Assessment of risk perception and risk communication regarding COVID-19 among healthcare providers: An explanatory sequential mixed-method study in Bangladesh.

Background: Any public health emergency demands adequate risk communication with the vulnerable population along with their optimized perception about the impending risk to ensure proper risk management and crisis control. Hence, this study will be conducted to explore healthcare providers' perceptions regarding risks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as well as how they are being communicated to about the risk, and how they practice risk reduction measures. Methods: A two-phased explanatory sequential mixed-method study will be conducted among physicians and nurses from randomly selected tertiary healthcare facilities in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. In the first phase, the general pattern and quantifiable measures of risk perception, risk communication, and infection prevention practices will be assessed quantitatively. Multiple linear regression analyses will be performed to explore how much variability of risk perception is predicted by risk communication methods and contents. In the second phase, qualitative data will be collected for in-depth understanding and exploration of participants' experiences and insights regarding COVID-19 risk through interviews and document reviews. Thematic content analysis of the qualitative data will be done manually. Findings from both quantitative and qualitative phases will then be triangulated to illustrate the research objectives. Discussion: Based on the psychometric dimensions of risk perception and psycho-social theory of the health belief model, perception of COVID-19 risk among healthcare providers will be evaluated in this study. The relationship between risk perception and infection prevention and control practices among healthcare providers will also be investigated. The explanatory sequential design of this study is expected to generate hypotheses on how risk perception is being shaped in a time of uncertainty and thus, will help to build a proper risk communication strategy to minimize risk perception among healthcare providers.

Children's exposure to physical abuse from a child perspective: A population-based study in rural Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Although child physical abuse (CPA) is considered as a major global public health problem, it has not yet been recognized as such in Bangladesh. Very few studies have assessed the prevalence and victims' characteristics of multiple forms of CPA. OBJECTIVE: This population-based study assessed the prevalence of CPA committed by adults in a rural area of Bangladesh and examined its association with demographic and socio-contextual factors. METHODS: Data were obtained using ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool for Children (ICAST-C) in a random sample of 1416 children (49% girls, 51% boys) aged 11 to 17 years by face-to-face interviews during March-April 2017. The response rate was 91.5%. To estimate predictors of CPA, physical abuse was categorized into frequent and less frequent groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of at least one form (≥ 1), two forms (≥2) and three or more forms (≥ 3) of CPA were estimated approximately to 99%, 95% and 83% in their lifetime and 93%, 79%, and 57% in the past year respectively. Hitting (except on buttocks), standing/kneeling and slapping were the most common physical abuse whereas given drugs or alcohol, pinched, burned or scalded, beaten-up and locked up were less reported. Female children were faced severe forms of CPA more than that of males. Male children, younger age groups, witnessing adults using weapons at home, bullied by siblings and low level of maternal education were found to be significant risk factors for both ≥ 1 form and ≥ 2 forms of frequent CPA whereas adding also adult shouting in a frightening way was found as a significant risk factor for ≥ 2 forms of frequent CPA. CONCLUSION: Self-reported prevalence of CPA is extremely common in the Bangladeshi rural society. The prevalence was associated with demographic and socio-contextual characteristics of the children such as being younger, witnessing domestic violence and maternal low education. The findings provide evidence to support parents and policy-makers to take effective measures to implement policy and programme on alternative up-bringing methods and creating awareness of negative effects of CM which in turn help Bangladesh to line up with UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the country signed in 1990.

Bangladeshi school-age children's experiences and perceptions on child maltreatment: A qualitative interview study.

BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment (CM) is a public health problem and is recognized as a huge barrier for child development. Most of the research and definitions on CM are from the perspective of high-income western countries. Because no major studies have been conducted on CM in Bangladesh, the aim of the current study was to explore the experiences of and perceptions on CM in school-age children in rural and urban Bangladesh in order to understand maltreatment in a local context and from a child perspective. METHODS: Semistructured individual interviews with 24 children (13 boys and 11 girls), between the ages of 9 and 13 years of which 11 were schoolgoing and 13 non-schoolgoing, were conducted during July 2013 and analysed according to qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: CM was a common and painful experience with serious physical and emotional consequences but highly accepted by the society. Vulnerable groups were especially young children, girls, and poor children. The children's voices were not heard due to their low status and low position in their families, schools, and working places. The main theme that emerged in the analysis was children's subordination, which permeated the five categories: (a) perception of children's situation in society, (b) understanding children's development and needs, (c) CM associated to school achievement, (d) negative impact of CM, and (e) emotional responses. CONCLUSIONS: Different kinds of abuse are obviously common in Bangladesh, and the schools do not follow the law from 2011 prohibiting corporal punishment at school. The society has to take further steps to live up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was ratified already in 1990, to protect the Bangladeshi children from CM.