Ligia Kiss - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ligia Kiss

Journal of Computational Social Science, 2020

This systematic review aims to synthesize how agent-based modeling (ABM) has been used in migrati... more This systematic review aims to synthesize how agent-based modeling (ABM) has been used in migration and modern slavery research and provide the basis to model development for social science researchers exploring the use of ABM. We searched five bibliographic databases using two terminology categories: (1) migration or modern slavery terminology; (2) complex system methods terminology. Two reviewers conducted independent article screening. Peer-reviewed articles presenting original migration or modern slavery ABMs were included. Data extraction included model development steps and model characteristics. The dataset was synthesized and compared across studies. We identified 28 articles for inclusion. Many of the ABMs tested theories and about half were based on empirical data. Model development varied considerably and reported methods were extremely opaque. Only five studies used a structured development framework. The most common model involved agents deciding whether and where to mi...

International Journal of Public Health, 2019

Objectives To assess the association of living and working conditions experienced during traffick... more Objectives To assess the association of living and working conditions experienced during trafficking with mental health of female and male survivors. Methods We analyzed a cross-sectional study of 1015 survivors who received post-trafficking services in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Modified Poisson regression models were conducted by gender to estimate prevalence ratios. Results For females, the elevated prevalence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was associated with adverse living conditions, while for males the prevalence of anxiety (PR = 2.21; 95% CI 1.24-3.96) and depression (PR = 2.63; 95% CI 1.62-4.26) more than doubled and almost tripled for PTSD (PR = 2.93; 95% CI 1.65-5.19) after adjustment. For males in particular, excessive and extreme working hours per day were associated with more than a four-and threefold greater prevalence of PTSD. Being in a detention center or jail was associated with all three mental health outcomes in males. Conclusions Providers and stakeholders need to consider the complex mental health trauma of the differential effects of living and working conditions for female and male survivors during trafficking to support treatment and recovery.

BMC Psychology, 2018

Background: Human trafficking is a pervasive global crime with important public health implicatio... more Background: Human trafficking is a pervasive global crime with important public health implications that entail fundamental human rights violations in the form of severe exploitation, violence and coercion. Sex-specific associations between types of violence or coercion and mental illness in survivors of trafficking have not been established. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 1015 female and male survivors of trafficking (adults, adolescents and children) who received post-trafficking assistance services in Cambodia, Thailand or Vietnam and had been exploited in various labor sectors. We assessed anxiety and depression with the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms with the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), and used validated questions from the World Health Organization International Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence to measure physical and sexual violence. Sex-specific modified Poisson regression models were estimated to obtain prevalence ratios (PRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between violence (sexual, physical or both), coercion, and mental health conditions (anxiety, depression and PTSD). Results: Adjusted models indicated that for females, experiencing both physical and sexual violence, compared to not being exposed to violence, was a strong predictor of symptoms of anxiety (

International Migration, 2018

As international female labour migration has increased, so too have efforts to prevent the exploi... more As international female labour migration has increased, so too have efforts to prevent the exploitation of labour migrants. However, evidence to underpin prevention efforts remains limited, with little known about labour migrants' migration planning processes. Using data from a survey of female prospective labour migrants from Nepal, this article compares socio-demographics and migration-planning processes between first-time and repeat-migrants. We identified several factors which might increase repeat-migrants' vulnerability to exploitation during the migration process, or obstruct their engagement in pre-migration interventions: more rapid migration planning than first-time migrants; lower involvement in community groups; and a perception that they already have the knowledge they need. Only one-third of repeat-migrants planned to go to the same destination and 42 per cent to work in the same sector as previously. With repeat-migration a common livelihoods strategy, it is crucial that interventions are guided by evidence on the needs of both first-timeand repeat-migrants.

PLOS Medicine, 2017

• Labor migration is an economic and social mobility strategy that benefits millions of people ar... more • Labor migration is an economic and social mobility strategy that benefits millions of people around the world, yet human trafficking and the exploitation of low-wage workers is pervasive. • The negative health consequences of human trafficking-and labor exploitation more generally-are sufficiently prevalent and damaging that they comprise a public health problem of global magnitude. • Human trafficking and labor exploitation are substantial health determinants that need to be treated as preventable, drawing on public health intervention approaches that target the underlying drivers of exploitation before the harm occurs. • Exploitative practices are commonly sustained by business models that rely on disposable labor, labyrinthine supply chains, and usurious labor intermediaries alongside weakening labor governance and protections, and underpinned by deepening social and economic divisions. • Initiatives to address human trafficking require targeted actions to prevent the drivers of exploitation across each stage of the labor migration cycle to stop the types of harm that can lead to generational cycles of disability and disenfranchisement.

PloS one, 2016

Men comprise nearly two-thirds of trafficked and forced labourers in common low-skilled labour se... more Men comprise nearly two-thirds of trafficked and forced labourers in common low-skilled labour sectors including fishing, agriculture and factory work. Yet, most evidence on human trafficking has focused on women and girls trafficked for sex work, with scant research on trafficked men and boys. We analyse survey data from the largest systematic consecutive sample of trafficked people collected to date to describe the prevalence of violence, occupational health risks and injuries and associated factors. Participants were labour-trafficked men and boys using post-trafficking support services in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Data are presented on 446 males aged 10-58. Men and boys were mainly trafficked for fishing (61.7%), manufacturing (19.1%) and begging (5.2%). Fishermen worked extensive hours (mean 18.8 hours/day, SD 5.9) and factory workers worked on average 11.9 hours/day (SD 2.9). 35.5% of male survivors had been injured while trafficked; 29.4% received no personal protective...

Journal of Public Health Policy, 2016

Athenea Digital. Revista de pensamiento e investigación social, 2012

Assistência a mulheres em situação de violência-da trama de serviços à rede intersetorial Assista... more Assistência a mulheres em situação de violência-da trama de serviços à rede intersetorial Assistance to women in situations of violence-the plot of the services to the intersectorial network

Global Journal of Health Education and Promotion, 2016

Qualitative interviews with a small number of health care providers and nongovernmental organizat... more Qualitative interviews with a small number of health care providers and nongovernmental organization (NGO) staff members were conducted to understand providers&#39; attitudes to intimate partner violence (IPV) on the Tibetan plateau and the link between these attitudes and prevalent social norms. NGO members have received gender awareness training and tended to consider prevalent gender norms and roles to blame for IPV. Health care providers, on the other hand, tended to endorse these norms. Providers did not appear to conceptually separate abusive and nonabusive conflict, giving rise to perceptions that abuse is commonplace and without traumatic effects. In general, providers did not consider that assisting cases of IPV was part of their professional responsibility. When asked what type of help victims need, health workers focused on reconciliation with perpetrators or emotional support. Providers said they would advise victims to avoid conflict and react to perpetrators with less anger. Respondents also expressed beliefs that victims are sometimes the guilty party responsible for conflict. Respondents felt separation from an abusive partner is generally not an option, because divorce is considered to cause concerns for children, difficult financial circumstances, and a negative reputation for women following divorce. Perceptions that divorce is usually the worst option for women and lack of awareness regarding the difference between abusive and nonabusive conflict should be addressed in health worker training programs and community interventions. Our findings are relevant to other regions of the world in which IPV is not considered extraordinary or serious and in which heavy social and material constraints can act as a barrier to divorce for women.

JAMA Pediatrics, 2015

IMPORTANCE Human trafficking and exploitation of children have profound health consequences. To o... more IMPORTANCE Human trafficking and exploitation of children have profound health consequences. To our knowledge, this study represents the largest survey on the health of child and adolescent survivors of human trafficking. OBJECTIVE To describe experiences of abuse and exploitation, mental health outcomes, and suicidal behavior among children and adolescents in posttrafficking services. We also examine how exposures to violence, exploitation, and abuse affect the mental health and suicidal behavior of trafficked children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A survey was conducted with 387 children and adolescents aged 10 to 17 years in posttrafficking services in Cambodia, Thailand, or Vietnam, which along with Laos, Myanmar, and Yunnan Province, China, compose the Greater Melong Subregion. Participants were interviewed within 2 weeks of entering services from October 2011 through May 2013. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-injury, and suicide attempts. RESULTS Among the 387 children and adolescent study participants, most (82%) were female. Twelve percent had tried to harm or kill themselves in the month before the interview. Fifty-six percent screened positive for depression, 33% for an anxiety disorder, and 26% for posttraumatic stress disorder. Abuse at home was reported by 20%. Physical violence while trafficked was reported by 41% of boys and 19% of girls. Twenty-three percent of girls and 1 boy reported sexual violence. Mental health symptoms were strongly associated with recent self-harm and suicide attempts. Severe physical violence was associated with depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.55; 95% CI, 1.64-7.71), anxiety (AOR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.12-4.05), and suicidal ideation (AOR, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.77-7.67). Sexual violence while trafficked was associated with depression (AOR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.22-4.23) and suicidal ideation (AOR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.80-6.54). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Children and adolescents in posttrafficking care showed high symptom levels of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, which are strongly associated with self-harm or suicidal behaviors. Mental health screening and reintegration risk assessments are critical components of posttrafficking services, especially in planning for family reunification and other social integration options.

Social Science & Medicine (1967)

Journal of immigrant and minority health / Center for Minority Public Health, Jan 5, 2015

Our goal was to describe the forms of persecution reported by adult refugees in the U.S. and the ... more Our goal was to describe the forms of persecution reported by adult refugees in the U.S. and the relationships between persecution and health status among this population. Data were derived from the 2003 New Immigrant Survey, a representative sample of new U.S. lawful permanent residents. Major depression, impairment in daily activities due to pain, poor self-reported health, and declining health were described for refugees who had and had not reported persecution prior to arrival in the U.S. Health status was also examined for refugees who reported different forms of persecution. Half of refugees (46.7 %) in this sample reported that they or an immediate family member had been persecuted. One in three persecuted refugees (31.8 %) reported both incarceration and physical punishment. Major depression, pain-related impairment, poor health, and declining health were twice as common among persecuted refugees than among non persecuted refugees. Notably, despite these adverse experiences ...

Health and human rights, Jan 15, 2012

Over the past three decades, international covenants have been signed and countries have implemen... more Over the past three decades, international covenants have been signed and countries have implemented strategies and legislation to address violence against women. Concurrently, strong evidence on the magnitude and impact of violence against women has emerged from around the world. Despite a growing understanding of factors that may influence women's vulnerability to violence and its effects, key questions about intervention options persist. Using evidence from a WHO household survey on domestic violence, our paper discusses women's help-seeking patterns and considers these findings in relation to Brazil's policies and strategies on violence against women. For the WHO survey, data from a large urban center (the city of São Paulo) and from a rural region (Zona da Mata Pernambucana [ZMP]) was collected. Findings from this survey indicate that in São Paulo, only 33.8% of women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) sought help from a formal service provider, includi...

Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 2011

Estuda-se a violência contra mulheres como alvo dos cuidados em saúde. É parte de pesquisa em ser... more Estuda-se a violência contra mulheres como alvo dos cuidados em saúde. É parte de pesquisa em serviços públicos em São Paulo, envolvendo prevalência de casos entre usuárias de 15 a 49 anos; estudo de seus prontuários; descrição dos serviços, por sua observação; e entrevistas semiestruturadas com 50 de seus profissionais, acerca da rotina e do ideal de trabalho em saúde, percepções quanto à existência de casos, ofertas assistenciais ou seus obstáculos e representações sobre violência. Analisa-se o conteúdo das narrativas profissionais, usando-se os demais dados para caracterização de seus contextos assistenciais. Reiterando a literatura, violência foi quase sempre tida como problema relevante, mas fora dos escopos das intervenções profissionais. Relataram-se ações isoladas e em caráter pessoal. Medos e impotência profissional foram mencionados, mas nenhum aspecto positivo para eventual intervenção. Os profissionais mostraram parco conhecimento de serviços especializados de referência...

The Lancet Global Health, 2015

Background Traffi cking is a crime of global proportions involving extreme forms of exploitation ... more Background Traffi cking is a crime of global proportions involving extreme forms of exploitation and abuse. Yet little research has been done of the health risks and morbidity patterns for men, women, and children traffi cked for various forms of forced labour. Methods We carried out face-to-face interviews with a consecutive sample of individuals entering 15 post-traffi cking services in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. We asked participants about living and working conditions, experience of violence, and health outcomes. We measured symptoms of anxiety and depression with the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist and post-traumatic stress disorder with the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, and used adjusted logistic regression models to estimate the eff ect of traffi cking on these mental health outcomes, controlling for age, sector of exploitation, and time in traffi cking. Findings We interviewed 1102 people, of whom 1015 reached work destinations. Participants worked in various sectors including sex work (329 [32%]), fi shing (275 [27%]), and factories (136 [13%]). 481 (48%) of 1015 experienced physical violence, sexual violence, or both, with 198 (35%) of 566 women and girls reporting sexual violence. 478 (47%) of 1015 participants were threatened and 198 (20%) were locked in a room. 685 (70%) of 985 who had data available worked 7 days per week and 296 (30%) of 989 worked at least 11 hours per day. 222 (22%) of 983 had a serious injury at work. 61•2% (95% CI 58•2-64•2) of participants reported symptom of depression, 42•8% (39•8-45•9) reported symptoms of anxiety, and 38•9% (36•0-42•0) reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 5•2% (4•0-6•8) had attempted suicide in the past month. Participants who experienced extremely excessive overtime at work, restricted freedom, bad living conditions, threats, or severe violence were more likely to report symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Interpretation This is the fi rst health study of a large and diverse sample of men, women, and child survivors of traffi cking for various forms of exploitation. Violence and unsafe working conditions were common and psychological morbidity was associated with severity of abuse. Survivors of traffi cking need access to health care, especially mental health care. Funding Anesvad Foundation and IOM Development Fund.

Ciênc. saúde coletiva, 2009

Trafficking in persons: a health concern? Tráfico de pessoas: uma preocupação da Saúde? Resumo O ... more Trafficking in persons: a health concern? Tráfico de pessoas: uma preocupação da Saúde? Resumo O tráfico de pessoas é um fenômeno que foi registrado na maioria das regiões do mundo. Embora o tráfico de mulheres e meninas para exploração sexual seja a forma mais comumente reconhecida de tráfico, sabe-se que o comércio ilegal de pessoas envolve também homens, mulheres e crianças, em várias formas de exploração de trabalho e circunstâncias abusivas. Apesar da violência e danos inerentes à maioria das situações de tráfico, há ainda muito pouca evidência sobre as implicações do tráfico de pessoas para a saúde individual e pública. O governo brasileiro recentemente lançou um plano nacional de combate ao tráfico humano. Entretanto, dados confiáveis para informar políticas públicas e práticas ainda não foram produzidos, particularmente sobre a escala potencial e as implicações de saúde de diferentes formas de tráfico. Planejadores de políticas públicas e provedores de serviços no Brasil deveriam ser encorajados a reconhecer o alcançe do impacto do tráfico à saúde e incorporar essas informações às estratégias anti-tráfico. Governo, organizações locais e internacionais deveriam trabalhar conjuntamente com a comunidade de pesquisadores da Saúde no estudo das necessidades de saúde da população traficada e explorar oportunidades de oferecer serviços seguros e apropriados para vítimas com necessidades de saúde. Palavras-chave Tráfico de mulheres, Exploração sexual, Exploração do trabalho,

BMJ Open, 2014

To cite: Hossain M, Zimmerman C, Kiss L, et al. Men's and women's experiences of violence and tra... more To cite: Hossain M, Zimmerman C, Kiss L, et al. Men's and women's experiences of violence and traumatic events in rural Côte d'Ivoire before, during and after a period of armed conflict. BMJ Open 2014;4: e003644.