Epidemics, Lockdown Measures and Vulnerable Populations: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review of the Evidence of Impacts on Mother and Child Health in Low-And-Lower-Middle-Income Countries

Russo, Giuliano; Jesus, Tiago Silva; Deane, Kevin; Osman, Abdinasir Yusuf and McCoy, David (2022). Epidemics, Lockdown Measures and Vulnerable Populations: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review of the Evidence of Impacts on Mother and Child Health in Low-And-Lower-Middle-Income Countries. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 11(10) pp. 2003–2021.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.2021.155

Abstract

Background: The aim of this research was to synthesise the existing evidence on the impact of epidemic-related lockdown measures on women and children’s health in low-and-lower-middle-income countries.

Methods: A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods evidence. Between November 1st-10th 2021, seven scientific databases were searched. The inclusion criteria were that the paper provided evidence on the impact of lockdown and related measures, focused on low-and-lower-middle-income countries, addressed impacts on women and child’s health, addressed epidemics from 2000-2020, was peer-reviewed, provided original evidence, and was published in English. The Joanne Briggs Institute’s critical appraisal tools were used to assess the quality of the studies, and the PRISMA guidelines for reporting. The evidence from the papers was grouped by type of lockdown measure and categories of impact, using a narrative data-based convergent synthesis design.

Results: The review process identified 46 papers meeting the inclusion criteria from 17 countries which all focussed on the COVID-19 and Ebola epidemics. The evidence on the decrease of utilisation of health services showed plummeting immunisation rates and faltering use of maternal and perinatal services, which was linked to a growth of premature deaths. Impacts on the mental health of children and women is well-established, with lockdowns associated with surges in depression, anxiety and low life satisfaction. Vulnerability may be compounded by lockdowns, as livelihoods are disrupted, and poverty levels increase.

Conclusion: Limitations included that searches were conducted in late-2020 as new research was being published, and that some evidence not published in English may have been excluded. Epidemic-related lockdown measures carry consequences for the health of women and children in lower-income settings. Governments will need to weigh the trade-offs of introducing such measures and consider policies to mitigate their impacts on the most vulnerable.

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