Socioeconomic Burdens of the COVID-19 Pandemic on LMIC Populations with Increased HIV Vulnerabilities

Abstract

Purpose of ReviewTo review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its public health response on key populations at risk of HIV infection, with a focus on sex workers. Recent Findings Since last year several groups have documented how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the livelihoods and health of sex workers. We focus on case studies from Kenya, Ukraine, and India and place these in the broader global context of sex worker communities, drawing on common themes that span geographies. Summary COVID-19-associated lockdowns have significantly disrupted sex work, leading to economic and health challenges for sex workers, ranging from HIV-related services to mental health and exposure to violence. Several adaptations have been undertaken by sex workers and frontline workers, including migration, a move to mobile services, and struggling to find economic supports. Strengthening community-based responses for future pandemics and other shocks is critical to safeguard the health of marginalized populations.

Correlation analysis between sleep quality and the mental health status of female sex workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei Province

“…FSWs faced new challenges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. FSWs were quarantined at home due to COVID-19, and their financial and physical health suffered ( 43 ). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that FSWs quarantined due to the pandemic had a 33.71 times greater risk of anxiety (P< 0.001) and a 21.2 times greater risk of developing sleep disorders (P< 0.001) than those who were not quarantined.…”

COVID-19 Impact on Disparity in Childhood Immunization in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Through the Lens of Historical Pandemics

“…Populations that generally had negative SDoH outcomes appeared to be most afflicted by COVID-19 [ 35 ]. Lockdowns further affected these groups’ quality of life for various reasons, including inability to work from home, inability to socially distance, and lack of proper access to soap, water, or sanitizers [ 40 , 60.• •]. School closures aggravated the problems further [ 60.• •].…”

Exploring ecosocial contexts of alcohol use and misuse during the COVID-19 pandemic among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda: Multi-method findings

“…A World Health Organization survey with over 30,000 refugees and migrants from 170 countries noted that 20 % reported increased drug and alcohol use ( World Health Organization 2020 ). There were noted increases in alcohol use in the pandemic among general populations of youth, including in Canada ( Gohari et al, 2022 ; Gohari et al, 2023 ), the United States ( Rehm et al, 2020 ), Switzerland ( Zysset et al, 2022 ), and LMIC such as India and Kenya ( McClarty et al, 2022 ). Displaced adolescents in Ethiopia and Lebanon also reported alcohol use as an escape from the pressures of the pandemic ( Banati et al, 2020 ).…”