Changing vulnerabilities and COVID-19 adherence: Older refugees in Lebanon

Purpose

1. Assess how barriers, enablers, and underlying vulnerabilities measured at individual, community, and structural levels are associated with adherence to COVID-19 preventive/control measures (hand-washing, social distancing, and seeking healthcare upon appearance of symptoms).
2. Examine how adherence to COVID-19 preventive/control measures vary over time in response to change in underlying and emergent vulnerabilities. [Emergent vulnerabilities may include heightened deprivation, surge in domestic violence, reduced access to non-COVID-19 healthcare services especially for chronic diseases, inadequate water and sanitation facilities, and isolation and poor mental health.]
3. Utilise rigorous, comprehensive, and real-time data to inform humanitarian programming in response to COVID-19 in the short- and medium-term and to enhance preparedness to respond to future crises.

Expected Outcomes

The following research outputs will be produced:

1. A conceptual framework and survey tool utilised to gather data and test relationships between multi-level determinants and behavioural adherence. The framework and tool will be created through engagement with a community of stakeholders (municipalities, local organizations, and members of the refugee community).
2. Comprehensive, systematic, and real-time data on the changing needs and vulnerabilities of older Syrian refugees.

These will yield the following outcomes:

1. Efficient data analysis to inform Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) humanitarian response to COVID-19 in the short and medium-term. Descriptive findings will be presented in the form of infographics/social media bites and shared with the community of stakeholders throughout the life-course of the study.
2. Dissemination of knowledge gained among the humanitarian community to facilitate a coordinated response to COVID-19 and future epidemics.