Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey
Objectives We assessed the relative difficulty in meeting food needs during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before; determined the relationship between pandemic-associated difficulties in food access and household, maternal and child food security; and identified resiliency-promoting strategies....
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BMJ Publishing Group
2022-06-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e055935.full |
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| author | Jennifer R Head Phetsavanh Chanthavilay Helen Catton Ammaline Vongsitthi Kelley Khamphouxay Niphone Simphaly |
| author_facet | Jennifer R Head Phetsavanh Chanthavilay Helen Catton Ammaline Vongsitthi Kelley Khamphouxay Niphone Simphaly |
| author_sort | Jennifer R Head |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives We assessed the relative difficulty in meeting food needs during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before; determined the relationship between pandemic-associated difficulties in food access and household, maternal and child food security; and identified resiliency-promoting strategies.Design A cross-sectional survey of households undertaken in November 2020.Setting Rural districts of Luang Prabang Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.Participants Households (N=1122) with children under 5 years.Primary and secondary outcomes measured Survey respondents reported the relative ease of access of food and healthcare as well as changes in income and expenditures compared with before March 2020. We determined indicators of food security and source of foods consumed for households, women and children, as well as prevalence of malnutrition in children under 5.Results Nearly four-fifths (78.5%) found it harder to meet household food needs during the pandemic. The most common reasons were increased food prices (51.2%), loss of income (45.3%) and decreased food availability (36.6%). Adjusting for demographics, households with increased difficulty meeting food needs had lower food consumption scores and child dietary diversity. Over 85% of households lost income during the pandemic. Decreased expenditures was associated with reliance on more extreme coping strategies to meet food needs. The households who experienced no change in meeting food needs produced a greater percentage of their food from homegrown methods (4.22% more, 95% CI 1.28 to 7.15), than households who found it more difficult.Conclusions Pandemic-associated shocks may have large effects on food insecurity. Action is needed to mitigate consequences of the pandemic on nutrition. Local food production and safety net programmes that offset income losses may help. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cfd77fdf1a7c45f098f78f52f7322266 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-cfd77fdf1a7c45f098f78f52f73222662025-01-24T17:25:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-06-0112610.1136/bmjopen-2021-055935Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional surveyJennifer R Head0Phetsavanh Chanthavilay1Helen Catton2Ammaline Vongsitthi3Kelley Khamphouxay4Niphone Simphaly5Division of Epidemiology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USAInstitute of Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Vientiane, Lao People`s Democratic RepublicSave the Children International, Luang Prabang, Lao People`s Democratic RepublicSave the Children International, Luang Prabang, Lao People`s Democratic RepublicSave the Children International, Luang Prabang, Lao People`s Democratic RepublicProvincial Health Department, Luang Prabang, Lao People`s Democratic RepublicObjectives We assessed the relative difficulty in meeting food needs during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before; determined the relationship between pandemic-associated difficulties in food access and household, maternal and child food security; and identified resiliency-promoting strategies.Design A cross-sectional survey of households undertaken in November 2020.Setting Rural districts of Luang Prabang Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.Participants Households (N=1122) with children under 5 years.Primary and secondary outcomes measured Survey respondents reported the relative ease of access of food and healthcare as well as changes in income and expenditures compared with before March 2020. We determined indicators of food security and source of foods consumed for households, women and children, as well as prevalence of malnutrition in children under 5.Results Nearly four-fifths (78.5%) found it harder to meet household food needs during the pandemic. The most common reasons were increased food prices (51.2%), loss of income (45.3%) and decreased food availability (36.6%). Adjusting for demographics, households with increased difficulty meeting food needs had lower food consumption scores and child dietary diversity. Over 85% of households lost income during the pandemic. Decreased expenditures was associated with reliance on more extreme coping strategies to meet food needs. The households who experienced no change in meeting food needs produced a greater percentage of their food from homegrown methods (4.22% more, 95% CI 1.28 to 7.15), than households who found it more difficult.Conclusions Pandemic-associated shocks may have large effects on food insecurity. Action is needed to mitigate consequences of the pandemic on nutrition. Local food production and safety net programmes that offset income losses may help.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e055935.full |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer R Head Phetsavanh Chanthavilay Helen Catton Ammaline Vongsitthi Kelley Khamphouxay Niphone Simphaly Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey BMJ Open |
| title | Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_full | Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_short | Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_sort | changes in household food security access to health services and income in northern lao pdr during the covid 19 pandemic a cross sectional survey |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e055935.full |
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