Browsing by Author "Kawooya, Kenneth"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Associations of psychological inflexibility with posttraumatic stress disorder and adherence to COVID-19 control measures among refugees in Uganda: The moderating role of coping strategies.
    (Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science., 2023) Baluku, Martin Mabunda; Nansubuga, Florence; Kibanja, Grace Milly; Ouma, Samuel; Balikoowa, Richard; Nansamba, Joyce; Ruto, Grace; Kawooya, Kenneth; Musanje, Khamisi
    Refugees are vulnerable to developing mental health problems. The unprecedented appearance and rapid spread of COVID-19 exacerbated this vulnerability, especially in low-income countries where refugees survive on humanitarian aid and live in congested settlements. These appalling living conditions are a stressor, making adherence to COVID-19 control measures impractical and an additional psychological strain for refugees. The present study examined how psychological inflexibility is associated with adherence to COVID-19 control measures. A sample of 352 refugees from Kampala City and Bidibidi settlements were recruited. Refugees with high levels of psychological inflexibility reported higher PTSD symptom severity and low adherence to COVID-19 control measures. Moreover, PTSD severity mediated the association between psychological inflexibility and adherence, while avoidance coping moderated both direct and indirect effects. Interventions for reducing psychological inflexibility and avoidance coping may be essential in boosting adherence to measures relevant to the current and future status of the pandemic, along with other crises that refugees face.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Policy Brief on Refugee Entrepreneurship and Skilling in Uganda
    (RES, 2021) Baluku, Martin M.; Nansubuga, Florence; Nantamu, Simon; Musanje, Khamisi; Kawooya, Kenneth
    Uganda is one of the refugee hosting nations, ranking 4th in 20201 behind Turkey, Colombia, and Parkistan (UNHCR, 2021a). This situation is not new to Uganda. Emigration history indicates that Uganda has been a preferred destination for refugees since the 1940s (Mulumba, 2014). Since then, the number of refugees in Uganda has been gradually increasing. Currently, Uganda hosts over 1.48 million refugees and asylum seeks (UNHCR, 2021b) in about 11 locations including Bidibidi, Adjumani, Kyangwali, Nakivale, Kyaka II, Rhino camp, Palorinya, Kampala, Imvepi, Kiryandongo, Rwamwanja, Palabek, Oruchinga, and Lobule2 . Whereas Uganda has in the past hosted refugees from different parts of the world including Europe (Mulumba, 2014), majority of the current refugee population come from neighboring countries including South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Somalia (UNHCR, 2021b; Hakiza, 2014) who flee from war, poverty, hunger, and other forms of misery. Uganda’s attractiveness to refugees could be attributed to the country’s policies and culture that is friendly to foreigners. The present influx of especially South Sudanese refugees into the country starting from 2013 has given rise to the complex challenge of how to integrate the increasing number of refugees and ignited debate on feasibility of refugee policy (Hovil, 2018). Despite the attractiveness of Uganda to refugees, they face a number of unique psychosocial challenges including crowding in settlements, trauma of forced migration, and acculturation among others.