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Background <p>Climate change presents more dire impacts on food security and health in Africa than any other region worldwide. These impacts are expectedly more pronounced in predominantly agrarian refugee settings like Uganda, which is also the largest refugee host in Africa. However, there is limited contextual evidence regarding the effects of climate change-related hazards in Uganda to guide context-relevant interventions amidst the ongoing aid cuts. We assessed the impact of climate change-related hazards on food security and the health of refugees in three settlements in Uganda.</p> Methods <p>We conducted a cross-sectional study using concurrent mixed methods in Kiryandongo, Nakivale, and Rhino Camp refugee settlements. We collected data from 600 heads of refugee households using a structured questionnaire, conducted 45 in-depth interviews with refugees, and held 14 key informant interviews with program implementers. Quantitative data were analysed using STATA v16, and a modified Poisson regression model was employed to determine significant associations. Qualitative data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis to complement the quantitative findings.</p> Results <p>Of the 600 respondents, 60.6%, 95% CI = 56.5–64.6) were female, while most (76.2%) had lived in the settlement for 10–19 years. Climate change-related hazards associated with food insecurity included forest fires (aPR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.08–1.23, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), unreliable rainfall (aPR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.01–1.15, <i>p</i> = 0.03), and landslides (aPR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.01–1.14, <i>p</i> = 0.02). Qualitative findings highlighted that shifts in weather patterns, temperature fluctuations, and precipitation variations were perceived to have a profound impact on agricultural activities and to increase food insecurity and the incidence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases in the refugee settlements.</p> Conclusions <p>Climate change–related hazards can exacerbate food insecurity and contribute to health challenges by increasing the incidence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases. To enhance the resilience of refugee settlements against climate-related hazards, it is crucial to implement community-based disaster preparedness systems, invest in climate-resilient agriculture, upgrade water and sanitation infrastructure, and integrate climate risk assessments into public health planning.</p>

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Effects of climate change-related hazards on food security and health within refugee settlements in Uganda

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月15日

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  • Michael T. Wagaba,
  • Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden,
  • Justine Namakula,
  • David Musoke,
  • Alex Mulyowa,
  • Calvin Murungi,
  • Maiya G. Block Ngaybe,
  • Christopher Garimoi Orach,
  • Hilde Bastiaens

摘要

Background

Climate change presents more dire impacts on food security and health in Africa than any other region worldwide. These impacts are expectedly more pronounced in predominantly agrarian refugee settings like Uganda, which is also the largest refugee host in Africa. However, there is limited contextual evidence regarding the effects of climate change-related hazards in Uganda to guide context-relevant interventions amidst the ongoing aid cuts. We assessed the impact of climate change-related hazards on food security and the health of refugees in three settlements in Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using concurrent mixed methods in Kiryandongo, Nakivale, and Rhino Camp refugee settlements. We collected data from 600 heads of refugee households using a structured questionnaire, conducted 45 in-depth interviews with refugees, and held 14 key informant interviews with program implementers. Quantitative data were analysed using STATA v16, and a modified Poisson regression model was employed to determine significant associations. Qualitative data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis to complement the quantitative findings.

Results

Of the 600 respondents, 60.6%, 95% CI = 56.5–64.6) were female, while most (76.2%) had lived in the settlement for 10–19 years. Climate change-related hazards associated with food insecurity included forest fires (aPR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.08–1.23, p < 0.001), unreliable rainfall (aPR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.01–1.15, p = 0.03), and landslides (aPR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.01–1.14, p = 0.02). Qualitative findings highlighted that shifts in weather patterns, temperature fluctuations, and precipitation variations were perceived to have a profound impact on agricultural activities and to increase food insecurity and the incidence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases in the refugee settlements.

Conclusions

Climate change–related hazards can exacerbate food insecurity and contribute to health challenges by increasing the incidence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases. To enhance the resilience of refugee settlements against climate-related hazards, it is crucial to implement community-based disaster preparedness systems, invest in climate-resilient agriculture, upgrade water and sanitation infrastructure, and integrate climate risk assessments into public health planning.