The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has devastating effects around the world, influencing daily life and putting communities into unprecedented situations of anxiety, hardship and…
Abstract
Purpose
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has devastating effects around the world, influencing daily life and putting communities into unprecedented situations of anxiety, hardship and loss. It has a particularly severe effect on the mental health of individuals and highlights pre-existing challenges in mental health provision in different countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine the mental health response to COVID-19 in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) in relation to mental health concerns and the political situation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzes the double struggle of Palestinians not only dealing with COVID-19 but with the ongoing Israeli occupation and human rights violations and focuses on the challenges in providing mental health services due to existing inequalities, systemic discrimination and lack of resources as a result of the political system of oppression. The findings are based on previously published articles concerning mental health related to the COVID-19 outbreak in other countries, as well as the authors’ clinical experience in the oPt and direct involvement in providing mental health services.
Findings
The paper highlights how the current pandemic is being used to further attempts of annexation and political gains in Israel and how it exacerbated human rights violations due to the occupation. Emphasis is also put on the challenges in providing a Palestinian mental health response due to the high number of actors involved and the lack of preparedness at the level of mental health response provision.
Originality/value
The value of the works lies in putting the current pandemic in relation to human rights violations in the oPt due to the ongoing Israeli occupation and in highlighting how a mental health response to COVID-19 can be implemented during a state of emergency and despite a lack of preparedness in response services in the oPt.
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This study aims to look at the effects of the Israeli occupation on the mental health of Palestinians and examine the link between political oppression and the occurrence of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to look at the effects of the Israeli occupation on the mental health of Palestinians and examine the link between political oppression and the occurrence of mental health disorders. It argues that, as human rights violations in Palestine are connected to psychological distress, the root causes of social suffering need to be considered in order not to pathologize Palestinians. The purpose of this paper lies in connecting the mental health discourse with a human rights approach to better understand this connection within the context of political violence.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents the viewpoint and perspectives of the authors on significant mental health issues in Palestine. The methodology is based on a literature review of the de-politicization of the mental health discourse and on the theoretical framework of a human rights approach. At the base of this discourse lies the demand for social justice and professional solidarity.
Findings
The study highlights that to truly understand social suffering in Palestine, it needs to be related to the prevalence of human rights violations, which in turn have a conceivable impact on the mental health well-being of individuals. It advocates for a shift from a de-contextualized, de-politicized and individualistic approach to mental health to acknowledging the importance of the social and political context in which trauma develops. It further illustrates how the adaptation of a human rights approach can strengthen demands of social justice and oppose the victimization of Palestinians.
Originality/value
The value of the works lies in putting the prevalence of mental health disorders in Palestine in relation to human rights violations as a consequence of the ongoing Israeli occupation and in highlighting the role that international organizations play in the de-politicization of the mental health discourse.
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Jan Michael Alexandre C. Bernadas and Lee Edson Pacudan Yarcia
Deborah Mifsud, Maria Attard and Stephen Ison
Old age is a complex and dynamic phenomenon. The relationship between old age and transport is also very complex due to the heterogeneity within this age group. Yet what is…
Abstract
Old age is a complex and dynamic phenomenon. The relationship between old age and transport is also very complex due to the heterogeneity within this age group. Yet what is certain is that with age, a person’s functional abilities change. This chapter provides a summary of how older people can be vulnerable within the road environment. Using an established framework for understanding old-age vulnerabilities, this chapter explains the common exposure factors and threats that several older people face in the transport environment. These primarily deal with individual physical and cognitive characteristics, medical conditions as well as the appropriateness (or not) of infrastructure. Subsequently, common difficulties for older drivers, pedestrians and public transport users are discussed. The main vulnerabilities that result from such difficulties are related to an over-representation of older people in accidents and to a lower quality of life due to mobility inefficiencies. Yet, using the same framework, the compensation techniques that older people often adopt to minimise such limitations are also highlighted. Reference is also made to the issues related to the lack of awareness in old age and the corresponding inability to compensate. The review concludes by suggesting a way forward for further studies on transport vulnerability in later life.
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Ning Sun, Yuhan Peng, Yingchen Lu, Wanting Liu and Zhenhua Zheng
This study aims to investigate the relationships between the perceived neighborhood walkable environment (PNWE), neighborhood interaction (NI) and residents’ mental health, with…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationships between the perceived neighborhood walkable environment (PNWE), neighborhood interaction (NI) and residents’ mental health, with a focus on examining differences among residents of different age groups.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an electronic survey questionnaire, data on PNWE, NI and mental health were collected from 1,159 residents across 205 communities in Shanghai, China. Our study utilized a structural equation modeling (SEM), employing the maximum likelihood estimation method. The structural equation model was fitted using the MPLUS software.
Findings
The mental health of young and middle-aged adults is generally poor, and they are at higher risk of depression than children and older adults. The effects of PNWE and NI on the mental health of residents varied among different age groups. As residents get older, their mental health is more affected by the PNWE. In addition, the influence of the PNWE on children and older adults’ mental health is direct and not mediated by NI. For young and middle-aged adults, the influence of the PNWE on their mental health needs to be mediated by NI.
Originality/value
This study marks the first examination of the relationship between PNWE, NI and mental health among different age groups of residents in China. The findings of this research can assist policymakers in gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which PNWE affects mental health. Furthermore, it can contribute to the development of more targeted walkable environment designs aimed at enhancing mental health among various age groups.