Browsing by Author "Ochen, Eric A."

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    COVID-19 Risk Behaviors in Humanitarian Settings: A Crosssectional Study among Conflict Refugees in Uganda
    (International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 2021) Lawoko, Stephen; Seruwagi, Gloria; Muhangi, Denis; Ochen, Eric A.; Okot, Betty; Lugada, Eric; Masaba, Andrew; Ddamulira, Dunstan P.; Luswata, Brian; Nakidde, Catherine L.; Kaducu, Felix
    Worldwide, behavioral change interventions are at the core of prevention efforts to contain the novelCorona Virus (COVID-19). While the evidence base to inform such interventions in the general population is growing, equivocal research in humanitarian populations is lacking. The current study describes the nature, extent and predictors of COVID-19 risk behaviors among conflict refugees in Uganda in a bid to inform prevention strategies for humanitarian settings. Cross-sectional survey data on COVID-19 risk-behaviors, demographic, socio-economic, behavioral and clinical variables was gathered from 1014 adult refugees drawn from 3 refugee settlements in Uganda, using two-staged cluster sampling. Data was analyzed using t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multivariable Linear Regression.Many refugees (25-70%) were involved in hygiene, congestion and nutritional/physical activity related risk behaviors likely to contribute to community transmission of COVID-19. Refugees living in rural settlements, of male sex, young age and low socio-economic status were at heightened risk of exposure to COVID-19 risk behaviors.Physical activity and healthy nutritional practices reduced the likelihood of COVID-19 risk behavior. Indulgence in COVID-19 risk behaviors increased the risk of developing COVID-19 symptoms.COVID-19 risk behaviors among conflict refugees in Uganda are multifaceted in nature, widespread in extent and associated with symptom development, signaling for high risk for COVID-19 transmission in humanitarian settings. The data on predictors of COVID-19 risk behaviors have unmasked underlying inequalities, holding promise for development of evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of most vulnerable clusters in the refugee community.
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    The Female Genital Mutilation Economy and the Rights of the Girl Child in Northeastern Uganda
    (Springer, Cham, 2017) Ochen, Eric A.; Musinguzi, Laban K.; Nanfuka Kalule, Esther; Ssemakula, Eugene G.; Kukundakwe, Rebecca; Opesen, Chris C.; Bukuluki, Paul
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    Psychological Distress and Social Support among Conflict Refugees in Urban, Semi-rural and Rural Settlements in Uganda: Burden and Mechanisms of Association
    (Burden and Mechanisms of Association., 2021) Lawoko, Stephen; Nakidde, Catherine; Lugada, Eric; Ssematiko, Maria; Ddamulira, Dunstan P.; Masaba, Andrew; Luswata, Brian; Ochen, Eric A.; Okot, Betty; Muhangi, Denis; Gloria, Seruwagi
    Recent research shows that psychological distress is on the rise globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions imposed on populations to manage it. We estimated the burden of psychological distress and scrutinized the role that social support may play in moderating psychological distress among conflict refugees in urban, semi-rural and rural settlements in Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic.Cross-sectional survey data on psychological distress, social support, demographics, socioeconomic and behavioral variables was gathered from 1014 adult refugees randomly sampled from urban, semi-rural and rural refugee settlementsin Uganda, using two-staged cluster sampling. Research instruments were checked for reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha. T-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multivariable Linear Regression were applied to analyse the data in SPSS-version 22. Statistical significance was assumed at p<0.05. Refugees resident in rural/semi-rural settlements exhibited higher levels of psychological distress, lower levels of social interaction and lower levels of social attachment than peers resident in urban settlements. However, they reported, on the other hand, higher adequacy of social interaction and higher adequacy of social attachment than peers resident in urban settlements. Adequacy of social interaction and attachment were directly associated with psychological distress and acted as stress buffers in the relationship between psychological distress and rural/urban settlement. There is a settlement-inequality (i.e. rural vs. urban) in psychological distress and social support among conflict refugees in Uganda. Both the direct and buffering effects of adequacy of social interaction and attachment can explain the rural/urban discrepancy in psychological distress, with important implications for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) interventions.