Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons^™

Out Of School Time (Ost) For Latinx Youth: A Qualitative Research Study In Spartanburg, South Carolina, Sandra Lopez, Hector Ortiz, Marianna Gonzalez, Mayra Lomeli-Garcia, Jay Stevens, Naya Taylor, Laura Barbas Rhoden, Christine Sorrell Dinkins, Gianella E. Quiñones

Community Based Research

This project was undertaken as a result of conversations initiated by staff members in a variety of organizations with initiatives underway to support and improve outcomes for youth in Spartanburg, South Carolina. These organizations include the Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM), Mary Black Foundation (MBF), and public schools. Conversations pointed to the desirability of qualitative data to contextualize quantitative data related to both educational outcomes, particularly college access and attainment, and public health, including mental health and teen pregnancy, with a focus on Latinx youth.

Mexico: Covid-19 Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This brief presents responses from the first round of data collection among adults, adolescents, and community leaders in indigenous municipalities of Chiapas and Yucatan, Mexico, June 1–30, 2020. In total, 295 people from 17 municipalities were surveyed in Yucatan, and 83 people from 15 municipalities were surveyed in Chiapas. Adults and adolescents in both states identified the groups most at risk of suffering complications. Food insecurity may be a consequence of the pandemic. Regarding livelihoods, 51% of women and 63% of men in Yucatan have lost their work and/or their primary source of income since the start of the pandemic, …

México: Conocimientos, Actitudes Y Prácticas Relacionadas Con Covid-19, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Este informe presenta las respuestas de la primera ronda de recolección de información con personas adultas, adolescentes y autoridades comunitarios en las comunidades indígenas de Chiapas y Yucatán, México, del 1 al 30 de junio de 2020. En total, 295 personas originarias de 17 municipios fueron encuestados en Yucatán, y se encuestó a 83 personas de 15 municipios de Chiapas. Los adultos y adolescentes de ambos estados identificaron a los grupos en mayor riesgo de sufrir complicaciones. La inseguridad alimentaria puede ser una consecuencia de la pandemia Covid-19. En cuanto a los medios de vida, el 51% de las mujeres …

Explaining Popular Support For Wind Energy In The United States, Jessica Crowe

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

In the last 35 years, wind energy in the United States has transformed from being fringe and experimental to becoming a mainstream, viable, and efficient source of electricity. In this article, we compare wind energy acceptance to acceptance of other energy sources, in particular solar, coal, natural gas, and oil. Through an online survey of 1317 adults throughout the United States, we also examine the impact of individual- level characteristics such as gender, race, age, socio-political factors, and value orientation on a person’s support for renewable energy policy. We find that support for wind energy is higher than for fossil …

Lessons From A Five-Year Research Programme On Fgm/C And Their Relevance For Policy And Programmes In Kenya, Dennis Matanda, Agnes K. Meroka-Mutua, Samuel Kimani

Reproductive Health

The Sustainable Development Goals target the elimination of all forms of harmful practices, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) by 2030. Kenya has made progress in addressing the elimination of FGM/C through ratification of global instruments and enactment of the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2011 and other supportive laws. The Act created the foundation for the establishment of the Anti-FGM Board, which provides policy leadership and coordination of anti-FGM/C programs in Kenya. More recently, the President of Kenya issued a decree for accelerated elimination of FGM/C by 2022. This synthesis report highlights how evidence generated over the last five years …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Nutrition In Bihar, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

An extended nationwide lockdown and stoppage of economic activities resulting from COVID-19 caused substantial loss of income for many families in Bihar, India. One of the significant implications is a food shortage in households and a reduction in food intake. This nutrition shock may hit females harder than males due to the deep-rooted gendered culture prevalent in India. This study's key objectives are to understand the extent of food shortage in households, any changes in food intake, and coverage of government nutrition schemes. Half of the households in Bihar reported food shortages in the past month, causing most to reduce …

Self-Help Groups: A Potential Pivot Of Bihar's Response To Covid-19, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

More than 10 million women in Bihar, India, are members of women’s self-help groups (SHGs), run by the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society, Government of Bihar. The SHGs play a crucial role in the community by providing livelihood support and income-generating activities to their members. The key objectives of this study are to document SHG leaders’ engagement in community awareness and infection-prevention activities and the extent of support they give to their members through different funds and loans for livelihoods and income generation during the COVID-19 pandemic. About half of the SHG leaders were engaged in COVID-19–related community-awareness and prevention …

Covid-19 Times: Study Protocol For Rapid Assessment Of The Situation Of Women And Children In Bihar, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

India reported its first COVID-19 case on January 30, 2020, and numbers began to rise in late March 2020. The containment measures implemented by the national and state governments, particularly the nationwide lockdown, have helped keep the COVID-19 pandemic at a relatively low level in India. Bihar, being one of the poorest states in India, is at particularly high risk of adverse health and economic effects of COVID-19 and the lockdown. The Population Council Institute, in partnership with UNICEF Bihar, is conducting a rapid longitudinal study that aims to inform the design and development of locally relevant suitable response mechanisms …

Returning Home: Effects Of Covid-19 On Migrant Households In Bihar, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Many migrants from metropolitan cities in India began to return to their native homes with the rise in COVID-19 cases in the cities and the extension of the lockdown. With relaxation of travel restrictions, Bihar started receiving migrants who were returning home. The government made arrangements for them to be quarantined before they traveled to their villages and homes. The key objectives of this study are to understand the extent of return migration, the impact of lockdown on migrant household livelihoods, and the opportunities for household economic revival through social protection schemes. Among migrant households, about half may experience return …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Livelihood, Employment, And Financial Resources, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

COVID-19 and steps to break the chain of viral transmission led to certain economic challenges that triggered loss in livelihoods and income and constraints on financial resources in Bihar, India. Often, these effects were disproportionately experienced among the most marginalized. The key objective of this study is to assess the loss of income, livelihoods, and jobs among households in Bihar to help with program planning and implementation. Data were gathered May 13–22, 2020, from the existing study cohort of households under the UDAYA study. Interviews were conducted with a total of 794 participant households. About four-fifths of respondents said their …

Are More People Adopting Covid-19 Prevention Measures?, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Drawing on data from two rounds of COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) telephone surveys conducted in Bihar, India, this research brief sheds light on the socioeconomic differentials and changes over time in the adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures. Though the adoption of preventive measures has increased, around two-fifths of males and one-quarter of females reported that they were currently practicing all four standard preventive measures. The better educated, wealthier, and those belonging to privileged castes were more likely than others to practice these measures, as were those who perceived moderate or high risk of COVID-19 in their neighborhood. Social …

Awareness Of And Receiving Social Protection Measures During Covid-19 Lockdown In Bihar, India, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Economic hardships caused by the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been reported across India. Social protection measures have been announced by the state and central governments to ease these hardships. The key objectives of this research brief are to examine the awareness and the social protection measures received during the COVID-19 lockdown in Bihar, and the socioeconomic differentials in receiving these measures. The majority of respondents (64%) reported a family member losing their job/income-earning opportunity and lacking resources to survive for long. Awareness of social protection schemes was high (88%). Among households, 68% reported having ration …

Demand For And Access To Family Planning Services Among Young Married Women During Covid-19 Crisis, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In Bihar, India, as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown and men returning home in large numbers and spending more time at home in high stress conditions, the need for contraceptive services could get greater. March to May are considered the “lean season” when demand is typically low for family planning (FP) programs in states like Bihar. However, higher demand caused by the lockdown and lack of access to health facilities has created a gap between demand and uptake. This could have negative consequences such as high numbers of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal mortality. Current use of modern …

Disparities In Vulnerability To Severe Complications From Covid-19 In The United States, Emily E. Wiemers, Scott Abrahams, Marwa Alfakhri, V. Joseph Holtz, Robert F. Schoeni, Judith A. Seltzer

Population Health Research Brief Series

Preexisting health conditions increase vulnerability to severe complications from COVID-19. Among middle-aged and older Americans, vulnerability to severe COVID-19 complications based on preexisting conditions is 2-3 times greater for those with low versus high income. Vulnerability is about 40% higher for middle-aged and older adults with a high school degree or less than adults with a four-year college degree. In every age group, Blacks are more vulnerable than Whites, but Hispanics are at lower risk based on fewer preexisting health conditions.

Important Lessons On Fgm/C Abandonment From Four Research Studies In Egypt, Nada Wahba, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Abeer Salem

Reproductive Health

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) continues to be a widespread practice in Egypt. According to the 2014 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey, the prevalence of FGM/C was 92 percent among ever-married women aged 15–49. However, Egypt continues to witness a drastic surge in the medicalization of FGM/C, with 74 percent of women aged 19 years and younger circumcised by medical practitioners, compared to 55 percent in 1995. This policy brief provides key results and recommendations of four studies conducted by the Population Council/ Egypt under the Evidence to End FGM/C project, in coordination with Egypt’s National Population Council. The four studies …

Commentary: Using Law More Effectively Towards Abandonment Of Fgm/C In Kenya, Agnes K. Meroka-Mutua

Reproductive Health

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is considered a harmful cultural practice and a form of violence against women. Kenya has an FGM/C prevalence rate of 21 percent, but levels vary by ethnic group. Kenya has adopted a robust legal framework for the prohibition of FGM/C, including passage of the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2011, a detailed law that criminalizes carrying out FGM/C and associated offenses. Kenya relies on the human rights–based approach and criminalization in its legal framework for the prohibition of this practice. Despite extensive legal provisions, Kenya has prosecuted fewer than 100 cases, raising concerns with the law’s …

Why People Move To And Stay In New Hampshire, Kenneth M. Johnson, Kristine Bundschuh

Carsey Publications

Migration is important to New Hampshire’s demographic future. Traditionally, the state has grown both because of migration into it and because of the surplus of births over deaths. However, recently all of New Hampshire’s population growth has been due to migration.

In this brief, authors Kenneth Johnson and Kristine Bundschuh analyze data from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center’s Granite State Poll to examine the characteristics of two groups of current New Hampshire residents—recent migrants and established residents—to understand why people move to and choose to stay in the state. Their findings illustrate that migration decisions are influenced by …

Why People Move To And Stay In New Hampshire, Kenneth M. Johnson, Kristine Bundschuh

Carsey Publications

Migration is important to New Hampshire’s demographic future. Traditionally, the state has grown both because of migration into it and because of the surplus of births over deaths. However, recently all of New Hampshire’s population growth has been due to migration.

In this brief, authors Kenneth Johnson and Kristine Bundschuh analyze data from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center’s Granite State Poll to examine the characteristics of two groups of current New Hampshire residents—recent migrants and established residents—to understand why people move to and choose to stay in the state. Their findings illustrate that migration decisions are influenced by …

Rural Ohio Faces High Health Risk During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Danielle Rhubart, Shannon M. Monnat, Yue Sun

Population Health Research Brief Series

Ohio was among the first states to implement interventions to reduce community spread during the early stages of COVID-19. These actions came with strong pushback from leaders in many of the state’s rural counties. Residents of Ohio's most rural counties are at high risk of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19.

Complications Of The Climate Change Narrative Within The Lives Of Climate Refugees, Raphaella Mascia

Department of Environmental Studies Student Scholarship

With projections of rapidly increasing numbers of climate refugees in the next decades, the discourse surrounding climate refugees becomes ever more pertinent within the field of sustainable development and the public sphere. I offer an alternative analysis of the processes which surround “knowing” and “defining” climate refugees by employing an interpretive framework which disseminates the term “narrative” according to Jean François Lyotard’s The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. In the discourse surrounding climate refugees, two main narratives interact with each other: the dominant climate change narrative and the individual narratives of climate refugees themselves. I contend that the …