Perceptions of the seriousness of major public health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in seven middle-income countries

Submitted by Agha Inya on

Abstract

Introduction
Public perception of the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to six other major public health problems (alcoholism and drug use, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, lung cancer and respiratory diseases caused by air pollution and smoking, and water-borne diseases like diarrhea) is unclear. We designed a survey to examine this issue using YouGov’s internet panels in seven middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America in early 2022.

Health

The Gendered Crisis: Livelihoods and Well-Being in India During COVID-19

Submitted by Ishita Datta on
EfD Authors:

This article studies the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the gendered dimensions of employment and mental health among urban informal-sector workers in Delhi, India. First, the study finds that men’s employment declined by 84 percentage points during the pandemic relative to pre-pandemic employment, while their monthly earnings fell by 89 percent relative to the baseline mean. In contrast, women did not experience any significant impact on employment during pandemic.

Gender, Health

Explaining the poor-rich gap in anthropometric failure among children in India: An econometric analysis of the NFHS, 2021 and 2016

Submitted by Ishita Datta on

This study address persistent wealth inequality in anthropometric failure in India by analyzing two rounds of the Indian National Family Health Survey (2019-2021 and 2015-2016) focusing on children aged 0–59 and 6–23 months, reveals a negative wealth gradient for each anthropometric failure measure. Over 60% of the anthropometric failure burden lies in the poorest wealth groups. Notably, even with similar risk factors, children from poorer backgrounds exhibit higher prevalence. Maternal BMI, media exposure, and sanitary facility access are key factors explaining the poor-rich gap.

Health, Policy Design

Stated preferences outperform elicited preferences for predicting reported compliance with COVID-19 prophylactic measures

Submitted by Luat Do on
EfD Authors:

This article studies the behavioral and socio-demographic determinants of reported compliance with prophylactic measures against COVID-19: barrier gestures, lockdown restrictions and mask wearing. The study contrasts two types of measures for behavioral determinants: experimentally elicited preferences (risk tolerance, time preferences, social value orientation and cooperativeness) and stated preferences (risk tolerance, time preferences, and the GSS trust question).

Health, Policy Design

Investment case for primary health care in low- and middle-income countries: A case study of Kenya

Submitted by Jane Nyawira Maina on
EfD Authors:

Abstract

Background

Primary healthcare (PHC) systems attain improved health outcomes and fairness and are affordable. However, the proportion of PHC spending to Total Current Health Expenditure in Kenya reduced from 63.4% in 2016/17 to 53.9% in 2020/21 while external funding reduced from 28.3% (Ksh 69.4 billion) to 23.9% (Ksh 68.2 billion) over the same period. This reduction in PHC spending negatively affects PHC performance and the overall health system goals.

Methods

Health