Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights
Climate-related extreme weather events (EWE) exacerbate resource insecurities that, in turn, shape sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Refugee settlements face increased EWE exposure yet are understudied in EWE research. We explored experiences of climate change and SRH among refugee youth aged 16...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Global Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2025.2503863 |
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| author | C. H. Logie M. Loutet F. MacKenzie M. Okumu R. Leggett F. S. Akinwande S. Odong Lukone N. Kisubi P. Kyambadde L. Otika M. Lukwago M. Narasimhan |
| author_facet | C. H. Logie M. Loutet F. MacKenzie M. Okumu R. Leggett F. S. Akinwande S. Odong Lukone N. Kisubi P. Kyambadde L. Otika M. Lukwago M. Narasimhan |
| author_sort | C. H. Logie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate-related extreme weather events (EWE) exacerbate resource insecurities that, in turn, shape sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Refugee settlements face increased EWE exposure yet are understudied in EWE research. We explored experiences of climate change and SRH among refugee youth aged 16–24 in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda. This qualitative study involved walk-along individual youth interviews and key informant (KI) service provider interviews. We conducted thematic analysis informed by the resource scarcity framework, which explores socioeconomic and ecological risks for resource insecurity. Participants (N = 44) included youth (n = 32; mean age: 20.0, standard deviation [SD]: 2.4; 50% men, 50% women) and KI (n = 12; mean age: 37.0, SD: 5.8; 75% men, 25% women). Findings illustrate how EWE shape SRH outcomes for refugee young women: (1) climate change contributes to water scarcity, extreme heat, and changing rain patterns; (2) drought contributes to resource scarcities (e.g. food, water) that increase sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) risks, transactional sex, and menstruation insecurity and (3) heavy rains/flooding contribute to resource scarcities that increase SGBV risks, and sanitation insecurity exacerbates menstruation insecurity. Findings highlight how EWE-related resource insecurities are associated with poor SRH (STI/HIV acquisition risks, unplanned pregnancy, SGBV) and should be addressed in multi-level climate-informed humanitarian programmes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d805b10438854e4ba4e61ee9f849dffd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1744-1692 1744-1706 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-d805b10438854e4ba4e61ee9f849dffd2025-08-20T03:48:28ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Public Health1744-16921744-17062025-12-0120110.1080/17441692.2025.2503863Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insightsC. H. Logie0M. Loutet1F. MacKenzie2M. Okumu3R. Leggett4F. S. Akinwande5S. Odong Lukone6N. Kisubi7P. Kyambadde8L. Otika9M. Lukwago10M. Narasimhan11Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaDalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaFactor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaFaculty of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USAFactor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaFactor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaUganda Refugee and Disaster Management Council, Yumbe, UgandaUganda Refugee and Disaster Management Council, Yumbe, UgandaUganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, UgandaWater Mission, Yumbe, UgandaAction Against Hunger-ACF, Yumbe, UgandaDepartment of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, SwitzerlandClimate-related extreme weather events (EWE) exacerbate resource insecurities that, in turn, shape sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Refugee settlements face increased EWE exposure yet are understudied in EWE research. We explored experiences of climate change and SRH among refugee youth aged 16–24 in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda. This qualitative study involved walk-along individual youth interviews and key informant (KI) service provider interviews. We conducted thematic analysis informed by the resource scarcity framework, which explores socioeconomic and ecological risks for resource insecurity. Participants (N = 44) included youth (n = 32; mean age: 20.0, standard deviation [SD]: 2.4; 50% men, 50% women) and KI (n = 12; mean age: 37.0, SD: 5.8; 75% men, 25% women). Findings illustrate how EWE shape SRH outcomes for refugee young women: (1) climate change contributes to water scarcity, extreme heat, and changing rain patterns; (2) drought contributes to resource scarcities (e.g. food, water) that increase sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) risks, transactional sex, and menstruation insecurity and (3) heavy rains/flooding contribute to resource scarcities that increase SGBV risks, and sanitation insecurity exacerbates menstruation insecurity. Findings highlight how EWE-related resource insecurities are associated with poor SRH (STI/HIV acquisition risks, unplanned pregnancy, SGBV) and should be addressed in multi-level climate-informed humanitarian programmes.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2025.2503863Youthrefugeeclimate changeSDG 3SDG 5 |
| spellingShingle | C. H. Logie M. Loutet F. MacKenzie M. Okumu R. Leggett F. S. Akinwande S. Odong Lukone N. Kisubi P. Kyambadde L. Otika M. Lukwago M. Narasimhan Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights Global Public Health Youth refugee climate change SDG 3 SDG 5 |
| title | Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights |
| title_full | Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights |
| title_short | Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights |
| title_sort | experiences of drought heavy rains and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in uganda qualitative insights |
| topic | Youth refugee climate change SDG 3 SDG 5 |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2025.2503863 |
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