A Systematic Review of International and Internal Climate-Induced Migration in Africa

Academics and policymakers have been paying close attention to the impact of climate change on migration in recent years. This phenomenon piqued interest because the factors driving environmentally induced migration are complex and manifold. Noticeably, there has been considerable scholarship on climate change and migration in Africa. However, there has not been a concerted effort to periodically review the existing literature to systematically document the state of scholarship. Using a standardized systematic review procedures to analyze 22 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2022, we found that climate change impacts migration in many complex and multilayered forms. Beyond what has already been established in the literature on climate-related migration such as environmental effects on migration; migration as an adaptation strategy; and the influence of environmental and non-environmental factors on migration; we also found that (1) studies on climate-induced migration in Africa intensely focused on SSA, suggesting an uneven study of the region, (2) heavily affected people tend to be immobile, and (3) young people have high migration intentions due to harsh climate insecurities. These findings require urgent government and stakeholder attention. Specifically, there is a need for scholarship to interrogate the climate change–immobility nexus in order to design appropriate in situ or ex situ adaptation strategies to support lives and livelihoods

Effects of COVID-19 on coastal livelihoods in the central region of Ghana

The COVID-19 outbreak effects and related state responses, especially mobility restriction interventions, contributed to disruption in livelihoods in the coastal communities in Ghana. This paper uses an ethnographic approach to analyse the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and coping strategies adopted by small-scale fishers, fish traders and processors. We argued that focusing solely on the livelihoods of formal sector workers is problematic because it fails to consider the dynamics of informal coastal workers. Findings indicate that fishers, fish traders and processors experienced various effects on food, income, police harassment, and coping strategies, including migration, resorting to reusable face masks and food-compromising practices. Infectious diseases such as COVID-19 impact coastal people and their livelihoods. Therefore, implementing social protection measures to mitigate the effects of pandemics on livelihoods should be better coordinated and well-targeted to reach the most vulnerable. Findings from this study offer pointers to position preparedness and response efforts to future outbreaks in a similar context

Penalizing fathers who use family-friendly measures. A comparative study with university students from Ghana and Spain

This article provides experimental empirical evidence on the penalization of a father of high professional status who decides to use a family friendly measure (FFM) offered by his company. A cross-cultural sample of university students (in the field of Business Administration and Economics) from Ghana and Spain was used to evaluate a hypothetical male employee who after the birth of their child either used a reduction of the working day or worked traditional hours. We compared the results with those obtained for an identical female employee. We considered several variables that mediated the effect of using the FFM on the behavior proxy items. We also considered the participants’ (explicit and implicit) attitudes towards fathers caring for their babies. We obtained strong empirical evidence on the penalization of a father who uses a reduction of the working day. However, and contrary to expectations, in Spain this penalty experienced by the father was similar to that experienced by the mother, while in Ghana it was greater

Mass media exposure and women's household decision-making capacity in 30 sub-Saharan African countries: analysis of demographic and health surveys

Background: Women's household decision-making capacity is an essential component of their empowerment which include decisions related to personal health care, large household purchase and family visitations. Despite research evidence acknowledging mass media’s influences on women’s empowerment, including their ability to take household decisions, empirical data through multi-country comparison on mass media exposure and women’s decision making capacity are sparse. This study sought to assess the association between exposure to mass media (television, radio and newspaper/magazine) and women’s household decision-making capacity in 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Materials and Methods: Data from current Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 30 countries in SSA from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016 were used. Binary Logistic Regression analysis was used to assess the association between mass media exposure and women’s household decision-making capacity in SSA. Results were presented using crude odds ratios (COR) and adjusted odds ratios (AOR). Results: Women who watched television almost every day had higher capacity to take household decisions, compared to those who did not watch television at all. Women who read newspaper/magazine less than once a week were less likely to take household decisions compared to those who never read newspaper/magazine. However, there was no association between exposure to radio and household decision-making capacity. Regarding the covariates, age, level of education, wealth index, occupation, and parity showed significant associations with women’s household decision-making capacity. Conclusion: Findings stressed the positive contribution of mass media in enhancing women’s household decision-making capacity in SSA. Viewing television, a model of mass media, is a very powerful conduit to enhance the household decision-making capacity of women. The use of mass media, especially television in communicating the relevance and ways of achieving household decision-making capacity for all women in SSA is paramount and perhaps, in other low and middle-income countries of the world. Interest groups that require greater attention are women with less exposure to television as well as women in their early reproductive age, the poor, women who are not working and rural residents

Mass Media Exposure and Women’s Household Decision-Making Capacity in 30 Sub-Saharan African Countries: Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

Seidu A-A, Ahinkorah BO, Hagan Junior JE, et al. Mass Media Exposure and Women’s Household Decision-Making Capacity in 30 Sub-Saharan African Countries: Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys. Frontiers in Psychology. 2020;11:1-11.Background: Women’s household decision-making capacity is an essential component of their empowerment which include decisions related to personal health care, large household purchase and family visitations. Despite research evidence acknowledging mass media’s influences on women’s empowerment, including their ability to take household decisions, empirical data through multi-country comparison on mass media exposure and women’s decision making capacity are sparse. This study sought to assess the association between exposure to mass media (television, radio and newspaper/magazine) and women’s household decision-making capacity in 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Materials and Methods: Data from current Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 30 countries in SSA from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016 were used. Binary Logistic Regression analysis was used to assess the association between mass media exposure and women’s household decision-making capacity in SSA. Results were presented using crude odds ratios (COR) and adjusted odds ratios (AOR). Results: Women who watched television almost every day had higher capacity to take household decisions, compared to those who did not watch television at all. Women who read newspaper/magazine less than once a week were less likely to take household decisions compared to those who never read newspaper/magazine. However, there was no association between exposure to radio and household decision-making capacity. Regarding the covariates, age, level of education, wealth index, occupation, and parity showed significant associations with women’s household decision-making capacity. Conclusion: Findings stressed the positive contribution of mass media in enhancing women’s household decision-making capacity in SSA. Viewing television, a model of mass media, is a very powerful conduit to enhance the household decision-making capacity of women. The use of mass media, especially television in communicating the relevance and ways of achieving household decision-making capacity for all women in SSA is paramount and perhaps, in other low and middle-income countries of the world. Interest groups that require greater attention are women with less exposure to television as well as women in their early reproductive age, the poor, women who are not working and rural residents

Key Drivers and Facilitators of the Choice to Use mHealth Technology in People With Neurological Conditions:Observational Study

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in the potential uses of mobile health (mHealth) technologies, such as wearable biosensors, as supplements for the care of people with neurological conditions. However, adherence is low, especially over long periods. If people are to benefit from these resources, we need a better long-term understanding of what influences patient engagement. Previous research suggests that engagement is moderated by several barriers and facilitators, but their relative importance is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine preferences and the relative importance of user-generated factors influencing engagement with mHealth technologies for 2 common neurological conditions with a relapsing-remitting course: multiple sclerosis (MS) and epilepsy. METHODS: In a discrete choice experiment, people with a diagnosis of MS (n=141) or epilepsy (n=175) were asked to select their preferred technology from a series of 8 vignettes with 4 characteristics: privacy, clinical support, established benefit, and device accuracy; each of these characteristics was greater or lower in each vignette. These characteristics had previously been emphasized by people with MS and or epilepsy as influencing engagement with technology. Mixed multinomial logistic regression models were used to establish which characteristics were most likely to affect engagement. Subgroup analyses explored the effects of demographic factors (such as age, gender, and education), acceptance of and familiarity with mobile technology, neurological diagnosis (MS or epilepsy), and symptoms that could influence motivation (such as depression). RESULTS: Analysis of the responses to the discrete choice experiment validated previous qualitative findings that a higher level of privacy, greater clinical support, increased perceived benefit, and better device accuracy are important to people with a neurological condition. Accuracy was perceived as the most important factor, followed by privacy. Clinical support was the least valued of the attributes. People were prepared to trade a modest amount of accuracy to achieve an improvement in privacy, but less likely to make this compromise for other factors. The type of neurological condition (epilepsy or MS) did not influence these preferences, nor did the age, gender, or mental health status of the participants. Those who were less accepting of technology were the most concerned about privacy and those with a lower level of education were prepared to trade accuracy for more clinical support. CONCLUSIONS: For people with neurological conditions such as epilepsy and MS, accuracy (ie, the ability to detect symptoms) is of the greatest interest. However, there are individual differences, and people who are less accepting of technology may need far greater reassurance about data privacy. People with lower levels of education value greater clinician involvement. These patient preferences should be considered when designing mHealth technologies