingly positive, while their opinions about more contextualised measures such as satisfaction and trust were more mixed. Two distinct pathways that influence satisfaction were identified: one linked to beliefs about having trees in cities, and another one linked to trust in urban tree management. At the local government level, satisfaction was negatively associated with a measure of cultural diversity and very low levels of tree canopy cover, but not with socioeconomic disadvantage. Satisfaction with local trees could be improved by increasing the quality of ecological function of trees, such as habitat provision and tree diversity. Community engagement could also improve satisfaction and trust, particularly perceived procedural fairness of decision-making, reinforce positive beliefs about the outcomes of having trees in cities, and dispel negative beliefs. Engagement processes should recognise that people hold complex and diverse opinions about urban trees, and by incorporating these opinions into decision-making we can meet the increasingly complex and diverse expectations being placed on urban forests.

Behavioral Determinants of Routine Health Information System Data Use in Senegal: A Qualitative Inquiry Based on the Integrated Behavioral Model.

Routine health information system (RHIS) data are essential in driving decision making and planning in health systems as well as health programs. However, despite their importance, these data are underutilized, and the underlying individual-level facilitators and barriers to use remain understudied. In this research, we applied the Integrated Behavior Model (IBM) to examine how attitudes toward RHIS data, perceived norms concerning RHIS data use, and the ability to use RHIS data influence the demand and use of RHIS data among stakeholders in Senegal. Using data from interviews with respondents working at national levels of malaria, HIV, and TB control programs in Senegal, we used a framework analysis approach to apply the IBM behavioral constructs and identify their linkages to RHIS data use. We found that attitudes about the quality, availability, and relevance of RHIS data for decision making were important in driving data use among respondents. Institutional expectations, organizational protocols, policies, and practices around RHIS data ultimately shape social norms around the use of the data. Although we found that perceived ability and self-efficacy to use RHIS data were not barriers to RHIS data use among stakeholders at the strategic levels of their respective organizations, these were reported to be barriers at lower levels of the health system. Low perceived control of the RHIS data production process ultimately reduced RHIS data use for decision making among the strategic-level respondents. We recommend context-specific reexamination of existing RHIS interventions with a renewed emphasis on behavioral aspects of data use. The IBM can help guide practitioners, policy makers, and academics to address multiple socioecological factors that influence data use behavior when recommending RHIS and data use solutions.

A mixed-methods study on the association of six-month predominant breastfeeding with socioecological factors and COVID-19 among experienced breastfeeding women in Hong Kong

BackgroundIn the past decade, various breastfeeding policies were implemented in Hong Kong, including changes in perinatal guidelines in public hospitals, adoption of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), provision of guidelines for the marketing of formula milk, penalisation of discrimination towards breastfeeding, and extension of the statutory maternity leave. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges and opportunities to breastfeeding practices. Infection control measures in public hospitals included the cancellation of antenatal classes, hospital tours, and postnatal classes; suspension of perinatal visiting periods; and compulsory separation of COVID-19 positive mothers from newborns. In addition, work-from-home policies were widely implemented. This study aimed to identify the associated factors of six-month predominant breastfeeding (PBF), and to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding practice.MethodsThis study was conducted from 1 March 2021 to 7 April 2021 using a mixed-methods approach. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to members of breastfeeding or parenting groups who have had breastfeeding experience in the past 10 yrs. Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with six-month PBF both in general and during the pandemic period. A qualitative content analysis was conducted using an inductive approach.ResultsThe study included 793 participants. Giving birth in a public hospital (OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.46, 3.34) and breastfeeding support from family and friends (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.05, 1.57) were significantly associated with six-month PBF, even during COVID-19. Factors associated with the self-rated impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding include working from home, the perceived immunological benefits of breastfeeding, and the wish to avoid breastfeeding or expressing breast milk in public premises. Furthermore, breastfeeding practice in public hospitals was more likely to be affected by the busyness of staff, while private hospitals had worse rooming-in practices and staff who had inadequate breastfeeding knowledge.ConclusionsGiving birth in a public hospital and having breastfeeding support from family and friends were associated with six-month PBF. Furthermore, COVID-19 in Hong Kong had an overall positive impact on six-month PBF. Further studies should investigate the impact of hospital practices and the COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding behaviours.

Drivers of human-megaherbivore interactions in the Eastern and Western Ghats of southern India

The global effort to protect megaherbivore populations is largely dependent on how human-wildlife conflict is identified, prioritized, and remedied. We examined the socio-ecological and landscape-scale factors determining spatial patterns of human-megaherbivore (Asian elephant Elephas maximus and gaur Bos gaurus) interactions across sixteen Forest Divisions in Tamil Nadu, India. Using a systematic grid-based design, we conducted questionnaire-based surveys of 1460 households at the human-wildlife interface adjacent to Protected Areas, Reserve Forest and Fringe Areas. We specifically collected information on elephant and gaur conflict incidents (e.g., human death/injuries, property damage, and crop-raiding), cropland type, extent of crop area and area lost to crop-raiding, from each household. We found that human-elephant conflict increased with percentage of crop cover, diversity of major and minor crops grown, proximity to water source, flat terrain, and lower rates of precipitation. Human-gaur conflict was greatest with a high diversity of major crops, proximity to water source, moderate precipitation, and more undulating terrain. We identified ca. 7900 km2 hotspot area of contiguous high-intensity elephant conflict. For gaur, we identified high-frequency conflict hotspot areas covering ca. 625 km2, which were patchily distributed, highly localised, and attributed mostly to the recent changing land-use patterns. Our findings will help policymakers and park managers in developing landscape-scale human-wildlife conflict mitigation plans in the identified conflict hotspots.

Family functioning under COVID-19: An ecological perspective of family resilience of Hong Kong Chinese families.

This study tested an ecological model of resilience that illustrated the influence of COVID‐19‐related stressors (i.e., social and health stressors) and various socio‐ecological factors at microsystem (i.e., parent–child conflicts and couple relationship) and exo‐system levels (i.e., the utilization of community resources) on family functioning among Chinese families during COVID‐19. An anonymous telephone survey was conducted using random sampling method. The sample contained 322 respondents who were co‐habiting with their child(ren) and their partner. Hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modelling were used to examine the differential impacts of various levels of factors and the model that were proposed. Results showed that 13.2% of the households were categorized as at‐risk of poorer family functioning. Couple relationship and stressors significantly accounted for much of the variance in family functioning. While stressors had a significant direct effect on family functioning, couple relationship, but not parent–child conflicts or utilization of community resources, significantly mediated and moderated the impact of stressors on family functioning. The findings highlighted the impacts of both individual and ecological factors on family functioning under COVID‐19. Importantly, cultural and contextual factors should be considered when adopting ecological model of resilience to examine family functioning in diverse cultural groups.