Changes in household food security, access to health services and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

ObjectivesWe 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.DesignA cross-sectional survey of households undertaken in November 2020.SettingRural districts of Luang Prabang Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.ParticipantsHouseholds (N=1122) with children under 5 years.Primary and secondary outcomes measuredSurvey 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.ResultsNearly 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.ConclusionsPandemic-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.

Temporal trends of food insecurity in Chad, 2016–2021

“…Additional characteristics associated with poor/borderline food consumption in 2020 included being in a smaller (<7 members) or polygamous household, or a household [Food Security Information Network (FSIN) and Global Network Against Food Crises, 2022] that relied on skilled/unskilled labor or humanitarian assistance/remittances as a primary income source were observed during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Similar to this study, FCS was predicted by job status/income levels and socio-economic status, age group within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in both Ethiopia and Lao PDR (Gonella et al, 2022;Head et al, 2022). Consistent with findings from this analysis, there is substantial evidence that low-wage and low-skilled workforce lost their jobs or experienced income reduction during the initial lockdowns of COVID-19 (Nechifor et al, 2021).…”

Status gizi, densitas zat gizi, dan keragaman pangan anak balita selama pandemi COVID-19 di Kabupatan Bangli, Bali

“…Dampak yang ditimbulkan diantaranya kesulitan dalam memenuhi kebutuhan pangan rumah tangga selama pandemi (75,5%). Keadaan ini terjadi karena adanya kenaikan harga bahan pangan (51,2%), kehilangan pendapatan (45,3%), dan penurunan ketersediaan pangan (36,6%), sehingga akan berpengaruh pada penurunan keragaman makanan dan densitas zat gizi dari makanan yang dikonsumsi anak [1]. Kondisi ini akan berpotensi menjadi ancaman bagi status gizi anak.…”