RESUMO
Self-wetting is the leakage of urine, either due to the medical condition of urinary incontinence (UI), or because a person does not want to, or cannot, access a toileting facility in time. This study explored the attitudes towards self-wetting and experiences of children (aged five to 11), their caregivers, community leaders and humanitarian practitioners in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. We particularly focused on how water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and protection interventions might assist in improving these experiences. We purposively selected participants from two camps where our partner organisation works. We conducted Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with community leaders and camp officials, Story Book (SB) sessions with Rohingya children and in-depth Interviews (IDIs) with caregivers of children who participated in the SB sessions, as well as surveying communal toilets. Self-wetting by children was common and resulted in them feeling embarrassed, upset and uncomfortable, and frightened to use the toilet at night; many children also indicated that they would be punished by their caregivers for self-wetting. Key informants indicated that caregivers have difficulty handling children's self-wetting due to a limited amount of clothing, pillows, and blankets, and difficulty cleaning these items. It was evident that the available toilets are often not appropriate and/or accessible for children. Children in the Rohingya camps appear to self-wet due to both the medical condition of UI and because the sanitation facilities are inappropriate. They are teased by their peers and punished by their caregivers. Although WASH and protection practitioners are unable to drastically alter camp conditions or treat UI, the lives of children who self-wet in these camps could likely be improved by increasing awareness on self-wetting to decrease stigma and ease the concerns of caregivers, increasing the number of child-friendly toilets and increasing the provision of continence management materials.
RESUMO
The frequency and intensity of climate change and resulting impacts are more prevalent in South Asian countries, particularly in Bangladesh. Relative humidity (RH) is a crucial aspect of climate, and higher RH variability has far-reaching impacts on human health, agriculture, environment, and infrastructure. While temperature and rainfall have gained much research attention, RH studies have received scant attention in the research literature. This study investigated the trends and variability of RH levels in Bangladesh and the influence of other meteorological factors over the past 40 years. Variabilities in the meteorological factors were identified by calculating descriptive statistics. Innovative trend analysis (ITA) and Mann-Kendall test (MK-test) methods were utilized to assess monthly, seasonal, and annual trends. The magnitude of temperature, rainfall, and windspeed influences on RH variability were identified using Pearson's correlation, Spearman rank correlation, and Kendall correlation model. Variability analysis showed higher spatial variations in RH levels across the country, and RH skewed negatively in all stations. Results reveal that daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual trends of RH exhibited positive trends in all stations, with an increasing rate of 0.083-0.53% per year in summer, 0.43-0.68% per year in winter, and 0.58-0.31% per year in the rainy season. Both ITA and MK-test provided consistent results, indicating no discrepancies in trend results. All three models indicate that temperature, rainfall, and windspeed have weak to moderate positive influences on changing RH levels in Bangladesh. The study will contribute to decision-making to improve crop yields, health outcomes, and infrastructure efficiency.
