Shifting Paradigms and the Politics of AIDS in Zambia

2009 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 33-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Frank
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Aids Prevention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Livelihood Strategies ◽  
Political Economies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hiv Aids

Abstract:This article explores how international discourses on AIDS prevention have been incorporated into national-level programs that promote particular lifestyle and livelihood strategies in Zambia, particularly within the realms of wife inheritance, widowhood, and marriage. In response, Zambian communities have recast these narratives to inform local political economies, identities, and struggles for power. Often community and national-level efforts work at odds with each other, as each seeks to legitimize various moralities and codes of behavior. At the local level actors choose the strategies that most effectively mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS and also enhance their overall well-being.

Reducing the Impact of Unemployment through Work-Sharing: Some Industrial Relations Considerations

1983 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah M. Meltz ◽  
Frank Reid
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
National Level ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Work Sharing ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
The Impact

The Canadian Government has introduced a work-sharing program in which lay offs are avoided by reducing the work week and using unemployment insurance funds to pay workers short-time compensation. Compared to the lay-off alternative, there appear to be economic benefits to work-sharing for both management and employees. Reaction to the scheme has been generally positive at the union local level and the firm level, but it has been negative at the national level of both labour and management. These divergent views can be explained mainly as a result of short-run versus long-run perspectives. Managers at the firm level see the immediate benefit of improved labour relations and the avoidance of the costs of hiring and training replacements for laid-off workers who do not respond when recalled. The national business leaders are more concerned with work incentive and efficiency aspects of work-sharing.

Do online support groups help individuals affected by HIV/AIDS?: A systematic review of the quantitative and qualitative literature (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Stewart Coulson ◽  
Heather Buchanan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Illness Management ◽  
Online Support Groups ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hiv Aids

BACKGROUND Online support groups provide opportunities for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS to seek information, advice and support from peers. However, if and how engagement with online support groups helps individuals affected by HIV/AIDS remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To systematically review the evidence (both quantitative and qualitative) around the benefits of online support groups for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS in terms of psychosocial wellbeing and/or illness management. In addition, the review sought to identify and describe any negative aspects experienced by individuals as well as the types of social support exchanged within such online groups. METHODS A systematic review of English language articles was undertaken using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Databases searched included Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CENTRAL (Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials) and SCOPUS. Key findings were critically synthesized using a narrative and thematic approach. RESULTS 22 papers met the inclusion criteria from an initial pool of 4501 abstracts. These papers included 5 quantitative, 2 mixed-methods and 15 qualitative studies published between 2007 and 2019. CONCLUSIONS Some cross-sectional and qualitative studies suggest there may be an association between engagement and a range of psychosocial processes and outcomes. However, studies with robust methodological designs are needed to definitively establish whether HIV/AIDS-related online support groups improve psychosocial well-being and/or illness management. Qualitative data highlights users can have negative experiences in terms of interpersonal conflict and the challenges of encountering negative content. In addition, there may be aspects of the internet-mediated nature of the online communication which compromise member experiences. Finally, HIV/AIDS-related online support groups are venues through which individuals can solicit support, most commonly informational or emotional support. Future research should seek to examine the impact of engagement with online support groups over time including appropriate control or comparison groups. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

scholarly journals Impact of Socioeconomic Differences on Distributional Cost-effectiveness Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 606-618
Author(s):  
Fan Yang ◽  
Colin Angus ◽  
Ana Duarte ◽  
Duncan Gillespie ◽  
Simon Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Inequality ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Socioeconomic Differences ◽  
Screening And Brief Intervention ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
The Impact

Public health decision makers value interventions for their effects on overall health and health inequality. Distributional cost-effectiveness analysis (DCEA) incorporates health inequality concerns into economic evaluation by accounting for how parameters, such as effectiveness, differ across population groups. A good understanding of how and when accounting for socioeconomic differences between groups affects the assessment of intervention impacts on overall health and health inequality could inform decision makers where DCEA would add most value. We interrogated 2 DCEA models of smoking and alcohol policies using first national level and then local authority level information on various socioeconomic differences in health and intervention use. Through a series of scenario analyses, we explored the impact of altering these differences on the DCEA results. When all available evidence on socioeconomic differences was incorporated, provision of a smoking cessation service was estimated to increase overall health and increase health inequality, while the screening and brief intervention for alcohol misuse was estimated to increase overall health and reduce inequality. Ignoring all or some socioeconomic differences resulted in minimal change to the estimated impact on overall health in both models; however, there were larger effects on the estimated impact on health inequality. Across the models, there were no clear patterns in how the extent and direction of socioeconomic differences in the inputs translated into the estimated impact on health inequality. Modifying use or coverage of either intervention so that each population group matched the highest level improved the impacts to a greater degree than modifying intervention effectiveness. When local level socioeconomic differences were considered, the magnitude of the impacts was altered; in some cases, the direction of impact on inequality was also altered.

The well-being and productivity link: a significant opportunity for research-into-practice

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Miller
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Gap ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practice Implementation ◽  
Productivity Gains ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to position well-being as a necessary component of the productivity debate and highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the nature of such a link. It first considers productivity at the national level in order to show how this affects both the climate and the economic policies within which organisations operate. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents an overview of current research and practice in the area. It treats the organisation as the primary level of analysis, and before highlights some of the apparent challenges in conceptualising well-being. Findings The importance of well-being is rising up national and employer agendas. Organisations need people to perform at their best in a sustainable way. The paper argues that an organisation with well-being at its core will reap productivity gains. It supports the view in the literature that improvements at national level can only be made on the back of sophisticated strategies across numerous organisations. However, for this to happen shared actions and understanding of these challenges has first to be created and acted upon across institutions and organisations. There are notable costs of poor well-being to productivity, and identifiable benefits of promoting and supporting employee well-being for productivity. Practical implications There is a clear practice implementation gap. Some organisations are embracing the opportunities to invest in their staff, but those who make employee well-being a business priority and a fundamental part of how the organisation operates are in the minority. There is also an ongoing challenge of measuring the impact of well-being programmes which can inform ROI assessments and enable organisations to demonstrate the business benefits of employee well-being. Originality/value There remain many unanswered questions about both the nature of the link between well-being and productivity and the economic impact of an association. This paper sparks further interest in expanding the understanding of the well-being and productivity link or peripheral issues.

scholarly journals Impact of Mental wellbeing and Quality of Life on Depression, Anxiety and Stress among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavna Mukund ◽  
Rejani Thudalikunil Gopalan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Hiv Aids

Background: People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) manifest a wide range of stress responses ranging from disbelief, denial, fear to extreme conditions of anxiety disorders, depression and even suicidal thoughts. These complications can have a significant impact on daily functioning and greatly diminish quality of life. Mental wellbeing and Quality of Life can help in better management of stress and facilitate adaptive coping among PLWHA. Aim: The research examined the impact of mental wellbeing and Quality of Life on Depression, Anxiety and Stress among people living with HIV/AIDS infection. Research Design: Cross sectional survey design was used. Sample: A sample of 60 people (males and females of equal number) over the age of 18 years and with the diagnosis for HIV/AIDS for more than six months participated in the study. Tools used: To assess the depression, anxiety and stress among PLWHA, DASS scale was used and to assess their psychological wellbeing, Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being scale was used. In order to assess their present status of QOL regarding the illness, WHO’s QOL HIV-BREF Scale was used. Results: Majority of the PLWHA had moderate level of anxiety and mild level of depression after being diagnosed. Most of the participants have positive mental well-being and had enhanced quality of life. Conclusion: A direct effect of mental wellbeing has been found on the depression, anxiety and stress among PLWHA indicating that higher the mental wellbeing of the PLWHA, the greater is the likelihood that they do not suffer from depression, exhibit less anxiety and are living a stress free life and vice versa. The study also found direct impact of QOL on psychological distress, depression and anxiety among PLWHA i.e. poor QOL of PLWHA makes them more prone to and vulnerable to stress, depression and anxiety and vice versa.

scholarly journals Wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK: a secondary data analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jen Murphy ◽  
Mark Elliot
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
National Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: In March 2020 in response to the COVID pandemic the UK government declared a national lockdown where citizens were required to stay at home. The impact of this lockdown on levels of well-being has been a source of concern for citizens and mental health professionals.Objectives: We investigated the trajectory of well-being over the course of the ?first wave and sought to determine whether the change in well-being is distributed equally across the population. Speci?fically we investigated pre-existing medical conditions, social isolation, ?financial stress and deprivation as a predictor for well-being and whether there were community level characteristics which protect against poorer well-being.Methods: Using online survey responses from the COVID19 modules of Understanding society, we linked 8,379 English cases across ?five waves of data collection to location based deprivation statistics. We used ordinary least squares regression to estimate the association between deprivation, pre-existing conditions and socio-demographic factors and the change in well-being scores over time, as measured by the GHQ-12 questionnaire.Results: A decline in well-being was observed at the beginning of the fi?rst lock down period at the beginning of March 2020. This was matched with a corresponding recovery between April and July as restrictions were gradually lifted. There was no association between the decline and deprivation, nor between deprivation and recovery. The strongest predictor of well-being during the lockdown, was the baseline score, with the counterintuitive finding that for those will pre-existing poor well-being, the impact of pandemic restrictions on mental health were minimal, but for those who had previously felt well, the restrictions and the impact of the pandemic on well-being were much greater.Conclusion: These data show no evidence of a social gradient in well-being related to the pandemic. In fact, wellbeing was shown to be highly elastic in this period indicating a national level of resilience which cut across the usually observed health inequalities.

scholarly journals Impact of Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Program on Reduction of Risky Sexual Behaviors in an African Rural Community

2020 ◽  
pp. 32-45
Author(s):  
Ali Johnson Onoja ◽  
Felix OlaniyiSanni ◽  
Paul Olaiya Abiodun ◽  
. JohnShaibu ◽  
Sheila Onoja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Sexual Behaviour ◽  
Prevention Program ◽  
Aids Prevention ◽  
Sexual Partners ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Multiple Sexual Partners ◽  
Hiv Intervention ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hiv Aids

Aims: This study compares the sexual behaviour of the residents of Bonny kingdom, Rivers State in pre-intervention and post-intervention periods of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention program carried out by the African Health Project in collaboration with independent research consultants and members of the Ibanise HIV/AIDS initiative in the community for three years from 2009-2012. Methodology: This is a quantitative survey that used a structured questionnaire among a representative sample of the general population aged 15 – 49 years. Post-intervention survey was conducted three years after the pre-intervention survey. The data obtained include the demographics; age, sex, education, occupation, marital status and sexual related information. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results: This study comprised 1021 (53.3%) males and 895 females (46.7%) in the pre-intervention survey and 659 (54.2%) males and 556 (45.7%) in the post-intervention survey, mostly aged 15-34 years and had secondary education. More females have ever had sex in both surveys but there was a significant reduction in the percentage of males who have ever had sex from 70.8% to 42.0% in pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys respectively. The rate of sexual activities was very high before intervention among unmarried males (51.6%), age 15-24 years (69.6%), secondary education (50.7%) and graduates (65.9%). However, there was a drastic reduction in these values after the interventions. During pre-intervention survey, 9.4% of females and 13% of males had ever accepted or given gifts exchange for sex while the post-intervention survey showed a decrease into 8.0% among females and 5.5% among males. This proportion was 13.0% among adolescents 15-24 years in the pre-intervention survey and 4.7% in the post-intervention survey. Also, there was 65.0% decrease in the proportion of singles who had ever received gifts in exchange for sexual intercourse after the intervention. A high proportion of the males had multiple sexual partners during the pre-intervention survey (34.6%) but the value reduced to 3.2% after the intervention. Similarly, the percentage of the adolescent who had multiple sexual partners reduce from 22.2% to 2.5% due to the intervention. The pre-intervention survey showed that about 56.0% of males and 81.0% of females had sex with non-marital partners while the post-intervention survey showed that about 71.0% of males and 76.0% of females did same. Conclusion: The study has shown a significant positive impact of health interventions in improving the sexual behaviour of Bonny residents. However, more and regular interventions are needed in this environment to further prevent the spread of HIV and STIs due to the vulnerability of the residents, especially the adolescents to sexually transmitted infection.There is also need for more study to evaluate the impact of sexual and reproductive health programs for adolescence and adult that already exist in Nigeria in comparison with the HIV intervention outcome.

scholarly journals Land, development and the political class: In a translocal ‘Londoni’ village

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-235
Author(s):  
Ashraf Hoque
Keyword(s):  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Land Development ◽  
The State ◽  
Political Class ◽  
Anthropology Of The State ◽  
Political Economies ◽  
And Migration ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

This article expands Akhil Gupta’s (1995, American Ethnologist, 22(2), 375–402) thesis of ‘blurred boundaries’ between ‘the state’ and ‘society’ in South Asia to incorporate the impact of historic labour migrations, which complicate established conceptions of the state in Bangladesh. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in an area of high migration to the UK, the article draws attention to a class of transnational politicians, and their intra-class conflicts of interest, in shaping local-level politics. The article supports Faguet’s (2017, Modern Asian Studies 51(6), 1668–94) contention that the decentralisation of local government has led to the emergence of vernacularised political economies that operate in the shadow of the state, which are also intrinsically facilitated by it. It suggests that state actors appropriate symbols, offices and resources, together with traditional authority and kinship dynamics, to create an idiosyncratic polity. Aspiration towards power that might lead to the occupation of state offices are determined by either the aspirant’s status as a British citizen (Londoni) or through intimate social and economic connections to Britain through kinship (gushti) networks. The article thus makes a broader contribution to the existing literature on the anthropology of the state, transnational politics and the nexus of power, money and migration in postcolonial contexts.

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