ijerph-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

2nd Edition of Health and Well-Being in Vulnerable Communities

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 8536

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Interests: health promotion; health behaviour modification; occupational health; human sexuality; social discrimination; sports medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In light of exceeding inequalities, exacerbated in the current context of war, cost-of-living and energy crises, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious disease outbreaks, the health and well-being of marginalized, underserved, stigmatized, socioeconomically disadvantaged, or otherwise so-called vulnerable populations has been disproportionately affected. While there is no finite list of which groups may be considered among “vulnerable populations”, these might include migrants and refugees, sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQIA+ people), older adults, people experiencing homelessness, people living with chronic or terminal illnesses, children, as well as racial and ethnic minorities. Evidence from the past decades of research in various disciplines has clearly shown that social inequalities both engender and perpetuate adverse health outcomes (such as higher morbidity and mortality, poorer quality of life, mental health, and overall well-being), either through direct psychological and physiological processes or as the result of barriers in access to health and care services due to cultural, economic, and social discrimination or other exclusionary mechanisms. Despite this evidence, vulnerable communities are still underrepresented in all areas of research, leading to a fragmentary knowledge base as well as lack of awareness among political stakeholders.

The first Special Issue on “Health and Well-Being in Vulnerable Communities”, led by Dr. Igor Grabovac and Professor Lee Smith, successfully created a platform for researchers to showcase their results on a variety of topics concerning diverse vulnerable populations and their experiences. This second iteration will place the focus once again on research that shines a light on the physical, mental, and social health and well-being of various communities considered vulnerable in their own right, while also voicing the need for action to improve their conditions of living. Of special interest are studies that focus on participatory design and implementation science, showing strong community involvement in all aspects of the work presented. Any type of article is welcome, including original research articles (qualitative and quantitative), reviews, pilot project results, theoretical papers, as well as intervention studies and policy papers.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Healthcare.

Dr. Igor Grabovac
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vulnerable communities
  • health
  • well-being
  • LGBTIQ people
  • homeless
  • immigrants
  • older adults

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 2363 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Impact of Mining on Community Health and Health Service Delivery: Perceptions of Key Informants Involved in Gold Mining Communities in Burkina Faso
by Gianna S. Himmelsbach, Hyacinthe R. Zabré, Andrea Leuenberger, Astrid M. Knoblauch, Fritz Brugger and Mirko S. Winkler
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(24), 7167; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247167 - 12 Dec 2023
Viewed by 3935
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa is rich in natural resources but also faces widespread poverty. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals brought increased attention to resource extraction projects, emphasizing their development potential in extraction regions. While mining companies are required to conduct environmental impact assessments, their [...] Read more.
Sub-Saharan Africa is rich in natural resources but also faces widespread poverty. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals brought increased attention to resource extraction projects, emphasizing their development potential in extraction regions. While mining companies are required to conduct environmental impact assessments, their effect on the project-affected communities’ health mostly lacks systematic management, and their consideration of community perspectives is insufficient. Between March and May 2019, qualitative research was conducted at three industrial gold mines in Burkina Faso. Thirty-six participants, including community leaders, healthcare providers, and mining officials, were interviewed through key informant interviews about their perceptions on the impacts of mining operations on health, health determinants, and health service delivery. Disparities in perceptions were a key focus of the analysis. Mining officials reported mainly positive effects, while healthcare providers and community leaders described enhancing and adverse health impacts without clear trends observed regarding the extent of the impacts on health determinants. The perception of predominantly positive health impacts by mining officials represents a potential risk for insufficient acknowledgement of stakeholders’ concerns and mining-related effects on community health in affected populations. Overall, this study enhances comprehension of the complex interplay between mining operations and health, emphasizing the need for comprehensive assessments, stakeholder involvement, and sustainable practices to mitigate negative impacts and promote the well-being of mining communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Health and Well-Being in Vulnerable Communities)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 1532 KiB  
Article
Effects of Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) Boosting and Household Factors on Latrine Ownership in Siaya County, Kenya
by Job Wasonga, Kazuchiyo Miyamichi, Mami Hitachi, Rie Ozaki, Mohamed Karama, Kenji Hirayama and Satoshi Kaneko
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(18), 6781; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186781 - 18 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2125
Abstract
Community-led total sanitation (CLTS) is a widely used approach for enhancing sanitation practices. However, the impact of boosted CLTS on household latrine ownership has not been adequately evaluated. This study aims to investigate the factors associated with latrine possession among households, with a [...] Read more.
Community-led total sanitation (CLTS) is a widely used approach for enhancing sanitation practices. However, the impact of boosted CLTS on household latrine ownership has not been adequately evaluated. This study aims to investigate the factors associated with latrine possession among households, with a specific focus on single and CLTS-boosting implementation. A community-based repeated cross-sectional study was conducted in Siaya County, Kenya, involving 512 households at the baseline and 423 households at the follow-up. Data were analyzed using the mixed-effects logistic regression model. At the baseline, latrine possession was significantly associated with CLTS implementation (adjusted OR [aOR]: 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41–6.44), literacy among households (aOR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.12–2.98) and higher socioeconomic status (SES) (second level: aOR: 2.48; 95% CI:1.41–4.36, third level: aOR: 3.11; 95% CI: 1.76–5.50, fourth level: aOR: 10.20; 95% CI: 5.07–20.54). At follow-up, CLTS boosting (aOR: 7.92; 95% CI: 1.77–35.45) and a higher SES were associated with increased latrine ownership (second level: aOR: 2.04; 95% CI: 0.97–4.26, third level: aOR: 7.73; 95% CI: 2.98–20.03, fourth level: aOR: 9.93; 95% CI: 3.14–28.35). These findings highlight the significant role played by both single and CLST boosting in promoting universal latrine ownership and empowering vulnerable households to understand the importance of sanitation and open defecation-free practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Health and Well-Being in Vulnerable Communities)
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2437 KiB  
Article
Conducting Violence and Mental Health Research with Female Sex Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ethical Considerations, Challenges, and Lessons Learned from the Maisha Fiti Study in Nairobi, Kenya
by Mary Kung’u, Rhoda Kabuti, Hellen Babu, on behalf of The Maisha Fiti Study Champions, Chrispo Nyamweya, Monica Okumu, Anne Mahero, Zaina Jama, Polly Ngurukiri, Emily Nyariki, Mamtuti Panneh, Pooja Shah, Alicja Beksinska, Erastus Irungu, Wendy Adhiambo, Peter Muthoga, Rupert Kaul, Helen A. Weiss, Janet Seeley, Joshua Kimani and Tara S. Beattieadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(11), 5925; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20115925 - 23 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1997
Abstract
Conducting violence and mental health research during the COVID-19 pandemic with vulnerable groups such as female sex workers (FSWs) required care to ensure that participants and the research team were not harmed. Potential risks and harm avoidance needed to be considered as well [...] Read more.
Conducting violence and mental health research during the COVID-19 pandemic with vulnerable groups such as female sex workers (FSWs) required care to ensure that participants and the research team were not harmed. Potential risks and harm avoidance needed to be considered as well as ensuring data reliability. In March 2020, COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in Kenya during follow-up data collection for the Maisha Fiti study (n = 1003); hence data collection was paused. In June 2020, the study clinic was re-opened after consultations with violence and mental health experts and the FSW community. Between June 2020 and January 2021, data were collected in person and remotely following ethical procedures. A total of 885/1003 (88.2%) FSWs participated in the follow-up behavioural–biological survey and 47/47 (100%) participated in the qualitative in-depth interviews. A total of 26/885 (2.9%) quantitative surveys and 3/47 (6.4%) qualitative interviews were conducted remotely. Researching sensitive topics like sex work, violence, and mental health must guarantee study participants’ safety and privacy. Collecting data at the height of COVID-19 was crucial in understanding the relationships between the COVID-19 pandemic, violence against women, and mental health. Relationships established with study participants during the baseline survey—before the pandemic—enabled us to complete data collection. In this paper, we discuss key issues involved in undertaking violence and mental health research with a vulnerable population such as FSWs during a pandemic. Lessons learned could be useful to others researching sensitive topics such as violence and mental health with vulnerable populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Health and Well-Being in Vulnerable Communities)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop