The "Labeled" Side of COVID-19 in India: Psychosocial Perspectives on Islamophobia During the Pandemic

Examining the access to benefits and quality sterilization services among Muslim women in India : Evidence from the fifth round of the national family health survey (2019-2021)

BACKGROUND

This research article examines the efficiency with which the Indian family planning programme provides care to Muslim women who opt to undergo tubectomies from public health facilities in terms of access to benefits/compensation as well as quality of services. The research subsequently intends to suggest suitable policies of affirmative action if required.

METHODS

The research uses data from the women's file from the latest round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21). Adjusted odds ratios are used to examine the likelihood of Muslim women (i) receiving compensations offered for undergoing tubectomies in public health facilities by the government, (ii) receiving comprehensive information prior to their tubectomies and (iii) reporting a good quality of care during their procedures, in comparison with non-Muslim women.

RESULTS

The findings from the research indicate that Muslim women in India have lower odds of receiving state sponsored compensations in comparison with non-Muslim women in India (AOR = 0.67; CI: 0.60-0.76). Consequently, a lesser proportion of Muslim women reported receiving compensations in comparison with non-Muslim women. The difference in the receipt of compensations was 18 percentage points between both cohorts. Critically, despite their challenges in obtaining compensations, the findings from this research also indicate how Muslim women in India have higher odds of receiving comprehensive family planning information prior to their operation in comparison with non-Muslim women (AOR = 1.15; CI: 1.02-1.29).

DISCUSSION

Given the existing dearth of evidence in family planning literature on the issue, this research article calls for greater attention and investments in understanding the reproductive health vulnerabilities of Indian Muslims, especially in the context of increasing social hostilities towards the community in India. In this regard, to promote the equitable delivery of family planning services, the findings from this research highlight the urgent need for institutional reforms that facilitate an easier access to public benefits among Indian Muslims.

Structural racism and the health of Palestinian citizens of Israel

Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI) constitute almost 20% of the Israeli population. Despite having access to one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world, PCI have shorter life expectancy and significantly worse health outcomes compared to the Jewish Israeli population. While several studies have analysed the social and policy determinants driving these health inequities, direct discussion of structural racism as their overarching etiology has been limited. This article situates the social determinants of health of PCI and their health outcomes as stemming from settler colonialism and resultant structural racism by exploring how Palestinians came to be a racialized minority in their homeland. In utilising critical race theory and a settler colonial analysis, we provide a structural and historically responsible reading of the health of PCI and suggest that dismantling legally codified racial discrimination is the first step to achieving health equity.

Uneven Implications of Lockdown Amid COVID-19 in India: From Harassment, Stigma, Crime, and Internally Displaced People to Stress and Coping Strategies in the Middle/Upper Class

A content analysis of an English Newspaper, The Times of India (the world's largest newspaper by circulation) during the first national lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic identified nine different categories culled out from a total of 129 news categories reporting unprecedented COVID-19 stories. Half of them portrayed two sides of a coin: from daily wagers and migrant workers, including internally displaced people (23/129), harassment and stigma (4/129), and crime (3/129) to stressors and coping strategies for middle/upper class individuals (39/129). Reports evidenced increased vulnerability in the lower layers of Indian stratified society. Yet, two years later, the uneven implications on physical and mental health are scarcely studied by scientific researchers.

Diverse Experiences and Coping During the COVID-19 Lockdown and Unlock in India

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Government of India imposed a nationwide lockdown of 21 days on May 25, 2020, which was extended thrice to a total of 68 days. Mandatory quarantine could hamper mental well-being, trust in the government, and compliance with guidelines. This study looks in-depth at individual accounts during the lockdown (phase A) and after the “unlock” (lifting of the nationwide lockdown; phase B) using telephonic interviews. Mass job loss and the exodus of migrant workers from major cities highlighted the need to include low-income groups in research; hence, purposive sampling was used. We interviewed 45 participants in phase A and 35 participants in phase B; the latter was drawn from the phase A pool based on availability and willingness. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Analysis revealed four themes of participants’ experiences, namely: (1) transitioning from a disrupted normal to a “new normal”; (2) accountability and lack of trust; (3) fear and uncertainty; and (4) perceived lack of control. Within the themes, coping with stressors was observed in six broad categories: (1) distraction, (2) escape/avoidance, (3) positive cognitive restructuring, (4) problem solving, (5) seeking support, and (6) religious coping. Results enabled the drawing of parallels and contrasts between various socioeconomic, religious, and sexual/gender groups and were discussed from the lens of cognitive appraisal theory and coping. The implications of these findings in psychological crisis intervention and policy are discussed, pointing toward the need to allow a collaborative effort and mutual trust to build a resilient society.

Individual and group level risk factors in preventive health and panic buying behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic in India

The present research explored individual and group level risk factors in preventive health and panic buying behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, COVID-19 anxiety, and personal identity were considered individual-level risk factors. Group based identities such as family, religious groups, and identification with one's nation were considered as group level risk factors. Standardized scales have been used to measure all the constructs under study. Data were collected electronically from 305 Indian respondents. Hierarchical regression analysis in SPSS Version 22 was used to test the hypotheses. Results showed that personal identity and identification with the nation predicted preventive health behavior. Panic buying behavior was predicted by the location of the respondents (containment versus non-containment zones), perceived severity, and one's personal identity. The interplay of individual and social factors is reflective of both individual and collective agencies in the adoption of preventive health behaviors, while only individual-level factors led to panic buying behavior. The findings of this study have implications for curbing, managing, and reinforcing desirable and non-desirable behavior during the present pandemic as well as in the future as well.