Elderly Functional Health Intersectionality Effects in India
Roy et al. applied an intersectionality framework to data from 7150 adults aged 50 years or older enrolled in the World Health Organization Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health longitudinal survey. They authors assessed the impact of sex-specific education level on later life health across culturally and economically heterogenous geographic regions in India. The researchers used a total functional limitation score based on self-reported difficulties performing nine activities as their outcome. They found that the protective effects of education were greater for men and that the relationship varied regionally for women. This study demonstrates the importance of considering complex intersectionalities for health disparity investigations in the Global South.
Citation. Roy M, Bhatta T, Burnette JD. Intersectional effects of gender, education, and geographic region on functional health disparities among older adults in India. J Aging Health. 2020; Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264319899246
Intersectional Risk Environment of Women Who Use Drugs
In light of the fentanyl-driven overdose crisis, Collins et al. conducted a study in Vancouver, Canada, to examine how gendered expectations of women’s drug use influenced their vulnerability to overdose. Through in-depth interviews with 35 women who use drugs (transgender inclusive), they found that gendered expectations and normative violence affected whether women used drugs in privacy, increasing their risk of fatal overdose; Women expressed a need to maintain privacy in their drug use for safety from violence and to uphold feminine ideals. Public health policy must consider how gendered ideals intersect with marginalization, gendered violence, and criminalization in gendered ways in public and private spaces.
Citation. Collins AB, Boyd J, Czechaczek S, Hayashi K, McNeil R. (Re)shaping the self: an ethnographic study of the embodied and spatial practices of women who use drugs. Health Place. 2020;63:102327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102327
COVID-19 and Health Disparities Among Indigenous Peoples
McLeod et al. warn that New Zealand’s COVID-19 response requires special consideration of the indigenous Māori population, who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Household transmission, a major contributor to the spread of COVID-19, is especially likely for Māori; 1 in 5 Māori live in overcrowded housing, Māori also disproportionately experience underlying health conditions that exacerbate the severity of COVID-19. Inequities in health care access may be exacerbated by pandemic response strategies such as telehealth, which requires Internet and technology access. In New Zealand and globally, the intersection of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and colonization will not only affect indigenous populations during the pandemic but also magnify preexisting socioeconomic inequities in the long term.
Citation. McLeod M, Gurney J, Harris R, Cormack D, King P. COVID-19: we must not forget about indigenous health and equity. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2020; Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13015
Initial Awareness and Comprehension of COVID-19 Information Among Indonesian Young Adults and Adolescents
Awareness and understanding of COVID-19 is crucial for individuals to prevent the spread of the disease. Halim et al. conducted an online, cross-sectional study of 355 young adults and adolescents aged 10 to 25 years in 25 Indonesian provinces. The authors concluded that good knowledge of COVID-19–related information (a score of ≥ 60% on the 10-question survey) was higher among female and high-income participants. A lack of comprehension of prevention strategies (e.g., handwashing) was found, with a majority of participants receiving information from social media. Understanding these gaps in knowledge and information sources is crucial for developing communication material on prevention strategies for youths.
Citation. Halim DA, Kurniawan A, Agung FH, et al. Understanding of young people about COVID-19 during early outbreak in Indonesia. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2020; Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539520940933