Violence against children and natural disasters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative evidence

Intersections of Intimate Partner Violence and Natural Disasters: A Systematic Review of the Quantitative Evidence

Natural disasters and extreme weather events are increasing in both intensity and frequency. Emerging evidence suggests that there is a relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and natural disasters. However, there is a scarcity of methodologically sound research in this area with no systematic review to date. To address the gap, this paper systematically assesses the quantitative evidence on the association between IPV with natural disasters between 1990 and March 2023. There were 27 articles that meet the inclusion criteria for the data extraction process. A quantitative critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of each study and a narrative synthesis approach to explore the findings. The review found an association between IPV and disasters, across disaster types and countries. However, more research is needed to explore the nuances and gaps within the existing knowledge base. It was unclear whether this relationship was causal or if natural disasters heightened existing risk factors. Further, it is inconclusive as to whether disasters create new cases of IPV or exacerbate existing violence. The majority of studies focused on hurricanes and earthquakes with a dearth of research on "slow onset disasters." These gaps represent the need for further research. Further research can provide a more thorough understanding of IPV and natural disasters, increasing stakeholders' ability to strengthen community capacity and reduce IPV when natural disasters occur.

Domestic Violence During the Corona Pandemic: A Comparison of Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Incidents of Domestic Violence in the Netherlands

There is a widespread fear that the measures as a consequence of the worldwide corona pandemic have led to a significant increase in domestic violence and child abuse. The current study uses criminal files from all incidents of domestic violence that were reported to the police in a relatively large city in the Netherlands during 3.5 months before the pandemic and the first 3.5 months from the start of the nationwide shutdown, to compare the characteristics of the incident, the suspect and victim, how the case was handled and the involvement of minors. Results show that levels of domestic violence during the Covid-19-related restrictions did not increase compared to before the pandemic. During the pandemic, suspects were relatively more often men, the violence was less often reciprocal, more often took place inside the homes of suspects and victims, and was more often reported to the police by a witness than before the pandemic. Before and during the pandemic, minors were involved in respectively 34% and 43% of the incidents, mainly as witnesses of the violence between their parents. The results of the study may ease the concerns about the potential threat of domestic violence levels going through the roof during isolating measures such as during a shutdown. Limitations of the study are that official data from a single, but large, city were used and that we were not able to control for seasonal effects.

Climate change impacts on child and adolescent health and well-being: A narrative review

Background

Worldwide, the climate is changing and affecting the health and well-being of children in many ways. In this review, we provided an overview of how climate change-related events may affect child and adolescent health and well-being, including children's mental and physical health, nutrition, safety and security, learning opportunities, and family caregiving and connectedness.

Methods

In this narrative review, we highlighted and discussed peer-reviewed evidence from 2012-23, primarily from meta-analyses and systematic reviews. The search strategy used a large and varied number of search terms across three academic databases to identify relevant literature.

Results

There was consistent evidence across systematic reviews of impact on four themes. Climate-related events are associated with a) increases in posttraumatic stress and other mental health disorders in children and adolescents, b) increases in asthma, respiratory illnesses, diarrheal diseases and vector-borne diseases, c) increases in malnutrition and reduced growth and d) disruptions to responsive caregiving and family functioning, which can be linked to poor caregiver mental health, stress and loss of resources. Evidence of violence against children in climate-related disaster contexts is inconclusive. There is a lack of systematic review evidence on the associations between climate change and children's learning outcomes.

Conclusions

Systematic review evidence consistently points to negative associations between climate change and children's physical and mental health, well-being, and family functioning. Yet, much remains unknown about the causal pathways linking climate-change-related events and mental and physical health, responsive relationships and connectedness, nutrition, and learning in children and adolescents. This evidence is urgently needed so that adverse health and other impacts from climate change can be prevented or minimised through well-timed and appropriate action.

Child sexual abuse and its determinants among children in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Child sexual abuse is a significant public health concern and a breach of basic human rights affecting millions of children each year globally. It is typically not reported by victims, hence it remains usually concealed. Except for single studies with varying reports, there is no national studies conducted on child sexual abuse in Ethiopia. Therefore, this review determined the pooled magnitude and determinants of sexual abuse among children in Ethiopia. Potential articles were searched from PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of science using relevant searching key terms. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist was used to evaluate the quality of all selected articles. Data were analyzed using STATA Version 14 software. Publication bias was checked using Egger's test and funnel plot. Cochran's chi-squared test and I2 values were used to assess heterogeneity. A random-effects model was applied during meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of sexual abuse among 5,979 children in Ethiopia was 41.15% (95% CI: 24.44, 57.86). Sex of children (OR: 2.14, 95%CI: 1.12, 4.06), smoking (OR: 4.48, 95%CI: 1.26, 76.79), khat chewing (OR: 3.68, 95%CI: 1.62, 21.93), and alcohol use (OR: 4.77, 95%CI: 2.22, 10.25) were the determinants of child sexual abuse. The main perpetrators of sexual abuse against children were neighbors, boy/girlfriends, family members, school teachers, and stranger person. Child sexual abuse commonly took place in the victim's or perpetrator's home, school, and neighbor's home. This review revealed that the magnitude of child sexual abuse in Ethiopia was relatively high and multiple factors determined the likelihood of sexual violence against children. Thus, policy-makers and concerned stakeholders should strengthen comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education to reduce the magnitude and consequences of child sexual abuse. Moreover, support with special attention should be given to children with mental illness and physical disabilities.

Domestic Violence in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Synthesis of Systematic Reviews

The current systematic meta-review aimed to map out, characterize, analyze, and synthesize the overarching findings of systematic reviews on domestic violence (DV) in the context of COVID-19. Specifically, a systematic meta-review was conducted with three main objectives: (1) to identify what types and aspects of DV during COVID-19 have been reviewed systematically to date (research trends), (2) to synthesize the findings from recent systematic reviews of the theoretical and empirical literature (main findings), and (3) to discuss what systematic reviewers have proposed about implications for policy and practice as well as for future primary research (implications). We identified, appraised, and synthesized the evidence contained in systematic reviews by means of a so-called systematic meta-review. In all, 15 systematic reviews were found to be eligible for inclusion in the current review. Thematic codes were applied to each finding or implication in accordance with a set of predetermined categories informed by the DV literature. The findings of this review provide clear insight into current knowledge of prevalence, incidence, and contributing factors, which could help to develop evidence-informed DV prevention and intervention strategies during COVID-19 and future extreme events. This systematic meta-review does offer a first comprehensive overview of the research landscape on this subject. It allows scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to recognize initial patterns in DV during COVID-19, identify overlooked areas that need to be investigated and understood further, and adjust research methods that will lead to more robust studies.

The effectiveness of CBT-based daily supportive text messages in improving female mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: results from the Text4Hope program

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly exacerbated gender disparities in mental health, particularly impacting women. To address this, Alberta, Canada, launched Text4Hope, a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy-based text messaging intervention, to provide support and resources for psychological challenges during the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Text4Hope in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, sleeping disturbances, and suicidal ideation among female subscribers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The study employed both an uncontrolled longitudinal design and a controlled cohort design. The uncontrolled longitudinal study analyzed a one-year dataset (n = 9,545) of clinical outcomes, comparing mean differences in mental health symptoms from baseline to 6 weeks after subscription. The controlled cohort design compared two groups, with (n = 1,763) and without (n = 567) intervention exposure during the same period. Data were collected through self-administered online surveys completed at baseline and six weeks after subscription. Sociodemographic information and validated scales (e.g., 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)) were used to assess mental health outcomes.

Results

The results from the longitudinal study indicated a significant reduction in anxiety prevalence and anxiety symptoms, with a 19.63% decrease in GAD-7 mean score and a 32.02% decrease in likely anxiety from baseline to six weeks. Depressive symptoms and perceived stress also showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001), albeit to a lesser extent. In the controlled cohort study, the intervention group had significantly (p < 0.001) lower PHQ-9 [19.5 (SD 7.05)], GAD-7 [7.5 (SD 5.27)], and CMH [35.53 (SD 18.45)] scores. Additionally, the study found substantial differences (p < 0.001) in suicidal ideation (26.1 vs. 15.7) between groups but no significant differences in sleep disruption.

Discussion

These findings suggest that Text4Hope could be an effective intervention for reducing stress, depression, suicidal ideation, and particularly anxiety symptoms among women during public emergencies. The study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of text messaging interventions in supporting mental health during crisis situations.

A review of mental health disparities during COVID-19: Evidence, mechanisms, and policy recommendations for promoting societal resilience

Social and economic inequality are chronic stressors that continually erode the mental and physical health of marginalized groups, undermining overall societal resilience. In this comprehensive review, we synthesize evidence of greater increases in mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic among socially or economically marginalized groups in the United States, including (a) people who are low income or experiencing homelessness, (b) racial and ethnic minorities, (c) women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) communities, (d) immigrants and migrants, (e) children and people with a history of childhood adversity, and (f) the socially isolated and lonely. Based on this evidence, we propose that reducing social and economic inequality would promote population mental health and societal resilience to future crises. Specifically, we propose concrete, actionable recommendations for policy, intervention, and practice that would bolster five "pillars" of societal resilience: (1) economic safety and equity, (2) accessible healthcare, including mental health services, (3) combating racial injustice and promoting respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion, (4) child and family protection services, and (5) social cohesion. Although the recent pandemic exposed and accentuated steep inequalities within our society, efforts to rebuild offer the opportunity to re-envision societal resilience and policy to reduce multiple forms of inequality for our collective benefit.

The Effectiveness of Women and Girls Safe Spaces: A Systematic Review of Evidence to Address Violence Against Women and Girls in Humanitarian Contexts

One in three women and girls will experience violence in their lifetime. In conflict and postconflict settings, the incidence of violence against women and girls (VAWG) is exacerbated, resulting in increased negative social, economic, health, and psychosocial effects. In an attempt to prevent and respond to the occurrence of VAWG in humanitarian settings, Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) have been promoted as a promising intervention. The authors conducted a systematic review to examine the current quantitative evidence available on the impact and effectiveness of WGSS programs. The authors reviewed relevant peer-reviewed and gray literature using predefined search terms for potential inclusion. Seven records met inclusion criteria. Records included evaluations of WGSS programs implemented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. While none of the studies reported reductions in exposure to or incidence of VAWG among program participants, three evaluations demonstrated moderate improvements in psychosocial well-being, social support, and attitudes toward rites of passage. Additionally, only three of the seven evaluations employed rigorous methodologies. This study illustrates the paucity of existing quantitative evidence around the impact of WGSS and the need for further research examining the potential benefits of this widely implemented intervention for women and girls. A stronger evidence base has the potential to inform policy and program development and to help governments, organizations, and communities better allocate limited resources in response to VAWG.

Women's Mental Health in the Time of Covid-19 Pandemic

Even if the fatality rate has been twice higher for men than for women, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected women more than men, both as frontline workers and at home. The aim of our article was to analyze the differences observed in mental health and violence between men and women in the COVID outbreak. For this purpose, we have used all papers available in PubMed between January and July 2020 as well as data from non-governmental associations. We have thus successively analyzed the situation of pregnancy during the pandemic; the specific psychological and psychiatric risks faced by women both as patients and as workers in the health sector, the increased risk of violence against women at home and at workplace and, finally the risk run by children within their families. In conclusion, research on the subject of mental health issues during the Covid-19 pandemic is still scarce, especially in women. We hope that this pandemic will help to recognize the major role of women at home and at the workplace.

COVID-19 and family violence: Is this a perfect storm?

Disasters including public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic are known to increase instances of family violence against women, children, and other diverse populations. This paper discusses and provides evidence of disaster-related vulnerability of and violence towards specific groups of people. We argue that the COVID-19 pandemic presents the 'perfect storm' for family violence, where a set of rare circumstances combine, resulting in a significant aggravation of the resulting event. Given the mental health implications of family violence, mental health professionals need to be aware of this issue during the pandemic and ready to assist with the development of strategies to overcome the situation where possible. To provide protection and prevent violence, there is a need to include at-risk groups in disaster response and community planning. Such a plan could involve gender and disaster working groups at the local community, state, and national levels.

Assessing the effects of disasters and their aftermath on pregnancy and infant outcomes: A conceptual model

Although many studies have examined broad patterns of effects on pregnancy and infant outcomes after disasters, the causes of adverse outcomes are not always clear. Disasters cause interrelated exposure to environmental pollutants, psychological stressors, and lack of health care, and interacts with other social determinants of health. This topical review examines the short- and long-term effects of disasters on pregnancy and how they are mediated by social, behavioral, and environmental effects. In the short term, disasters are associated with physical trauma, adverse environmental exposures, and unstable housing. In the longer term, disasters may lead to relocation, changes in family functioning, and negative economic effects. These aspects of disaster exposure, in turn, lead to lack of access to health care, increased stress and negative mental health outcomes, and negative behavioral changes, including smoking and substance use, poor nutrition, physical overexertion and limited activity, and reduction in breastfeeding. All of these factors interact with social determinants of health to worsen effects on the most vulnerable women, infants, and communities. Few interventions after disasters have been tested. With the increase in disasters due to climate change and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the models of effects of disasters and their human health consequences need increasing refinement, and, more importantly, should be applied to interventions that improve disaster prevention, mitigation, and response.

The pathways between natural disasters and violence against children: a systematic review

Background

Natural disasters are increasingly affecting a larger segment of the world’s population. These highly disruptive events have the potential to produce negative changes in social dynamics and the environment which increase violence against children. We do not currently have a comprehensive understanding of how natural disasters lead to violence against children despite the growing threat to human populations and the importance of violence as a public health issue. The mapping of pathways to violence is critical in designing targeted and evidence-based prevention services for children. We systematically reviewed peer-reviewed articles and grey literature to document the pathways between natural disasters and violence against children and to suggest how this information could be used in the design of future programming.

Methods

We searched 15 bibliographic databases and six grey literature repositories from the earliest date of publication to May 16, 2018. In addition, we solicited grey literature from humanitarian agencies globally that implement child-focused programming after natural disasters. Peer-reviewed articles and grey literature that presented original quantitative or qualitative evidence on how natural disasters led to violence against children were included. The authors synthesized the evidence narratively and used thematic analysis with a constant comparative method to articulate pathways to violence.

Results

We identified 6276 unduplicated publications. Nine peer-reviewed articles and 17 grey literature publications met the inclusion criteria. The literature outlined five pathways between natural disasters and violence, including: (i) environmentally induced changes in supervision, accompaniment, and child separation; (ii) transgression of social norms in post-disaster behavior; (iii) economic stress; (iv) negative coping with stress; and (v) insecure shelter and living conditions.

Conclusions

Service providers would benefit from systematic documentation to a high-quality standard of all possible pathways to violence in tailoring programming after natural disasters. The identified pathways in this review provide a foundation for designing targeted prevention services. In addition, the positive coping strategies within certain affected families and communities can be leveraged in implementing strength-based approaches to violence prevention.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11252-3.

Patterns of Depression and Resilience in Children and Adolescents Exposed to an Earthquake: A Latent Profile Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Depression and resilience are different psychological outcomes caused by experiencing traumatic events. We aimed to 1) explore heterogeneity patterns of co-occurrence between depression symptoms and resilience among children and adolescents exposed to an earthquake and 2) assess covariates (trauma exposure, sex, age, ethnicity, and sleep quality) in identifying the best fitting solution.

METHODS

Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to examine patterns of self-reported depression and resilience in an epidemiological sample of 2,887 Chinese youth survivors 1 year after the Lushan earthquake.

RESULTS

A suitable 3-class model were identified, which are mild depression/high resilience (65.0%), severe depression/high resilience (22.1%), and severe depression/low resilience (12.9%). Trauma exposure, demographic characteristics and sleep state can be used to identify the different latent classes.

CONCLUSION

Our results contribute to understanding the heterogeneous coexisting patterns of depression and resilience and provide suggestions for identifying high-risk youth survivors and offering effective interventions.

Child maltreatment online education for healthcare and social service providers: Implications for the COVID-19 context and beyond

Evidence indicates that healthcare and social service providers (HSSPs) receive inadequate education related to recognizing and responding to child maltreatment. This is despite the fact HSSPs are identified as an important factor in the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of this childhood exposure. The need for online education for HSSPs' is highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and will continue to be relevant afterward. The objective of this commentary is to provide an overview of: (a) educational interventions for HSSPs' related to recognizing and responding to child maltreatment; (b) the development of VEGA (Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action), which is an online platform of educational resources to support HSSPs to recognize and respond to child maltreatment; and (c) the RISE (Researching the Impact of Service provider Education) project, which is an ongoing multi-province evaluation of VEGA in Canada. It is important to consider ongoing ways that HSSPs can receive education related to recognizing and responding to child maltreatment. The virtual implementation of VEGA and the RISE Project provide a necessary opportunity to continue to increase the capacity of Canada's HSSPs to adequately and safely recognize and respond to child maltreatment, while simultaneously advancing education scholarship for the field of child maltreatment and which will have relevance for the COVID-19 context and beyond.

The influence of natural disasters on violence, mental health, food insecurity, and stunting in the Philippines: Findings from a nationally representative cohort

Background

Climate change is leading to an increased number of natural disasters. Children from low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected. The impacts of exposure to multiple natural disasters on the development of children are not well understood. The Philippines had 6.5 million people affected by natural disasters in 2018 and is therefore an ideal country in which to study the cumulative effects of natural disasters on human development.

Methods

We used wave 1 (2016–17) of the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child, a nationally representative cohort study of 4952 10-year-old children, to examine the impact of natural disasters. For caregivers, we examined mental health, family violence, and food insecurity. For children, we examined exposure to violence and stunting. We used random effects models to estimate the associations between natural disasters and children's development outcomes and caregivers' outcomes, after adjusting for neighbourhood, demographic, and geographic variables. Disaster exposure was measured using caregiver-reported measures of cumulative exposure and cumulative impact of disasters, average neighbourhood reports and data linked from the International Disaster Database (EM-DAT), an independent measure of community exposure to disaster.

Findings

We found that experiencing natural disasters, as measured by neighbourhood reports, was associated with higher levels of family violence in the previous 12 months, parenting stress, children witnessing physical violence, physical abuse of children, stunting in children, and greater food insecurity. Associations with individual self-reported exposure showed was similar. Associations with natural disasters measured using EM-DAT data showed a similar pattern: exposure to greater numbers of natural disasters was associated with higher levels of family violence, physical abuse of children, stunting in children, and food insecurity. Impacts of disasters was associated with higher levels of family violence, depression and food insecurity.

Interpretation

This is the first national study to document that cumulative measures of natural disasters had small, but wide-ranging, impacts on children and their caregivers. Further research is needed to identify factors that will protect populations who are at risk of high levels of natural disasters to ensure the optimal development of children.

Funding

The Philippines Project, The Australian National University.

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The implications of multiple natural disasters for child development are not well understood.

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First national study on the impact of multiple natural disasters on children.

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More natural disasters associated with child physical abuse and family violence.

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Exposure to a greater number of natural disasters associated with stunting and food insecurity.

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More natural disasters led to worse caregivers' depression and stress.

Natural hazards, disasters and violence against women and girls: a global mixed-methods systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Disasters triggered by climate and other natural hazards are increasing in frequency, severity and duration worldwide. Disasters disproportionately impact women and girls, with some evidence suggesting that violence against women and girls (VAWG) increases in disaster settings. Suggested risk factors for postdisaster VAWG include increased life stressors, failure of law enforcement, exposure to high-risk environments, exacerbation of existing gender inequalities and unequal social norms. We aim to systematically appraise the global literature on the association between disasters from natural hazards and VAWG.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review using the following databases: Embase, Global Health, Medline, PubMed and Social Policy and Practice and searched grey literature. We included quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods studies published in English language that examined the association between disasters from natural hazards and VAWG. We summarised the findings using a narrative synthesis approach.

RESULTS

Of 555 non-duplicate records, we included a total of 37 quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies. Among the quantitative studies, eight studies found a positive association between disaster exposure and increased VAWG, and four additional studies found positive associations with some violence types but not others. Qualitative findings offered insights into three hypothesised pathways: disaster exposure associated with (1) an increase of stressors that trigger VAWG; (2) an increase of enabling environments for VAWG and (3) an exacerbation of underlying drivers of VAWG.

CONCLUSION

As the first known global systematic review on the relationship between disasters from natural hazards and VAWG, this review contributes to the evidence base. We were limited by the quality of quantitative studies, specifically study designs, the measurement of variables and geographic scope. The severe health consequences of VAWG and increasing frequency of extreme events means that rigorously designed and better quality studies are needed to inform evidence-based policies and safeguard women and girls during and after disasters.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Children's Environmental Health

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has dramatically altered the health and well-being of children, particularly as they have been isolated indoors and in their homes as a result of social distancing measures. In this article, we describe several of the environmental threats that are affecting the health of children during the pandemic. These include increased exposure to household cleaning products, chemicals and lead in dust, indoor air pollutants, screen time, family stress, and firearms, as well as decreased availability of food, social supports, and routine childhood screenings. Importantly, many of these threats disproportionately affect children of racial or ethnic minorities or who have low socioeconomic status. Pediatric health care providers will need to screen and treat children and counsel their parents and/or other caregivers during well-child visits with an eye for these new or worsened environmental threats. [Pediatr Ann. 2020;49(12):e537-e542.].

Domestic violence and substance abuse during COVID19: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

As COVID-19 develops around the world, numerous publications have described the psychiatric consequences of this pandemic. Although clinicians and healthcare systems are mainly focused on managing critically ill patients in an attempt to limit the number of casualties, psychiatric disease burden is increasing significantly. In this scenario, increased domestic violence and substance abuse have been recently reported.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to perform a systematic review of the literature regarding the consequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV-2 infection in terms of domestic violence and substance abuse, and compare incidences found.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a literature search using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. The keywords included "domestic violence," "substance abuse" AND "COVID-19," including multiple variants from December 2019 through June 2020. An extensive bibliographic search was carried out in different medical databases: Pubmed, EMBASE, LILACS, medRxiv, and bioRxiv. Titles and abstracts were reviewed according to the eligibility criteria. The risk of bias in the retrieved articles was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute's critical assessment instrument.

RESULTS

A total of 1505 papers were initially retrieved after consulting the selected databases. After browsing through titles and abstracts, 94 articles were initially included considering the predefined eligibility criteria. After a more detailed analysis, only six scientific articles remained in our selection. Of these, three were evaluating domestic violence against children, while the other three were about substance abuse.

CONCLUSION

There is not enough evidence to support the concept that COVID-19 has led to an increase in the rates of domestic violence and substance abuse. The initial decrease in violence reports might not translate into a real reduction in incidence but in accessibility. Apparently, there has been a slight increase in alcohol and tobacco abuse, especially by regular users, which also requires confirmatory studies. The inconsistency between expert opinon articles and the actual published data could be a result of the limited time since the beginnging of the crisis, the fact that psychitaric patients have been chronically exposed to stressful situatons, and a possible stimulated increase in demand for psychatric consultations.

Analysis of the relationship between earthquake-related losses and the frequency of child-directed emotional, physical, and severe physical abuse in Haiti

BACKGROUND

Child abuse is a public health and human rights issue that is prevalent worldwide. All forms of abuse against children can have negative physical and mental health consequences. Under post-disaster situations, where there is a potential for increased stress and decreased social support among caregivers, the risk of child abuse may be higher.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between earthquake-related losses (family-related and property-related) and the experience of emotional, physical, and severe physical child abuse in the household for children aged 2-14 in Haiti.

METHODS

A nationally representative sample of Haitian households from the 2012 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) was used. Descriptive analyses were summarized using frequencies and measures of central tendency. Associations between earthquake-related loss and child abuse was assessed using log-binomial regression modelling.

RESULTS

Two years following the earthquake, and after considering potentially confounding variables, death of a household member was associated with a higher likelihood of a child being victim to emotional (RR = 1.11, 95 % CI: 1.05-1.17) and severe physical abuse (RR = 1.50, 95 % CI: 1.15-1.96). Conversely, injury of a household member was associated with a lower likelihood of a child experiencing emotional abuse (RR = 0.93, 95 % CI: 0.87-0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

There were associations between earthquake-related losses and some forms of child abuse; the results were not consistent across all exposures and outcomes. The high prevalence of reported child abuse indicates a need for interventions to reduce child abuse in homes overall. There is also need for further research into the aetiology and influences specific to different types of abuse.

[Psychopathological consequences of confinement]

The psychological effects of isolation have already been described in the literature (polar expeditions, submarines, prison). Nevertheless, the scale of confinement implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented. In addition to reviewing the published studies, we need to anticipate the psychological problems that could arise during or at a distance from confinement. We have gone beyond the COVID-19 literature in order to examine the implications of the known consequences of confinement, like boredom, social isolation, stress, or sleep deprivation. Anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidal or addictive behaviours, domestic violence are described effects of confinement, but the mechanisms of emergence of these disorders and their interrelationships remain to be studied. For example, what are the mechanisms of emergence of post-traumatic stress disorders in the context of confinement? We also remind the reader of points of vigilance to be kept in mind with regard to eating disorders and hallucinations. Hallucinations are curiously ignored in the literature on confinement, whereas a vast literature links social isolation and hallucinations. Due to the broad psychopathological consequences, we have to look for these various symptoms to manage them. We quickly summarize the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches already in place, such as telemedicine, which is undergoing rapid development during the COVID-19 crisis.

Did internal displacement from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti lead to long-term violence against children? A matched pairs study design

BACKGROUND

Empirical evidence is limited and contradictory on violence against children after internal displacement from natural disasters. Understanding how internal displacement affects violence is key in structuring effective prevention and response.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the effect of internal displacement from the 2010 Haitian earthquake on long-term physical, emotional, and sexual violence against children and outlined a methodological framework to improve future evidence quality.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

We analyzed violence against adolescent girls and boys within the nationally representative, Haiti Violence Against Children Survey.

METHODS

We pre-processed data by matching on pre-earthquake characteristics for displaced and non-displaced children and applied 95 % confidence intervals from McNemar's exact test, with sensitivity analyses, to evaluate differences in violence outcomes between matched pairs after the earthquake.

RESULTS

Internal displacement was not associated with past 12-month physical, emotional, and sexual violence two years after the earthquake for girls and boys. Most violence outcomes were robust to potential unmeasured confounding. Odds ratios for any form of violence against girls were 0.84 (95 % CI: 0.52-1.33, p = 0.500) and against boys were 1.03 (95 % CI: 0.61-1.73, p = 1.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Internal displacement was not a driver of long-term violence against children in Haiti. Current global protocols in disaster settings may initiate services after the optimal window of time to protect children from violence, and the post-displacement setting may be central in determining violence outcomes. The combination of specific data structures and matching methodologies is promising to increase evidence quality after rapid-onset natural disasters, especially in low-resource settings.

Minor covid-19 association with crime in Sweden

The covid-19 disease has a large impact on life across the globe, and this could potentially include impacts on crime. The present study describes how crime has changed in Sweden during ten weeks after the government started to implement interventions to reduce spread of the disease. Sweden has undertaken smaller interventions than many other countries and is therefore a particularly interesting case to study. The first major interventions in Sweden were implemented in the end of week 11 (March 12th) in the year 2020, and we analyze police reported crimes through week 21 (ending May 24th). Descriptive statistics are provided relative to expected levels with 95% confidence intervals for eight crime types. We find that total crime, assaults, pickpocketing and burglary have decreased significantly, personal robberies and narcotics crime are unchanged. Vandalism possibly increased somewhat but is hard to draw any firm conclusions on. The reductions are fairly small for most crime types, in the 5-20% range, with pickpocketing being the biggest exception noting a 59% drop relative to expected levels.

Minor covid-19 association with crime in Sweden

The covid-19 disease has a large impact on life across the globe, and this could potentially include impacts on crime. The present study describes how crime has changed in Sweden during ten weeks after the government started to implement interventions to reduce spread of the disease. Sweden has undertaken smaller interventions than many other countries and is therefore a particularly interesting case to study. The first major interventions in Sweden were implemented in the end of week 11 (March 12th) in the year 2020, and we analyze police reported crimes through week 21 (ending May 24th). Descriptive statistics are provided relative to expected levels with 95% confidence intervals for eight crime types. We find that total crime, assaults, pickpocketing and burglary have decreased significantly, personal robberies and narcotics crime are unchanged. Vandalism possibly increased somewhat but is hard to draw any firm conclusions on. The reductions are fairly small for most crime types, in the 5-20% range, with pickpocketing being the biggest exception noting a 59% drop relative to expected levels.