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Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition
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Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition

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 2024) | Viewed by 12536

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Elisha Riggs

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Intergernational Health, Murdoch Chidren’s Research Institute, Melbourne 3052, Australia
2. Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia
Interests: health inequality; health disparities; health promotion; health; public health; dental caries; health systems; qualitative research; thematic analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Alice Rumbold

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
2. Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Interests: maternal and child health; perinatal care; preterm birth
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

We are pleased to announce the second edition of our Special Issue “Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities”. The first edition attracted the interest of researchers worldwide, and 13 peer-reviewed papers were published. The publications that are freely available for download are listed on the following page: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/health_inequalities_socially_disadvantaged_communities

 At an international level, recognition that action is needed to address inequalities in health was first expressed in the Declaration of Alma-Ata in 1978. The Declaration stated that “the existing gross inequality in the health status of the people … is politically, socially and economically unacceptable”. Decades later, gross inequalities in health and social outcomes remain within and between countries.

These inequalities are both avoidable and modifiable. Reducing social inequalities in health is therefore an issue of social justice. 

Examining equity in health requires attention to those at greatest risk of poor health, including those most affected by the negative impacts of structural inequities such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, stigma, racism, and other forms of discrimination. We also recognize the far-reaching impacts of intergenerational and collective trauma and interpersonal violence on individuals, families and communities. Working to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and family violence is critical for addressing structural and systemic forms of inequity, including stigmatizing and discriminatory beliefs and practices. Working with communities to implement and evaluate strengths-based, multi-faceted, sustained efforts to overcome injustice is essential. The values and ethics underpinning the practice of research also have a critical role in producing meaningful outcomes for communities. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight pioneering research that explores innovative ways to understand and respond to the inequalities experienced by socially disadvantaged and marginalized communities. This includes but is not limited to First Nations and Indigenous populations and populations forced to flee from their countries of origin due to war and human rights abuses. By highlighting these issues, this Special Issue will shine a light on the role of research, policy and community partnerships and innovative research practices in addressing health inequalities and achieving change. This Special Issue invites researchers of any discipline that focus on health inequalities in socially disadvantaged communities, including but not exclusive of social science, public health, anthropology, law and medicine.

Prof. Dr. Elisha Riggs
Prof. Dr. Alice Rumbold
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

  • health inequalities
  • social determinants
  • co-design and community engagement
  • intervention development and evaluation
  • epidemiology, qualitative and mixed methods
  • life course
  • maternal, paternal, child, family and community perspectives
  • indigenous, refugee and any population/community considered socially disadvantaged

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 1751 KiB  
Article
“Stuck Due to COVID”: Applying the Power and Control Model to Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experiences of Family Domestic Violence in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Azriel Lo, Georgia Griffin, Hana Byambadash, Erin Mitchell and Jaya A. R. Dantas
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(4), 627; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22040627 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 228
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic had acute and lasting gendered impacts around the world, with UN Women declaring a shadow pandemic of violence against women. This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant and refugee women’s experiences of family domestic [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic had acute and lasting gendered impacts around the world, with UN Women declaring a shadow pandemic of violence against women. This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant and refugee women’s experiences of family domestic violence (FDV) in Western Australia (WA) using a community-based participatory research approach. Thirty-eight interviews and two qualitative surveys conducted with 27 women were included in the analysis. Interview and survey data underwent reflexive thematic analysis informed by the Power and Control Wheel, generating three themes and ten subthemes: (1) the facets of violence women experienced (isolation; economic violence; emotional violence; visa vulnerabilities; fear and uncertainty), (2) the systemic enablers of FDV and barriers to seeking help (FDV service provision; the immigration system), and (3) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and government measures on women and family (enabling FDV; reducing the impact of FDV; COVID-19 paled into insignificance). While for some migrant and refugee women, government measures facilitated access to support for FDV, our findings show that for others, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and became part of the violence they had already experienced. Recommendations for tailored FDV and other support during the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed, including the expansion of family violence provisions for all visa types. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 5614 KiB  
Article
Replacing Text with Pictures for Multi-Lingual Health Education: Meeting the Needs of a Community with Low Literacy in Tanzania
by Jeremy C. Barrett and Jaya A. R. Dantas
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(4), 516; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22040516 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 262
Abstract
Rural and remote communities often face significant challenges maintaining their health and well-being. In developing countries, these challenges are further compounded by (1) limited access to clean water, (2) ineffective sanitation, (3) low education and literacy levels and (4) low awareness of the [...] Read more.
Rural and remote communities often face significant challenges maintaining their health and well-being. In developing countries, these challenges are further compounded by (1) limited access to clean water, (2) ineffective sanitation, (3) low education and literacy levels and (4) low awareness of the role of personal hygiene practices in reducing communicable disease transmission. Existing health education materials distributed within such communities are often presented in a traditional written format, making them inaccessible to people with low literacy levels. Therefore, recent evidence supports an alternative health communication approach through the use of picture-based materials. This study has assessed the effectiveness of a cartoon-based pictorial educational tool (CBPET) in communicating key messages about hygiene and bacteria contained within the environment and bodily fluids. The CBPET that was developed was tested in a Tanzanian village, representative of a community with low literacy and a resource-poor setting. The CBPET was found to effectively deliver key health promotion messages to the local community. Developing healthcare education in a universal language format based on pictures or cartoons could be the way forward. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 897 KiB  
Article
Living with Long COVID in a Southern State: A Comparison of Black and White Residents of North Carolina
by William Pilkington, Brooke E. Bauer and Irene A. Doherty
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(2), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22020279 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 581
Abstract
Long COVID can devastate patients’ overall quality of life, extending to economic, psychosocial, and mental health and day-to-day activities. Clinical research suggests that long COVID is more severe among Black and African American populations in the United States. This study examines the lived [...] Read more.
Long COVID can devastate patients’ overall quality of life, extending to economic, psychosocial, and mental health and day-to-day activities. Clinical research suggests that long COVID is more severe among Black and African American populations in the United States. This study examines the lived and lasting effects of long COVID among a diverse sample of North Carolina residents over one year by using three self-administered questionnaires completed online using Qualtrics. A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of the baseline results is presented. Our study recruited 258 adults, of which 51.5% had long COVID (but may have recovered), 32.3% had a COVID-19 infection at least once, and 16.3% had never had COVID-19. The socioeconomic status of Black participants was lower than that of White participants; however, the economic impact of long COVID was not worse. Across both groups, 64.4% were employed, 28.8% had to change tasks or work less, and 19.8% stopped working. Fewer White (32.6%) than Black (54.8%) participants always/often felt supported by family and friends about having long COVID. The majority of White participants (59.1%) reported that they did not recover from long COVID compared to 29.7% of Black participants. The long COVID/COVID-19 experience affected White and Black participants differently, but both populations continue feel the impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition)
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30 pages, 5002 KiB  
Article
Measuring Māori Health, Wellbeing, and Disability in Aotearoa Using a Web-Based Survey Methodology
by Tristram R. Ingham, Bernadette Jones, Meredith Perry, Martin von Randow, Barry Milne, Paula T. King, Linda W. Nikora, Andrew Sporle and Te Ao Mārama Study Group
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(18), 6797; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186797 - 21 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2590
Abstract
High-quality evidence on the prevalence and impact of health, wellbeing, and disability among Māori, and other Indigenous peoples, is crucial for mitigating health inequities. Current surveys are predominantly centred within a biomedical paradigm, with the constructs mismatched with Indigenous worldviews. We aimed to [...] Read more.
High-quality evidence on the prevalence and impact of health, wellbeing, and disability among Māori, and other Indigenous peoples, is crucial for mitigating health inequities. Current surveys are predominantly centred within a biomedical paradigm, with the constructs mismatched with Indigenous worldviews. We aimed to develop and deploy an accessible and culturally grounded survey exploring Māori health, wellbeing, and disability using a Kaupapa Māori Research methodology. An extensive codesign process with Māori community partners interrogated all aspects of the design to ensure the process and outcomes met the needs of Māori. A large-scale, nationally representative survey of people of Māori descent was conducted. We used a multi-modal deployment approach that included online and alternate methods of completion. Our analysis included a novel dual-weighting system to ensure generalisability of results to the national Māori population. This achieved a survey of 7230 participants, a sample size comparable with government-administered surveys. The response rate was 11.1%, with 7.3% opting for alternate methods. A high completion rate of 93.4% was observed. This approach demonstrated a high level of engagement, resulting in an unprecedented collection of Māori health, wellbeing, and disability data. This highlights the importance of Indigenous codesign for ensuring accessible and culturally appropriate survey methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 313 KiB  
Protocol
A Systematic Scoping Review of Indigenous People’s Experience of Healing and Recovery from Child Sexual Abuse
by Jordan Gibbs, Helen Milroy, Stella Mulder, Carlina Black, Catherine Lloyd-Johnsen, Stephanie Brown and Graham Gee
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(3), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030311 - 7 Mar 2024
Viewed by 2709
Abstract
Child sexual abuse is a form of violence that occurs across nations and cultures. Collective efforts are being made to address this issue within many Indigenous communities. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have expressed the need for cultural models of [...] Read more.
Child sexual abuse is a form of violence that occurs across nations and cultures. Collective efforts are being made to address this issue within many Indigenous communities. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have expressed the need for cultural models of healing child sexual abuse. A preliminary exploration of the relevant literature shows a lack of synthesis with regard to the current evidence base. This protocol outlines the methods and background for a scoping review that aims to explore and collate the broad scope of literature related to healing from child sexual abuse within an Indigenous context. The proposed review utilises a ‘population, concept, and context structure’ from the Joanna Briggs Institute to explore the broad scope of the literature within a scoping review framework. The target population is Indigenous survivors of child sexual abuse, including Indigenous populations from six distinct regions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from Australia; Māori peoples from Aotearoa (New Zealand); First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples from Canada; Native American peoples from North America; Native peoples from Alaska; and the Sámi peoples of the Sápmi region in Northern Europe. The concept within the review is healing from an Indigenous perspective, which includes a broad range of processes related to both recovery and personal growth. The contexts explored within this review are any context in which healing from child sexual abuse can occur. This may include processes related to disclosure and accessing services, specific interventions or programs for survivors of child sexual abuse, as well as broader non-specific healing programs and personal experiences of healing without intervention. The scoping review will use search strings with broad inclusion and exclusion criteria to capture the potential breadth of perspectives. The search will be conducted across several academic databases and will also include an extensive search for grey literature. This protocol establishes the proposed benefits of this scoping review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition)
20 pages, 684 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review of Child Health, Developmental and Educational Outcomes Associated with High Mobility in Indigenous Children from Australia, Canada and New Zealand
by Arwen Nikolof, Stephanie J. Brown, Yvonne Clark, Karen Glover and Deirdre Gartland
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054332 - 28 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3877
Abstract
Indigenous families tend to move house more often, especially families with young children. However, little is known about the impact of high mobility on children’s well-being and development. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between residential mobility and [...] Read more.
Indigenous families tend to move house more often, especially families with young children. However, little is known about the impact of high mobility on children’s well-being and development. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between residential mobility and children’s health, developmental, and educational outcomes for Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand Indigenous children (0–12 years). Four databases were investigated with pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search identified 243 articles after independent screening by two authors. Eight studies assessing four child health outcomes were included, six quantitative and two qualitative. Child health outcomes were classified into four broad categories—physical health, social and emotional behavior, learning and development, and developmental risk. The review identified limited evidence; possible links were identified between high mobility and emotional and behavioral difficulties for younger children. One study identified evidence of a linear relationship between the number of houses a child has lived in since birth and developmental risk. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of high residential mobility for Indigenous children at different developmental stages. Prioritizing the involvement, collaboration, and empowerment of Indigenous communities and leadership is critical for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition)
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