Seasonal Water Insecurity in Urban Philippines: Examining the Role of Gender, Resources, and Context

Seasonal water insecurity is a complex problem of growing concern in many urban areas, due in part to urbanization, population growth, and environmental change. Using multiple research methods, this study documents the extent and nature of seasonal water insecurity among and within households in an urban neighborhood in Baguio City, the Philippines. This study also examines how individual and household factors--gender and financial, physical, and social resources--and contextual factors may relate to water insecurity by season. Data collection methods include archival research, informal interviews, randomly-sampled household surveys: N=396), randomly-sampled individual subsurveys: N=291), and in-depth interviews: N=18). This study conceptualizes and measures water insecurity along three dimensions: quantity, quality, and accessibility of water for everyday household and individual use. Key findings are that water insecurity varies widely among households in the study neighborhood, and to some extent, within households. These differences are more pronounced in the dry than rainy season. Household financial and physical resources are associated with some dimensions of water insecurity, also with seasonal variation. In general, quantitative methods in this study find few associations between water insecurity and gender or household social resources; relationships among these variables are found, however, using qualitative methods. Neighborhood and municipal factors such as geography, water utility characteristics, and population and environment trends are discussed. This study contributes an important documentation of the heterogeneities in water insecurity that exist among a population and which are often masked by municipal, regional, and national statistics. Study findings also have implications for programs and policies designed to bolster the factors associated with reduced water insecurity by season--in urban areas of the Philippines, and in other countries expecting to experience seasonal water insecurity for the first time or to a greater extent than in the past

Gender and Asset Dimensions of Seasonal Water Insecurity in Urban Philippines

Seasonal water insecurity is a social and climate-related problem of growing concern in many urban areas. From 2000 to 2050, the global urban population affected by seasonal water shortage is projected to increase from 312 million to 1.3 billion. This increase is due to a combination of drivers, including population growth, urbanization, and climate change. To advance understanding of the social dimensions of this problem, this study uses qualitative methods—archival research, informal interviews (N=7), and in-depth interviews (N=15)—to explore how gender and assets relate to water insecurity in the rainy and dry seasons in three urban neighborhoods in Baguio City, the Philippines. Analytic methods include memo production and qualitative text analysis. Key findings are that households manage complex water portfolios that change seasonally or more frequently; women and men have gendered roles in managing water portfolios, providing versus managing income for water purchases, and physically carrying water; and particular forms of physical, financial, and social assets seem to matter for reducing seasonal water insecurity in ways that may be gendered as well. Implications for more gender-sensitive and asset-focused research and policy are discussed

Environment and Social Development

Global environmental changes—such as pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, and freshwater decline—affect people worldwide, with impacts that are not just physical, but also social and economic. Consequences range from minor inconvenience to injury and death, and can include food and water insecurity, mental distress, family separation, income disruption, and asset depletion. a social justice issue, environmental change has consequences that are typically worse for some groups than others. The Environment and Social Development initiative examines social vulnerability and strategies for social action and adaptation to environmental change. We emphasize social action that leads to reductions in negative environmental problems and adaptation through formal programs and policies designed to reduce vulnerability to environmental change. Through this work, Environment and Social Development aims to contribute to a more environmentally sustainable world, in which all people have fair and optimal opportunities to live full, healthy, and productive lives

SEED Account Monitoring Research: Participants, Savings, and Accumulation

SEED Account Monitoring Research: Participants, Savings, and Accumulatio

Keeping Each Other Safe: Who Checks on Their Neighbors During Weather Extremes in Summer and Winter?

Objective: Weather extremes are increasing with climate change and associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Promotion of social connections is an emerging area of research and practice for risk reduction during weather extremes. This study examines the practice of checking on neighbors during extreme summer heat and extreme winter weather. Objectives are to (1) describe the extent of neighbor checking during these extremes, and (2) examine factors associated with neighbor checking. Methods: We analyze survey data (n = 442) from a primarily low- and moderate- income study sample in a Southeastern U.S. city, using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: About 17.6% of participants checked on neighbors during extreme summer heat, and 25.2% did so during extreme winter weather. Being middle or older aged and having more adverse physical health impacts were positively associated with neighbor checking, for both extremes. For winter only, having less education was positively associated with neighbor checking. Conclusions: Community-based partnerships for reducing risk during weather extremes may consider people who are older or have experienced their own adverse health impacts as initial target groups for promoting neighbor checking. Future research should also examine the motivations for, details about, and impacts of neighbor checking in greater depth

SEED Account Monitoring Research at June 30, 2006

SEED Account Monitoring Research at June 30, 200

Validity of Infact Race/Ethnicity From Birth Certificates in the Context of U.S. Demographic Change

In this study, we examined consistency of infant race/ethnicity across two data sources (N=2,63) using measures of sensitivity and positive predictive value. First we created and compared conventional measures of infant race/ethnicity from 2007 Oklahoma birth certificates and SEED for Oklahoma Kids baseline survey data, classifying infants as White, African American, American Indian, Asian, or Hispanic. Then we created and tested alternative measures with a biracial classification, based on biological parentage from birth certificates or parent report of infant biracial identity in the survey. We find that, for conventional measures, sensitivity is highest for Whites and African Americans and lowest for Hispanics. Positive predictive value, meanwhile, is highest for Hispanics and African Americans, and lowest for American Indians. Alternative measures improve values for Whites, but yield mostly low values for minority and bi-racial groups. Our main conclusions are that health disparities research should consider the source and validity of infant race/ethnicity data when creating sampling frames or designing studies that target infants by race/ethnicity. The common practice of assigning the maternal race/ethnicity as infant race/ethnicity should continue to be challenged

State 529 Matching Grant Program Summary

State 529 Matching Grant Program Summar

Excluding 529 College Savings Plan Accounts From Oklahoma Public Assistance Asset Limit Tests

Excluding 529 College Savings Plan Accounts From Oklahoma Public Assistance Asset Limit Test

Environment and Health in Nigeria: Capacity and research Development

In Africa, population growth, urbanization, and climate change are environmental health challenges of emerging concern. These challenges intersect in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Because of gaps in research capacity, data collection, and research funding, data are lacking on extreme weather’s effects on health there. This brief describes a project to promote the development of collaborative capacity and research in environmental epidemiology in Nigeria. The project will also produce new knowledge on the physical and mental health impacts of weather extremes among residents of Nigeria’s coastal cities, including Lagos, Africa’s most populous city. The project is designed to improve public health by advancing knowledge about the nature and magnitude of environmental health hazards in Nigeria