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Rosinger AY, Stoler J, Ford LB, McGrosky A, Sadhir S, Ulrich M, Todd M, Bobbie N, Nzunza R, Braun DR, Ndiema EK, Douglass MJ, Pontzer H. Mobility ideation due to water problems during historic 2022 drought associated with livestock wealth, water and food insecurity, and fingernail cortisol concentration in northern Kenya. Soc Sci Med 2024; 359:117280. [PMID: 39236480 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is triggering environmental mobility through chronic water problems and punctuated events. Thinking about moving locations, or "mobility ideation", is the precursor to migration intentionality and actual migration. Drawing on the embodiment construct, this study examines how the worst drought in recent history in the Horn of Africa affected water-related mobility ideation and, in turn, fingernail cortisol concentration (FCC), a chronic stress biomarker, among Daasanach semi-nomadic pastoralists in northern Kenya. To address these questions, we primarily draw on survey, anthropometric, water quality, and biomarker data among 175 adults living in seven communities in 2022. We used mixed-effects ordered logistic regression to test how livestock wealth, water insecurity, food insecurity, and anxiety/depression symptom scores were associated with household mobility ideation. We then used generalized linear models to test the association between mobility ideation on FCC. Thinking about moving at least once due to water problems increased from pre-drought in 2019 (55%) to during the drought in 2022 (92%), while actual mobility declined. Livestock wealth, while associated with actual mobility in the prior year, was protective against increased mobility ideation, while water insecurity, food insecurity, and anxiety/depression symptoms were associated with greater odds of thinking of leaving in 2022. Compared to adults who did not consider moving, those who considered moving rarely, sometimes, and often had FCC levels 18.1% higher (95% CI, 1.01-1.38; p = 0.039), 19.4% higher (1.01-1.41; p = 0.040), and 32.3% higher (1.01-1.73; p = 0.039), respectively, with results consistent in sensitivity analyses. Extreme climatic events in water scarce regions may increase mobility ideation through worsened experiential indicators of well-being and resource insecurity. Mobility ideation may capture measures of adversity suffered by pastoralists and signify climate distress. This research broadens understanding of how droughts get under the skin by leading to resource insecurity and triggering thoughts of moving, which increases chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asher Y Rosinger
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Justin Stoler
- Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Leslie B Ford
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Amanda McGrosky
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Srishti Sadhir
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Ulrich
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Madeleine Todd
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nicole Bobbie
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Rosemary Nzunza
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - David R Braun
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA; Technological Primates Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emmanuel K Ndiema
- Department of Earth Sciences, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Matthew J Douglass
- College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Herman Pontzer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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2
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Jankovic-Rankovic J, Panter-Brick C. Physiological and genomic signatures of war and displacement: A comprehensive literature review and future directions. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107084. [PMID: 38788460 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
There are now 108.4 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, many of whom endure adversities that result in trauma, toxic stress, and potentially, altered epigenetic development. This paper provides a comprehensive review of current literature on the biological signatures of war and forced migration among refugee populations. To consolidate evidence and identify key concerns and avenues for future research, we reviewed 36 publications and one article under review, published since 2000, most of which focused on refugees relocated in Europe and the Middle East. This body of work - including cross-sectional, observational, and experimental studies - reveals heterogenous findings regarding human biological responses to war-related adversities and their associations with health outcomes. We conclude with four main observations, regarding why genomic and physiological biomarkers are valuable, what study designs advance understanding of causality and health-promoting interventions, how to prepare for ethical challenges, and why theoretical frameworks and research procedures need more detailed consideration in scientific publications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine Panter-Brick
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Jackson School of Global Affairs, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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3
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Gettler LT, Jankovic-Rankovic J, Gengo RG, Eick GN, Nash MP, Arumah EN, Boru AM, Ali SA, Urlacher SS, Meyer JS, Snodgrass JJ, Oka RC. Refugee health and physiological profiles in transitional settlements in Serbia and Kenya: Comparative evidence for effects of gender and social support. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 165:107024. [PMID: 38569397 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
When armed conflict compels people to flee from their homelands, they embark on protracted journeys during which they experience wide ranging physical, social, and psychological challenges. Few studies have focused on refugee psychosocial and physiological profiles during the transitional phase of forced migration that often involves temporary sheltering. Transient refugees' experiences can vary substantially based on local socio-ecological conditions in temporary settlements, including the length of stay, living conditions, as well as the availability and accessibility of physical and social resources. In this study, we compared physiological and psychosocial data from refugees (N=365; 406 observations) in Serbia and Kenya, respectively, with divergent temporal (length of stay) and socio-ecological conditions. In Serbia, refugees resided in asylum centers (mean stay: 0.9 y); in Kenya they were living in Kakuma Refugee Camp (mean stay: 8.8 y), one of the world's largest camps at the time. We had limited ability to directly compare psychosocial measures and used meta-analytic techniques to evaluate predictors of refugee mental and physical health at the two sites, including based on perceived social support. Refugees in Serbia had higher fingernail cortisol (p < 0.001) and were less likely to have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p < 0.01) than refugees in Kakuma. We found common gender differences in both settings; women had lower cortisol but higher EBV antibody titers and higher likelihood of having elevated CRP compared to men (all p < 0.01). Woman also reported poorer mental and physical health (p < 0.001). These physiological and health differences may reflect variation between men and women in their psychosocial and physical experiences of factors such as stress, violence, and trauma during their journeys and as transitional refugees. Finally, we also found that refugees with lower levels of perceived social support reported poorer physical and mental health (p < 0.001). Although our results are cross-sectional, they suggest that this intermittent phase of the refugee experience is a key window for helping enhance refugee well-being through an emphasis on interpersonal and community support systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | | | - Rieti G Gengo
- Department of Anthropology, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Geeta N Eick
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, OR, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jerrold S Meyer
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts- Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Rahul C Oka
- Keough School of Global Affairs, Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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4
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Boyette AH, Lew-Levy S, Valchy M, Gettler LT. Associations between men's reputations for fathering and their reproductive success among BaYaka foragers in the Congo Basin. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
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5
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Fedurek P, Lacroix L, Aktipis A, Cronk L, Makambi J, Mabulla I, Lehmann J, Berbesque JC. Relationship between proximity and physiological stress levels in hunter-gatherers: The Hadza. Horm Behav 2023; 147:105294. [PMID: 36521419 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In recent years there has been a great deal of documentation on how social relationships are related to various aspects of human wellbeing. However, until recently most studies investigating the effects of social relationships on wellbeing have applied social network measures to reported social contacts. Recent advances in the application of bio-loggers in biological studies have now made it possible to quantify social relationships based on in-person, rather than self-reported, social interactions. We used GPS-derived in-camp and out-of-camp proximity data to analyse how in-person proximity is related to Hair Cortisol Concentration (HCC) among Hadza hunter-gatherers. Time spent in close proximity to other camp members was associated with higher HCC, especially in women. In contrast, individuals who spent more time in close out-of-camp proximity to their best friend experienced lower HCC. Our study suggests that physiological costs related to group living might be mitigated by in-person interactions with close friends. We also find that the location (i.e., in-camp vs out-of-camp) of proximity to others and self-perceived friends is associated with HCC among the Hadza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Fedurek
- Anthropology Programme, University of Roehampton, London, UK; Department of Anthropology, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Laurent Lacroix
- Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Athena Aktipis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Lee Cronk
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Jerryson Makambi
- Mount Meru Tour Guide and International Language School, Arusha, Tanzania
| | | | - Julia Lehmann
- Anthropology Programme, University of Roehampton, London, UK
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Urlacher SS, Kim EY, Luan T, Young LJ, Adjetey B. Minimally invasive biomarkers in human and non-human primate evolutionary biology: Tools for understanding variation and adaptation. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23811. [PMID: 36205445 PMCID: PMC9787651 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of minimally invasive biomarkers (MIBs - physiological biomarkers obtained from minimally invasive sample types) has expanded rapidly in science and medicine over the past several decades. The MIB approach is a methodological strength in the field of human and non-human primate evolutionary biology (HEB). Among humans and our closest relatives, MIBs provide unique opportunities to document phenotypic variation and to operationalize evolutionary hypotheses. AIMS This paper overviews the use of MIBs in HEB. Our objectives are to (1) highlight key research topics which successfully implement MIBs, (2) identify promising yet under-investigated areas of MIB application, and (3) discuss current challenges in MIB research, with suggestions for advancing the field. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS A range of MIBs are used to investigate focal topics in HEB, including energetics and life history variation/evolution, developmental plasticity, and social status and dominance relationships. Nonetheless, we identify gaps in existing MIB research on traits such as physical growth and gut function that are central to the field. Several challenges remain for HEB research using MIBs, including the need for additional biomarkers and methods of assessment, robust validations, and approaches that are standardized across labs and research groups. Importantly, researchers must provide better support for adaptation and fitness effects in hypothesis testing (e.g., by obtaining complementary measures of energy expenditure, demonstrating redundancy of function, and performing lifetime/longitudinal analyses). We point to continued progress in the use of MIBs in HEB to better understand the past, present, and future of humans and our closest primate relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S. Urlacher
- Department of AnthropologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Child and Brain Development ProgramCIFARTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Elizabeth Y. Kim
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Department of BiologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Tiffany Luan
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Lauren J. Young
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Brian Adjetey
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
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7
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Fathers' care in context: ‘facultative,’ flexible fathers respond to work demands and child age, but not to alloparental help, in Cebu, Philippines. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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8
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Fedurek P, Aktipis A, Cronk L, Makambi EJ, Mabulla I, Berbesque JC, Lehmann J. Social status does not predict in-camp integration among egalitarian hunter-gatherer men. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In the last few decades, there has been much research regarding the importance of social prestige in shaping the social structure of small-scale societies. While recent studies show that social prestige may have important health consequences, little is known about the extent to which prestige translates into actual in-person interactions and proximity, even though the level of integration into such real-life social networks has been shown to have important health consequences. Here, we determine the extent to which two different domains of social prestige, popularity (being perceived as a friend by others), and hunting reputation (being perceived as a good hunter), translate into GPS-derived in- and out-of-camp proximity networks in a group of egalitarian hunter-gatherer men, the Hadza. We show that popularity and hunting reputation differ in the extent to which they are translated into time spent physically close to each other. Moreover, our findings suggest that in-camp proximity networks, which are commonly applied in studies of small-scale societies, do not show the full picture of Hadza men’s social preferences. While men are in camp, neither popularity nor hunting reputation is associated with being central in the proximity network; however, when out of camp, Hadza men who are popular are more integrated in the proximity networks while men with better hunting reputations are less integrated. Overall, our findings suggest that, to fully understand social preferences among hunter-gatherers, both in-camp and out-of-camp proximity networks should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Fedurek
- Anthropology Programme, Roehampton University, Parkstead House, Holybourne Avenue, London, UK
| | - Athena Aktipis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Lee Cronk
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, 131 George St, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - E Jerryson Makambi
- Mount Meru Tour Guide and International Language School, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Ibrahim Mabulla
- National Museums of Tanzania, 5 Shaaban Robert St, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - J Colette Berbesque
- Anthropology Programme, Roehampton University, Parkstead House, Holybourne Avenue, London, UK
| | - Julia Lehmann
- Anthropology Programme, Roehampton University, Parkstead House, Holybourne Avenue, London, UK
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Page AE, Emmott EH, Dyble M, Smith D, Chaudhary N, Viguier S, Migliano AB. Children are important too: juvenile playgroups and maternal childcare in a foraging population, the Agta. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200026. [PMID: 33938270 PMCID: PMC8090817 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-maternal carers (allomothers) are hypothesized to lighten the mother's workload, allowing for the specialized human life history including relatively short interbirth intervals and multiple dependent offspring. Here, using in-depth observational data on childcare provided to 78 Agta children (a foraging population in the northern Philippines; aged 0-6 years), we explore whether allomaternal childcare substitutes and decreases maternal childcare. We found that allomother caregiving was associated with reduced maternal childcare, but the substitutive effect varied depending on the source and type of care. Children-only playgroups consistently predicted a decrease in maternal childcare. While grandmothers were rarely available, their presence was negatively associated with maternal presence and childcare, and grandmothers performed similar childcare activities to mothers. These results underscore the importance of allomothering in reducing maternal childcare in the Agta. Our findings suggest that flexibility in childcare sources, including children-only playgroups, may have been the key to human life-history evolution. Overall, our results reinforce the necessity of a broad conceptualization of social support in human childcare. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E. Page
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Emily H. Emmott
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Dyble
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dan Smith
- Bristol Medical School (PHS), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Nikhil Chaudhary
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sylvain Viguier
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
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10
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Emmott EH, Myers S, Page AE. Who cares for women with children? Crossing the bridge between disciplines. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200019. [PMID: 33938274 PMCID: PMC8090823 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
It has long been acknowledged that women with children require social support to promote their health and wellbeing, as well as that of their children. However, the dominant conceptualizations of support have been heavily influenced by Western family norms. The consequence, at best, has been to stifle our understanding of the nature and consequences of support for mothers and children. At worst, it has led to systematic discrimination negatively impacting maternal-child health. To fully engage with the complexities of social support, we must take multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary approaches spanning diverse cultural and geographical perspectives. However, multidisciplinary knowledge-processing can be challenging, and it is often unclear how different studies from different disciplines relate. To address this, we outline two epistemological frameworks-the scientific approach and Tinbergen's four questions-that can be useful tools in connecting research across disciplines. In this theme issue on 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health', we attempt to foster multidisciplinary thinking by presenting work from a diverse range of disciplines, populations and cultures. Our hope is that these tools, along with papers in this issue, help to build a holistic understanding of social support and its consequences for mothers and their children. Overall, a multidisciplinary perspective points to how the responsibility of childrearing should not fall solely onto mothers. Indeed, this multidisciplinary issue demonstrates that successful childrearing is consistently an activity shared beyond the mother and the nuclear family: an insight that is crucial to harnessing the potential of social support to improve maternal-child health. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily H. Emmott
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Sarah Myers
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW, UK
- BirthRites Independent Max Planck Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Abigail E. Page
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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Shenk MK, Morse A, Mattison SM, Sear R, Alam N, Raqib R, Kumar A, Haque F, Blumenfield T, Shaver J, Sosis R, Wander K. Social support, nutrition and health among women in rural Bangladesh: complex tradeoffs in allocare, kin proximity and support network size. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200027. [PMID: 33938271 PMCID: PMC8090824 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Malnutrition among women of reproductive age is a significant public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. Of particular concern are undernutrition from underweight and iron deficiency, along with overweight and obesity, all of which have negative health consequences for mothers and children. Accumulating evidence suggests that risk for poor nutritional outcomes may be mitigated by social support, yet how social support is measured varies tremendously and its effects likely vary by age, kinship and reproductive status. We examine the effects of different measures of social support on weight and iron nutrition among 677 randomly sampled women from rural Bangladesh. While we find that total support network size mitigates risk for underweight, other results point to a potential tradeoff in the effects of kin proximity, with nearby adult children associated with both lower risk for underweight and obesity and higher risk for iron deficiency and anaemia. Social support from kin may then enhance energy balance but not diet quality. Results also suggest that a woman's network of caregivers might reflect their greater need for help, as those who received more help with childcare and housework had worse iron nutrition. Overall, although some findings support the hypothesis that social support can be protective, others emphasize that social relationships often have neutral or negative effects, illustrating the kinds of tradeoffs expected from an evolutionary perspective. The complexities of these effects deserve attention in future work, particularly within public health, where what is defined as 'social support' is often assumed to be positive. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K. Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Anne Morse
- Department of Sociology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Siobhán M. Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of NewMexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1466, USA
- US National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, USA
| | - Rebecca Sear
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Nurul Alam
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rubhana Raqib
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Anjan Kumar
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Farjana Haque
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of NewMexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1466, USA
- Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - John Shaver
- Division of Humanities, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Richard Sosis
- Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
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Myers S, Emmott EH. Communication Across Maternal Social Networks During England's First National Lockdown and Its Association With Postnatal Depressive Symptoms. Front Psychol 2021; 12:648002. [PMID: 34045995 PMCID: PMC8144711 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Postnatal/postpartum depression (PND/PPD) had a pre-COVID-19 estimated prevalence ranging up to 23% in Europe, 33% in Australia, and 64% in America, and is detrimental to both mothers and their infants. Low social support is a key risk factor for developing PND. From an evolutionary perspective this is perhaps unsurprising, as humans evolved as cooperative childrearers, inherently reliant on social support to raise children. The coronavirus pandemic has created a situation in which support from social networks beyond the nuclear family is likely to be even more important to new mothers, as it poses risks and stresses for mothers to contend with; whilst at the same time, social distancing measures designed to limit transmission create unprecedented alterations to their access to such support. Using data from 162 mothers living in London with infants aged ≤6 months, we explore how communication with members of a mother's social network related to her experience of postnatal depressive symptoms during the first "lockdown" in England. Levels of depressive symptoms, as assessed via the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, were high, with 47.5% of the participants meeting a ≥11 cut-off for PND. Quasi-Poisson regression modelling found that the number of network members seen in-person, and remote communication with a higher proportion of those not seen, was negatively associated with depressive symptoms; however, contact with a higher proportion of relatives was positively associated with symptoms, suggesting kin risked seeing mothers in need. Thematic qualitative analysis of open text responses found that mothers experienced a burden of constant mothering, inadequacy of virtual contact, and sadness and worries about lost social opportunities, while support from partners facilitated family bonding. While Western childrearing norms focus on intensive parenting, and fathers are key caregivers, our results highlight that it still "takes a village" to raise children in high-income populations and mothers are struggling in its absence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Myers
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- BirthRites Independent Max Planck Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emily H. Emmott
- UCL Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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