The role of nature conservation and commercial farming in psychological distress among rural Ugandans

Pienkowski, Thomas; Keane, Aidan; Kinyanda, Eugene; Bl, Knizek; Asiimwe, Caroline; Muhanguzi, Geoffrey; Milner‐Gulland, E. J.

doi:10.1101/2021.06.08.446718

Cited by 3 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 79 publications

(76 reference statements)

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“…However, western diagnostic criteria and psychological concepts might not be universally appropriate and overlook culturally relative syndromes 49 . Prior research in the study site suggested partial overlap in symptoms associated with "thinking too much" and depression 9 . Our study found a strong association between depressive symptom severity, estimated using the PHQ-8, and reported experiences of "thinking too much".…”

Section: Study Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Many residents have witnessed changing forest and land access and management 9 . As such, the study participants were considered well-positioned to predict how hypothetical landscape management scenarios might affect their lives.…”

Section: Component 1: Hypothetical Landscape Management Scenariosmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A one-item instrument asked if respondents experienced "thinking too much", with the same response levels as used in the PHQ-8. This instrument was used to triangulate the current research results with those of a previous qualitative study (discussed below) 9 .…”

Section: Study Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, there can be dynamic bi-directional feedbacks between mental illness and life stressors over an individual's life course. For instance, previous research in the study site suggested that "thinking too much" was linked with impaired livelihood activities, potentially worsening social determinants of psychological distress 9 . These dynamic feedbacks represent an exciting opportunity for future time-series research, exploring how landscapes, livelihoods, and mental health co-evolve over time.…”

Section: Study Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, there may be hidden trade-offs between mental health and other sustainable development targets that are poorly accounted for when designing land management policy. For instance, some land management approaches that seek to protect nature (SDG 15) could alter access to natural resources in ways that undermine progress to mental health targets (SDG Target 3.4) 9 . Second, understanding these connections may reveal land management approaches that simultaneously contribute to mental health and other sustainable development objectives.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

Pienkowski¹,

Keane²,

Kinyanda³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Agricultural intensification and expanding protected areas are proposed sustainable development approaches. But, their consequences for mental health – a global priority – are poorly understood. We predict how forest conservation and contract farming may alter resource access and depression risk in rural Uganda. We asked 695 residents in 11 communities about their expectations under land management scenarios, household characteristics, and depression symptoms. Over 80% of respondents presented with a ‘business-as-usual forest-access’ scenario expected reduced forest income and food over the next decade. This number climbed to over 90% among respondents presented with a ‘restricted forest access’ scenario. Over 80% said losing forest access would increase food insecurity and poverty among forest-dependent households. Furthermore, over 99% of those presented with two land access scenarios (‘business-as-usual land access’ and ‘sugarcane expansion land access’) expected wealthy households to gain land but poorer families to lose it. This land redistribution was expected to increase poverty and food insecurity among small-scale farmers. Bayesian structural equation suggested that depression severity was positively associated with food insecurity (estimate = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.12-0.28) and economic poverty (estimate = 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.19). Conservation and agricultural approaches that restrict access to livelihood resources may threaten vulnerable groups’ mental health.

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Section: Study Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Component 1: Hypothetical Landscape Management Scenariosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

Pienkowski¹,

Keane²,

Kinyanda³

et al. 2021

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

Pienkowski

Keane

Kinyanda

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

Self Cite

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Agricultural intensification and expanding protected areas are proposed sustainable development approaches. But, their consequences for mental health are poorly understood. This study aims to predict how forest conservation and contract farming may alter resource access and depression risk in rural Uganda. Residents (N = 695) in 11 communities in Masindi District were asked about their expectations under land management scenarios using scenario-based interviews, household characteristics and depression symptoms. Over 80% of respondents presented with a ‘business-as-usual forest access’ scenario expected reduced access to forest income and food over the next decade; this number climbed above 90% among ‘restricted forest access’ scenario respondents. Over 99% of those presented with two land access scenarios (‘business-as-usual land access’ and ‘sugarcane expansion land access’) expected wealthy households to gain land but poorer families to lose it, threatening to increase poverty and food insecurity among small-scale farmers. Bayesian structural equation modelling suggested that depression severity was positively associated with food insecurity (0.20, 95% CI = 0.12–0.28) and economic poverty (0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.19). Decision-makers should evaluate the mental health impacts of conservation and agricultural approaches that restrict access to livelihood resources. Future research could explore opportunities to support mental health through sustainable use of nature.

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Effects of improved on-farm crop storage on perceived stress and perceived coping in pregnant women—Evidence from a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Kenya

Eichenauer,

Huss,

Brander

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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Background Food insecurity can be harmful to pregnant women, as pregnancy is a challenging period with increased maternal nutritional requirements to ensure optimal fetal development and health of the mother. Whether food insecurity negatively affects maternal health may depend on how stressful pregnant women perceive this food insecurity to be and how strongly they believe they can cope with it. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), pregnant women from smallholder households suffer from food insecurity due to post-harvest losses (PHL), i.e., loss of crops because of inadequate storage. An agricultural intervention that improves crop storage has been shown to reduce food insecurity. However, it remains to be determined whether this agricultural intervention (treatment) has an additional positive effect on pregnant women’s perceived stress levels and coping abilities. This study examines whether pregnant women from treatment households experience lower perceived stress levels and higher perceived coping abilities compared to pregnant women from control housholds. Methods and findings In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), short message service (SMS)-based mobile phone surveys were conducted to assess the causal effect of a food security intervention (improved on-farm storage of maize) on perceived stress and coping in pregnant women from smallholder households. Pregnant women were identified through these monthly surveys by asking whether someone in their household was currently pregnant. The significant results revealed that pregnant women from treatment households experienced more perceived stress but better perceived coping abilities compared to pregnant women from control households. Uncertainty due to lack of experience, this might have contributed to the higher perceived stress, as the women could not easily judge the benefits and risks of the new storage technology. However, the technology itself is a tangible resource which might have empowered the pregnant women to counteract the effects of PHL and thus food insecurity. Conclusion Our findings indicate that pregnant women from treatment households had higher perceived coping abilities but experienced more perceived stress. More research is needed on how this technology impacts maternal mental health in a broader sense and whether biological mechanisms, such as epigenetics, may underlie this association.

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The role of nature conservation and commercial farming in psychological distress among rural Ugandans

Cited by 3 publications

References 79 publications

Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

Predicting the impacts of land management for sustainable development on depression risk in a Ugandan case study

Effects of improved on-farm crop storage on perceived stress and perceived coping in pregnant women—Evidence from a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Kenya

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