Compounding effects of COVID-19 on health and socio-economic needs of artisanal small-scale gold miners at Chawagona site, Bindura, Zimbabwe
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 pandemic has apart from causing infections and deaths ravished worldwide economies on a level not experienced before. This disease has shown that it can potentially affect businesses, livelihoods, industries, communities and overwhelm health systems. The ASGM sector which faces a plethora of existing challenges, has not been exempted from these shocks. The intention of this study was to investigate the compounding effects of COVID- 19 on the health and socio-economic needs of ASGM in Chawagona farm. Methods: A mixed methods approach was carried out. The quantitative aspect employed a descriptive non- interventional cross-sectional study and the qualitative component, a case study. A logistic regression model, chi- square and a t-test were used as estimation techniques. Statistical package used was Stata 16. Qualitative data analysis used thematic analysis with CAQDAS. Multiphase sampling techniques were adopted for the survey and in-depth interviews with a total of 181 respondents, all ASGM at Chawagona farm, Bindura, Zimbabwe. Results: Study indicated that COVID-19 severely affected respondents’ main source of income, food security and thereby affecting their health and livelihoods. Results show an association between loss of income and socio- demographic characteristics such as sex, role in the ASGM, education, age, accommodation, household size. They also show that apart from the existing socio-economic conditions, the ASGM KAPs around COVID-19 are influenced by lack of information, lack of access or barriers to health care are more likely to promote non-compliance with preventive protocols. Conclusion: COVID-19 has compounded the vulnerabilities of ASGM, who already had pre-existing health and socio-economic challenges. As such, there is need for multiple stakeholder interventions in improving health access, structural support, income stabilization, food security and recovery of livelihoods, during and post the pandemic. Therefore, the study promoted the adoption of a broader approach to build capacity and resilience in the ASGM communities in the event of future pandemics. . Keywords: Artisanal small-scale gold miners, COVID-19, health, socio-economic, pandemicAll authors who submit their paper for publication will abide by following provisions of the copyright transfer: 1. The copyright of the paper rests with the authors. And they are transferring the copyright to publish the article and used the article for indexing and storing for public use with due reference to published matter in the name of concerned authors. 2. The authors reserve all proprietary rights such as patent rights and the right to use all or part of the article in future works of their own such as lectures, press releases, and reviews of textbooks. 3. In the case of republication of the whole, part, or parts thereof, in periodicals or reprint publications by a third party, written permission must be obtained from the Managing Editor of JPRM. 4. The authors declare that the material being presented by them in this paper is their original work, and does not contain or include material taken from other copyrighted sources. Wherever such material has been included, it has been clearly indented or/and identified by quotation marks and due and proper acknowledgements given by citing the source at appropriate places. 5. The paper, the final version of which they submit, is not substantially the same as any that they had already published elsewhere. 6. They declare that they have not sent the paper or any paper substantially the same as the submitted one, for publication anywhere else. 7. Furthermore, the author may only post his/her version provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication in this journal and a link is inserted wherever published. 8. All contents, Parts, written matters, publications are under copyright act taken by JPRM. 9. Published articles will be available for use by scholars and researchers. 10. IJPRM is not responsible in any type of claim on publication in our Journal. .